Black smoke billows in the distance on July 15, 2025 near Sweida, Syria. Photo: X.
The Israeli air force carried out an attack on the entrance to the Syrian General Staff Headquarters in the capital
Israel renewed its attacks on Syria on 16 July as fierce clashes between government forces and Druze militant factions in the southern city of Suwayda entered their fourth day, despite a recent ceasefire announcement.
BREAKING | The Israeli army bombs the entrance gate of Syria's General Staff Headquarters in the capital Damascus. pic.twitter.com/Y5gOcyH8gi
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) July 16, 2025
Shortly after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to continue strikes until government troops withdraw from Suwayda, a massive explosion was heard in the capital Damascus.
غارة إسرائيلية قرب ساحة الأمويين في دمشق، ودوي انفجار قوي تزامنا مع تحليق طائرات إسرائيلية مسيرة@ibrahim_trisi pic.twitter.com/CxLmsCbn5X
— التلفزيون العربي (@AlarabyTV) July 16, 2025
“The IDF recently attacked the entrance gate of the Syrian regime’s General Staff Headquarters in the Damascus area in Syria. The IDF continues to monitor developments and activities against the Druze civilians in southern Syria and, according to the instructions of the political echelon, attacks in the area and is prepared for various scenarios,” the Israeli army said in a statement.
Hebrew news outlet Channel 14 said “The Israeli Air Force carried out an attack near the Syrian Ministry of Defense, as a warning message to Ahmad al-Sharaa’s regime.”
“The Syrian regime must leave the Druze in Suwayda alone and withdraw its forces. As we have made clear and warned, Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria and will enforce the demilitarization policy we have decided on,” Katz said earlier on Wednesday.
“The IDF will continue to strike regime forces until they withdraw from the area, and will soon escalate its response against the regime if the message is not understood,” he added.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), nearly 250 people have been killed since the fighting erupted on Sunday, “including at least 21 civilians extrajudicially executed.”
A member of the Syrian Ministry of Defense (former HTS) has been spotted bearing the !S!S flag on his chest as he prepares to storm Sweida, threatening to massacre the Druze civilian population.#DruzeUnderAttack #Suwayda pic.twitter.com/64E5lIws6s
— Behnam Zarei (@Behnamzarei21) July 16, 2025
SOHR added that the humanitarian situation in Suwayda has “deteriorated dramatically.”
According to local reports, dozens of families in Suwayda are besieged in their houses as Syrian government forces and affiliated extremist factions continue to advance amid fears of renewed massacres against civilians.
Video footage and images have shown Syrian government troops making sectarian threats against Druze, kidnapping unarmed Druze elders (clerics) and cutting off their traditional mustaches.
Complete chaos in Suwayda as government forces enter.
Following a deal with some Druze factions, government forces have reached the center of the city where they've removed a portrait of Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri, he on the other hand is the last one to refuse a deal, and has… pic.twitter.com/SnV76Wm4jZ
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) July 15, 2025
Photos have also shown the bodies of unarmed clerics after being executed by government forces and allied Bedouin forces and militias.
The clashes began on Sunday after pro-Damascus Bedouin militants set up a checkpoint on the Damascus–Suwayda highway, where they robbed and brutally beat a young Druze man, triggering a series of retaliatory attacks and government responses.
Damascus said earlier this week that its forces were deploying into Suwayda to restore order and disarm “outlaw” groups.
The Druze-led Suwayda Military Council, formed in February, led a counteroffensive on Tuesday – reclaiming some areas in the Suwayda city center which have since fallen to government forces again.
Syria’s Druze religious leadership has called for “resistance” against the government offensive.
Behind the Invasions of Iraq, Libya, Syria, Gaza, Lebanon, and Now Iran
The situation has escalated rapidly and clashes continue to intensify despite a ceasefire announcement by Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra on 15 July.
Israeli strikes are also expected to continue. Israeli occupation forces continue to solidify their grasp on southern Syria, after occupying it following the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government and pushing for a complete demilitarization of the area.
Israel claims it wishes to support the Druze minority and prevent its persecution by Damascus – which has been engaged in negotiations with Tel Aviv lately on potential normalization and security arrangements.
