Following increased tension in areas inhabited by Druze in southern Damascus, Israel conducted a second airstrike in Syria, again citing attacks on the Druze community. This time, the target was the vicinity of the Syrian Presidential Palace.<\/p>\n
Recent days in Syria saw this second Israeli air raid after groups linked to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) attacked Druze in the Jaramana and Sahnaya areas, which are heavily populated by Druze in southern Damascus.<\/p>\n
Reports indicated that the Israeli army’s target was the area near the Syrian Presidential Palace, which was also described as the official residence of Syria’s interim President Ahmed Shara (Abu Mohammad al-Jolani).<\/p>\n
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued a joint statement declaring the attack was “a clear message to the Syrian regime.” Their statement included the phrases, “We will not allow military force to be sent to southern Damascus or any threat against the Druze.”<\/p>\n
In a separate statement, Defense Minister Katz remarked, “When Ahmed Shara wakes up in the morning and sees the results of the Israeli airstrike, he will understand that Israel is determined to prevent harm to the Druze in Syria.” Katz further stated that the Syrian administration “should allow the Druze in Sweida and Jabal al-Druze to defend themselves and prevent radical elements from reaching the villages.”<\/p>\n
The Israeli army had previously conducted an airstrike on Syrian territory on April 30 for similar reasons.<\/p>\n
Tension had escalated after a voice recording, allegedly belonging to a Druze cleric and containing insults against Prophet Muhammad, circulated on social media. Protests in Hama and Homs featured slogans like “Cut off the heads of the pig Druze,” although Druze leaders had denied the recording belonged to them.<\/p>\n
Despite this denial, clashes erupted on Monday (April 28) after HTS-linked groups were reportedly directed to the region, resulting in over 100 deaths in the ensuing violence.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, it was announced that Sahnaya Mayor Hussein Varur and his son Haider Varur were killed. The Druze community held the Damascus administration responsible for these murders, which occurred immediately after a ceasefire in the region was announced.<\/p>\n
The spiritual leader of the Syrian Druze, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, urgently called on the international community to intervene, stating that “massacres are being documented.” He asserted, “International military intervention is now required to stop these crimes. All institutions and organizations should not ignore this brutality inflicted upon our people.”<\/p>\n
Separately, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce condemned the acts of violence and hate speech targeting the Druze community in Syria.<\/p>\n
Bruce urged the Damascus administration to end the violence against the Druze, hold those responsible accountable, and protect all civilians. The US spokesperson warned that “sectarianism threatens Syria’s stability” and called for “a government that protects, integrates, and represents all of Syria’s communities, including ethnic and religious minorities.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Following increased tension in areas inhabited by Druze in southern Damascus, Israel conducted a second airstrike in Syria, again citing attacks on the Druze community. This time, the target was the vicinity of the Syrian Presidential Palace. Recent days in Syria saw this second Israeli air raid after groups linked to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9312,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[604,548,9633,4141,812,9638,9636,9637,9635,9634,7794,531,7791],"class_list":["post-9311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middleeast","tag-airstrike","tag-damascus","tag-druze-community","tag-hayat-tahrir-al-sham-hts","tag-israel","tag-jabal-al-druze","tag-jaramana","tag-sahnaya","tag-sectarian-violence","tag-southern-damascus","tag-sweida","tag-syria","tag-syrian-conflict"],"yoast_head":"\n