he United States has expressed strong concern over a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes that targeted key Syrian military installations in Damascus on Wednesday. The strikes, which reportedly killed one person and injured at least 18, come amid ongoing violence in southern Syria’s Druze-majority Sweida province.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was “very concerned” about the attacks, which hit areas near the Syrian Army and Defence Ministry headquarters. “We’re in close contact with all relevant sides, and are working to de-escalate the situation,” Rubio said.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strikes, stating they were aimed at military sites from which Syrian regime forces are directing operations in Sweida. One of the targets included a compound near the Syrian Presidential Palace. The IDF justified the strikes as necessary to prevent further attacks on the Druze population in southern Syria.
The flare-up follows a major offensive by the Syrian government, which deployed troops to Sweida earlier this week. Witnesses reported that these forces, alongside Bedouin fighters, clashed with local Druze armed groups and civilians, triggering some of the worst violence in the region since the spring.
A military official cited by Reuters stated that Israel would not permit the Syrian Army to build a presence near its border and would take all necessary actions to defend the Druze population. “The Syrian army was part of the problem, not the solution to the crisis,” the official said.
Following days of fighting, a new ceasefire was reportedly reached late Wednesday between Syrian forces and Druze militias in Sweida, though previous truces have failed to hold. Syrian state media claimed that the city was now under full government control and that security checkpoints had been re-established.
The death toll from the recent clashes in Sweida has surpassed 300, according to monitoring groups cited by AFP. The violence has rekindled fears of a broader sectarian conflict in Syria, where the Druze minority has often been caught in the crossfire between government troops and extremist factions.
The IDF described the Damascus-based military headquarters as a command center used to deploy forces against Druze fighters. Israeli leaders have reiterated their commitment to maintaining stability along the northern frontier and preventing any threat from crossing into Israeli territory.
As the crisis unfolds, the United States has signaled its readiness to mediate but stopped short of criticizing Israel directly. Meanwhile, the situation in southern Syria remains tense, with the long-term effectiveness of the ceasefire still uncertain.
