Israel's bombing of government buildings in Damascus, despite Assad's flight and the surrender of the Syrian army, can be attributed to several strategic and security-related reasons:
Preventing Access to Sensitive Information: There's an indication that these attacks might target intelligence and government facilities to prevent the new rebel forces from gaining access to sensitive information. This could include data on foreign spies, networks, and communications that could be detrimental if accessed by opposition groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Weakening Military Capabilities: Israel may be aiming to further weaken Syria's military infrastructure, including its intelligence, customs, immigration, and scientific research facilities. This could be an effort to diminish any remaining military capabilities that could pose a future threat or be used by new factions against Israel.
Preventing Power Vacuum Exploitation: With the government's collapse, there's a risk that these facilities could be taken over by groups hostile to Israel, such as HTS, which has Islamist roots. By targeting these buildings, Israel might be attempting to control or destroy assets that could be used by such groups to strengthen their position or launch attacks.
Security Concerns at the Border: Following Assad's ouster, Israel has moved to secure the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, suggesting a direct link between the bombings and ensuring security along its borders. The destruction of government buildings could be seen as a measure to prevent any regrouping or rearming by forces that might not be as predictable or controlled as the Assad regime.
Historical Context and Ongoing Policy: Israel has a history of intervening in Syrian territory, mainly to counteract Iranian and Hezbollah influence. Even with Assad gone, Israel might continue this policy to ensure that no new power consolidates with similar or potentially greater threats to Israeli security.
These actions reflect Israel's strategic interests in maintaining regional stability from its perspective and preventing the emergence of threats from Syrian territory, even in the absence of Assad's regime. However, the situation remains fluid, and these bombings could also be aimed at sending a message to whatever new forces might emerge in Syria about Israel's readiness to act.