Israel launched a targeted airstrike early Friday near Syria’s presidential palace following its warning to Syrian authorities over escalating threats against Druze-populated villages in southern Syria. This comes after intense sectarian violence near Damascus between pro-government factions and Druze fighters, leaving over 100 people dead and dozens wounded.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets struck a location adjacent to the palace of President Hussein al-Sharaa in Damascus, though no further details were released. Syrian state media confirmed the strike hit near the People’s Palace, a prominent government site.

Tensions escalated earlier this week after a viral audio clip—allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad and falsely attributed to a Druze cleric—ignited unrest. Cleric Marwan Kiwan, accused in the recording, publicly denied involvement.

In the aftermath, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, the Druze spiritual authority, condemned what he called a “genocidal campaign” against his community. He directed blame at Syria’s new Islamist regime, primarily controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which rose to power following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that if Syria fails to protect the Druze minority, Israel “will respond with significant force.” This latest airstrike marks the second Israeli offensive in Syria this week, highlighting rising cross-border tensions.

Casualty reports remain grim. Syria’s Information Ministry confirmed the deaths of 11 security personnel, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights recorded 56 fatalities in Sahnaya and Jaramana.

The Druze, an esoteric ethno-religious group that split from Shiite Islam in the 10th century, numbers around one million globally, with more than half living in Syria—mainly in Sweida province and the Damascus outskirts. Others reside in Lebanon and Israel, including the Golan Heights, which Israel annexed in 1981.

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