ISRAEL STRIKES NEAR SYRIAN PRESIDENTIAL PALACE AMID DRUZE CLASHES

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN DE MODE

Article Published on: 01ST MAY 2025 | www.demodemagazine.com

Israel launched an airstrike early Friday near Syria’s presidential palace in Damascus, following intense clashes between pro-government forces and Druze fighters. The strike, the second this week, was a direct message to Syria’s leadership, now increasingly influenced by Islamist groups such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Israeli leaders warned Damascus against advancing on Druze-populated areas, vowing to protect the minority community.

The conflict erupted after a controversial audio clip allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad went viral, sparking outrage among Sunni Muslims. Although Druze cleric Marwan Kiwan denied involvement, the incident escalated into violence, with at least 56 people killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syria’s Information Ministry confirmed 11 security personnel were among the dead.

The Druze, a religious minority with strong roots in Syria, have been targeted in recent operations condemned by top Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri as “genocidal.”