DAMASCUS: Israel bombed an area near the presidential palace in Damascus early on Friday, in its clearest threat yet to Syria’s new authorities of its readiness to ramp up military action in the name of the country’s Druze minority.

Syria’s government called the bombing a dangerous escalation amid increasing hostility between the neighbours.

Israel has escalated military operations in Syria since the ouster of Bashar Al Assad in December, with bombings across the country and ground forces entering its southwest, while calling for Syria to remain decentralised and isolated.

It has framed its stance around its suspicion of interim President Ahmed Al Sharaa, who once headed a branch of Al Qaeda before ending ties to the group in 2016, and a desire to protect the Druze, a minority sect that has followers in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

The Israeli military said troops were deployed in southern Syria to prevent the return of hostile forces to areas around Druze villages. It said forces were ready for defence and “various scenarios”.

It added that five Syrian-Druze citizens were evacuated to receive medical treatment in Israel after sustaining wounds.

Earlier, Israel’s military said it struck an area “adjacent” to Sharaa’s palace in Damascus, without further details. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The strike was “a clear message to the Syrian regime: We will not allow (Syrian) forces to deploy 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.

Syria’s presidency condemned the bombardment and said it marked a dangerous escalation.

“Israel doesn’t want peace. Nor does it care for the groups it purportedly protects by bombing others,” Syrian foreign ministry spokesperson Razan Saffour wrote on X, adding Israel had never bombed near the palace when Assad was in power.

A Syrian official said the target was about 100 metres east of the palace’s perimeter.

It followed days of clashes in Syria between pro-government militiamen and the Druze triggered by a blasphemy allegation. The fighting killed more than 20 people in towns around Damascus and prompted an initial Israeli “warning strike” on a town on the capital’s outskirts that killed one member of Syria’s security forces.

Israeli opposition parties expressed support for operations in Syria.

“Israel cannot abandon the Druze in Syria to their fate,” centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid said on X. “The Syrian regime must know they are our allies and we will not stand by while they are attacked.”

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2025