Israel said it "struck the entrance of the Syrian regime's military headquarters" and warns of more "painful blows".

The attack follows a wave of Israeli strikes on Syrian government forces during two days of sectarian clashes between local Druze and Bedouin populations.

Israel bombed the Syrian army headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday after warning the Islamist-led government to leave the Druze minority alone in its Sweida heartland, where a war monitor says sectarian clashes have killed nearly 250 people.

Israel says it's trying to protect the Druze community in south-west Syria, where there have been deadly sectarian clashes.

Israel threatened to escalate attacks on Syrian government forces unless they withdraw from the southern province of Sweida, which is dominated by the country’s Druse minority.

Israel expanded airstrikes against Damascus on Wednesday after a fragile ceasefire in southern Syria collapsed. Though announced by Damascus on Tuesday, the ceasefire between the Druze and government forces doesn’t appear to have ever truly taken effect,

DAMASCUS/JERUSALEM - Powerful airstrikes shook Damascus on Wednesday, targeting the defence ministry as Israel vowed to destroy Syrian government forces attacking Druze communities in southern Syria and demanded they withdraw.

The Israeli Air Force is striking government buildings in Damascus — the Syria TV channel showed how rockets explode near the presidential palace.

A roundup of key international reactions after Israeli air strikes near the defence ministry and presidential palace.

Israel launched powerful airstrikes in Damascus on Wednesday, damaging the defence ministry and hitting near the presidential palace as it vowed to destroy Syrian government forces attacking Druze

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel on Wednesday conducted airstrikes in downtown Damascus, the Syrian capital. The Israeli military said the targets included a Syrian government military compound in Damascus as well as another military target near the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus.