Damascus, Syria – Israeli warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes on Wednesday targeting high-level government sites in the Syrian capital Damascus, amid rising tensions linked to the conflict in the majority Druze province of Sweida.
According to our reporter, three consecutive strikes hit the Syrian General Staff Headquarters in Damascus, with ambulances rushing to the area. Syria’s Health Ministry confirmed that at least one person was killed and 18 were injured in the bombardment.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported the strikes also targeted the area surrounding the presidential palace. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared after a security meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “signals to Damascus are over, and that “painful blows” are coming.”
Read also: IDF Strikes Syrian Regime HQ in Damascus After Sweida Withdrawal Ignored
He pledged that the Israeli military would “protect the Druze brothers in Syria” and demanded a full Syrian army withdrawal from Sweida, where clashes continue between Syrian government forces and local armed groups.
Earlier Wednesday, Israeli jets also struck near the People’s Palace in Damascus in what Israeli officials described as “warning shots” to President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Additional strikes targeted Syrian military units around Sweida, reportedly wounding civilians and soldiers.
Meanwhile, Axios reported that a senior U.S. official confirmed the Trump administration had urged Israel to hold back further attacks and open a channel of dialogue with the Syrian government to ease tensions. U.S. Envoy Tom Barrack spoke with Israeli Minister Ron Dermer on Tuesday and Wednesday, urging Israel to “pause and take a breath.”
IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X (formerly Twitter) that Israeli forces are closely monitoring developments and reinforcing troops along the northern border. He added that the army would adjust deployments to “carry out operational tasks on various fronts.”
