Syria Israeli airstrikes on Damascus decried as a 'dangerous escalation'

Syria's new government has angrily denounced raids launched by Israel's air force against unidentified targets near the presidential palace in Damascus, warning of a "dangerous escalation".

- Jason Burke

Israeli officials said the attacks were intended to send a message to the Syrian government after days of bloody clashes near Damascus between pro-government militia and fighters from the Druze minority sect.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, and the defence minister, Israel Katz, said in a joint statement that the attack early yesterday, the second this week in Syria, was intended to deter the country's new leadership from any hostile move against the Druze.

The statement said: "This is a clear message to the Syrian regime. We will not allow the deployment of forces south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community."

The Israeli army confirmed in a statement that fighter jets struck adjacent to the area of the palace of the president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus but gave no further details.

The government in Damascus took power after ousting Bashar al-Assad in December and is dominated by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which has its roots in the Al-Qaida jihadist network. Though Syria's new rulers have promised inclusive rule in the multi-belief, multi-ethnic country, they face pressures from extremists in their own ranks.