On July 16, 2025, Israel launched airstrikes targeting Syria’s Defense Ministry and areas surrounding the presidential palace in Damascus, as reported by local authorities and a war monitoring organization. The strikes come amidst escalating violence in the southern province of Sweida, where the Druse minority has been at the center of deadly conflicts. Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, warned Syrian leadership that their actions in Sweida were being closely observed and signaled that further military response could occur if Syrian forces did not retreat.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a shocking death toll of over 200 individuals from four days of clashes, marking it as one of the deadliest periods of unrest in that region for years. The monitoring group noted that the Israeli strikes had caused significant destruction in Damascus, with at least nine injuries reported by Syria's health ministry.
While a cease-fire was declared on Tuesday, hostilities reignited the following day between government forces and Druse fighters, indicating the instability that continues to plague the area. Euan Ward, reporting from Beirut for Times, underscores the urgency of the situation as both regional dynamics and international relations remain tense.
