Israel’s military carried out a rare daylight strike in the heart of Damascus on 16 July, hitting the Syrian Army’s General Staff headquarters on Umayyad Square and a separate military site near the presidential palace. Footage released by the Israel Defense Forces and broadcast live on Syrian television showed multiple explosions that sent smoke plumes over the capital. A Reuters witness confirmed a blast next to the palace complex; Syrian state TV said at least two civilians were wounded. The IDF described the operation as a “warning strike” aimed at deterring President Bashar al-Assad’s forces from further action against the Druze community in Sweida province, where a cease-fire between Druze militias and government troops collapsed earlier this week. Israeli officials said the Damascus headquarters had been directing deployments to the south, and released drone video of precision impacts on the compound. The raid marks the first known Israeli attack on central Damascus since the start of its three-day campaign against Syrian positions. Defence Minister Yisrael Katz has warned that strikes will intensify unless Syrian units withdraw from Sweida, and the IDF has reinforced forces along the occupied Golan Heights amid heightened cross-border tensions. Syria’s government has not issued an immediate public response, but the Turkish foreign ministry condemned the strikes as an obstacle to regional stability, while the European Union urged all external actors to respect Syrian sovereignty. Damage assessments and casualty figures are still being verified.