Sectarian violence has erupted again in Syria, raising fresh doubt on the ability of the new Islamist rulers to control armed factions and calm tensions.

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.

Syria said Israel launched new strikes near Damascus on Wednesday, after sectarian clashes left nearly 40 dead in two days and Israel warned against attacks targeting the Druze minority.