TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The tension in the city of Suwayda, in southwestern Syria, peaked after the ceasefire between government forces and local Druze factions completely failed. Fierce clashes between Sunni Bedouins and Druze minorities erupted again, although the Damascus government had deployed troops on Tuesday to stabilize the situation. Israel then intervened.
According to an Al Jazeera report, the rapid escalation of this internal conflict quickly triggered an intervention from Israel, which openly regards the Druze group as its potential ally in Syria. Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, confirmed that his party had demanded the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Suwayda.
Several hours after the demand, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, Israel launched a direct air strike on the heart of the Syrian capital. The attack was reported to target vital areas, including near the Ministry of Defense complex and the presidential palace in Damascus.
As a result of the attack, the Syrian government media reported at least three people killed and 34 others injured, based on data from the Ministry of Health.
The attack on the heart of the Syrian capital marks one of the most significant escalations, but this incident is not an isolated event. Instead, the attack is part of a broader and systematic Israeli military campaign that has been ongoing since the collapse of the al-Assad family regime.
Starting from December 10, 2024, these attacks have targeted major airports, air defense facilities, and other strategic assets. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project (ACLED) shows that in the past six months alone, Israel has launched more than 200 air strikes, drones, or artillery, with an average of one attack every three to four days.
The latest attack in this campaign occurred on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. The Israeli military confirmed that they had fired artillery at several targets in Syria in response to two projectiles allegedly falling in the open area in the Golan Heights they occupied.
Although the intensity of the attacks has increased drastically in recent months, ACLED data shows that Israeli attacks on Syria have been ongoing for years with increasing frequency since January 2017. In the recent post-Assad campaign, Israeli attacks have been concentrated in the southern region of Syria, with the provinces of Deraa, Damascus, and Quneitra being the main targets and accounting for almost 60 percent of all recorded attacks between December 2024 and May 2025.
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