Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 15, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleIsrael strikes Syrian forces in Sweida to protect the Druze minority, ensuring the area remains demilitarized. A ceasefire was declared by Syria.
SWEIDA (Reuters) -Israel carried out strikes against Syrian government forces in the Sweida region of southern Syria on Tuesday, saying it was acting to protect the Druze minority and vowing to ensure the area near the Israeli border remained demilitarized.
A Reuters reporter heard at least four strikes as drones could be heard overhead and saw a damaged tank being towed away from the city, where bursts of gunfire were heard as violence entered a third day.
The upsurge in violence in the predominantly Druze city marks the latest challenge for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in a corner of Syria where Israel has vowed to protect the Druze minority.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the military "to immediately strike regime forces and weaponry that were brought into the Sweida region ... for the regime’s operations against the Druze," they said in a statement.
"Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherhood alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel," they said. "We are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them and to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border with Syria.
Earlier on Tuesday an influential Druze leader, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, issued a statement accusing Syrian government forces of breaching a ceasefire and bombarding the city and called on fighters to confront government troops.
Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra later issued a statement declaring that a complete ceasefire was in place, and saying government forces would only open fire if fired upon.
(Reporting by Karam Masri in Sweida, Khalil Ashawi in Damascus and Maya Gebeily in Beirut; Writing by Maya Gebeily and Tom Perry; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Israel conducted strikes against Syrian government forces in Sweida to protect the Druze minority, emphasizing their commitment to prevent harm to this community.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to their strong ties with Druze citizens in Israel.
Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra declared a complete ceasefire was in place, stating that government forces would only open fire if they were attacked.
The recent violence in Sweida was triggered by accusations from Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri that Syrian government forces had breached a ceasefire and bombarded the city.
A Reuters reporter heard at least four strikes in the Sweida region, accompanied by the sound of drones and bursts of gunfire.
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