U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is “very concerned” about Israeli air-strikes that hit Syria’s Defence Ministry headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday, killing three people and injuring 34, as well as about widening violence in the southern province of Sweida. Rubio linked the strike to days of fighting between Druze militias, Bedouin groups and Syrian government forces that have left roughly 30 people dead. He characterised the Israeli attack as the result of a “misunderstanding” between Jerusalem and Damascus and warned that the clashes threaten efforts to stabilise post-war Syria. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce urged both Israel and the Syrian government to withdraw their forces from Sweida to “enable all sides to de-escalate,” while declining to say whether Washington had asked Israel to halt further strikes. The department confirmed continuing contacts with both governments throughout the day. Speaking later at the White House, Rubio announced that all parties had agreed on “specific steps that will bring this troubling situation to an end tonight,” without disclosing details. He said the United States expects each side to honour its commitments and voiced optimism that tangible progress toward de-escalation will be seen within hours.