Syria caught between Israeli airstrikes and US demands amid escalating internal unrest

Report by Petra Abou Haidar, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

The Israeli strike early Friday near the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus is being seen as a clear escalation in regional tensions.

The strike was not merely a military operation but is being interpreted as one of several political messages directed at the Syrian government by Israel, backed by the United States.

Although tensions had eased late Thursday in Suwayda province villages and Jaramana and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya in the Damascus countryside following meetings between Druze community representatives and Syrian officials, the calm did not last long.

Clashes erupted in several Druze-majority villages near the Syrian-Jordanian border after armed militants attempted to infiltrate the area and targeted it with mortar shells and heavy machine gun fire. 

Syrian forces responded by deploying reinforcements between Suwayda and Daraa.

The Israeli airstrike near the Syrian Presidential Palace further escalated the situation. It was coupled with a warning from Israel that it would not tolerate threats to the Druze community or the deployment of Syrian forces south of Damascus.

Analysts believe the United States is closely aligned with Israel's approach as the situation evolves. Washington is pressuring President Ahmed al-Sharaa's administration to meet a series of demands as a condition for opening the door to normalized relations and the potential partial lifting of U.S. sanctions.

These demands include the destruction of any remaining stockpiles of chemical weapons, the expulsion of foreign fighters from the country and preventing them from holding leadership roles in government, the appointment of a liaison officer to assist in locating missing American journalist Austin Tice, and granting the United States permission to carry out 'counterterrorism strikes.'

Faced with these pressures, Al-Sharaa finds himself in a difficult position—caught between the heavy demands of the United States and significant internal challenges, including sectarian violence and questions of local legitimacy.