‘Clear Message to the Syrian Regime’: Israel Conducts Airstrike Near Syrian President’s Palace as Druze Minority Faces Attacks

Latest Developments

• Israel Will Protect Syrian Druze: Israeli warplanes bombed a target adjacent to the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus on May 2 as attacks on the Druze minority have continued. “This is a clear message to the Syrian regime. We will not allow forces to be sent south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said. A statement from interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s office denounced the attack as “a dangerous escalation against the state’s institutions and sovereignty.”
• Week of Violence: Clashes between armed Islamists and members of the Druze minority broke out on April 28 in the town of Jaramana after an audio recording allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad and falsely attributed to a Druze cleric sparked outrage amongst Muslims. The clashes subsequently spread to other areas around Damascus and into the Druze region of Suwayda, leaving dozens dead. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce condemned the violence and inflammatory rhetoric, calling on the interim Syrian government to “hold perpetrators of violence and civilian harm accountable for their actions.”
• Israeli Druze Leader Thanks Netanyahu: Sheikh Muafak Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Israeli Druze community, met with Netanyahu and thanked him for his order to protect the Druze. Tarif said that the strike near the presidential palace “sent a deterrent message to the Syrian regime regarding Israel’s commitment to the Druze community in Syria.” Israeli Druze launched a wave of protests in northern Israel on May 1, blocking traffic along major routes as they called on Israel to “stop what’s being done to our brothers in Syria.”

FDD Expert Response

“The Israeli government is telling Damascus it means what it says about protecting Syrian Druze. But to what extent is Damascus in control of its own forces or of others attacking the Syrian Druze? Will warning shots be enough to rouse an effective response from the Syrian government? Protecting the Syrian Druze may literally require Israel to join forces with elements of the Syrian Druze community seeking cooperation.” — David Adesnik, Vice President of Research

“While safeguarding the Druze minority in Syria from Islamist factions aligned with the Sharaa interim government may be a just and moral cause, Israel must exercise great caution in its actions. Multiple active battlefronts with no clear end have the IDF stretched thin. Israel’s foremost strategic priorities are ensuring that Iran does not produce a nuclear weapon, securing victory in Gaza against Palestinian terrorist groups, and obtaining the return of all the hostages. Any miscalculation or escalation in Syria could open an additional front, creating a serious complication that Israel cannot afford at this time.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

FDD Background and Analysis

“Clashes erupt between Druze militias and pro-government forces in Syria,” by Ahmad Sharawi

“‘Warning Operation’: Israeli Drones Strike Pro-Government Forces Clashing With Druze Factions in Syria,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘Historic, Festive Day’: Elated Crowds of Israeli Druze Welcome Syrian Druze Clerics Visiting Israel,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘We Will Not Allow Southern Syria to Become Southern Lebanon’: Israeli Warplanes Strike Military Targets in Syria,” FDD Flash Brief