Israel Strikes Military Targets in Damascus Amid Escalating Violence in Sweida

On July 16, 2025, escalating conflict in Syria prompts Israeli airstrikes targeting military sites in Damascus, highlighting the precarious situation in the Sweida region where violent clashes have recently surged.

Israel conducted targeted airstrikes in Syria's capital, Damascus, on Wednesday morning, hitting the Defense Ministry and a location close to the presidential palace, as confirmed by both Syrian officials and a prominent war monitoring group. This military action comes alongside Israel's expressed concerns over the safety of the Druse minority in the southern province of Sweida, an area that has seen significant unrest and loss of life recently.

Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, issued a stern warning to the Syrian government, asserting that Israel would keep a close watch on its military operations in Sweida and would escalate its strikes should the Syrian forces not withdraw from the region. The latest violence in Sweida has been deadly, with reports of over 200 fatalities in just four days of clashes, marking the most serious outbreak of violence in the area in recent years, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The airstrikes in Damascus reportedly caused “extensive” damage, injuring at least nine individuals, as reported by the Syrian health ministry. While a ceasefire was declared in Sweida earlier, renewed violence quickly erupted, indicating the fragility of the situation despite the temporary truce.

Euan Ward, a Times reporter, provides ongoing coverage of the intricate dynamics at play in Lebanon and Syria, capturing the multidimensional nature of this conflict-laden region.