Israel hits Syria military HQ as clashes rage on

The Israeli military launched on Wednesday a rare airstrike in the heart of Damascus, hitting the Syrian Defence Ministry headquarters as clashes in the southern Syrian city of Sweida continued to flare.

- Associated Press

Israel's attack came hours after a drone strike on the same building. Syrian state media reported a “number of casualties” without giving further details.

As clashes have raged for days in the southern Syrian city of Sweida between government forces and Druze armed groups, Israel has launched a series of strikes targeting government troops and convoys, which it says are in support of the religious minority group, and has vowed to escalate its involvement. It has also beefed up its forces along its border with Syria.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said after the airstrike in a post on X that the “painful blows have begun.”