The Israeli army has struck an extremist cell in Syria. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the extremists were planning an attack on the Druze population of Ashaniya near Damascus.

“Through this, Israel sent a stern warning to the Syrian regime: it is directly responsible for preventing attacks on the Druze,” the statement said. The office emphasized that Israel would not allow further attacks on the Druze communities.

On the night of April 30, clashes broke out between armed groups and Druze self-defense fighters in a suburb of Damascus, predominantly populated by Druze. As a result, 13 people were killed, according to Reuters. The agency claimed that the conflict was religiously motivated.