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

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.

After the waters calmed, dozens of young people from Majdal Shams managed to overcome the fences in waves throughout the afternoon and began running toward the other side, ignoring the calls made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As night fell, a trickle of people could be seen returning in both directions.

An Israeli military official said, "we are reinforcing forces in the Golan Heights and along the border, ready for a multitude of scenarios."

ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkey has conveyed its views regarding Israel's air strikes on Syria to Israeli authorities via its intelligence agency, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday, adding Ankara was also in close contact with regional powers and the U.S.

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa emphasised the protection of the Druze community following Israeli airstrikes. He expressed commitment to safeguarding their rights and reassured them against external threats during his televised address.

As Israel bombed Syria, a TV anchor ran off camera during a live broadcast as a state TV building in central Damascus got attacked by Israeli airstrikes.

"Silence and standing idly by are no longer an option,” Druze leader Sheikh Mowafak Tarif wrote. Israel's Druze spiritual leadership called on its community to prepare to assist their Syrian counterparts “by all means necessary,