2025-07-17T06:03:39Z

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Imagine being on live television and suddenly, chaos erupts all around you. That's exactly what happened to a Syria TV news anchor who found their broadcast dramatically interrupted when Israeli airstrikes pummeled the Ministry of Defence in Damascus yesterday afternoon.

In a bold and powerful move, Israel launched these airstrikes, targeting the heart of Damascus — the Ministry of Defence and areas near the presidential palace. This aggressive action was not arbitrary but a calculated response to Syrian government forces' attacks on Druze communities in the south. Israel's message was clear: withdraw or face further action.

This escalation is particularly significant given the recent warming of ties between the interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's administration and the United States. Despite this, Israel is unwavering in its stance against what it describes as a jihadist-led Syrian government, vowing not to allow these forces to advance into southern Syria and pledging to protect the Druze community there.

President al-Sharaa has promised that those responsible for the violence against the Druze will face justice. The situation has already claimed numerous lives this week in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, where clashes between Druze fighters, government forces, and Bedouin tribes have intensified.