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 demilitarised.
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 Defence 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.
