Al-Sharaa voiced his rejection of “any attempt, foreign or domestic, to sow division” within Syria while vowing to hold accountable those who abused the Druze.

Qatar condemned Israel’s attacks on Syria on Wednesday, which targeted the Syrian Defence Ministry and the area near the presidential palace, killing at least three people and wounding numerous others.

In a statement, Qatar’s foreign ministry said the Gulf state considered the attacks “a blatant violation of Syria’s sovereignty” while slamming it as “a manipulation” of the region’s security and stability.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirms that the repeated attacks by the occupation on the new Syria clearly reflect its challenge to the international will that supports Syria’s reconstruction and revival, and the establishment of peace in the region,” the statement said.

The ministry also called for “decisive actions” by the international community “against the occupation to deter its aggressive policies and irresponsible actions”.

Israel struck several sites in the Syrian capital on Wednesday afternoon, a day after attacking the southern city of Suwayda amid clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters. 

Israel threatened government forces to carry out further attacks on Syria if they did not withdraw from Suwayda. The escalations ended on Wednesday and security forces withdrew from the area.

Local sources told Al Jazeera that at least 169 people have been killed during the clashes. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it documented  374 deaths.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Washington that Israel’s attack on Damascus was “likely a misunderstanding”.

“It’s complicated,” he said.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa addressed the country hours after the attacks, where he said Israel has “sowed discord” in Syria since the fall of the former Bashar Al-Assad regime.

“The Israeli entity, which has consistently targeted our stability and sowed discord since the fall of the former regime, now seeks once again to turn our sacred land into a theatre of endless chaos,” he said in a televised address.

Al-Sharaa voiced his rejection of “any attempt, foreign or domestic, to sow division” within Syria while vowing to hold accountable those who abused the Druze.

“We are eager on holding accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people because they are under the protection and responsibility of the state,” Al-Sharaa said

The Syrian leader stressed that “the building of a new Syria requires” unity.

“The building of a new Syria requires all of us to stand united behind our state, to commit to its principles and to place the interest of the nation above any personal or limited interest,” he said.