An emergency service member works at the site of what Syrian state media reported was a blast at a cafe in central Damascus, Syria, July 2, 2026. (Credit: Yamaam Al Shaar/Reuters)
BEIRUT — The Foreign Ministry condemned, in a statement released Friday evening, the bomb attack that took place Thursday in Damascus, which killed at least ten people and injured 21, according to an updated count from Syrian authorities. Beirut expressed "its full solidarity" with Syria and its people, describing the attack as "a new attempt to undermine Syria's security and stability, at a crucial moment in its recovery and reconstruction process after many years of suffering." The ministry also highlighted the symbolic significance of the explosion, which occurred near the Palace of Justice, considering that it targeted "one of the symbols of justice and the rule of law."
The explosion occurred in a café located near the Palace of Justice, in a busy district in the center of the Syrian capital. It was caused by an explosive device that was left at the scene, according to authorities. The homemade bomb, which weighed about one kilogram, was packed with metal fragments. The attack has not been claimed at this time.
The seizure of power by an Islamist coalition, which overthrew President Bashar al-Assad at the end of 2024, ended the civil war. Since then, authorities have been working to reunify the country fractured by the conflict and to rebuild its institutions. This attack is the deadliest in Damascus since the one that targeted a church in June 2025, killing 25 people. That attack was claimed by a Sunni fundamentalist group, while authorities blamed the responsibility on the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group. Supported by Washington, Syria joined the international coalition against IS last year.
The jihadist group had seized vast territories in Syria in 2014 before being defeated in 2019 by Syrian Kurdish forces, aided by the anti-jihadist coalition. However, it still retains sleeper cells and regularly challenges the authorities. The Syrian capital has experienced several incidents in recent months. On May 19, a soldier was killed in a car bomb explosion.
