Israel said it took military action in support of Syria’s Druze population which has been involved in deadly clashes with Syrian government forces in recent days. The move sent US officials scrambling to prevent a larger escalation between the two Middle East nations.

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.

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

Israeli warplanes pounded Syrian government buildings in Damascus, escalating its campaign against Syria’s new authorities amid heavy clashes between government forces and the country’s Druze minority.

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.

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.