Getting Serious On Syria, Part 7

Things just got taken to a new level in Damascus this morning when a suicide bombing attack at a meeting of Assad regime ministers claimed the life of Syria's defense minister and his top deputy minister.

Defense Minister Dawood Rajiha and Deputy Minister Assef Shawkat -- who is al-Assad's brother-in-law -- were killed in the explosion during a meeting of ministers and security officials, state TV reported.

They are the highest-ranking Syrian officials killed in the uprising.

The bombing resulted in other casualties among attendees, state TV reported.

With the Syrian government restricting access to the country by foreign journalists, there was no immediate way to confirm reports on the blast.

The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said initial reports indicate a car bomb caused an "intense explosion" in Damascus.

More as this comes in.