ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Israeli military on Wednesday struck the Syrian government's General Staff headquarters in Damascus, following warnings from Tel Aviv that it would escalate operations in defense of Syria’s Druze minority amid ongoing violence in Suwayda province. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “attacked the Syrian regime's General Staff headquarters in the Damascus area a short while ago,” said Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson, in a post on X. Syrian state television reported “a new aggression by the Israeli occupation air force” targeting Umayyad Square, near the military headquarters building in central Damascus. The incident took place during a live broadcast by Rudaw’s correspondent Solin Mohammedamin, showing powerful explosions striking the building. Earlier in the day, the IDF stated it had struck the entrance of a Syrian military headquarters in the capital. Adraee also announced that the IDF had dispatched additional reinforcements, including intelligence, reconnaissance, and offensive units, “to increase the pace of strikes and stop attacks against the Druze in Syria.” The escalation comes a day after Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajari, spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze minority in Suwayda, warned that the community was facing “extermination.” He said a statement issued previously welcoming Damascus-affiliated forces into Suwayda was made under pressure to prevent further bloodshed. Damascus-aligned forces entered Suwayda following days of clashes between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that nearly 250 people have been killed in the violence. A ceasefire was later announced by the Syrian defense ministry, reportedly following an agreement with Druze leaders. However, clashes continue in the city. Israel has in recent months reiterated its commitment to protecting the Druze community in Syria, citing “strong ties” and security concerns related to any buildup of hostile forces near its borders. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli airstrikes targeted tanks, missile launchers, combat vehicles, and pickup trucks equipped with heavy machine guns “that were moving toward Suwayda,” Adraee said. Meanwhile, Turkey condemned the Israeli strikes. Burhanettin Duran, head of the Turkish Directorate of Communications, said in a statement that "Israel’s attacks on Syria target not only Syria’s stability and security but also the tranquility of our entire region.” He added, “Turkey will continue to support Syria’s territorial integrity, as it has always done.” Turkey has been a staunch supporter of the new Syrian government under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa, formed by the now-dissolved Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement released on Wednesday that “we are acting to save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the gangs of the [Syrian] regime.” Netanyahu also addressed Israeli Druze citizens attempting to cross the border into Syria near Suwayda, located close to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. “I have a single request of you: you are Israeli citizens. Do not cross the border. You are risking your lives; you could be murdered, you could be taken hostage, and you are impeding the efforts of the IDF,” he said. “Return to your homes and let the IDF take action.” Israel, which views Syria’s new Islamist-led government as a threat, has increased efforts to target regime military infrastructure since the fall of Assad. Israeli forces have also moved into buffer zones east of the annexed Golan Heights, citing the need to prevent security threats from emerging along its northern border. SOHR reported on Wednesday that Israel has carried out 68 attacks on Syrian territory since the beginning of 2025 - 58 of them airstrikes and ten ground-based. These attacks reportedly damaged or destroyed 102 targets, including weapons depots, command centers, and military vehicles.
