The IDF carried out an airstrike near Damascus on Wednesday, targeting what it described as an extremist group preparing to attack the Druze community in Syria. The strike, which Israel called a "warning operation," came amid escalating sectarian violence in the region.
The military said the operation took place in Sahnaya, a town on the outskirts of the Syrian capital, and was intended to prevent further attacks on the Druze minority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel expects the Syrian regime to act to prevent harm to the Druze.
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Syrian security forces in the Druze Damascus suburb of Jaramana
(Photo: Rami al SAYED / AFP)
The military said in a statement that following a situation assessment, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir instructed the military to prepare for strikes on regime targets in Syria should the violence against the Druze continue.
The airstrike followed deadly clashes in the predominantly Druze suburb of Jaramana, where at least 13 people were killed, including members of Syria's General Security Service. The violence was reportedly sparked by a recording of a Druze man insulting the Prophet Muhammad, which incited anger among Sunni gunmen.
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In Israel, Druze protesters blocked roads in the Galilee earlier on Wednesday, expressing solidarity with their brethren in Syria and calling on the Israeli government to intervene. Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, urged immediate action to prevent a massacre, stating, "Israel must not stand by in the face of events unfolding as we speak."
The Druze, a religious minority with communities in Syria, Lebanon and Israel, have been increasingly vulnerable amid the sectarian strife following the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Israel has emphasized its commitment to protecting the Druze, citing historical and familial ties.