The barrage came amid rising tensions over the status of the Druze minority after days of sectarian violence. Israeli officials had warned Damascus not to endanger the Druze community, while also claiming that their strikes aimed to prevent “threats” from the south of the capital.
Despite the violence, top Druze clerics and armed factions reaffirmed their loyalty to the Syrian state and rejected calls for separation. In a joint statement, Druze leaders urged the government to empower the interior ministry and judiciary in their stronghold of Sweida province by appointing local officials to key posts.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitor, said the latest Israeli strikes hit military installations in multiple locations, including the capital, Latakia and Hama in the west, and Daraa in the south. Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that one civilian was killed in Harasta, near Damascus, and four others were injured near Hama.
Israel claimed its aircraft targeted anti-aircraft systems and surface-to-air missile infrastructure but provided no further details. These strikes followed an Israeli drone attack earlier on Friday that, according to the Observatory, killed four Druze fighters in Sweida province, the spiritual heartland of the Druze.
Earlier in the day, a large explosion rocked the area around the presidential palace in Damascus. Israeli military spokesperson claimed responsibility, saying Israeli jets struck near the residence of interim president Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa.
The attack marked a rare direct attack on Syria’s highest seat of power and drew widespread condemnation. Syrian authorities described the strike as “a dangerous escalation against state institutions” and accused Israel of deliberately undermining stability.
In a joint statement, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Israel Katz called the strike “a clear message” to Syria’s leadership, which took power following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad last year.
“We will not allow forces to be sent south of Damascus,” the statement read.
Reporting from Damascus on Friday afternoon, Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan said the Israeli attack “hit in the vicinity of the presidential palace” but caused no damage.
“The Israelis are calling it a warning shot, saying that the Syrian government needs to protect the Druze community. But that has been met with cynicism from senior Druze leaders, who say they don’t need Israel to help protect them,” Khan explained.
Druze residents in Syria’s capital expressed anger at the ongoing strikes. Ahmed, a 55-year-old who withheld his surname, said the blast woke his family. “Unfortunately, we’ve gotten used to explosions and Israeli strikes in Damascus. Curse them,” he said.
The United Nations condemned the attack, with UN secretary-general António Guterres calling it a violation of Syria’s sovereignty. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria also expressed alarm over the spiralling sectarian violence and warned that Israeli raids were putting civilians at greater risk.
The Israeli bombardment came after deadly clashes this week between Druze fighters and armed groups aligned with Syria’s new authorities. Fighting erupted in Jaramana and Sahnaya near Damascus, as well as in Sweida, leaving more than 100 people dead, according to the Observatory.
The unrest was reportedly triggered by the circulation of an audio recording deemed blasphemous by Druze clerics. Syria’s government blamed “outlaw groups” for the violence, but residents and local sources said pro-government factions were involved in attacking Druze communities.
After days of fighting, a de-escalation agreement was reached between Druze leaders and government officials. The deal reportedly included the surrender of heavy weapons and the deployment of Syrian troops in Sahnaya and Jaramana.
An AFP journalist saw regime forces taking over checkpoints from Druze gunmen, though no handover of weapons was observed.
The crackdown in Sweida coincides with broader violence against minority groups. In March, the Observatory reported that more than 1,700 civilians—mostly Alawites—were killed by security forces and allied militias in what was described as the worst massacre since Assad’s fall. The current government blamed Assad loyalists for sparking the bloodshed.
Regional powers, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia—both supporters of Syria’s new leadership—condemned Israel’s aggression. Germany also weighed in, warning that Syria “must not become the venue for regional tensions to be played out.”
Despite Israel’s claims that it seeks to protect civilians, rights organisations and local residents condemned its strikes are exacerbating an already volatile situation.
Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt also voiced concern, urging Syria’s Druze community to resist “Israeli interference.”
Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since the new authorities took power. But the attacks have served more to inflame sectarian tensions and undermine Syrian sovereignty than to offer any meaningful protection to minorities.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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