Israel’s air force has struck near Syria’s presidential palace hours after warning Syrian authorities not to march toward villages inhabited by members of a minority sect in southern Syria

The strike near the president’s residence, announced Friday morning by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, came after violence targeting the Druze population in Syria. Israel is also home to a Druze minority, many of whom serve in its military.

Syria strongly condemned foreign intervention following a rare Israeli strike near Damascus on Wednesday amid deadly sectarian violence.