Damascus Condemns Israeli Aggression in Southern Syria Amid Rising Tensions
Amid escalating violence in southern Syria, Israeli occupation forces target Syrian military positions while Damascus condemns aggression as a violation of sovereignty and international law.
Syria, PUREWILAYAH.COM - In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Israel Katz announced they had instructed the Israeli occupation military to carry out strikes against Syrian government forces.
The justification provided was based on recent attacks allegedly targeting members of the Druze community in Sweida, southern Syria.
The Israeli leadership claimed the Syrian military violated a so-called “demilitarization policy” by deploying forces and weapons into the Sweida region.
“Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel, and their familial and historical ties to the Druze in Syria,” the statement said.
The Israeli occupation portrayed the strikes as both a humanitarian and security measure to prevent the Syrian regime from endangering the Druze and to enforce demilitarization along the border region.
Israeli Warplanes Bomb Syrian Military Targets in Sweida Countryside
Israeli occupation warplanes launched a wave of large-scale airstrikes on Monday, targeting military convoys and gathering points affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense in the southern countryside of Sweida.
According to local sources cited by Al Mayadeen, the strikes focused on a strategic route connecting the village of al-Mazraa to the city of Sweida—an area where Syrian government-aligned forces had reportedly been mobilizing.
The Israeli Ministry of Security later confirmed the strikes, with Minister Katz calling them “a clear message and warning” to the interim Syrian government led by Ahmad al-Sharaa. Katz emphasized that Israel “will not stand idly by” in the face of any threat to Druze populations in Syria, adding that the occupation would take all “necessary measures” to deter such threats.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military confirmed that the strikes had targeted Syrian armored vehicles, including tanks, personnel carriers, and mobile artillery, under direct political orders aimed at disrupting Syrian military movements in the region.
Damascus Condemns Aggression, Affirms Right to Defend Territory
In response to the Israeli strikes, the Syrian interim presidency issued a statement calling on all civilian and military institutions in the country to prevent any form of violations, regardless of the justification.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a strong condemnation, accusing the Israeli occupation of committing acts of aggression that resulted in the martyrdom of Syrian soldiers, security personnel, and civilians.
The Syrian government reaffirmed its legitimate right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity using all means permitted under international law.
Damascus urged the United Nations, the Security Council, and the international community to take immediate action to hold Israel accountable for repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty.
The Israeli attacks coincided with a deadly outbreak of violence in Sweida between Druze factions and Bedouin tribal groups. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 116 people were killed and over 200 injured in the ongoing clashes.
Syrian government forces have since launched military operations in the region, aiming to restore control and stabilize the situation, which Israel claims is part of its concern for border security and the protection of Druze communities. (PW)