On Friday morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the Israeli military had struck a target near the presidential palace in the Syrian capital Damascus. This is the second day in a row that Israel has attacked Syrian territory, citing a promise to protect the Druze community, The Jerusalem Post reports.
“This is a clear message to the Syrian regime: we will not allow their forces to be deployed south of Damascus and pose a threat to our friends,” Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement.
The Israeli Defence Forces reported that the target was a facility near the palace of Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, but did not disclose exact details. The Syrian authorities have not yet commented on the attack.
The Israeli airstrikes were a response to sectarian clashes between Druze and Sunnis that erupted this week in Druze-dominated areas of Damascus. The conflict started with the release of an audio recording insulting the Prophet Muhammad, which Sunni militants suspect was made by a Druze representative.
The Druze are a religious minority affiliated with Islam living in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Israel has officially declared its intention to protect them, especially after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December.
Syria’s current interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander, promises inclusive governance. However, outbreaks of sectarian violence, such as the massacre of Alawites in March, have only deepened the fears of religious minorities.
