Israeli Airstrike on Syrian General Staff and Katz Threatens Escalation

SadaNews - Two civilians were injured due to an Israeli airstrike targeting the center of Damascus this Wednesday afternoon, according to the Syrian news channel, while an Israeli security source announced that the army struck the entrance to the General Staff headquarters, sending a message to President Ahmad al-Shara regarding the events in Sweida, south of the country, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority.

The Israeli Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, stated in comments that the strike targeted "a location near the General Command in Damascus and the attacks will continue to escalate unless the message is understood." He added, "We have been executing escalating strikes for 24 hours and targeting sites belonging to the regime in Sweida."

Katz continued that the frequency of strikes in Syria will increase if Damascus does not understand the message, adding that southern Syria will be a demilitarized zone.

Katz had previously called on the Syrian government to withdraw its forces from Sweida, stating, "The Syrian regime must leave the Druze in Sweida and pull its forces back."

Forces from the Syrian Ministries of Defense and Interior had entered the city of Sweida last Monday in an attempt to impose control over the disturbed neighborhoods to maintain security and restore stability.

The Israeli Air Force targeted Syrian government sites in the Sweida governorate today, coinciding with renewed clashes in the city between Syrian security forces and armed groups.

The events in Sweida erupted following armed confrontations between Druze groups and Bedouin groups that occurred in the city's neighborhoods days ago, resulting in casualties and injuries, after which forces belonging to the Syrian army and the Ministry of Interior entered in an effort to restore order in the city.