Overview

• Israeli jets bombed the entrance to Syria’s military headquarters in Damascus and struck the defense ministry near the presidential palace, marking a direct escalation against Ahmed al-Sharaa’s interim government.
• Airstrikes on Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley hit Hezbollah facilities, killing at least 12 people, most of them Syrian agricultural workers, according to regional officials.
• The Israel Defense Forces have deployed additional troops to the Golan Heights and vowed to continue forceful operations until Syrian forces attacking Druze militias withdraw completely.
• Sectarian clashes in Sweida between Druze armed groups and pro-government Bedouin tribes have killed around 200 people, and a ceasefire announced on July 16 has failed to stem the violence.
• US special envoy Tom Barrack is mediating talks among the parties in a bid to restore calm and secure adherence to truce agreements.