The Israeli army has launched air attacks on the Syrian Defence Ministry and near the presidential palace in the capital, Damascus, killing at least one and wounding 18.
The strikes come after Israel threatened to increase attacks if Syrian government forces are not withdrawn from the south of the country where there has been fighting between Druze and security forces.
Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara has called the Israeli attacks in Syria “vulgar exhibitionism”, saying Israel is “once again trying to prove to all its neighbours that it is the new regional hegemon”.
Bishara said that Israel, which is supported by the US, has been able to bomb Beirut, Damascus, Tehran and Sanaa, and feels it is capable of dictating policy in the Middle East.
Israel’s “main goal has been to divide and weaken Syria, turn its minorities, whether they are Druze or Kurds or Alawites, against the central government in Damascus”, he said. (AlJazeera)