Israel’s military confirmed it struck the entrance of Syria’s defence ministry in Damascus on Wednesday, intensifying its operations in support of the country’s Druze minority amid escalating violence between Syrian government forces and Druze fighters.
The strike marked the third consecutive day of Israeli attacks in Syria, following renewed fighting in the southern city of Sweida, where clashes between Druze militias and government-aligned forces have flared.
Security sources inside the ministry told Reuters that two drone strikes hit the facility, forcing officers to shelter in the basement. Syrian state broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya reported that two civilians were wounded in the Israeli strike.
According to the Israeli military, the airstrike targeted “the entrance gate of the Syrian regime’s military headquarters complex” in Damascus. It was part of ongoing efforts to monitor and respond to threats against Druze civilians in southern Syria.
Throughout Wednesday, Israeli strikes also targeted areas in Sweida, a majority-Druze city, where an overnight ceasefire quickly collapsed. Syrian state media and local sources reported a sharp escalation in fighting.
The Syrian military had deployed troops to the Sweida region earlier in the week, initially to mediate clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin armed groups. However, government forces soon found themselves in direct conflict with Druze militias.
Local news outlet Sweida24 reported that the city and nearby villages were under intense artillery and mortar fire on Wednesday morning. In response, Syria’s defence ministry accused“outlaw groups in Sweida of violating the ceasefire, according to state news agency SANA.
Authorities urged residents to stay indoors as fighting intensified. Several locals reached by Reuters said they were sheltering in their homes without electricity, fearful of the ongoing violence.
reuters/s.s