Israeli airstrikes in Syria in defense of the religious Druze minority
發佈日期: 2025-07-17 20:00
TVB News
Syrian government officials and leaders in the Druze religious minority announced a renewed ceasefire Wednesday after days of clashes that have threatened to unravel the country's postwar political transition, and drawn military intervention by powerful neighbour Israel.
Israeli airstrikes have intensified across southern Syria, striking the Syrian Army General Command headquarters
and the presidential palace area in central Damascus, killing three people.
This is the moment an Israeli airstrike struck at the heart of the Syrian capital Damascus.
Thick black smoke billowing from where the Syrian Army General Command and the Ministry of Defense in Umayyad Square stand.
This reporter with Kurdish news channel Rudaw TVwas getting ready to do a live report - the two buildings are behind her when the explosions took place.
Hundreds of the Druze community in Syria and Israel gathered along the border fence as clashes between Syrian government forces and Syria's Druze factions continued.
Clashes have raged for days in the southern Syrian city of Sweida between government forces and Druze armed groups.
Israel launched a series of strikes targeting Syrian government troops and convoys, as Israel are in support of the religious minority group and has vowed to escalate its involvement.
Syria on Wednesday strongly condemned the Israeli strikes with the country's permanent representative to the United Nations
Reporter asked:"Any reaction on the Israeli airstrikes in Damascus?"
QUSAY AL-DAHHAK,Syria's Permanent Representative to U.N. said:"We condemn the attacks. And we called for an urgent meeting of the Security Council."
Reporter added:" When will that be?"
QUSAY AL-DAHHAK said:"We are working on it with the president of the Security Council."
Members of Israel's Druze community gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday to urge the Trump administration to cut ties with Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa following clashes between Syrian government forces and the religious minority.
However, a ceasefire was renewed Wednesday between the two sides.
A previous ceasefire announced Tuesday quickly fell apart, and a prominent Druze leader, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, disavowed the new agreement. Israeli strikes continued after the ceasefire announcement.
