Israel Destroys Syrian Army HQ, Claims It’s Defending Druze
After sectarian violence broke out in a Druze community in southern Syria, the army deployed there. Some reports say communal leaders had requested its assistance in restoring order. An estimated 300 residents were killed in the Sunday hostilities. In response, Israel launched a wave of air attacks on key military targets. Alternatively, it likely was taking advantage of the bloodshed to pursue its own interests in weakening the new government, as it has through its invasion and occupation of territory in the south. News reports say Israel renewed its bombing campaign on Thursday, though the Trump administration had earlier claimed it negotiated a ceasefire with all parties. Apparently it was more bluffing and wish fulfillment.
Bombed Syrian defense ministryThe Israeli Druze, because they have a generally more positive attitude toward the state, are a convenient foil for Netanyahu’s government. Though he hasn’t any interest in them, he’s more than happy to express outrage when an errant Hezbollah missilelanded in the Israel-occupied Golan killing 11, mostly children. As Yossi Melman tweets (below), this is the ultimate hypocrisy.
The air force targeted the army-defense ministry headquarters, which was severely damaged. The building is close to the presidential palace, and this can’t be seen as anything but a veiled threat against the country’s leader, Mohammed al-Julani.
Israel claimed it intervened in order to protect the Druze minority from government attacks. While there clearly is conflict between the Druze and Alawite minorities and the Sunni majority, the Druze in Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan are not unified in their attitude toward Israel’s actions. While some support Israel interceding on their behalf, others are Syria nationalists loyal to the state. In fact, Melman tweets below that the Israeli Druze are “outraged.” They understand that they are being used as pawn in a wider war on behalf of Netanyahu.
Israelis themselves on social media are dubious about their leaders’ claims. Haaretz military reporter, Melman, tweeted:
ההחלצות של ממשלת נתניהו לעזרת הדרוזים בסוריה טבולה בביצה עכורה של ציניות וצביעות. אם הממשלה אכן כה דואגת לדרוזים, שתבטל או לפחות תשנה, את חוק הלאום שיזם ח”כ אבי דיכטר ועבר ברוב של 62 לעומת 55 בכנסת. זהו חוק גזעני שמפלה לרעה את הדרוזים את הצ’רקסים וכמובן את ערביי ישראל.
— Yossi Melman (@yossi_melman) July 17, 2025
In the Hebrew tweet, he wrote:
The efforts of Netanyahu’s government to aid the Druze in Syria are steeped in amurky swamp of cynicism and hypocrisy. If the government is truly so concerned forthe Druze, let it repeal, or at least amend, the Nation-State Law. This is a racist lawthat [codifies Judeo-supremacy and derogates the Arab minority] discriminatesagainst the Druze, the Circassians, and of course, Israel’s Arabs.
Other Israelis tweet that opening a new military front after the assault on Iran, redounds to Netanyahu’s credit as he faces a corruption trial. There is nothing like a war to distract Israelis from their problems. The prime minister plays this tune like a fiddle.