Israel Launches Attack on Syria to ‘Defend Local Minority’
Sectarian clashes have erupted near Damascus between armed groups linked to the government and Druze fighters. The Israel Defense Force has carried out a drone strike targeting an “extremist group” in Syria. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu...
TroibNews 
Sectarian clashes have erupted near Damascus between armed groups linked to the government and Druze fighters.
The Israel Defense Force has carried out a drone strike targeting an “extremist group” in Syria. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz referred to the attack as a “warning operation” aimed at preventing violence against the Syrian Druze minority.
The strike was aimed at a “gathering of an extremist group that was preparing to continue its attack on the Druze population” in Syria, as reported by the Times of Israel. IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir has allegedly instructed troops to target Syrian government sites further “if the violence against the Druze does not stop.”
According to AFP, clashes have intensified between the armed groups linked to the Syrian government and Druze fighters around Damascus. On Wednesday, at least 11 people lost their lives as “outlaw groups targeted civilians and security forces” in Sahnaya, a suburb of Damascus. This incident occurred just a day after similar clashes in Jaramana, a predominantly Druze and Christian area, left 17 dead, as reported by the news agency.
The new Syrian authorities are facing increased tensions following sectarian violence in Latakia province, which has largely targeted Alawites and Christians and reportedly resulted in around 1,000 fatalities.
This ongoing violence has drawn denouncements from both the US and Russia regarding the persecution of Syrian minority groups, while the EU has placed blame on “pro-Assad elements” for attacking “interim government forces.”
The Syrian Interior Ministry announced that the Israeli strike resulted in the death of one member of the Syrian national security force, who was deployed in the area to quell clashes between the armed groups, according to Reuters. The Syrian SANA news agency confirmed the Israeli strike but did not provide details on any casualties.
The Druze, who represent about 3% of Syria’s population, are a minority religious group that follows an offshoot of Islam. Following the ousting of Bashar Assad in December due to an unexpected insurgency by Islamist forces, some Druze in southern Syria have sought Israeli protection, describing it as the “lesser evil.”
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
The Israel Defense Force has carried out a drone strike targeting an “extremist group” in Syria. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz referred to the attack as a “warning operation” aimed at preventing violence against the Syrian Druze minority.
The strike was aimed at a “gathering of an extremist group that was preparing to continue its attack on the Druze population” in Syria, as reported by the Times of Israel. IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir has allegedly instructed troops to target Syrian government sites further “if the violence against the Druze does not stop.”
According to AFP, clashes have intensified between the armed groups linked to the Syrian government and Druze fighters around Damascus. On Wednesday, at least 11 people lost their lives as “outlaw groups targeted civilians and security forces” in Sahnaya, a suburb of Damascus. This incident occurred just a day after similar clashes in Jaramana, a predominantly Druze and Christian area, left 17 dead, as reported by the news agency.
The new Syrian authorities are facing increased tensions following sectarian violence in Latakia province, which has largely targeted Alawites and Christians and reportedly resulted in around 1,000 fatalities.
This ongoing violence has drawn denouncements from both the US and Russia regarding the persecution of Syrian minority groups, while the EU has placed blame on “pro-Assad elements” for attacking “interim government forces.”
The Syrian Interior Ministry announced that the Israeli strike resulted in the death of one member of the Syrian national security force, who was deployed in the area to quell clashes between the armed groups, according to Reuters. The Syrian SANA news agency confirmed the Israeli strike but did not provide details on any casualties.
The Druze, who represent about 3% of Syria’s population, are a minority religious group that follows an offshoot of Islam. Following the ousting of Bashar Assad in December due to an unexpected insurgency by Islamist forces, some Druze in southern Syria have sought Israeli protection, describing it as the “lesser evil.”
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
