Damascus: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz announced in a joint statement that Israel conducted an overnight strike near the presidential palace in Syria's capital, Damascus. The strike was in response to recent deadly clashes involving local Druze fighters and pro-government forces south of Damascus.

According to Nam News Network, the Israeli leadership conveyed a strong message to the Syrian government, asserting that Israel will not tolerate the movement of forces south of Damascus or any threats posed to the Druze community. The unrest has led to two wounded Druze Syrians being evacuated for medical treatment at Ziv Medical Centre in Safed, northern Israel. Defence Minister Katz issued a stern warning of harsh responses if the clashes with the Druze community in Syria persist.

In a show of solidarity, hundreds of Israeli Druze protesters gathered before dawn at Prime Minister Netanyahu's private residence in Caesarea, demanding military intervention to protect the Druze in Syria. Israeli media reported that thousands of Druze residents also took to the streets in northern Israel, blocking major highways in protest.

The Druze community, with its primary populations in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, and smaller groups in Jordan, has been a focal point of Israeli strategic interests. Israel has been working to strengthen its ties with the Druze, particularly after expanding territorial control near the Syrian border and in the Golan Heights, following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in December last year.