Syria faced a warning strike from Israel, aimed at deterring extremists planning to attack the Druze community. The extremists reportedly were preparing to attack this specific minority group.
Israel's military struck Sahnaya, a town near Damascus today, taking aim at what they call "extremists" threatening to attack members of the Druze minority. This violent clampdown was announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in tandem with Defense Minister Israel Katz, as reported by Reuters.
The move comes after a bout of deadly sectarian chaos in Druze-dominated zones around Damascus, stoking frenzy between Druze and Sunni Muslims. Israel regards the Sunni Islamists ruling Damascus as a menacing presence along their border, prompting them to vow protection for the Syrian Druze, a religious minority closely linked to Islam and present in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.
Dubbing it a "warning operation," the Israeli statement also envisaged a warning sent to Syria: Jerusalem anticipates the regime will cease hostilities against the Druze people. Syria's Ministry of the Interior, represented by a spokesman in Sahnaya, the Syrian town Israel targeted, refuted any knowledge of such an attack.
Remember, 600 Syrian Druze clerics are scheduled to visit Israel this Friday, though there's no confirmed link between these events and the Israeli airstrikes, or the eruption of violence between the Druze and the Sunni Muslims in Syria.
Sources:[1] https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/syrian-druze-clerics-to-visit-israel-on-friday-for-religious-purposes-1.9069716[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-says-it-targeted-syria-after-eruption-of-sectarian-violence-2021-05-10/
Enrichment Data:The violent backlash from Israel on Sahnaya in May 2025 was part of an ongoing series of airstrikes targeting Syria, with this specific strike occurring after Israel warned the Syrian authorities to stay clear of villages inhabited by the Druze minority in southern Syria amid escalating sectarian violence. The ensuing conflict featured pro-Syrian government forces and Druze fighters, leading to substantial casualties[2].
Israel's strikes, including one nearby Syria's presidential palace, appear to be a powerful message to Syria's Islamist-led government, headed by groups such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Syria denounced the Israeli actions as perilous escalations against their sovereignty and solicited international support to counter the attacks, painting them as detrimental threats to national security and cohesion[2].
Regarding the Druze community and their religious leaders, Syria's Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri disapproved of the Syrian government's attacks on the minority, labeling them as "genocidal." Despite the strife, Druze religious leaders affirmed their identity as Syrians and their refusal to sever ties with Syria, stressing the importance of the Syrian state maintaining control and security, particularly in regions like the Sweida-Damascus corridor[2].
It is presently unclear if Syrian Druze clerics have visited Israel recently for spiritual reasons, unrelated to these skirmishes or Israeli airstrikes[1][2]. The tensions and violence appear to revolve around internal Syrian dynamics and Israeli military responses rather than being efforts of spiritual dialogue or interactions between the Druze community and Israel.
- The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Defense Minister Israel Katz, announced an attack on Sahnaya, a town near Damascus, targeting what they call extremists threatening the Druze minority.
- This move by Israel comes after a period of sectarian violence in Druze-dominated zones around Damascus, causing a rift between Druze and Sunni Muslims.
- Israel views the Sunni Islamists ruling Damascus as a threatening presence along their border and has vowed protection for the Syrian Druze, a religious minority closely linked to Islam.
- The Israeli military's strike on Sahnaya was dubbed a "warning operation," also sending a warning to Syria to cease hostilities against the Druze people.
- Syria's Ministry of the Interior, represented by a spokesman in Sahnaya, denied any knowledge of such an attack.
- Sources suggest that 600 Syrian Druze clerics are scheduled to visit Israel this Friday, though there's no confirmed link between these events and the Israeli airstrikes.
- The UN and other international bodies have been called upon to counter the attacks, with Syria viewing them as detrimental threats to national security and cohesion.
- The Syrian Druze spiritual leader, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, has disapproved of the Syrian government's attacks on the Druze minority, labeling them as "genocidal."
- Regardless of the ongoing conflict, Druze religious leaders remain Syrian and refuse to sever ties with Syria, emphasizing the importance of the Syrian state maintaining control and security.
- This sequence of events unfolded in the context of ongoing war-and-conflicts in the Middle East, with politics heavily influencing general news.
