IRIA News

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Israel launched a series of airstrikes in the heart of Damascus on July 16, including direct hits on the Ministry of Defense in Damascus, in a major escalation in its confrontation with Syria’s new government.

Syrian media reported that at least three people were killed and 34 wounded in the Israeli attacks on the capital city of Damascus.

The rare bombardment in central Damascus follows days of deadly clashes involving Syrian government forces in the southern region of Sweida. Syrian government forces, initially deployed to restore order, later engaged in direct fighting with Druze militias.

Israel said it launched the strikes to protect the Druze, an Arab minority at the center of the unrest and regarded in Israel as a loyal community, with many serving in the Israeli military.

Airstrikes target Syrian military headquarters

Residents in Damascus described warplanes swooping low over the capital before launching a wave of airstrikes. A Reuters reporter on the ground witnessed smoke engulfing the city skyline as explosions rocked the defense ministry area. Live broadcasts showed explosions near government buildings.

Israel launches deadly airstrikes in the heart of Damascus, hitting the Syrian Defense Ministry building and a facility near the presidential palace. pic.twitter.com/jM0AzYwDFR

— IRIA (@IRIA_Research) July 16, 2025

According to security sources within Syria’s defense ministry, at least two drone strikes hit the building, forcing officers to take cover in the basement. State-run television later confirmed that two civilians were wounded in the attack.

The Israeli military confirmed it had targeted the entrance gate of the Syrian military headquarters complex in Damascus. Syrian state media also attributed the strikes to Israel, although official Israeli sources have remained tight-lipped about the full extent of the operation.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a social media post shortly after the strikes that “painful blows have begun,” further signaling Tel Aviv’s determination to protect the Druze population in Syria.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF to immediately attack [Syrian] regime forces and weapons that were introduced into the Sweida area in the Druze Mountains” Katz said adding that “Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel, and the family and historical connection.”

Israeli airstrike on Syria’s Defense Ministry was captured live on TV. Syria has condemned the attack as a “dangerous escalation.” pic.twitter.com/wkacCyWMOE

— IRIA (@IRIA_Research) July 16, 2025

Sweida chaos: Why did the fighting erupt?

The Israeli airstrikes followed days of intense fighting in and around the southern Syrian city of Sweida, home to a significant Druze population. Violence erupted earlier this week between Druze fighters and armed groups from Bedouin Arab tribes.

As Syrian government forces were deployed to the area to contain the unrest, they instead found themselves clashing with local Druze militias. The result has been a spiraling humanitarian and security crisis. Residents of Sweida have described a terrifying situation on the ground.

According to local reports, artillery and mortar fire pounded Sweida and surrounding villages early Wednesday morning. Eyewitness accounts described government troops looting homes, torching property, and stealing vehicles and furniture. One resident reportedly showed a reporter the body of his brother, who had been shot in the head inside their house.

The government’s response has been to blame the unrest on “outlawed gangs.” However, a Druze spiritual leader countered on Tuesday that the Druze community was under a “barbaric attack” by government forces. Despite government statements claiming a commitment to minority protection, many in the region see the state’s actions as deeply repressive.

More than 200 people have been killed in just four days, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence has revived fears of a broader sectarian conflict in the country. It marks a significant escalation in Syria’s prolonged conflict and raises the risk of drawing Israel more deeply into its northeastern border.

Israeli Druze cross border into Syria

In a bold move of solidarity, dozens of Israeli Druze crossed the border fence into Syria on Wednesday to join and support their Syrian counterparts. Witnesses confirmed the crossing, which reportedly took place along the frontier near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Israeli military said it was working to safely return those who crossed, while reaffirming its stance: that it would intervene militarily if Syrian forces threatened Druze populations. This marks one of the most visible Israeli military and civilian engagements in Syria since the civil war began in 2011.

Israel has a vested interest in the fate of the Druze, an ethnoreligious group that exists in significant numbers across Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Calls from within Israel’s Druze community for intervention have grown louder amid reports of atrocities in Sweida.

US calls on Syria to pull forces out of the south

The United States is calling on Syria to withdraw its troops from the southern border area to allow for de-escalation.

“We are calling on the Syrian government to withdraw their military in order to allow all sides to be able to de-escalate,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told media after clashes between Syrian government troops and local Druze fighters resumed in Sweida hours after a ceasefire agreement between Syrian government forces and Druse fighters in Sweida.

Washington had so far maintained a cautious tone. U.S. Syria envoy Tom Barrack stated that the United States was “in contact with all sides to navigate towards calm and integration.” In May, Barack had praised Syria’s new leadership and hinted at the possibility of future peace between Syria and Israel, hopes that now appear distant in light of recent events.

Regional implications after Israeli attacks

The renewed violence in Sweida risks destabilizing the broader region, especially given the proximity to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Israel’s security red lines. Israel has made it clear that any movement of Syrian or allied forces into southern Syria could provoke further military responses.

This is not the first time Israel has struck Syrian targets in recent years. During the rule of Bashar al-Assad, Israel frequently targeted Iranian-backed militias and weapons convoys transiting through Syria. What is new is the explicit framing of the latest strikes as a mission to protect the Druze, a shift that could indicate a more ethnically and strategically focused military doctrine.

With reports of civilian casualties rising, mounting evidence of human rights violations, and cross-border movements by Israeli Druze, the crisis in southern Syria could escalate into a broader regional flashpoint. Whether international diplomacy can forestall further deterioration remains uncertain.

Political fallout for Syria’s interim leadership

The recent conflict presents a major challenge for interim Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa, who has taken the reins of a fragile state still reeling from over a decade of war, foreign occupation, and internal strife. Although his administration has taken steps to normalize relations with Western countries, including the United States, the recent crackdown on Druze communities could undermine those efforts.

The fighting also throws into question the long-term viability of Sharaa’s rule and his promises to protect minority rights. The Druze, while historically neutral or even supportive of the central government, have become increasingly disillusioned by what they view as betrayal and aggression.

Sharaa’s government stated on Wednesday, promising that “those responsible for lawlessness in Sweida would be held accountable,” adding that it remains committed to the “protection of the rights of the people in Sweida.” However, critics argue that this is little more than political theater in the face of mounting evidence of military abuses.