A powerful explosion rocked central Damascus on Wednesday evening in what officials have confirmed was an Israeli airstrike. According to multiple international news sources, the strike targeted key Syrian military sites, including the Ministry of Defense building.
Authorities reported that at least three people were killed and more than 30 civilians were injured. Local television was broadcasting live when the blast occurred, and a video showing a visibly shocked news presenter reacting on air has since gone viral on social media.
Tensions Over the Druze Community and International Fallout
Israeli officials have linked the attack to the Syrian government’s alleged crackdown on the Druze community in Sweida, a southern city where tensions have been rising. Clashes between government forces and Druze residents began on Sunday and escalated by Tuesday. CNN reported that 30 people were killed and many more injured in the violence.
Israel says it shares deep ties with the estimated 130,000 Druze living in the occupied Golan Heights and claims it intervened to prevent further harm to civilians. According to Israeli sources, the Syrian military’s actions in Sweida had created a humanitarian crisis, making military action unavoidable.
Syria, along with Qatar and Iraq, has strongly condemned the strike. The Syrian government called it “a direct attack on a sovereign nation,” accusing Israel of stirring up tension and threatening the region’s stability.
In a statement, Syria’s Foreign Ministry said it would take all legal steps under international law to defend its land and people.
U.S. media outlets report that the airstrike went ahead despite advice to the contrary from then-President Donald Trump. Washington had warned Israel about the risks of further destabilizing the region, but Israeli leaders appear to have acted based on their own strategic goals.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “We are in contact with all sides. This is a complex situation, and we hope for de-escalation within hours.” He also suggested that the flare-up between Israel and Syria may have been “the result of a misunderstanding.
