A devastating bomb blast at a popular cafe in central Damascus has claimed six lives and left 22 people injured, according to Syrian state media. The incident took place just 100 meters from the Palace of Justice, a major government building in the Hejaz district, with no immediate claim of responsibility. This marks the deadliest bombing in Damascus since a suicide attack on a church in June 2025, which killed 25 people and was claimed by the shadowy jihadist group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, although authorities attributed it to Islamic State (IS) group. The cafe bombing echoes the violence that plagued Damascus during Syria's prolonged civil war, as evidenced by the owner of a nearby glasses shop who described the event as reminiscent of those dark days. The blast left a gruesome scene with at least two men lying motionless on the outdoor terrace, captured in graphic video footage shared on social media. Damascus Governor Maher Marwan Idlibi vowed that those responsible for the bloodshed would be brought to justice, attributing the attack to attempts by malicious parties to destabilize the country as it experiences a period of relative stability under Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Since Islamist-led rebel forces overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, ending 13 years of devastating civil war, Damascus has seen several attacks, and the government has struggled to consolidate control and restore security. Ominously, there have been bouts of deadly sectarian fighting between government forces and members of Syria's Alawite and Druze religious minorities.