Syria’s Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra announced a ceasefire Tuesday following a deadly outbreak of sectarian violence in Sweida province that killed dozens, with clashes between Druze factions and Sunni Bedouin tribes escalating into a broader conflict involving government forces and Israeli airstrikes.

The ceasefire was declared shortly after Syrian forces entered a key city in the province. Abu Qasra said an agreement was reached with local “notables and dignitaries,” and forces would only “respond to the sources of fire.”

However, scattered violence and reports of abuses by security forces persisted. The Interior Ministry initially reported over 30 deaths but has not updated the toll. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 166 people had been killed since Sunday, including women and children. Among them, 21 were allegedly executed by government forces, and homes were reportedly looted and burned.

Israel strikes tanks as clashes kill at least 89 in Southern Syria

Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa vowed legal action against any perpetrators, “regardless of their rank or position.”

Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian convoys, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz stating the attacks aimed to protect the Druze and disarm nearby areas. Minister Amichai Chikli called for al-Sharaa’s “elimination.”

One injured Interior Ministry soldier, Manhal Yasser Al-Gor, said his convoy was hit by an Israeli drone while entering Sweida “to secure the civilians and prevent looting.”

Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes, reaffirming the Druze as “an integral part of the national identity.”

Religious Druze leaders initially urged surrender but later retracted, citing “indiscriminate shelling.” Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri claimed, “We are being subjected to a total war of annihilation.”

International concern grew, with U.S. envoy Tom Barrack urging a “peaceful, inclusive outcome.”