On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel's commitment to maintaining southwestern Syria demilitarised, citing strategic value along the border of Israel.
For the third day running, Israel pounded Syria with strong airstrikes, including a direct attack on a central Damascus state TV building where a TV anchor ran live on air as explosions hit in the vicinity. The airstrikes follow increased violence in Sweida in southern Syria, where the Druze community is fighting armed groups amidst the failure of an overnight brief ceasefire.
A newly viral video captures a state TV news anchor leaving her podium during a broadcast when Israeli missiles hit the building. Israel subsequently confirmed carrying out the strike on Syrian government targets. A statement indicated, "A short while ago, the (Israeli military) struck the entrance of the Syrian regime's military headquarters in the region of Damascus in Syria."
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant posted a video of the TV anchor fleeing off-camera, deeming it a sign of the impact of the strikes. He tweeted: "The threats in Damascus have come to an end – now there will be painful blows."
He further added, "The Israeli army will continue to act militarily in Sweida," clarifying that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) are determined to guard the Druze minority in Syria, who are being targeted by both regime elements and other armed groups.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu and I, as Defence Minister, have made a vow – and we will honour it," he continued.
The newest wave of strikes is amid rising fighting in Syria's Sweida province. The short-lived ceasefire between government forces and Druze militias broke down earlier this week. Israel holds the Syrian regime responsible for attacking Druze civilians, and this has led to stepped-up military intervention.
"The Israeli military will keep hitting regime forces until they retreat from the area – and will also strengthen the bar of responses against the regime shortly if the message is not received," Katz stated in a notice released Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel's commitment to maintaining southwestern Syria demilitarised, citing strategic value along the border of Israel. "We are responsible for protecting the Druze residents," he stated.
The current air campaign marks Israel's most vigorous military action within Syria in years, fueled by a combination of border security and increasing sectarian strife in the region.
