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's PM says it will "not allow any threat" to the minority in Syria after sectarian clashes in which dozens were killed.

Israel bombed an area near the presidential palace in Damascus early on Friday in its clearest signal yet of hostility toward the Islamist-led Syrian authorities and a preparedness to ramp up military action in the name of Syria's Druze minority.