Israel targets Syrian government with attack on Damascus military HQ https://t.co/EYdc9KODO0 via @AJEnglish
— Tikun Olam 🍉🇮🇷 (@richards1052) July 17, 2025
After sectarian violence broke out between Druze and Bedouin communities in southern Syria, the army deployed there:
Over the last six days, the region has been engulfed in an escalating series of clashes. What began as communal violence between the province’s Druze and Bedouin communities mutated into something far more severe, as Damascus launched a violent security operation in the region, and Israel’s ongoing intervention in Syria culminated in a series of airstrikes on the capital itself on Wednesday.
Some reports say communal leaders had requested its assistance in restoring order. However, the security forces inflamed the conflict and were forced to withdraw. But not before an estimated 300 residents were killed in the Sunday hostilities (update: the figure is now 700 dead). The fighting has dampened former support among the Druze for the new central government, which has failed to integrate minority sects into the social fabric (military, government, etc.).
In response Israel, pursuing its own interests while claiming to defend the Druze, launched a wave of air attacks on key military targets. Alternatively, it likely was taking advantage of the bloodshed to pursue its own interests in weakening the new government, as it has through its invasion and occupation of territory in the south. News reports say Israel renewed its bombing campaign on Thursday, though the Trump administration had earlier claimed it negotiated a ceasefire with all parties. Apparently it was more bluffing and wish fulfillment.
The Israeli Druze, because they have a generally more positive attitude toward the state, are a convenient foil for Netanyahu’s government. Though he hasn’t any interest in them, he’s more than happy to express outrage when an errant Hezbollah missile landed in the Israel-occupied Golan killing 11, mostly children. As Yossi Melman tweets (below), this is the ultimate hypocrisy.
The air force targeted the army-defense ministry headquarters, which was severely damaged. The building is close to the presidential palace, and this can’t be seen as anything but a veiled threat against the country’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Israel claimed it intervened in order to protect the Druze minority from government attacks. While there clearly is conflict between the Druze and Alawite minorities and the Sunni majority, the Druze in Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan are not unified in their attitude toward Israel’s actions. While some support Israel interceding on their behalf, others are Syria nationalists loyal to the state. In fact, Melman tweets below that the Israeli Druze are “outraged.” They understand that they are being used as pawn in a wider war on behalf of Netanyahu.
Israelis themselves on social media are dubious about their leaders’ claims. Haaretz military reporter, Melman, tweeted:
To the best of my recollection, the last time the Israeli Air Force attacked the Syrian army’s General Staff compound was during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Today’s double strike was particularly powerful. With all due respect to the Druze community in Israel, which is outraged…
— Yossi Melman (@yossi_melman) July 16, 2025
ההחלצות של ממשלת נתניהו לעזרת הדרוזים בסוריה טבולה בביצה עכורה של ציניות וצביעות. אם הממשלה אכן כה דואגת לדרוזים, שתבטל או לפחות תשנה, את חוק הלאום שיזם ח”כ אבי דיכטר ועבר ברוב של 62 לעומת 55 בכנסת. זהו חוק גזעני שמפלה לרעה את הדרוזים את הצ’רקסים וכמובן את ערביי ישראל.
— Yossi Melman (@yossi_melman) July 17, 2025
In the Hebrew tweet, he wrote:
The efforts of Netanyahu’s government to aid the Druze in Syria are steeped in a murky swamp of cynicism and hypocrisy. If the government is truly so concerned for the Druze, let it repeal, or at least amend, the Nation-State Law. This is a racist law that [codifies Judeo-supremacy and derogates the Arab minority] discriminates against the Druze, the Circassians, and of course, Israel’s Arabs.
Other Israelis tweet that opening a new military front after the assault on Iran, redounds to Netanyahu’s credit as he faces a corruption trial. There is nothing like a war to distract Israelis from their problems. The prime minister plays this tune like a fiddle.
Colonel Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, predicted the annexation of parts of Syria by Israel. Interview with Glenn Diesen, published on Youtube on 27.04.25, from minute 33:20 (link to youtu.be), here is an excerpt:
“[..] so we thought that Netanyahu coveting as much of Syria as he possibly could get his hands on and he was pushing well beyond the ski resort the mount Mount Herman I think it’s called whatever and well beyond the Golan that was already occupied into the southern Golan and on into Lake River reservoir and other places that he was investing because they want water.”
What he says about Turkey is also interesting. That suggests a deal, not good prospects for Jolani and for the Kurds in Syria.