Israel Strikes Syrian Forces in Druze-Dominated City Amid Sectarian Violence

As sectarian violence escalates in Suweida, Israel intervened by targeting Syrian government forces entering the city. Despite a ceasefire being announced by Syria's defense minister, tensions remain high after clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes resulted in significant casualties.

Israel has conducted airstrikes on Syrian government forces entering the city of Suweida, a region predominantly inhabited by the Druze community, following two days of intense sectarian violence. The clashes, which erupted on Sunday, have resulted in around 100 deaths as Druze militias and Bedouin tribes engaged in brutal confrontations over local control.

On Tuesday, Syria’s defense minister declared a ceasefire and indicated that an agreement had been reached with local leaders to allow government security forces to enter the city. However, some Druze spiritual leaders have called on local factions to resist the presence of government forces, reflecting deep-seated distrust towards the Assad regime among minority communities.

In a related response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that he ordered military strikes against Syrian forces and weapon caches in the region. Netanyahu emphasized Israel's commitment to safeguarding the Druze, who share strong cultural and historical connections with Israeli Druze citizens and residents of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

This recent deployment marks the first significant movement of Syrian government troops into Suweida since President Bashar al-Assad's regime faced a significant loss of control following the Islamist-led revolt that began in December. Minority groups, including the Druze, have expressed skepticism regarding the government’s assurances of protection, preferring to maintain autonomy through their own militias, which had managed to operate independently until now amidst growing tensions in the region.