In response to the massacre of Druze civilians in Syria and violent protests by Israeli Druze citizens that erupted Thursday along the country’s northern highways, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement declaring, “Israel attacked last night near the presidential palace in Damascus.” The statement stressed that “This is a clear message to the Syrian regime: we will not allow a movement of forces to the south from Damascus or any threat to the Druze community.”
At least 73 Druze have been killed in Syria, and in response, hundreds of Druze living in Israel took to the streets Thursday night to protest the ongoing massacre. Demonstrators gathered at major intersections, lighting bonfires and causing massive traffic jams, which trapped thousands of drivers. Clashes ensued between protesters and motorists.
Lebanese Hezbollah-affiliated channel Al-Manar aired footage reportedly from the site of the IAF strike, showing smoke rising and sirens sounding in the area.
The IDF Spokesperson released an update after the Prime Minister’s Office announcement, confirming that “warplanes attacked in the area near the palace of Ahmed Hussein al-Shara’ in Damascus.”
Ahmed Hussein al-Shara, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, is the former rebel commander who became President of Syria in January 2025, after serving as the country’s de facto leader since December 2024.
Overnight, the Druze villages of Lubin, Haran, and Jarin in Syria’s As-Suwayda province came under hours-long attack. Local residents reported returning fire at the sources of the assault.
According to SyriaTV, local factions in As-Suwayda successfully repelled a large-scale offensive, as extremist groups launched shell attacks on the villages. The Syrian government continues to claim that the groups targeting the Druze are “outlawed factions that do not belong to the Ministry of Defense or the security apparatus.”
ISRAELI DRUZE PROTESTING
Members of the Druze community held demonstrations across northern Israel on Thursday evening to protest the violent attacks against Druze in Syria, carried out by supporters of the Syrian President.
The protests caused heavy traffic congestion, with several northern highways blocked by demonstrators who lit bonfires on the roads. Footage shared online showed clashes between protesters and motorists attempting to clear passage. A separate demonstration was also held in Caesarea, near the Prime Minister’s residence.
The IDF confirmed Thursday that another Druze individual wounded in the massacre in Syria was admitted for treatment at Ziv Hospital in Tzfat. This marks the seventh Syrian Druze to enter Israel for medical care this week. Meanwhile, unrest has intensified among Druze soldiers and officers in the IDF, who are expressing frustration over what they see as the government’s slow and ineffective response to the Syrian president’s regime.
Shortly after midnight, hundreds of Druze demonstrators gathered outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home in Caesarea, escalating tensions as the community continues to demand stronger action.
Hundreds of IDF Druze fighters, both active-duty and reservists, released a letter Thursday evening addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, demanding permission to cross into Syria to defend their relatives and communities who are under attack.
In their letter, the Israeli Druze fighters wrote: “According to heartbreaking and shocking reports and videos, Druze civilians are being murdered and humiliated. Despite the loyalty of the community, including respected sheiks who are fighting fiercely against the rioters to protect their families, our Druze brothers in Syria have failed to repel the rioters and prevent many massacres.”
“We expect you to fulfill your promise of solidarity and protection, and stop the massacre of our Druze brothers across the border in Syria – as you and the Minister of Defense promised – and to activate the IDF for this purpose.”
The letter also calls for direct action by Druze fighters themselves: “Hundreds of Druze fighters are ready to immediately volunteer and fight alongside our brothers to save them, even at the cost of taking responsibility for all the risks this entails for our safety and lives.”
DRUZE PROTESTERS ATTACK IDF SOLDIER
A violent incident broke out Thursday night during a Druze demonstration on Highway 6 in northern Israel. Footage shared on social media shows a uniformed soldier caught in the middle of a brawl, being physically assaulted before police intervened and removed him from the scene.
During the melee, the soldier is seen in the footage being struck with a flag, punched, and surrounded by a large group of Druze protesters for several tense seconds. At one point, one of the protesters appears to take hold of the soldier’s weapon, further escalating the situation before police intervened to extract him from the crowd.
Another individual was filmed being severely beaten by protesters during the demonstration. In the video capturing the incident, the victim is shown attempting to escape but is relentlessly pursued and attacked by a group of protesters, who continue to strike him as he struggles to flee.
