Daijiworld Media Network- Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv, May 2: In a dramatic escalation, Israel confirmed on Friday that its warplanes carried out an airstrike near the presidential palace in Damascus, sending what it described as a “clear message” to the Assad regime. The strike, said to be near Ahmed Hussein al-Shara’s residence, comes amid mounting threats to Syria’s Druze community.
“This is a clear message to the Syrian regime. We will not allow forces to be sent south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement reported by The Times of Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in a post on X (formerly Twitter), confirmed the precision strike targeting areas near the palace, highlighting growing regional concerns over sectarian violence.
The United States also weighed in strongly. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce condemned what she termed “reprehensible and unacceptable” violence against Syria’s Druze minority. “Sectarianism will only sink Syria and the region into chaos and more violence,” she said, urging Syrian authorities to end the bloodshed and ensure the protection of all communities.
Tensions have flared since a controversial audio clip, allegedly mocking Prophet Muhammad, went viral earlier this week. Although Druze scholar Marwan Kiwan denied any connection to the clip, violent clashes erupted in Damascus suburbs, including Jaramana and Sahnaya. The revered Druze cleric Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri has since condemned the crackdown as a “genocidal campaign.”
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported at least 101 deaths in the recent clashes, including 30 pro-government fighters, 21 Druze members, and 10 civilians. Among the deceased is former Sahnaya mayor, Husam Warwar.
With Israel’s red line drawn and the international community raising alarm, tensions in southern Syria remain at boiling point, posing new risks to a region already grappling with multiple fault lines.