Israeli Renews Strikes On Damascus, Hit Presidential Palace And Defense Ministry (Videos)

Israel renewed its strikes on the Syrian capital, Damascus, on July 16 afternoon in response to the ongoing attack by the forces of the country’s Islamist-led government on the Druze-majority southern city of al-Suwayda.

The strikes targeted Syria’s general staff command building and a “military target” near the Presidential Palace, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement, adding that the general staff command building in the capital were used by Syrian government forces to send troops to al-Suwayda.

Earlier in the day, a warning strike hit the entrance to the general staff command building. Defense Minister Israel Katz said after the strike, “The signaling in Damascus is over, now come the painful blows.”

“The IDF will continue to operate forcefully in Sweida to destroy the forces that attacked the Druze until their full withdrawal,” he added.

Minutes later, a large explosion was reported at the general staff command building in Damascus, with Katz sharing a video on X of a live Syrian news report showing the strike in the background, with the caption: “The painful blows have begun.”

Soon after that, a series of heavy strikes targeted the general staff command building, which appeared to be partly collapsed. Strikes were also reported near the Presidential Palace.

“The Syrian regime must leave the Druze in Sweida alone and withdraw its forces. As we have made clear and warned, Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria and will enforce the demilitarization policy we have decided on,” Katz said in a second statement.

“The IDF will continue to strike regime forces until they withdraw from the area, and will soon escalate its response against the regime if the message is not understood,” he added.

The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency later reported that the strikes on Damascus claimed the lives of three people and left 34 others wounded.

In addition to the strikes on Damascus, Syrian media reported the death of four senior military commanders in Israeli strikes on the countryside of Daraa, next to al-Suwayda. The commanders appear to have been targeted on purpose, but the IDF is yet to confirm.

The battle in al-Suwayda began on July 13, as a result of a local conflict between Druze fighters and Sunni tribesmen. Early on July 14, the government announced that it was intervening to stop the conflict, but ended up backing the tribesmen. Israel has been launching strikes in support of the Druze from the start.

According to the IDF, more than 160 targets were hit in southern Syria since the start of the government attack on al-Suwayda.

Also on July 16, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered the military to further enhance its surveillance and offensive capabilities on the front with Syria.

Zamir instructed the Northern Command to divert forces to the Syrian frontier to “increase the rate of strikes and stop attacks against the Druze in Syria,” the military stated in a statement.

The IDF said it was ready to deploy two divisions to the Golan Heights and divert aerial forces, including drones and fighter jets, to the area.

“The IDF is committed to the deep alliance with our Druze brothers and is therefore striking targets across Syria in order to protect them in the Sweida region, Jabal al-Druze, and wherever necessary,” the military’s statement said.

The IDF said it was ready to deploy two divisions to the Golan Heights and divert aerial forces, including drones and fighter jets, to the area. The additional forces would bolster the 210th “Bashan” Division along the border and in the Israeli-controlled Syrian buffer zone.

“The IDF is committed to the deep alliance with our Druze brothers and is therefore striking targets across Syria in order to protect them in the Sweida region, Jabal al-Druze, and wherever necessary,” the military’s statement said.

Addressing attempts by Israeli Druze to cross into Syria, the military said that such attempts “endangers the Druze and our forces and must be stopped immediately.”

Most of al-Suwayda city and its outskirts remain in the hands of government forces. Violations, including summary executions by government forces, are also still being reported, despite a statement by the Syrian Presidency promising to stop acts and hold the perpetrators responsible.

After the Israeli escalation, the Syrian Interior Ministry announced an agreement with Druze leaders to end fighting and deployed security forces in the city. However, the agreement was ultimately rejected by the spiritual leader of the group, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who called for expelling the government from the entirety of the governorate. Israeli strikes continued after this, indicating that Israel was supportive of al-Hijri’s statement.

The battle in al-Suwayda has so far claimed the lives of 248 people, including 21 Druze civilians who were executed by government forces, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The real death toll is likely much higher.

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