Syrian officials and leaders from the country’s Druze minority have declared a renewed ceasefire following days of deadly clashes in Sweida province that have threatened Syria’s fragile postwar stability and provoked military strikes from Israel.
Government troops began pulling out of Sweida, though uncertainty remains about whether the truce will hold. A ceasefire declared Tuesday quickly collapsed, and leading Druze cleric Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri has already distanced himself from the new agreement.
Despite the announcement, Israeli airstrikes continued, including rare attacks deep inside Damascus. Israel said the strikes were aimed at protecting Druze communities and pushing back Islamist militants near its border. The Druze, who also form a significant community in Israel, are often viewed as a loyal minority and frequently serve in the Israeli military.
The current violence began as local Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze militias clashed, leading to tit-for-tat kidnappings and attacks. Government forces intervened but reportedly also targeted civilians during the crackdown.
This wave of violence poses a major challenge to Syria’s transitional leadership, which came to power after long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December, ending the country's 14-year civil war.
Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa addressed the nation on state television, describing the Druze as essential to Syria’s identity and denouncing Israeli interference as an attempt to sow division. He emphasized unity and warned against dragging the country into another war.
Syria’s new Sunni-led government has struggled to win trust from minority groups after previous incidents of sectarian violence. In March, clashes between government forces and pro-Assad militias triggered revenge killings targeting the Alawite community, Assad’s religious group.
While the Syrian Interior Ministry said Monday’s death toll stood at 30, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported over 300 deaths by Wednesday, including children, women, and dozens of soldiers and security personnel.
Israel Expands Military Response
Israel intensified its involvement with dozens of airstrikes targeting Syrian military convoys and installations. On Wednesday, Israeli missiles struck near the Defense Ministry in central Damascus, killing three people and injuring 34, Syrian officials said. Another strike targeted an area near the presidential palace.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned of more attacks if Syrian troops do not fully withdraw from Sweida, saying, “Painful blows have begun.” An Israeli military official confirmed that a brigade previously stationed in Gaza was redeployed to the Golan Heights as tensions escalate.
Human Toll and Fears in the Druze Community
Reports of attacks on civilians continue, with families in Sweida and abroad desperate for news about loved ones. In Jaramana, near Damascus, 20-year-old Evelyn Azzam said her husband was shot and hospitalized after being questioned by security forces in Sweida. She has had no updates since.
Druze families in the UAE with relatives in Sweida reported similar fears, with some saying homes were burned with residents inside. Others recalled similar trauma during ISIS attacks in 2018, when Druze civilians defended themselves while Assad's forces stood aside.
Religious Tensions Escalate
Disturbing videos posted online showed pro-government fighters humiliating Druze religious figures and desecrating their symbols. In response, Druze fighters were seen beating captured Syrian troops and posing beside corpses. AP reporters also documented looted and burned homes in the area. The Observatory said at least 27 people were executed in the field.
Druze in Israel’s Golan Heights protested along the border in solidarity with their community in Syria.
International Concerns
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed serious concern about the escalating violence, calling it a “misunderstanding” and confirming that Washington is in contact with both Israeli and Syrian officials in hopes of restoring calm.
The Druze, a religious sect that emerged in the 10th century from Ismaili Shiism, number around one million globally, with most residing in Syria. The rest are mainly in Lebanon and Israel, including the Golan Heights—territory Israel captured from Syria in 1967 and later annexed.