Syria’s rulers on Friday denounced an airstrike near the presidential palace as a “dangerous escalation,” as Israel called it a “clear message” not to harm the Druze minority.
The dawn strike came hours after senior Druze clerics and armed factions reaffirmed their loyalty to Damascus and rejected any call for secession.
They also urged the authorities to appoint local officials to official posts in their Sweida province stronghold.
The statement followed sectarian clashes between Druze fighters and Syrian forces, including government-affiliated groups.
More than 100 people were killed in Jaramana and Sahnaya near Damascus and in Sweida, war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Friday’s explosion from the presidential palace area was heard across Damascus, an AFP correspondent reported.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said “warplanes attacked... the area near Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa’s palace in Damascus,” referring to the president.
In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz called it a “clear message” to Syria’s new rulers.
“We will not allow forces to be sent south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community,” they said.
Syria’s presidency called the strike “a dangerous escalation against state institutions and its sovereignty,” and accused Israel of destabilizing the country.
After this week’s sectarian clashes a de-escalation deal was agreed between Druze representatives and the government, prompting troop deployments in Sahnaya and tighter security around Jaramana.
Syrian officials said the agreement also included the immediate surrender of heavy weapons.
An AFP photographer saw troops taking over checkpoints from Druze gunmen in Jaramana, although no handover of weapons was witnessed.
AFP
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