By Timour Azhari DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Western diplomats were passing near Syria's defence ministry in Damascus in an armoured convoy when Israel struck the building with several missiles on Wednesday,

Israel carried out a series of powerful strikes on the Syrian capital Damascus Wednesday, escalating a campaign it says is in support of an Arab minority group involved in deadly clashes with Syrian government forces.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Syrian government troops will be blocked from the area south of the capital Damascus to protect the Druze minority following Israel's attacks in the country earlier this week.

Emirates has officially resumed operations to the Syrian capital, Damascus, marking the return of the “City of Jasmine” to its Middle East network.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says IDF strike on Damascus ‘likely a misunderstanding’ after fighting erupted in Syria.