Click to see full-size image. (X)
An Israeli drone strike hit the entrance to the Syrian military headquarters on July 16, as the forces of the country’s Islamist-led government continued its large attack on the Druze-majority southern city of al-Suwayday.
Druze fighters, led by the al-Suwayda Military Council), recaptured most of al-Suwayda the previous night with some Israeli air support. However, government forces stormed the city again later after targeting Druze fighters with drones, mortars and other heavy weapons.
More Israeli strikes were reported after the government’s counter-attack in the city, its outskirts, and even in the neighboring governorate of Daraa.
Later, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that one of its drones also carried out a strike on the the entrance to the Syrian military headquarters in Damascus in response to the government’s attack on Druze fighters in al-Suwayda. Casualties were reported after the strike.
“The IDF continues to monitor developments and activity against Druze civilians in southern Syria and, in accordance with the directives of the political echelon, is attacking the area and is prepared for various scenarios,” the statement adds.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the pace of strikes in Syria will increase if the “message isn’t understood” by Damascus, stressing that southern Syria will become “a demilitarized zone.”
“We recently struck a target near the General Command in Damascus; more strikes will follow if the message isn’t received,” the minister said.
The Israeli escalation came as Druze spiritual leader in Syria Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri issued an urgent appeal on to United States President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II, calling for immediate international intervention to halt what he described as a “genocidal campaign” in al-Suwayda.
“Our people are being massacred in cold blood, and the killer does not distinguish between child or elder,” the statement said.
The prominent Druze cleric condemned the ongoing attack on the city, stating that “the mask has fallen from the face of the ruling regime,” and placed full humanitarian and moral responsibility on the international community for its failure to act.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitoring group, confirmed on July 16 that government forces were committing war crimes in al-Suwayda, including summary executions.
“War crimes are being committed through executions by members of the Syrian Ministries of Defense and Interior, documented by videotapes and testimonies,” the director of the observatory, Rami Abdullrahman, said.
“The massacres were perpetrated after they [government forces] evaded accountability for the Syrian coast,” he added, referring to the very similar government attack that targeted the heartland of the Alawites last March and claimed the lives of some 1,600 civilians from the minority group.
The battle in al-Suwayda began on July 13, as a result of a local conflict between Druze fighters and Sunni tribesmen. Early on July 14, the Islamist-led government announced that it was intervening to stop the conflict, but ended up backing the tribesmen. Israel has been launching strikes in support of the Druze from the start.
The battle has so far claimed the lives of 248 people, including 21 Druze civilians who were executed by government forces, according to the SOHR.
It’s worth noting that the government attack on al-Suwayda began right after reports of a high-level meeting between Israeli and Syrian officials in Azerbaijan. It is very likely that Damascus got some green light from Israelis during the meeting to attack the city.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
““our people are being massacred in cold blood, and the killer does not distinguish between child or elder,” the statement said.”…
the mark of a zi0ni$t that will never distinguish what is in a target as long as it strikes fear in the hearts of the most vulnerable and defenseless of their enemy as means of coercion that will put them eventually on their side.
…this is why 9/11 was so vital in revealing truth so that false flags of it’s stature could never happen again and to hold those who perpetrated it (the u.$. government) accountable. if only the other leaders at the unsc had demanded an investigation after the 9/11 commission report omitted an entire building to bring those who made it possible to justice -what a different world this would be?
these wahhabi animals were supported by israel so it can invade and steal syrian land and use its airspace to attack iran. the best thing to do was what albert pike once said but more specific, turn wahhabis against zionists and let them wipe each other out. nobody will miss either
those animals must be as stupid as they come handing syria to the zionist pigs and the us empire.
syria wasn’t the puppet allie?
god bless america for bringing democracy to syria!
and a few words from jesus
god bless my rubber duck
if al-juliani were to suddenly “disappear” syria would be better off and so would be israel.
once a terrorist, always a terrorist. as far as i know there is no statute of limitations for the crime of headchopping.
israel only cares for israel . propaganda about the druse is only an excuse to use the sectarian violence story to land grab and oppress opposition .