Israel has carried out new airstrikes on Syrian government targets in Damascus and southern regions despite direct requests from the U.S. to halt military operations and seek diplomatic dialogue. The strikes, according to Israeli officials, were launched to protect the Druze population in Syria following reports of violence in Suwayda. However, a senior U.S. officials told Axios that Washington intelligence does not confirm Syrian government involvement in attacks against the Druze. The Israeli actions come at a delicate moment as the U.S. attempts to mediate early-stage talks between Israel and Syria aimed at stabilizing the region.
Why is Israel attacking Damascus and southern Syria?
Over the past 48 hours, Israel has intensified its strikes on Syiran government facilities, including key locations in Damascus and the Suwayda region. Israeli officials say the escalation is in response to what they describe as a massacre of Druze civilians by Syrian militias aligned with the new Syrian government under Ahmed al-Sharaa.
On Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, Israel targeted Syrian tanks deploys in Suwayda and reportedly hit sites near the presidential palace. These military moves followed reports that Druze leaders inside Israel urged action after nearly 250 people were killed in clashes between local militias and Syrian security focres.
The situation escalated further on Wednesday when hundreds of Israeli Druze citizens crossed into the buffer zone along the Golan Heights in an attempt to reach Suwayda. The Israel Defense Forces later announced they were reinforcing the border to continue operations.
Despite Israeli claims of preventing genocide, U.S. officials say they’ve seen no evidence implicating the Syrian government in attacks on Druze civilians. The Biden administration, through Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Tom Barrack, has been urging Israel to “stand down” and open direct talks with Damascus instead.
What is the U.S. government’s response to the Israeli strikes?
The White House has grown increasingly concerned over Israel’s recent military actions in Syria. A senior U.S. official revealed that multiple conversations were held between U.S. diplomats and top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Netanyahu’s advisor Ron Dermer, to push for de-escalation. “We told the Israelis to stand down and take a breath,” the official stated, highlighting the urgency of calming tensions amid fragile normalization talks with Syria.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly acknowledged the administration’s stance on Wednesday, expressing that the United States was “very concerned” and wanted the violence to stop. Behind closed doors, efforts continue to restart security negotiations between Israel and Syria, negotiations that were reportedly progressing before the latest strikes.
The U.S. believes domestic political pressure inside Israel, particularly from the Druze community, may be driving the military response. The Israeli government has reportedly told U.S. officials it views the situation in Suwayda as akin to “October 7”, a reference to past mass casualty events targeting civilians.
Even as Washington urges restraint, the IDF announced further reinforcements near the Syrian border, signaling more potential strikes ahead. The official Israel position remains that the military will act to prevent further attacks on Durze civilians, regardless of U.S. objections.
