DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — The Israeli army said Wednesday that it struck near the entrance to the Syrian Ministry of Defense in Damascus. The strike came as clashes continued in the southern Syrian city of Sweida after a ceasefire between government forces and Druze armed groups collapsed.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon's Bekaa region on Tuesday killed 12 people, the region's governor Bachir Khodr told Reuters, in the deadliest airstrikes since last year's truce ended months of fighting between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah.

Israel has been bombing Syrian government forces who intervened in clashes in a region controlled by the Syrian Druse minority, which Israel pledged to protect.

Syrian government officials and leaders in the Druze religious minority announced a renewed ceasefire Wednesday after days of clashes that have threatened to unravel the country's postwar political transition and drawn military intervention by powerful neighbor Israel.

Israel has struck military tanks in southern Syria, where government forces and Bedouin tribes clash with Druze militias

Syrian officials and Druze leaders announced a new ceasefire on Wednesday evening following the breakdown of a previous truce. Clashes had raged across the southern Syrian city of Sweida for most of Wednesday --- with Israel threatened to escalate its involvement in support of the Druze religious minority.

Syrian government officials and leaders in the Druze religious minority announced a renewed ceasefire Wednesday after that have threatened to unravel the country's postwar political transition and drawn military intervention by powerful neighbor Israel.

Clashes between Syrian forces and the Druze religious minority in the south of the country have been raging for days. | ITV National News

Israel has hit Syrian forces and warns it will intervene further as clashes continue between government and Druze armed groups after a ceasefire collapsed.

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.