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 launched airstrikes on Syria amid a spreading wave of sectarian violence in areas dominated by the Druse minority. Dozens of people have been killed in two days of clashes.

Sectarian violence has erupted again in Syria, raising fresh doubt on the ability of the new Islamist rulers to control armed factions and calm tensions.