Latest news with #AvichayAdraee
Rudaw Net
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Israeli military strikes Syrian army headquarters in support of the Druze
Also in Syria Israel strikes Damascus during Rudaw live coverage Israel strikes entrance of Syrian military headquarters in Damascus Five killed, two injured in 'terrorist' attacks on Rojava Asayish Syrian official forces control Druze city, announce ceasefire A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Israeli military on Wednesday struck the Syrian government's General Staff headquarters in Damascus, following warnings from Tel Aviv that it would escalate operations in defense of Syria's Druze minority amid ongoing violence in Suwayda province. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) 'attacked the Syrian regime's General Staff headquarters in the Damascus area a short while ago,' said Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army's Arabic spokesperson, in a post on X. Syrian state television reported 'a new aggression by the Israeli occupation air force' targeting Umayyad Square, near the military headquarters building in central Damascus. The incident took place during a live broadcast by Rudaw's correspondent Solin Mohammedamin, showing powerful explosions striking the building. Earlier in the day, the IDF stated it had struck the entrance of a Syrian military headquarters in the capital. Adraee also announced that the IDF had dispatched additional reinforcements, including intelligence, reconnaissance, and offensive units, 'to increase the pace of strikes and stop attacks against the Druze in Syria.' The escalation comes a day after Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajari, spiritual leader of Syria's Druze minority in Suwayda, warned that the community was facing 'extermination.' He said a statement issued previously welcoming Damascus-affiliated forces into Suwayda was made under pressure to prevent further bloodshed. Damascus-aligned forces entered Suwayda following days of clashes between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that nearly 250 people have been killed in the violence. A ceasefire was later announced by the Syrian defense ministry, reportedly following an agreement with Druze leaders. However, clashes continue in the city. Israel has in recent months reiterated its commitment to protecting the Druze community in Syria, citing 'strong ties' and security concerns related to any buildup of hostile forces near its borders. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli airstrikes targeted tanks, missile launchers, combat vehicles, and pickup trucks equipped with heavy machine guns 'that were moving toward Suwayda,' Adraee said. Meanwhile, Turkey condemned the Israeli strikes. Burhanettin Duran, head of the Turkish Directorate of Communications, said in a statement that "Israel's attacks on Syria target not only Syria's stability and security but also the tranquility of our entire region.' He added, 'Turkey will continue to support Syria's territorial integrity, as it has always done.' Turkey has been a staunch supporter of the new Syrian government under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa, formed by the now-dissolved Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement released on Wednesday that 'we are acting to save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the gangs of the [Syrian] regime.' Netanyahu also addressed Israeli Druze citizens attempting to cross the border into Syria near Suwayda, located close to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. 'I have a single request of you: you are Israeli citizens. Do not cross the border. You are risking your lives; you could be murdered, you could be taken hostage, and you are impeding the efforts of the IDF,' he said. 'Return to your homes and let the IDF take action.' Israel, which views Syria's new Islamist-led government as a threat, has increased efforts to target regime military infrastructure since the fall of Assad. Israeli forces have also moved into buffer zones east of the annexed Golan Heights, citing the need to prevent security threats from emerging along its northern border. SOHR reported on Wednesday that Israel has carried out 68 attacks on Syrian territory since the beginning of 2025 - 58 of them airstrikes and ten ground-based. These attacks reportedly damaged or destroyed 102 targets, including weapons depots, command centers, and military vehicles.
Shafaq News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Israel strikes Damascus: Injuries reported
Shafaq News – Damascus Israeli warplanes struck central Damascus on Wednesday, targeting Syria's Ministry of Defense headquarters, according to the Israeli military. Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced, on X, that the strike hit the entrance of the General Staff compound and was carried out under 'political directives,' adding that Israeli forces remain on high alert amid escalating violence against Druze civilians in Syria. #عاجل 🔴 أغار جيش الدفاع قبل قليل على بوابة الدخول إلى مجمع الأركان العامة التابع للنظام السوري في منطقة دمشق. 🔴يواصل جيش الدفاع مراقبة التطورات والأعمال ضد المواطنين الدروز في سوريا وبناء على توجيهات المستوى السياسي يهاجم في المنطقة ويبقى في حالة تأهب للسيناريوهات المختلفة. — افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) July 16, 2025 Israel's public broadcaster described the strike as a calculated warning, noting its proximity to Syria's highest military command center. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported two successive strikes on sensitive sites near the ministry, injuring at least two people, just hours after an earlier Israeli attack targeted a Syrian military vehicle in the southern Syrian city of Suwayda. #المرصد_السوري إصـ ـابـ ـة اثنين جراء غارتين جويتين #إسرائيليتين بمحيط مبنى قيادة الأركان في #دمشق — المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) July 16, 2025 SOHR documented 70 Israeli strikes across Syria since the start of 2025—60 by air and 10 by ground—killing 37 individuals and damaging or destroying 102 targets, including weapons depots, command centers, and armored units.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Israel says striking targets affiliated with Hezbollah's Radwan Force
The Israel military said on Tuesday that it was striking Hezbollah targets in east Lebanon. Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X that the military is striking targets affiliated with Hezbollah's Radwan Force. 'As part of the strikes, military compounds belonging to the Radwan Force have been targeted, where terrorist operatives and warehouses used to store combat equipment employed by Hezbollah have been identified,,' Adraee said.
Rudaw Net
2 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Deadly violence in Suwayda draws UN, Kurdish reactions
Also in Syria At least 30 dead in Syria's Suwayda clashes Bedouin, Druze clashes kill 21, injure dozens in south Syria: War monitor Rojava administration reiterates call for 'decentralized' Syria, constitutional overhaul Rojava ruling party rejects Damascus 'integration' as bid to 'dismantle' institutions A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Deadly clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters in Syria's Druze-majority Suwayda province have left at least 99 people dead, prompting urgent calls for calm and accountability from the United Nations and Kurdish-led authorities in northeast Syria (Rojava). In a statement on X, the UN's Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, expressed 'deep concern over reports of violence and abductions' in Suwayda, 'which have resulted in significant casualties.' She called on the 'interim authorities [in Damascus] and local stakeholders to take immediate steps to protect civilians, restore calm, and prevent incitement,' stressing 'the urgent need for genuine inclusion, trust-building, and meaningful dialogue' to support Syria's political transition. Rising death toll The UN's remarks come as intense clashes raged on between Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters in Syria's southern Suwayda province for the second day on Monday. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that at least 99 people have been killed, including 60 Druze locals, among them two women and two children, and 18 Bedouins. The casualties also include 14 Syrian defense ministry personnel and seven unidentified individuals in military attire, according to the UK-based war monitor. Amid the fighting, SOHR also reported sightings of an Israeli warplane over Suwayda, which dropped thermal balloons - typically used for surveillance or decoy purposes. Later, the Israeli military's Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed that Israeli forces had struck several tanks heading toward Suwayda to "impede their arrival' to the Druze-majority province. 'The presence of such assets in southern Syria could pose a threat to the State of Israel,' Adraee stated, adding that Israel 'will not allow a military threat to exist in southern Syria.' Israel has in recent months reiterated its commitment to protecting the Druze community in Syria, with whom it says it shares 'strong ties.' Moreover, it has repeatedly acted to prevent the establishment of any significant military presence in southern Syria near its border, citing security concerns. Meanwhile, the Syrian defense ministry expressed dismay over the "unfortunate clashes" in Suwayda, attributing the violence to a "direct result of the institutional and administrative vacuum" plaguing the region. In a statement relayed by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted the ministry spokesperson Hassan Abdul Ghani as confirming the deployment of reinforcements to Suwayda, who were reportedly attacked by "outlaw armed groups," resulting in the deaths of 18 officers. He vowed the defense ministry's resolve to "end these futile clashes and pursue the outlaw groups," assuring Suwayda's residents that their "safety, dignity, and livelihoods' would be preserved. SANA also quoted the Syrian interior ministry as noting the deployment of its security forces and military units to Suwayda as well and underscoring its role in "maintaining security and protecting civilians without bias.' The ministry urged all sides to exercise "national responsibility' and stressed that disputes "must be resolved through state institutions and the judiciary.' Underlying tensions Suwayda24, a local outlet focused on southern Syria's Druze-majority Suwayda province, on Sunday cited local security officials as linking the violence to 'a recent robbery on the Damascus-Suwayda road, which targeted a businessman,' sparking a series of retaliatory kidnappings between the two communities. Later in the day, SANA reported that internal security forces from neighboring Daraa province had launched an 'organized security deployment along the administrative borders' with Suwayda, with aims of 'preventing the violence from spreading and to contain any fallout that could impact stability, especially in eastern rural Daraa.' Suwayda Governor Mustapha al-Bakkour on the same day appealed for calm, urging all sides to 'exercise self-restraint and respond to national calls for reform.' Several Druze spiritual leaders echoed his call, demanding de-escalation and intervention from Damascus to restore order. The current hostilities mark the most significant outbreak of deadly violence in Suwayda since earlier this year, when clashes between Druze groups and Damascus-affiliated security forces resulted in dozens of casualties. While local leaders are reportedly attempting to mediate the current situation, no official intervention has yet been announced. Kurdish reactions The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Monday condemned 'the ongoing attacks and aggressions targeting the villages and towns' of Suwayda, 'which have led to the tragic loss of many lives and the burning and looting of numerous civilian homes and farms. 'The repeated attacks on our people in Suwayda, along with the continued harassment they face in their daily lives and freedom of movement, are deeply concerning,' the SDF said. The US-backed SDF serves as the de facto army in Rojava. The SDF's political arm, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), expressed "deep concern" over the rapidly unfolding events in Suwayda, warning they "pose a serious threat to civil peace and the fabric of national unity." The SDC linked the escalation to the "ongoing absence of a just and comprehensive political solution" for Syria. The Council further condemned 'the involvement of some elements from the Syrian regime's security apparatus' and their role 'in fueling the internal conflict." It also cautioned against "sectarian rhetoric and hate speech."
Roya News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
'Israel' strikes Syrian tanks in Suwayda
'Israel's' military said it struck on Monday several tanks in the Suwayda province of southern Syria, where dozens have been killed in clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters. The military struck "several tanks a short while ago in the area of Sami village (in the Sweida region) in southern Syria. To be continued," the military's Arabic language spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on X. Although the 'Israeli' military did not explicitly identify to whom the tanks belong to in the statement, it is apparent they are tanks of the new Syrian government, as state media reported earlier that reinforcements were deployed to control the ongoing fighting in the Suwayda province.
