Israeli airstrike hits near Syrian presidential palace

Israel carried out an airstrike early Friday near Syria’s presidential palace, delivering what it called a “clear message” to Damascus after warning authorities not to advance on villages inhabited by members of the Druze minority in the country’s south.

The strike followed several days of fierce clashes between pro-government gunmen and Druze fighters in areas close to the capital, leaving dozens dead or injured, according to Associated Press.

Syria’s presidency condemned the Israeli action, describing it as a “dangerous escalation against state institutions and the sovereignty of the state.” In a statement, it urged the international community to support Syria, stating the attack “target Syria national security and the unity of the Syrian people.”

This marks Israel’s second strike in Syria within a week. The latest strike, near the People’s Palace — a hilltop residence in Damascus — is widely interpreted as a pointed warning to Syria’s new leadership, now reportedly dominated by Islamist groups including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

The Israeli military confirmed that fighter jets had struck an area near the Palace of President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus, without providing further details.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that the strike was intended as “a clear message” to Syrian authorities.

“We will not allow the deployment of forces south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community,” they said.

Tensions had flared in recent days in southern Syria, particularly in the Sweida province and Druze-majority suburbs of Damascus. On Thursday, the community’s top spiritual leader, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, delivered a harsh rebuke to the Syrian government, accusing it of carrying out an “unjustified genocidal attack” on the minority group.

Despite the mounting violence, the Druze leadership affirmed their national loyalty, stating early Friday that they remain part of Syria and reject any separatist aspirations.

The statement called on the government to restore its authority in Sweida and secure the vital highway connecting the province with Damascus.

The recent fighting was triggered by the circulation of an audio clip on social media late Monday. The clip, allegedly of a Druze cleric, criticised Islam’s Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), sparking outrage among Sunni Muslims.

However, the cleric in question, Marwan Kiwan, denied any involvement in a video message.

Syria’s Information Ministry reported that 11 members of the security forces were killed in two separate attacks. Meanwhile, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll from four days of clashes had reached 99, including 51 killed in the Sahnaya area and the Druze-majority suburb of Jaramana. The dead included local gunmen and government forces.

The Druze are a small religious sect that emerged in the 10th century as an offshoot of Ismaili Shiite Islam. Of the estimated 1 million Druze globally, more than half reside in Syria, particularly in Sweida and surrounding regions.

Other significant communities live in Lebanon and Israel, including the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed in 1981, reports UNB.