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

Syria says it is withdrawing troops from a flashpoint southern city after days of deadly clashes with an Arab minority group that triggered military action from Israel.

For weeks, Israel has engaged in back-channel talks over a diplomatic agreement with the Syrian government. Its strikes on Damascus this week highlight a lack of strategic clarity.

The Prime Minister made clear Israel will not allow Syrian forces south of Damascus, will protect Druze community; ceasefire achieved through strength, not concessions

Syrian troops pulled out of the Druze heartland of Sweida on the orders of the Islamist-led government, following days of deadly clashes that killed nearly 600 people, according to a war monitor.

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China on Thursday called for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity to be respected, as Israel's heavy airstrikes on Syrian capital Damascus have drawn widespread attention. Some experts noted that Israel's recent military actions in the Middle East - enabled in part by US leniency - have intensified regional instability as it seeks to expand its strategic reach,

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated the success of his “peace through strength” stance against Damascus as a U.S.-led peace plan quells violence in southwest Syria. Netanyahu made no apologies for his military’s actions against the Syrian government,