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RTÉ News
an hour ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Israel's strikes on Syria: What we know
Israel has bombed Syrian government sites and other targets since Monday, saying it was seeking to defend the Druze minority after bloody sectarian clashes in southern Syria. Technically at war with Syria for decades, Israel has said it would not accept the presence of forces of the Islamist-led government in the country's south, which borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel began its strikes as Syrian government forces deployed to the heartland of the Druze minority in the southern province of Sweida, following deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes. Israel has said it would intensify its attacks if Syrian forces do not withdraw from the south. Army HQ, presidential palace Yesterday, Israel said it struck the headquarters of the Syrian army in Damascus, a compound that also houses the defence ministry. Witnesses also said they heard an explosion in the area of the presidential palace, where the Israeli military said it had struck a "military target". Syrian state television reported further Israeli strikes on the army headquarters compound, where a wing of the four-storey building was destroyed. The health ministry said at least three people died in the strikes. Attacks on Sweida Yesterday, the official Syrian news agency SANA announced an Israeli drone strike on the predominantly Druze city of Sweida. The day before, the Israeli military said it had bombed "military vehicles of the regime forces in Sweida". On Monday, it struck several government tanks in the province. Sweida province is home to the country's largest Druze community, followers of an esoteric religion that split from Shia Islam who are mainly found in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, more than 300 people have been killed since Sunday in clashes between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes and government forces, and in Israeli strikes. The dead include 165 government forces but also 27 Druze civilians killed in "summary executions... by members of the defence and interior ministries", said the Observatory. 'Powerful blows' Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz yesterday demanded that Syrian forces withdraw from the south. He promised that troops would "operate forcefully in Sweida to eliminate the forces that attacked the Druze until their full withdrawal". Mr Katz said that "the signals to Damascus are over - now come the painful blows", sharing Syrian television footage of an explosion in Damascus on his X account. Syria said the Israeli strikes were a "dangerous escalation" and affirmed "its legitimate rights to defend its land and people". New government Even though it has initiated contact with the new Syrian government, headed by Ahmed al-Sharaa, Israel still remains extremely wary of the Islamist-led administration. Since December, when Sharaa's group spearheaded an offensive that toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes against military sites in Syria, claiming its goal was to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of the new government. Israel also sent troops into the demilitarised buffer zone on the Golan Heights - part of which it has occupied from Syria since 1967 - and carried out incursions deeper into southern Syria. Some 153,000 Druze live in Israel, where they are citizens, and unlike other Israeli Arabs are subject to compulsory military conscription. Yesterday, Israeli forces fired teargas to prevent dozens of Druze from crossing the frontier. US says agreement reached US Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday said on X that "we have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight". We have engaged all the parties involved in the clashes in Syria. We have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight. This will require all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made and this is what we fully… — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 16, 2025 The European Union urged "all external actors" to "fully respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity", later demanding Israel "immediately cease" its strikes.
Gulf Insider
an hour ago
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Israel Conducts Massive Strikes On Damascus After Sharaa Regime's Sectarian Attacks
'The heavy blows have started' Israel's defense minister Israel Katz has posted to X above a video (below) showing a Syrian news presenter abruptly taking shelter after a massive explosion in central Damascus. The rare daytime aerial attack by Israel in the heart of Damascus created panic in the streets, and quickly after huge columns of smoke lingered over the downtown area. There are casualties, with state news agency SANA quoting the Health Ministry as saying that at least three were killed and nine people wounded in the Israeli attacks. Eyewitnesses say they saw Israeli warplanes circling above the capital city, and that there were at least three to four strikes. Syria has no air defense systems to speak of, after Bashar al-Assad's December 8 ouster and subsequent heavy Israeli bombings of all remaining Syrian military equipment. The large-scale attack, which could see more to follow, has been roundly condemned by Syria's regional partners who are trying to prop up the new Hayat Tahrir al-Sham government under self-declared interim President Sharaa (Jolani). The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli attacks as an attempt to 'sabotage Syria's efforts to ensure peace.' The Syrian people have a 'historic opportunity to live in peace and integrate with the world,' the statement continued. Footage of Israel attacking Damascus: Footage of Israel attacking Damascus. — Clash Report (@clashreport) July 16, 2025 The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has also condemned these new attacks on Damascus in the 'strongest terms' – saying the air assault represented a 'flagrant violation' of Syria's sovereignty, 'a breach of international laws and norms, and a serious threat to regional security and stability.' The statement further described this as an 'irresponsible escalation' which threatens sought-after stability in Syria. There is no Iranian influence in Syria Israel just bombed new Syria, led by a frmr AlQaeda leader, has shamefully done everything to appease only complete emasculation is acceptable to is the reality of Israeli hegemony. — Trita Parsi (@tparsi) July 16, 2025 Israel is framing its actions as in protection of the Druze (an ancient ethno-religious minority community in region), which have come under sectarian attack by Jolani's HTS forces. In southern Syria, jihadists have filmed themselves torturing and forcibly shaving the mustaches of prominent Druze clerics and other men. Facial hair in the Druze religion is considered sacred and is highly symbolic. Disturbing images have emerged from Syria's Suwayda province, where members of the "new Syrian regime" dishonored a Druze man by shaving his mustache. For Druze men, growing a mustache is a religious tradition, and shaving it is considered a sin. — Soran Qurbani (@SorQur) July 15, 2025 Israel's military has long used sectarian tension inside Syria as part of a 'divide and rule' strategy. Immediately after Assad's fall, the IDF send tanks and ground units deep into southern Syria. Christians are also heavily present in the south, and they are under direct threat as well, but Israel has not invoked 'protection of Christians' as having anything to do with its policy… Wearing an ISIS patch, an extremist militant operating under the Syrian army threatens to ethnically cleanse the Druze minority in southern Syria. — The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) July 16, 2025 Syria's new 'liberators' continue to show their true colors, but also bearing immense responsibility for this are the Gulf states, the United States, and Western countries who had long armed and trained these al-Qaeda fanatics in the first place, as part of the regime change operation against Assad. Also read: Syrians Fear Israel Normalization Could Trigger Another Countrywide War
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Middle East crisis: Who are Druze? Sect caught in crossfire as Syria-Israel tensions escalates
The Syrian defence ministry building sits heavily damaged after alleged Israeli airstrikes in Damascus, Syria (AP image) A new wave of deadly sectarian violence in southern Syria has drawn renewed attention to the Druze minority as well as escalating tensions between Syria and Israel. This week, at least 30 people were killed and dozens injured during clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribal fighters in Suwayda, a Druze-majority city near the Israeli border. The Syrian military intervened to restore control, a move that triggered a forceful response from Israel, which launched airstrikes in the area citing a commitment to protect the Druze. The involvement of Islamist militias aligned with the Syrian government further inflamed fears within the Druze community, prompting calls for international protection. In response, Israeli defense minister Israel Katz warned that attacks would intensify unless Syrian forces withdrew from Suwayda. Later, Israeli warplanes struck targets in Damascus, including a defense ministry building and a site near the presidential palace. Who are the Druze? The Druze are an Arab sect numbering around one million globally. They primarily reside in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. The religion originated in Egypt in the 11th century as an offshoot of Islam, and its practices prohibit conversion to or from the faith and forbid intermarriage. In Syria, the Druze community is largely concentrated in the southern Suwayda province, close to the Golan Heights. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Поза во сне может многое рассказать о вашем характере! Удивительные Новости Undo During Syria's 10 year civil war, they often found themselves caught between the Assad regime and extremist groups. More than 20,000 Druze live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, most of whom identify as Syrian. Many rejected Israeli citizenship after the region was annexed in 1981, although some now hold Israeli residency. Druze share the territory with around 25,000 Jewish settlers, spread across more than 30 settlements. On Wednesday, the Israeli military confirmed that hundreds of Golan-based Druze crossed into Syria, reportedly to support their kin amid the ongoing violence. Why are Syrian forces clashing with the Druze? Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria's new president Ahmed al-Sharaa promised inclusion and diversity. However, his government, backed by Sunni Islamist militias, has faced criticism for continued violence against religious minorities, including the Druze. A key issue straining relations between Syria's new government and the Druze is disarmament of Druze militias and integration. Al-Sharaa wants to bring all armed groups under one military command, but the Druze have strongly refused, insisting on keeping their weapons and maintaining their own independent forces. The Druze have also expressed frustration over minimal representation in the new government and the exclusion of key leaders from national reconciliation talks. Only one Druze minister currently serves in al-Sharaa's cabinet. A tentative ceasefire agreement was reportedly reached on Wednesday, involving a halt in military operations and the formation of a Druze-led local security committee. Youssef Jarbou, a Druze spiritual leader from one of the factions in Suwayda, confirmed that a ceasefire agreement had been reached. However, another prominent Druze leader, Hikmat Al Hijri, rejected the deal and urged his followers to continue fighting, according to CNN. Why is Israel bombing Syria? Israel has long described its relationship with the Druze as a "brotherly alliance,' citing strong social and military ties with the Druze citizens in northern Israel. Unlike other minority groups in Israel, Druze men are conscripted into the Israel Defence Forces and many serve in senior positions. In recent days, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's office reiterated Israel's commitment to protecting the Druze community in Syria. The Israeli government also announced the establishment of a unilateral demilitarized zone in southern Syria, prohibiting the deployment of forces and weapons in the area. However, the Syrian government has rejected this declaration and has repeatedly urged Israel to stop military actions that infringe on Syria's sovereignty.
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Syria says pulling troops from Druze heartland after US request
DAMASCUS: Syria announced that its army had begun to withdraw from violence-hit Sweida on Wednesday, following a wave of Israeli strikes on the capital and a US call for government forces to leave the majority-Druze southern city. The US, a close ally of Israel and seeking to reboot its relationship with Syria, said an agreement had been reached to restore calm in the area, and urged "all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made." The Syrian government earlier announced a new ceasefire in Sweida that would halt military operations there, after clashes that a war monitor said had left more than 350 people dead since Sunday. The Syrian army "has begun withdrawing from the city of Sweida in implementation of the terms of the adopted agreement, after the end of the sweep of the city for outlaw groups," a defence ministry statement said. The statement did not mention any withdrawal of other government security forces, which had deployed to the city on Tuesday with the stated aim of overseeing a previous truce agreed with Druze community leaders, following days of deadly fighting with local Bedouin tribes. That ceasefire appeared to have little effect, however, with witnesses reporting that government forces joined with the Bedouin in attacking Druze fighters and civilians in a bloody rampage through the city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said that violence in Sweida province had left more than 350 people dead, including government forces, local fighters, and 27 Druze civilians killed in "summary executions." The Syrian presidency vowed to investigate the "heinous acts" in Sweida and to punish "all those proven to be involved." Israel, which has its own Druze community, has presented itself as a defender of the group, although some analysts say that is a pretext for pursuing its own military goal of keeping Syrian government forces as far from their shared frontier as possible. Following the fall of Syria's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, the Israeli military took control of the UN-monitored demilitarised zone in the Golan Heights and conducted hundreds of strikes on military targets in Syria. After carrying out air strikes in Sweida province earlier this week in what it said was defence of the Druze, Israel launched a series of attacks on the capital, Damascus, on Wednesday. AFP images showed the side of a building in the defence ministry complex in ruins after one strike, as smoke billowed over the area. Israel said it had also struck a "military target" in the area of the presidential palace, while a Syrian interior ministry source reported strikes outside the capital in "the vicinity of the Mazzeh (military) airport." Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called on Damascus to "leave the Druze in Sweida alone," and threatened to unleash "painful blows" until government forces pulled back. Syria's foreign ministry slammed the attacks as a "dangerous escalation," while Israel's military chief insisted his forces were "acting with responsibility, restraint and sound judgment." The Syrian health ministry said that at least three people were killed and 34 wounded in the strikes on Damascus. Announcing the new ceasefire on Wednesday, Syria's interior ministry said there would be a "total and immediate halt to all military operations," as well as the formation of a committee comprising government representatives and Druze spiritual leaders to supervise its implementation. An AFP correspondent in Sweida, however, reported hearing gunfire in the city even after the announcement. In a video carried by state television, Sheikh Youssef Jarboua, one of Syria's main Druze spiritual leaders, read out the 10 points of the accord, which also include "the full integration of the province" of Sweida into the Syrian state. Until now, Druze areas have been controlled by fighters from the minority community. The latest fighting was the most serious outbreak of violence in Syria since government forces battled Druze fighters in Sweida province and near Damascus in April and May, leaving more than 100 people dead. The clashes between the Bedouin and the Druze that first prompted the government deployment were triggered by the kidnapping of a Druze vegetable merchant, according to the Observatory. The two groups have been at loggerheads for decades. The Islamist authorities have had strained relations with Syria's patchwork of religious and ethnic minorities, and have been repeatedly accused of not doing enough to protect them. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern on Wednesday about the Israeli bombings, adding: "We want it to stop." A State Department spokesperson said Washington was also asking Syria to "withdraw their military in order to enable all sides to de-escalate." Rubio later announced on X that all sides had "agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end." "This will require all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made, and this is what we fully expect them to do," he wrote, without elaborating on the nature of the agreement.
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
The UN has 6,000 trucks with aid ready to roll into Gaza as humanitarian crisis intensifies
The population of Gaza has fallen by 6% during the present war. Of the pre-war population (2.3m), approximately 100,000 managed to leave, over 58,000 are confirmed dead, and a further 11,000 are missing, presumed dead, in the rubble. The Israeli ban on cooperating with Unwra (UN Relief and Works Agency) in Gaza, has, as predicted, greatly undermined the humanitarian operation to support the people of Gaza. The US-Israeli initiative to replace the UN-led aid distribution system, by setting up the GHF (Gaza Humanitarian Foundation), has spectacularly failed. Last week they were down to only one functioning distribution centre, located in the south. The amount of aid that got through was only a fraction of what was required. On June 12, 24 GHF staff heading to work on a bus were ambushed, allegedly by Hamas fighters. Eight were killed and an unknown number were wounded. UN secretary General Antonio Guiterrez has repeated his appeal to the Israelis to allow Unrwa to resume its work in Gaza. The stated reason the Israelis had given for the ban was that Hamas has infiltrated Unrwa and that some staff members were involved in the attacks on Oct 7, 2023. In response to these allegations, Unrwa suspended 19, and later dismissed, nine employees. Unrwa staff confirmed that the Israelis gave lists of names to Unrwa of the people allegedly involved but with little evidence to back up the allegations. Nevertheless, the allegations could be true, as we cannot rule out what control Hamas may have over some local staff that work with UN agencies and international NGOs. However, Unrwa, which has a strict vetting procedure for job applicants, always notifies the names of its staff to the Israelis. The nine Unrwa employees sacked were found to be in breach of their contracts. Unrwa, with its 12,000 staff, is the only agency equipped with the infrastructure and capacity to deliver the necessary aid to the Gazan population. It would take years to build up a comparable organisation that could replace it The population of Gaza is already starving and desperate for food, clean water, shelter, and medical care. The Israeli minister for Defence, Israel Katz's claim that Unrwa only delivered 13% of humanitarian aid in Gaza was misleading. It ignores the fact that Unrwa facilitated the other humanitarian aid organisations with its extensive and established infrastructure. Unrwa was also an important provider of educational needs for 650,000 children living in Gaza. It conducted over 17,000 medical consultations daily. This week Phillippe Lazzarini, the head of Unrwa, gave an interview to CNN's Becky Anderson. She challenged him about Israeli allegations that Hamas makes demands on Unrwa and influences its decisions. He denied the allegations but did not elaborate on the context in which Unrwa in Gaza operates. The fact is that Gaza is a very dangerous place. Even long before the current war, Gaza was a high-risk posting for international staff working for the UN and NGOs. They were often targeted by the various factions fighting it out in the shadows of Gaza's overpopulated apartment blocks. These include many veterans of our Defence Forces and the gardaí. In 2007, former Irish Army captain John Ging survived two assassination attempts when he was director of Unrwa's then 11,000 staff in Gaza. Both attacks were carried out by armed gunmen. In the first attack, in March 2007, his car was hit with 12 bullets. In the second attack, that summer, one Palestinian was killed and seven wounded. Human nature being what it is, there will always be a few local staff who are vulnerable to local pressure. That is why aid agencies will mainly use international staff to take the hard decisions. Imposing an effective ban on Unrwa, along with previous statements made by prominent right wing elected representatives in Israel, leads to an obvious conclusion. Israel has initiated a process of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, to replace the Palestinian Gazans with Israeli settlers. Ethnic cleansing is just one step removed from genocide. Asked where should the Palestinians go, Israeli heritage minister Amihai Eliyahu said, they should go 'to Ireland, or the deserts'. The latest proposals from the right wing of the Israeli Cabinet is to move the entire remaining population of Gaza (2.1m), to a 'humanitarian' camp, to be constructed in the bombed out town of Khan Yunis. The idea is that, after security clearance, they can move in, but must stay in. Echoes of 'Hotel California', where you can always check out, but you can never leave. The Egyptians have come up with a better plan, to reconstruct Gaza, and, at the same time, build temporary accommodation for the population, close to their hometowns and villages. This week the EU reached an agreement with Israel to open up multiple entry routes to Gaza, to facilitate a massive humanitarian operation. This is one very necessary step to address the humanitarian crisis Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff's proposals being negotiated in Doha commits both Hamas and Israel to respect whatever agreement is reached on aid to the civilian population. Aid will be distributed through agreed upon channels that will include the UN and the Red Crescent. The humanitarian crisis is so dire in Gaza that no aid should be refused, no matter what its provenance. This should include the GHF. Unrwa, and the other associated UN agencies, are ready to respond. Some 6,000 trucks in Jordan and Egypt, loaded with humanitarian aid, are ready to move to Gaza. It will be a big operation and require substantial security to implement. According to UN sources, 875 people have now being killed, mostly by IDF, approaching aid centres seeking aid. Israel is the occupying power in Gaza and has legal responsibilities towards the security and welfare of the civilian population. To fulfil its responsibilities as an occupying power, Israeli forces have the right of freedom of movement and the right to defend themselves. Israel does not recognise the ICC (International Criminal Count) but the ICC has jurisdiction in all the occupied Palestinian Territories in respect of war crimes and crimes against humanity. To continue to be recognised as a functioning democracy, Israel's legal institutions, both military and civil, should investigate and prosecute its own war criminals. Initially, when reports circulated that Israeli troops were shooting people seeking aid from the distribution centres, most defence analysts assumed the Israeli soldiers were young inexperienced soldiers panicking in fear. That is not the case. They are under orders. Who gave the orders? What were the orders? Either way, the deaths of these pot-wielding family-providers underline the need for a complete disengagement of forces if any ceasefire is to have a chance of success. A multinational peacekeeping force should be deployed in Gaza to supervise the withdrawal of the IDF and take over security on an interim basis. Hamas should hand over its weapons to the international force and be allowed to go into permanent exile under a flag of truce. Dorcha Lee is a retired Army Colonel and defence analyst, with a wide experience of UN service in the Middle East Read More We need to keep Ireland's land in Irish hands
