The UN special envoy to Syria, Gair Pedeshen, called on Israel to "immediately cease" its attacks on the country after new airstrikes by the Israeli army tonight, Agence France-Presse reports, BTA reports.
“We strongly condemn Israel's continued and escalating violations of Syria's sovereignty, including the numerous airstrikes on Damascus and other cities,“ Pedeshen said in a statement.
He called for an immediate end to the attacks and stressed that Israel must stop endangering Syrian citizens and respect international law as well as the sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and independence of Syria.
Yesterday, Israel carried out an airstrike near the presidential palace in Damascus and warned that it was “a clear message to the Syrian regime” in case Syrian forces decide to deploy south of Damascus or pose any threat to the Druze community there.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army announced that it had sent units to southern Syria, ready to intervene to protect settlements inhabited by the Druze community. The decision follows bloody clashes earlier this week between government forces and members of the religious minority, in which dozens of people were killed.
The army added that tonight “five Syrian Druze citizens were evacuated to receive medical treatment in Israel after being injured on Syrian territory“.
According to Israeli Army Radio, 16 Syrian Druze have been admitted to Israeli hospitals since the beginning of the week.
A representative of the Druze community in Sweida province said “there is no deployment of Israeli soldiers“ in the area – stronghold of the Druze minority in southern Syria.
“Their presence will be limited to Quneitra province, where they established positions after the fall of (Bashar) Assad's regime in December,“ he told AFP. The official added that the five evacuees mentioned by the Israeli army “were afraid that if they were sent to hospitals in Damascus, they would be arrested“ by Syrian security forces.