WATCH: Israeli Airstrikes Hit Near Presidential Palace in Damascus as Druze Raise Israeli Flags in Sweida
In sweeping overnight strikes, Israeli missiles hit regime targets near the al-Sharaa Presidential Complex; Syrian state TV broadcast interrupted live mid-sentence. Meanwhile, Druze rebels in Sweida remove Syrian flags and hoist the Israeli flag.
TwitterThe conflict in Syria took a dramatic turn Tuesday night as
Israel launched a direct airstrike near the al-Sharaa Presidential Palace in Damascus
, in one of the most symbolically powerful moments of the war so far.
The strike, part of a broader Israeli offensive targeting over
160 regime and military positions
, was caught
, as the anchor condemned Israel's actions—seconds before a massive blast shook the studio and cut the feed.
.In Sweida: Druze rebels raise Israeli flags
On the ground in Sweida, local Druze fighters have reportedly taken control of key parts of the city. Viral footage shows crowds of armed Druze tearing down Syrian regime flags and replacing them with Israeli flags, in a stunning act of defiance against the Assad-Julani regime.
Israeli security sources confirmed that the Syrian Army has deployed over 1,000 jihadist-affiliated fighters around Sweida, along with tanks and APCs, in an effort to crush the rebellion. Inside the city, 200 regime troops are operating under cover, making it harder to distinguish them from civilian militias.
Israeli escalation: “Damascus is no longer off-limits”
The IDF has shifted elite air squadrons and UAVs from other fronts to Syria, and ground divisions have begun deploying to the Golan. A senior Israeli official said:
“These are not symbolic strikes. This is a message to Damascus: massacres in Sweida will have a direct cost.”
The Paratroopers Brigade, recently withdrawn from Gaza, is now on alert to enter the Golan front. Meanwhile, buses carrying more Israeli Druze are reportedly heading north, prompting police to prepare roadblocks.