What's Happening to Damascus, Syria?

 Nadene Goldfoot                                             

Smoke rises after Israeli strikes on Syria's Defence Ministry in Damascus, Syria, July 16, 2025 [Khalil Ashawi/Reuters

From PBS News,  May 2, 2025:  DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Israel’s air force struck near Syria’s presidential palace early Friday after warning Syrian authorities not to march toward villages inhabited by members of a minority sect in southern Syria.  This was almost 3 months ago.  

The strike came after days of clashes between pro-Syrian government gunmen and fighters who belong to the Druze minority sect near the capital, Damascus. The clashes left dozens of people dead or wounded.

READ MORE: At least 10 killed in Syria after clashes sparked by audio clip of man criticizing Prophet Muhammad

Syria’s presidency condemned the Israeli airstrike, calling it a “dangerous escalation against state institutions and the sovereignty of the state.” It called on the international community to stand by Syria, saying that such attacks “target Syria national security and the unity of the Syrian people.”"

Friday’s strike was Israel’s second on Syria this week, and attacking an area close to the presidential palace appears to send a strong warning to Syria’s new leadership that is mostly made up of Islamist groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, also known by his real name, Ahmed al-Sharaa. He is the key figurehead of the organization, which has recently gained control over much of Syria. So far,  the 24th of July 2025, he is still the President of Syria.

                      Aerial view of the Suwayda city, October 2011  

Yes, in July 2025, Israel launched airstrikes on Damascus, Syria. The strikes targeted the Syrian Ministry of Defense headquarters and areas near the presidential palace. These actions were in response to clashes in southern Syria, specifically in the Suwayda province, where the Druze minority was facing attacks from Syrian government forces and allied militias. Israel stated its intervention was to protect the Druze and enforce a demilitarized zone it had declared after the overthrow of the Syrian government. 

The attacks on Damascus resulted in casualties, including civilian deaths, and caused significant damage. Syria condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty and international law. The international community also reacted, with some countries condemning the attacks while others expressed concern over the escalating violence.                                          

The strikes on Damascus were part of a broader Israeli operation in Syria, which also included strikes on military targets in southern Syria, particularly in Suwayda. Israel claimed these actions were necessary to prevent further harm to the Druze population and to enforce the demilitarized zone. 

Suwayda (Arabic: ٱلسُّوَيْدَاء, also spelled Sweida, is a mainly Druze city located in southern Syria, close to the border with Jordan.

It is the capital of Suwayda Governorate, one of Syria's 14 governorates, bordering Jordan in the South, Daraa Governorate in the West and Rif Dimashq Governorate in the north and east.

The city is referred to by some as "Little Venezuela" due to the city's influx of affluent Venezuelan Syrian immigrants. Many of them originally emigrated from Suweida in the nineteenth century, so when their descendants returned, they brought back the Spanish language and South American culture.

According to the 2004 census by Syria's Central Bureau of Statistics, Suwayda had a population of 73,641.

During the Southern Syria offensive, Suwayda was captured by the Syrian opposition on 7 December 2024. On 18 December 2024, a delegation of the Syrian transitional government arrived at the city to meet with the spiritual leader of the Druze.

In July 2025, heavy fighting broke out between Druze and Bedouin in Suweida, killing dozens. As of July 19, 2025 over 600 Druze were reported dead. The Syrian government deployed regular soldiers and Interior Ministry units there. According to Israeli officials, this was done to crack down on the Druze minority.