Syrian TV reported today (Monday) that Israeli aircraft launched raids targeting military sites in Daraa in southern Syria.

Syria TV said that Israeli aircraft targeted the 89th Regiment north of Daraa, and also bombed the vicinity of the city of Izraa east of Daraa.

Israel controls the buffer zone inside Syrian territory and has been bombing military targets across the country since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad late last year.

Israel said Monday it was ready to defend Druze in Syria after days of violence that a monitoring group said led to the mass killing of another religious minority.

The violence began last week between fighters linked to Syria’s new government and forces loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad. Israeli government spokesman David Mincer told reporters that the violence was a “massacre of civilians” and that Israel was “prepared, if necessary, to defend the Druze,” without giving details on how that might happen.