Israel announced today it has bombed Syrian government forces as they entered the predominantly Druze city of Suweida, following two days of deadly sectarian clashes that have reportedly killed around 100 people. The fighting erupted Sunday between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes.
Syria’s Defense Minister, Maj Gen Murhaf Abu Qasra, declared a ceasefire in Suweida on Tuesday morning, stating an agreement had been reached with local dignitaries for security forces to deploy. However, a prominent Druze spiritual leader, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, urged local fighters to resist, accusing government forces of violating the ceasefire with bombardment.
Later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed he had ordered strikes on Syrian forces and weaponry in the Suweida area, asserting the government “intended to use [them] against the Druze.” Netanyahu underscored Israel’s commitment to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to their deep ties with Druze living in Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
This marks the first deployment of Syrian government forces to Suweida since Islamist-led rebels, spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December. Minority communities remain suspicious of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government, despite his pledges of protection. Until now, Suweida province had largely remained under the control of Druze militias that resisted calls to join the security forces.
The clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze militias were reportedly sparked by the robbery and abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday. The fighting escalated, with Druze fighters seizing the Bedouin-inhabited al-Maqwas neighborhood and subsequent attacks spreading to Druze towns and villages.
As the death toll mounted, Syria’s interior ministry announced intervention to restore order due to the “dangerous escalation” and “absence of relevant official institutions.” A brief calm on Sunday night, following mediations and prisoner releases, was shattered on Monday as fighting resumed, with drones attacking villages and government forces deploying in nearby areas. Mortar fire also reportedly hit villages, bringing dozens of casualties to local hospitals.
The Israeli military confirmed it struck several government tanks on Monday as a “clear warning to the Syrian regime” to prevent their advance towards Suweida city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported 99 fatalities, including 60 Druze (four civilians), 18 Bedouin fighters, and 14 security forces personnel.
While the Druze spiritual leadership initially agreed to the government’s entry to end the bloodshed and called for armed groups to cooperate, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri’s subsequent call for resistance indicates continued defiance.
The Israeli military has carried out hundreds of strikes across Syria since the fall of the Assad regime, primarily targeting military assets and asserting a demilitarization policy in southern Syria. Netanyahu had previously warned against any threat to Syria’s Druze and demanded the complete demilitarization of Suweida and other southern provinces, viewing interim President Sharaa’s Sunni Islamist group (HTS) as a threat. HTS, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, is designated a terrorist organization by the UN and UK.
