US Not Happy Israel Attacks Syria's Damascus

Damascus Syria/ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Mahmoud Sulaiman

JAKARTA - The United States insists it does not support Israel's attack on Damascus, Syria. Washington admitted it was "unhappy" after tensions escalated and immediately tried to stop it.

"Regarding Israeli interventions and activities, the United States does not support Israel's recent attacks," US State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce told reporters at a regular press conference reported by Reuters on Friday, July 18.

"We are establishing diplomatic communication with Israel and Syria at the highest level, both to address the current crisis and to reach a long-term agreement between the two sovereign countries," he continued.

Bruce declined to say whether Washington supported Israel in carrying out such military operations if deemed necessary.

"I will not discuss future or pre-emptive conversations. What we are facing now is this special episode, what it takes, and I think we have expressed our disapproval very clearly, especially to the President, and we have worked very quickly to stop it," he said.

The United States condemned violence in Syria and said Washington actively involved all constituents in Syria to navigate towards calm and continue discussions on integration and ask the Syrian government to lead the way forward.

On Wednesday, July 16, Israel launched airstrikes in Damascus, as well as attacked government forces in the south, demanding them withdraw. This attack, called Israel, aims to protect the Syrian Druze part of a minor but influential minority that also has followers in Lebanon and Israel.