The Israel Defense Forces said it struck "the entrance" of Syria's military headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday.

Israeli leaders said they launched attacks on Syria this week to protect members of the Druze religious group in the country’s south, amid clashes in the area.

Sectarian clashes that shook southern Syria this week have killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and drawn in an array of local and international players. Here's a look at the main parties involved.

Israel has been bombing Syrian government forces who intervened in clashes in a region controlled by the Syrian Druse minority, which Israel pledged to protect.

"If Israel feels that a certain leader...is an evident threat to its national security, it will operate," a former Israeli envoy told Newsweek.

(Reuters) -Israeli drones targeted Syria's city of Sweida, where clashes between Syrian government troops and local Druze fighters have resumed, Syrian state news agency said on Wednesday. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.