Israel’s Damascus Airstrikes: My First Critique of Israeli Policy, Undermining Syria’s Peace & Normalisation Efforts

Insights from a Candid, Rare Talk with Egyptians, Saudis, Jews, Israelis, and Druze

For the first time in my career as a Middle East expert, I find myself fundamentally opposed to an action taken by Israel. This is not a stance I take lightly, given my consistent support for Israel’s right to defend itself across Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, Yemen, Iran, and beyond. However, Israel’s airstrikes on 16 July 2025, targeting Syria’s Ministry of Defence headquarters, areas near the presidential palace in Damascus, and military sites in Suwayda and Daraa, including the al-Tha’lah Military Airbase, were neither justified nor necessary. These strikes, which killed at least three and injured 34 in Damascus, according to Syria’s Ministry of Health, have sparked a rare moment of reflection for me, solidified by a recent conversation with over 1,500 participants, including Saudis, Syrian Druze, Americans, Britons, Israelis, and non-Israeli Jews. This diverse panel, a recording of which can be found below, debated the unfolding crisis in Syria and cemented my criticism of Israel’s actions. Below, I outline why these strikes were a grave miscalculation, undermining regional stability and contradicting the principles of self-defence that I have always championed.

Photo Credit: Saudi Ministry of Media via AP