Sweida (TDI): Israel carried out airstrikes against Syrian government forces for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, as fierce fighting continued near the Israeli frontier in the Druze-majority city of Sweida.
The Israeli government said its military actions aimed to protect the Druze community and enforce a demilitarized zone in the volatile region.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa has received a warm welcome from Washington, particularly from US President Donald Trump, however, his rule is facing resistance from minority communities, especially, the Druze and Alawites, who remain wary of his administration.
Tensions peaked after influential Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hajjri accused government forces of breaking a local ceasefire and called on residents to defend themselves. His statement, released via video, prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz to authorize strikes on Syrian regime forces.
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“Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherhood alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel,” a joint statement from Netanyahu and Katz read. “We are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them and to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border.”
The Israeli government maintains that under previous understandings, Damascus had agreed not to move troops or heavy weapons into southern Syria, which Israel sees as a direct threat to its own security.
The renewed fighting began on Sunday between Druze militias and Bedouin armed groups in Sweida province, leading to widespread displacement of civilians.
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Amid the chaos, the Druze leadership initially issued a statement allowing Syrian troops into the city to help restore order, but hours later, Sheikh Al-Hajjri rejected that decision, saying it had been forced upon them by Damascus.
“We are facing a campaign that seeks to erase us,” Al-Hajjri warned, urging Druze across the country to resist what he called “barbaric aggression.”
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
