00:00In a significant escalation, Israel launched an airstrike near the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus on May 2nd, 2025.
00:10This marks the second Israeli attack in Syria within 48 hours, and comes amid growing sectarian violence targeting the Druze community in southern Syria.
00:21The strike, carried out by Israeli fighter jets, was reportedly a strong warning to the Syrian leadership, particularly after widespread clashes broke out between pro-government forces and Druze fighters.
00:39The tensions were sparked by the circulation of a controversial audio clip, allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.
00:47The clip was falsely attributed to a Druze cleric, which provoked outrage and violent confrontations.
00:59Although the cleric denied the accusation, the unrest quickly intensified.
01:05Heavy clashes erupted in the Damascus suburbs of Sana'a and Jaramana, areas with large Druze populations.
01:12According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 56 people were killed in the violence, including fighters and civilians.
01:24Syria's Information Ministry separately confirmed that 11 members of its security forces had been killed in ambushes and attacks during the same period.
01:33Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of Syria's Druze community, condemned the Syrian government's actions,
01:47labelling them a genocidal campaign against the Druze.
01:51His strong statement drew immediate international attention, prompting Israel to issue a rare and direct military response.
01:59Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Defense Minister Israel Katz,
02:11said the strike near the presidential compound was meant to send a clear message to Syria's ruling authorities.
02:18They reiterated Israel's commitment to protecting the Druze population, particularly in areas close to Israeli borders.
02:25The current leadership in Syria, which is increasingly influenced by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,
02:38has been struggling to maintain control amid growing instability.
02:43The situation has raised alarms in Israel, especially with the possibility of extremist factions gaining ground close to the Golan Heights,
02:52a region Israel annexed from Syria in 1981 after capturing it during the 1967 Six-Day War.
03:06The Druze are a small religious minority with historical roots in Shiite Islam.
03:12In Syria, they are mainly concentrated in the southern province of Sueda and parts of Damascus.
03:18Their communities also exist in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights.
03:29This latest airstrike underscores Israel's intent to prevent further sectarian violence
03:36and to assert its strategic interests in the region.
03:39This has been a very vulnerable to the dams of Austin's
04:04ALания and many of them have displaced troops in Afghanistan.
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