The United Nations particular envoy for Syria on Saturday known as on Israel to right away cease its assaults after Israeli navy launched strikes inside Syria in a single day.
“I strongly condemn Israel’s continued and escalating violations of Syria’s sovereignty, including multiple air strikes in Damascus and other cities,” Geir Pedersen mentioned in a publish on X, including: “I call for these attacks to cease at once and for Israel to stop endangering Syrian civilians and to respect international law and Syria’s sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and independence.”
Israel has launched no less than 20 air strikes inside Syria late Friday, a warfare monitor mentioned, after an assault close to the presidential palace in Damascus, which the nation’s new guidelines condemned as a “dangerous escalation”.
The strikes got here amid Israeli warnings to the Damascus authorities to not hurt the Druze minority, following current sectarian clashes.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned greater than 20 new strikes hit navy targets throughout Syria within the “heaviest” assault carried out by Israel on its neighbor this 12 months.
Syria’s state news company SANA reported Israeli airstrikes close to Damascus and within the west, at Latakia and Hama, in addition to in Daraa within the south. It mentioned one civilian was killed at Harasta close to Damascus and 4 individuals had been wounded close to Hama.
An Israeli navy assertion mentioned its forces had “struck a military site, anti-aircraft cannons and surface-to-air missile infrastructure in Syria” however gave no additional particulars.
The Israeli strikes got here after Druze clerics and armed factions reaffirmed their loyalty to Damascus, following clashes between Druze fighters and Syrian forces, together with government-affiliated teams, in Jaramana and Sahnaya close to Damascus and in Sweida province.
The Observatory monitor mentioned greater than 100 individuals had been killed within the combating.
Sweida is the heartland of the Druze non secular group and an obvious drone strike killed 4 Druze fighters at a farm there Friday, the Observatory mentioned. SANA mentioned it was an Israeli assault.
Israel sends ‘message’
An early morning blast within the presidential palace space of Damascus was heard throughout the town and sparked worldwide concern.
Israeli navy spokesperson Avichay Adraee mentioned “warplanes attacked… the area near Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa’s palace in Damascus”, referring to the interim president.
In a joint assertion, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz known as it a “clear message” to Syria’s rulers who ousted president Bashar Assad in December.
“We will not allow forces to be sent south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community,” they mentioned.
Syria’s presidency known as the strike “a dangerous escalation against state institutions”, and accused Israel of destabilizing the nation.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the Israeli strike as a violation of Syria’s sovereignty, his spokesperson mentioned.
The U.N.-mandated Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria expressed concern on the “deadly clashes with sectarian dimensions”, and mentioned Israeli airstrikes elevated the danger to civilians.
After this week’s clashes a de-escalation deal was agreed between Druze representatives and the federal government, prompting troop deployments in Sahnaya and tighter safety round Jaramana.
Syrian officers mentioned the settlement additionally included the speedy give up of heavy weapons.
An AFP photographer noticed troops taking on checkpoints from Druze gunmen in Jaramana, though no handover of weapons was witnessed.
‘Outlaw teams’
Qatar, a backer of Syria’s new rulers, and Saudi Arabia condemned Israel’s “aggression”. A German overseas ministry assertion mentioned: “Syria must not become the venue for regional tensions to be played out.”
Israel has attacked a whole bunch of navy websites since former anti-regime forces deposed Assad.
It has additionally despatched troops into the demilitarized buffer zone that used to separate Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights.
Israel launched strikes close to Damascus on Wednesday and threatened extra if violence towards the Druze continued.
The unrest was sparked by the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a Druze citizen and deemed blasphemous. AFP was unable to verify its authenticity.
Syria’s authorities mentioned “outlaw groups” had been behind the violence, however the Observatory and Druze residents mentioned forces affiliated with the brand new authorities attacked Jaramana and Sahnaya and clashed with Druze gunmen.
‘Genocidal marketing campaign’
In Sweida, non secular authorities and navy factions mentioned after a gathering that they’re “an inseparable part of the united Syrian homeland”, and rejected “division, separation or secession”.
SANA mentioned safety forces had been being despatched to Sweida to “maintain security”.
That transfer got here after Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, a Druze non secular chief, on Thursday condemned what he known as a “genocidal campaign” towards his individuals.
Syria’s new authorities have vowed inclusive rule within the multi-confessional, multi-ethnic nation, however should additionally cope with inner pressures from radical teams.
On Friday, Sharaa met Lebanese Druze chief Walid Jumblatt, who has urged the minority group in Syria to reject “Israeli interference”.
The newest violence follows massacres of Alawites in March, when the Observatory mentioned the safety forces and their allies killed greater than 1,700 civilians.
That was the worst bloodshed because the overthrow of Assad, who’s from that minority group. The authorities accused Assad loyalists of sparking the violence.
Source: www.dailysabah.com