Israel strikes near Damascus to defend Druze minority after sectarian clashes.

Israel's military carried out airstrikes early Friday near Syria’s presidential palace in Damascus, following warnings from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that it would take action if Syrian authorities failed to safeguard the country’s Druze minority.

“Israel struck last night near the presidential palace in Damascus,” Netanyahu stated during a joint announcement with Defense Minister Israel Katz. “This is a clear message to the Syrian regime: We will not allow Syrian forces to deploy south of Damascus or permit any threat to the Druze community.”

Syrian authorities have not issued an immediate response to the Israeli strikes.

The military action follows several days of sectarian violence between Sunni gunmen and members of the Druze community. The unrest reportedly began after an audio recording surfaced on social media, featuring a man criticizing the Prophet Muhammad. The voice in the recording was attributed to a Druze cleric, igniting outrage among Sunni Muslims and resulting in deadly confrontations.

The clashes have left dozens either dead or injured, intensifying concerns for the safety of the Druze. These latest killings come on the heels of mass violence in March, when over 1,700 civilians—many of them from Syria's Alawite community—were reportedly killed in a series of massacres.

The Druze community follows a faith that branched off from Ismailism, itself a sect of Shiite Islam. The majority of Druze live in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, including in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

This recent airstrike marks the second time in as many days that Israel has attacked Syrian territory, underlining its commitment to defending the Druze population. The strikes also highlight Israel’s longstanding suspicion toward the Sunni Islamist groups that ousted former Syrian President Bashar Assad in December 2024.

Since Assad’s removal from power, Israel has advanced into southwestern Syria, destroyed much of the Syrian military’s heavy weaponry, and reiterated its vow to protect the Druze community.