Israel launched powerful airstrikes on Damascus on Wednesday, blowing up part of the defence ministry and hitting near the presidential palace, while also striking government security forces operating against militants from the country's Druze minority in the southern province of Sweida.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the Damascus headquarters served as a command center for deploying regime forces to Suwayda, a southern Syrian region gripped by days of deadly clashes between government troops, Druze militias, and Bedouin groups.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the situation as "complicated" but said it looked like a "misunderstanding".

Emirates has officially resumed operations to the Syrian capital, Damascus, marking the return of the “City of Jasmine” to its Middle East network.