Israeli strikes hit presidential palace and military sites in Damascus, Three killed
Israeli fighter jets carried out a series of airstrikes on Wednesday targeting government and military sites in Damascus, including the presidential palace and Syria's Ministry of Defense.
#عاجل 🔴 جيش الدفاع يواصل ضرب أهداف عسكرية للنظام السوري في دمشق🔴هاجم جيش الدفاع قبل قليل مقر الأركان العامة التابع للنظام السوري في منطقة دمشق.🔴يدير قادة النظام السوري من مقر الأركان العامة في دمشق القتال ويقومون بإرسال قوات النظام إلى منطقة السويداء. 🔴كما تمت مهاجمة… pic.twitter.com/Kw3D6nqt7E
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) July 16, 2025
According to an official military statement, the attacks were launched 'in response to events affecting the Druze community in southern Syria,' particularly the ongoing clashes in Suwayda. The Israeli military described the operation as the beginning of 'painful strikes on Syria.'
A spokesperson for the Israeli army confirmed that airstrikes, guided by military intelligence, targeted armored vehicles and combat assets reportedly moving toward the Suwayda region. Additional attacks struck artillery positions, weapons depots, and other military facilities belonging to the Syrian government in the south.
'The Israel Defense Forces continue to monitor developments and activities targeting Druze civilians in southern Syria,' the spokesperson stated.
#عاجل 🔴 تتواصل الضربات ضد أهداف عسكرية تابعة للنظام السوري في منطقة جنوب سوريا🔴أغارت طائرات سلاح الجو بتوجيه استخباري من هيئة الاستخبارات بشن غارات ضد اهداف عسكرية للنظام السوري في منطقة جنوب سوريا. خلال الساعات الماضية تم استهداف بعض الاليات المدرعة والمسلحة بالرشاشات… pic.twitter.com/G0qeZjhHRL
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) July 16, 2025
The Syrian Civil Defense Directorate confirmed that the strikes struck residential neighborhoods in central Damascus, causing large-scale destruction and fires. 'The airstrikes were simultaneous and inflicted significant damage on apartment buildings.'
Civil Defense Director Hassan al-Hassan told Shafaq News, 'Our teams are still on the ground extinguishing fires and conducting a full field sweep to check for more victims or people trapped under the rubble.'
The Syrian Ministry of Health recorded three dead and 34 wounded in the Israeli attacks.
المكتب الإعلامي في وزارة الصحة:ارتفاع حصيلة عدوان الاحتلال الإسرائيلي على العاصمة دمشق إلى 3 شهداء و34 إصابة. #الجمهورية_العربية_السورية #وزارة_الصحة #تصريح
— وزارة الصحة السورية (@SyMOfH) July 16, 2025
In a statement issued shortly after the attack, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli strikes 'in the strongest terms,' calling them a 'cowardly act of aggression.
'The Israeli assault is part of a deliberate policy aimed at igniting tension and chaos and undermining security and stability in Syria,' the statement read, describing the strikes as a 'flagrant violation of the UN Charter and international humanitarian law.'
The Syrian government held Israel fully responsible for the escalation and its consequences, affirming its right to defend its land and people 'by all means permitted under international law.'
بيان حول استهداف إسرائيل مؤسسات الدولة والاعتداء على سيادة سوريا pic.twitter.com/WkdaJxYuoy
— وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين السورية (@syrianmofaex) July 16, 2025
Damascus also called on the international community—particularly the UN Security Council—to take urgent and concrete measures to stop Israel's repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
UK hits Russia with new sanctions targeting oil revenues and shadow fleet
Shafaq News – London The United Kingdom on Monday unveiled a sweeping package of 137 new sanctions targeting Russia's oil and energy sectors. The measures, announced by the UK Foreign Office, are aimed at curbing the activities of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers and hitting entities that help Moscow circumvent international restrictions. 'This new wave of sanctions will further dismantle Putin's shadow fleet and drain Russia's war chest of its critical oil revenues,' said Foreign Secretary David Lammy, adding that the UK would "continue to use the full might of our sanctions regime to ratchet up economic pressure at every turn and stand side by side with Ukraine." Among the most significant actions, the UK is sanctioning 135 vessels used in covert operations to ship Russian oil in defiance of international price caps. According to UK authorities, these ships have carried an estimated $24 billion in oil exports since the beginning of 2024, using deceptive practices to mask the cargo's origin and destination. Two companies were specifically named for facilitating these operations: INTERSHIPPING SERVICES LLC, accused of registering shadow fleet vessels under the Gabonese flag and enabling the transport of up to $10 billion in goods annually; and LITASCO MIDDLE EAST DMCC, linked to the Russian oil giant Lukoil, which allegedly plays a key role in moving large volumes of Russian oil using the shadow fleet. The UK also moved in coordination with the European Union to lower the Crude Oil Price Cap, further constraining Russia's ability to profit from international oil sales. The UK government says these new restrictions are designed to disrupt the flow of oil money into Russia's. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Western sanctions have dented Russia's oil and gas revenues, with officials estimating the sector has lost over one-third of its value in just three years. 'The sanctions and the cost of Putin's barbaric war are causing the Russian economy to stall – with the wealth fund hollowed out, inflation rising and government spending on defence and security spiralling,' the UK statement noted. The new sanctions are also framed as a key component of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's broader 'Plan for Change,' with officials emphasizing that national and global security remain top priorities. While the Kremlin has yet to respond to the latest UK measures, previous waves of sanctions have prompted Moscow to intensify efforts to bypass restrictions, including via state-backed traders, opaque maritime networks, and alternative payment systems.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraqi Minister sounds alarm on "serious challenges"
Shafaq News – New York Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Mohammed Ali Tamim, said on Monday that the country continues to face major challenges, particularly those related to climate change and the worsening water shortage. Representing Iraq at the opening session of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development—held by the United Nations in New York from July 21 to 24 to assess global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—Tamim stressed that the water crisis remains one of Iraq's most urgent challenges. He expressed gratitude for the UN's continued support to developing countries and acknowledged the meaningful cooperation of international partners in addressing this critical issue. Earlier, Iraq's Green Observatory estimated the country's annual groundwater reserves at 3.4 billion cubic meters, with sustainable yields potentially exceeding 5 billion cubic meters per year. Official Iraqi data indicate the country could face a 20% decline in surface water availability by 2035, driven by upstream flow reductions and the escalating impacts of climate change.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Clashes in Syria's Suwayda kill over 1,200 people
Shafaq News – Suwayda The death toll from the recent clashes in Syria's southern Suwayda province has climbed to at least 1,265, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as sporadic violations continue despite a ceasefire that took effect Monday morning. The fatalities, recorded since July 13, stem from intense clashes, summary executions, and Israeli airstrikes on multiple targets across the province. According to the Observatory, the victims include: -609 Suwayda residents, among them 104 civilians, including six children and 16 women. -440 fighters affiliated with Syria's Ministry of Defense and General Security, including 32 members of Bedouin tribes and one Lebanese national. -15 government personnel killed in Israeli airstrikes. -Three individuals, including a woman and two unidentified persons, were killed when an Israeli strike targeted the Ministry of Defense building. -One journalist was killed during the fighting. -194 people—among them 28 women, eight children, and one elderly man—executed by personnel from the Ministries of Defense and Interior. -Three Bedouin tribe members, including a woman and child, were executed by Druze fighters. The Observatory has called for an independent UN investigation to examine what it described as grave violations of international law and to hold all responsible parties accountable. Although a ceasefire officially began on Monday morning, breaches have continued. The agreement, reportedly brokered with US and Israeli involvement, includes a mutual release of detainees and warnings of diplomatic consequences if violated.
