Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus defense compound, leaving one dead and 18 injured

Wednesday 16 July 2025 - 14:17

On July 16, 2025, a series of Israeli airstrikes struck central Damascus, targeting a building adjacent to the Syrian Ministry of Defense, killing one person and injuring 18 others, according to Syria’s Ministry of Health.

The attacks heavily damaged part of a four-story military facility serving as the headquarters of the Syrian army. Local journalists reported that an entire wing of the structure collapsed under the strikes.

Smoke could be seen billowing over Omayyad Square, typically one of Damascus’s busiest areas. On Wednesday afternoon, it was eerily deserted, aside from emergency vehicles and military transports surrounding the impact zone.

The Israeli government has not officially commented on the strike. However, the attack follows growing tensions in southern Syria and warnings from Israel over threats to the Druze community—an ethnic and religious minority also residing in Israel.

This marks one of the most direct Israeli strikes in the Syrian capital in recent months, reflecting escalating military exchanges in a region already fraught with instability.