Israel strikes Syria's capital, Damascus, pledging to defend Druze minorities

NPR | By Ruth Sherlock,

Greg Dixon, Hadeel Al-Shalchi, Daniel Estrin, Jawad Rizkallah

Published July 16, 2025 at 9:51 AM EDT

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike that hit the Syrian Defense Ministry, in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday.

Updated July 16, 2025 at 10:56 AM EDT

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel on Wednesday conducted airstrikes in downtown Damascus, the Syrian capital.

The Israeli military said the targets included a Syrian government military compound in Damascus as well as another military target near the Syrian presidential palace.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted a video on X of a TV news live shot in Damascus in which a building is seen exploding behind the presenter. "The painful strikes have begun," Katz wrote.

Syria's Health Ministry said one person was killed and 18 injured from the strikes.

The strikes came amid ongoing tensions in southwest Syria, home to the minority Druze, whose community straddles the border between Israel-occupied Golan Heights and Syria. The Syrian military joined Bedouin militias in clashes against the Druze.

Israel struck the Syrian military there on Monday and Tuesday in what they said was an effort to protect the Druze and keep the Syrian side of the border demilitarized.

This is a developing story that will be updated.