Israel has attacked the Ministry of Defense in Damascus and the headquarters of the Syrian military, which was also bombed earlier on Wednesday. On videos in social media, the building in central Damascus is seen being hit by powerful bombs time and time again – and disappearing in an enormous cloud of smoke.
Syrian and Turkish media also report on an Israeli attack near the presidential palace in Damascus. According to Israeli army radio, it was a "warning attack".
There are reports of dead and injured, writes Israeli Haaretz. According to the newspaper's information, Israel has moved forces from Gaza to Syria and is ready for "several days of fighting".
Just before the afternoon's wave of attacks, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz promised "painful blows" against the Syrian government in Damascus and continued "powerful" efforts in Sweida.
Broke ceasefire
On X he publishes a video of a Syrian news anchor being interrupted by an Israeli attack on central Damascus – to the text "the powerful blows have begun”.
"The signaling in Damascus is over, now come the painful blows", he wrote shortly before and added that Israeli Druze can count on Israel protecting their brothers in Syria.
Fighting between Druze and Syrian government forces broke out again in the city of Sweida on Wednesday morning, just hours after a ceasefire was declared.
According to Syria's Ministry of Defense, "lawless groups" have attacked and government forces have responded to protect the inhabitants, writes the state-owned Syrian Sana.
Chaotic at the border
At the border between Israel and Syria, a large number of civilian Israeli Druze have crossed the border into Syria, reports The Times of Israel. At the same time, dozens of Syrians have tried to cross the border in the other direction, to Israel.
According to the newspaper, the Israeli military has "tried to get control" of the situation. The news agency AFP reports at the same time that the military has used tear gas against Syrian Druze trying to enter Israel. Military personnel can also be seen firing tear gas in pictures.
Nearly 250 people have been killed since the fighting in Sweida broke out on Sunday, reports the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The fighting initially took place between Druze and Bedouins. Later, government forces were sent to Sweida to quell the violence, which led to Israel launching air strikes against the city on Tuesday.
