Israel bombed an area near the presidential palace in Damascus early on Friday, in its clearest warning yet to Syria's new Islamist-led authorities of its readiness to ramp up military action in the name of the country's Druze minority.

Israel's air force has struck near Syria's presidential palace hours after warning Syrian authorities not to march toward villages inhabited by members of a minority sect in southern Syria.

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