The strikes were south of Damascus, where Syrian security forces say they are battling gunmen from the religious minority.

Israel said it carried out a strike in Syria against "an extremist group" that attacked members of the Druze community, following through on a promise to defend the minority group as deadly sectarian violence spread near Damascus on Wednesday.

Israel says it carried out an attack in Syria on a group targeting members of a minority sect as a new round of clashes left at least 11 people dead.