One Syrian soldier was killed, and a number were wounded by a car bomb that exploded outside a Defense Ministry building in Damascus, the ministry said in a statement carried by state media.

Soldiers had discovered a different bomb near the building in the capital's Bab Sharqi district and were trying to dismantle it when the car bomb went off nearby, the ministry said.

People watch a burning vehicle following an explosion in Damascus on May 19, 2026.
People watch a burning vehicle following an explosion in Damascus on May 19, 2026. (credit: AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES)

Around 12 injured, transferred to hospitals

Syria’s health ministry said emergency and ambulance teams had responded to the explosion. Around 12 people were wounded.

The injured were being transferred to nearby hospitals, and medical teams were continuing to provide treatment and monitor their condition, it said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.