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.

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

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.