Israel bombed an area near the presidential palace in Damascus early on Friday in its clearest signal yet of hostility toward the Islamist-led Syrian authorities and a preparedness to ramp up military action in the name of Syria's Druze minority.

Israel's PM says it will "not allow any threat" to the minority in Syria after sectarian clashes in which dozens were killed.

Israel launched more than 20 air strikes inside Syria late Friday, a war monitor said, following up an attack near the presidential palace in Damascus which was condemned as a

Wind-fueled fires in Israel are tearing through brush outside Jerusalem, prompting the evacuation of residents and leaving more than a dozen people hospitalized.

Israel’s “largest ever” wildfires are rapidly closing in on Jerusalem, prompting Benjamin Netanyahu to declare a national emergency and the foreign minister to call for international assistance.

Bushfires that erupted near Jerusalem were largely brought under control on Thursday, authorities said, with major roads reopened and firefighting teams still tackling lingering hotspots.