Israel carried out a series of powerful strikes on the Syrian capital Damascus Wednesday, escalating a campaign it says is in support of an Arab minority group involved in deadly clashes with Syrian government forces.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the Damascus headquarters served as a command center for deploying regime forces to Suwayda, a southern Syrian region gripped by days of deadly clashes between government troops, Druze militias, and Bedouin groups.

An Israeli military official said, "we are reinforcing forces in the Golan Heights and along the border, ready for a multitude of scenarios."

The deaths of children, women and civilians in strikes on Gaza highlight long-standing concerns around Israel's approach to both proportionality and transparency, humanitarian and rights advocates say.

Israeli soldiers attacked and killed Palestinian residents who were trying to get water in the midst of Gaza, including children.

In a joint operation with Shin Bet (Israel's anti-terror General Security Service), the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) attacked and eliminated Islamic Jihad terrorist leader Fazal Abu al-Ata on June 7, 2025.