Israel’s armed forces fly air raid on Damascus

Location at a glance

Israel’s armed forces fly air raid on Damascus

The Israeli Air Force attacks destinations near the Syrian Presidential Palace. In view of the attacks on the Drusian minority, Israel warns the government of the neighboring country.

After the violent struggles between members of the Drusian minority, government -related militias and state security forces in Syria, Israel’s air force attacked several destinations in the capital Damascus. The military said that goals were hit near the presidential palace. According to media reports, the Israeli leadership today also wants to decide on the possible tightening of the attacks in the Gaza Strip.

“This is a clear message to the Syrian regime. We will not allow troops to be sent south of Damascus or that the Drusian community is threatened,” said Israeli newspapers from a joint statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Israel Katz on the attacks in Syria.

The Drusen are a religious minority that is mainly located in Syria, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. The religious community emerged from Shiite Islam in the 11th century. In Israel, many druses serve voluntarily in the army – the Jewish state sees it as an ally.

Most recently, there were violent clashes between Sunni militias and drusian armed in Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in Great Britain, more than 100 people have been killed since the beginning of this week.

Even before the air raid on Damascus, Israel’s Defense Minister Katz had warned the Syrian leadership of new attacks on the Drusian minority. “If the attacks on the Drusen in Syria do not stop, we will react with great hardness,” Katz, according to his spokesman, threatened the temporary president of the neighboring country, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Already on Wednesday, the Israeli Air Force had attacked destinations in Syria several times. According to Israeli military information, people were shot at near Damascus who attacked Drusen.

After negotiations, the Drusen in the south of the country agreed to hand over their heavy weapons. In return, a new military unit from Drusen under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense will be built in the province of Suwaida, the German Press Agency learned from circles of the religious minority. The unit should ensure security in the region. A safety agreement between the government and local militias had also been concluded in Jharamana near the capital Damascus.

Meanwhile, Drusen protested in Israel against the violence that their faith brothers experienced in Syria. According to a report by the news portal “Ynet”, they blocked a number of country roads and called for a more determined use of the Israeli government against bloodshed in the neighboring country. Among the demonstrators were also reservists from the Israeli forces.

“There is a historical connection between Jews and Drusen. As we got up for this country and – if necessary – would die, we now also have to do something against the cruelty that are done to our brothers in Syria,” quoted “Ynet” a drusian reservist of the Israeli military. “This alliance knows no boundaries. If necessary, we go off ourselves to protect our families in Syria.”

According to media reports, the demonstrators also moved towards the residence of Prime Minister Netanyahu in Caesarea. The spiritual leader of the Drusen, sheikh Mowafak tariff, called on the demonstrators to end the street blocks and go home.

The US government also condemned violence in Syria. “The recent violence and the agitation of rhetoric that are directed against members of the Drusian community in Syria are reprehensible and unacceptable,” said the spokeswoman for the US State Department, Tammy Bruce. “The transitional government must hire the struggles, take the violent offenders accountable for their actions and ensure the security of all Syrians.”