In a dangerous escalation of events, Israel bombed the entrance to a Syrian military headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday. The Israeli military also carried out strikes in southern Syria, where violent clashes between Druze militants and Bedouins have escalated in recent days, killing dozens and prompting the intervention of Syrian security forces.
The attack on the Syrian Ministry of Defense comes after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz demanded that the Syrian government withdraw from the southern Syrian province of Sweida, where sectarian violence is concentrated. Israel also stated that its operation aims to protect the Druze minority in Syria.
Katz said: "The Israeli army will continue to attack Syrian government forces until they withdraw from the region, and if the message is not understood, the level of response to the regime will soon be raised."
This latest round of sectarian violence comes as the Syrian transitional government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, seeks to establish control over the country after a rebel offensive ousted the Bashar al-Assad regime late last year. Israel has exploited the security vacuum in its north to seize territory along the border. It has also carried out several airstrikes inside Syria, targeting military infrastructure, as well as other operations allegedly aimed at protecting the Druze.
Turkish and Arab officials criticized the Israeli military intervention, saying it undermined al-Sharaa's efforts to stabilize the country after nearly 14 years of civil war. The new Syrian government had expressed its unwillingness to enter into conflict with its neighbors and had held talks with Israel to de-escalate tensions before this recent escalation.
As Israel launched its airstrikes on Wednesday, Druze leaders in Israel called for "airstrikes capable of thwarting the forces of murder operating in southern Syria."
A statement from Druze leaders said: "If decisive action is not taken, the crisis between us and the State of Israel will deepen in a dangerous and unprecedented way. Silence and standing idly by is no longer possible."
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