This came in a joint statement issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The statement said: "In implementation of the directives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the IDF carried out a warning operation."
He stated that the occupation army attacked what he called "an organization affiliated with an extremist group that was preparing to continue attacking the Druze population in the town of Sahnaya in the Damascus Governorate in Syria," he claimed.
He added, "At the same time, a stern message was also sent to the Syrian regime, stating that Israel expects it to take action to prevent harm to the Druze."
In a clear intervention in Syria's internal affairs, the statement continued, saying that Tel Aviv "will not allow any harm to the Druze community in Syria, based on its deep commitment to our Druze brothers in Israel, who have familial and historical ties to their Druze brothers in Syria." Some Druze in Israel serve in the Israeli occupation army, while others oppose this.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Syrian Ministry of Health announced the deaths of 11 civilians and security personnel in attacks carried out by "outlaw groups" in Ashrafieh Sahnaya in the Rif Dimashq Governorate.
The ministry's media office said, according to what was reported by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA): "The death toll from the targeting of civilians and security forces by outlaw groups in Ashrafieh Sahnaya has risen to 11 martyrs, in addition to a number of wounded."
The agency reported that "outlaw groups from the Ashrafieh Sahnaya area attacked a checkpoint belonging to the Public Security Directorate yesterday evening (Tuesday), resulting in three officers being injured with varying degrees of severity," without providing further details.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif, as saying: "The eyes and hearts of the Druze community are lifted high in the face of the attack on Druze communities around Damascus."
He called on Israel, the international community, and Jews to act immediately to "prevent mass killings," he said.
The events in Ashrafieh Sahnaya come after the Syrian Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday that there were deaths and injuries following intermittent clashes between armed groups in the Druze-populated Jaramana neighborhood south of Damascus.
The ministry explained in a statement that these clashes "came against the backdrop of the spread of an audio clip insulting the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and the subsequent incitement and hate speech on social media."
She pointed out that the clashes "resulted in deaths and injuries (without specifying a number), including members of the security forces deployed in the area," confirming the imposition of a security cordon and the pursuit of those involved.
On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions completed their control of the country, ending 61 years of Baath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family control, including 24 years during which Bashar al-Assad held the presidency (2000-2024).
