Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed that the Israeli Air Force launched an airstrike on Damascus on Thursday.

"There will be no immunity for Islamic terrorism against Israel, whether in Damascus or anywhere else," Katz said in a statement, adding, "We will not allow Syria to become a threat to the State of Israel."

The Israeli military described the target as a "command center of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement used to plan and direct terrorist activities against Israel."

The Israeli military released a nine-second video showing what it said was the airstrike, and what appeared to be an explosion on the outskirts of a building, followed by thick columns of smoke.

Two Syrian security sources told Reuters that the target was a Palestinian. It remains unclear whether there were any casualties.

Al-Arabiya TV correspondent from Damascus, Christine Rinawi, explained that Israeli media outlets had been claiming in recent days that Palestinian elements affiliated with the Islamic Jihad and Hamas movements were present, and that there were fears they might carry out attacks against Israel from within Syria.

"security buffer zone"

Rinawi explained that the occupation has recently begun making no secret of its intentions to remain within Syrian territory for the long term, and that it intends to complete the establishment of what it calls a security buffer zone.

She pointed out that Israel's goal, through intensifying its attacks and attacks on Syrian state assets, is to prevent these assets from falling into the hands of the new regime, in an attempt to limit its control and undermine it.

The Israeli army has penetrated the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights, located on the outskirts of the part of the Syrian plateau it occupies.

Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for "a complete demilitarization of southern Syria," saying that Israel would not allow the new administration's forces to deploy south of Damascus.