Several days of bitter sectarian fighting in the south of Syria has brought the fledgling government in Damascus dangerously close to direct conflict with Israel, after Israeli warplanes launched strikes against government buildings in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on July 16.

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.

Israel launched powerful airstrikes in Damascus on Wednesday, blowing up part of the defence ministry and hitting near the presidential palace as it vowed to destroy government forces attacking Druze in southern Syria and demanded they withdraw.

Israel said it "struck the entrance of the Syrian regime's military headquarters" and warns of more "painful blows".

Israel carried out heavy airstrikes in the heart of Damascus on Wednesday, hitting Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters and an area near the presidential palace.

Israeli warplanes pounded Syrian government buildings in Damascus, escalating its campaign against Syria’s new authorities amid heavy clashes between government forces and the country’s Druze minority.

Israel struck Syrian military targets as well as central Damascus on Wednesday (July 16) in what it says is an effort to protect Druze minority communities in southern Syria. Sean Hogan has more.

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel on Wednesday conducted airstrikes in downtown Damascus, the Syrian capital. The Israeli military said the targets included a Syrian government military compound in Damascus as well as another military target near the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus.