Israel says it has bombed Syrian government forces around Suweida, as they entered the predominantly Druze city following two days of deadly sectarian clashes.
At least 200 people have been killed since the fighting between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes erupted on Sunday, UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), reported.
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered strikes on forces and weapons in the Suweida area because the government “intended to use [them] against the Druze”.
Syria has condemned Israel’s involvement and said the strikes had resulted in the deaths of members of the armed forces and civilians.
This is the first time that Syrian government forces have been deployed to Suweida since Islamist-led rebels overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December.
Many minority communities – including the Druze, whose religion is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its own unique identity and beliefs – are suspicious of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government despite his pledges to protect them. Until now, the province of Suweida had remained largely under the control of Druze militias which resisted calls to join the security forces.
Netanyahu has said he is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria because of their deep ties to those living in Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Syria’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that Israel holds full responsibility for the latest attacks on southern Syria and the consequences.
The Trump administration has now asked Israel to cease its strikes on Syrian military forces, US news outlet Axios reported, citing a US official. Israel reportedly said it would stop the attacks on Tuesday evening.
Earlier on Tuesday, Syria’s defence minister announced a ceasefire in Suweida, saying an agreement had been reached with local dignitaries for security forces to deploy there. However, one Druze spiritual leader urged local fighters to resist.
Following the deployment of Syrian forces, SOHR accused government forces and their allies of the summary executions of at least 19 Druze civilians, including 12 at a family guest house.
The SOHR further said members of the ministry of defence had carried out “systematic acts of vandalism targeting civilian homes and property” including “stealing the contents of homes, smashing doors and windows, and then setting fire to some of them”.
Men in military uniform were seen burning and looting homes and shops, Reuters news agency reported.
Syrian authorities did not immediately responded to the allegations.
