Thursday Briefing: Israel Strikes Damascus
Israel launched airstrikes on Damascus yesterday, damaging a compound housing the defense ministry and hitting an area near the presidential palace, according to the Israeli military and Syrian authorities.
The strikes followed days of deadly clashes involving Syrian government forces in the southern region of Sweida, the heartland of the country's Druse minority, which Israel has pledged to protect. Israel threatened to escalate attacks on Syrian government forces unless they withdrew from Sweida.
Shortly after the Israeli airstrikes, Syrian authorities announced that a cease-fire had been reached in Sweida with local leaders. Later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. had worked with all parties involved in the clashes to 'bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight.'
However, the flurry of diplomacy appeared to do little to halt Israeli strikes. As night approached, additional Israeli attacks on military targets around Damascus were reported.
Context: Israel has two driving reasons for intervening in southern Syria. First, to prevent Iran-backed militias or hostile Islamist militants from entrenching themselves near the Israeli border. Second, to assuage the concerns of Israel's own Druse minority, which has a close relationship with the Israeli government. Here's what else to know.
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