'Israel' launches strikes on Syrian forces citing Druze protection

Al Mayadeen

2 days ago

In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Israel Katz announced that they have instructed the occupation military to launch strikes against Syrian government forces, citing attacks on members of the Druze community in Syria.
The statement claimed that the occupation forces would target "regime forces and weapons that were brought into the Sweida area," alleging violations of what they called a "demilitarization policy" that bars the presence of Syrian military units and weapons in southern Syria.
"Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel, and their familial and historical ties to the Druze in Syria," the statement said.
The occupation authorities framed their actions as a measure to 'prevent the Syrian regime from harming them' and to 'ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border with Syria.' Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that the occupation's Air Force has launched a wave of large-scale attacks on southern Syria.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions and ongoing conflict in and around the governorate of Sweida, where Syrian government forces have launched operations targeting armed groups following recent violent clashes between Sweida's Druze community and Bedouin tribes.
116 people have been killed, while over 200 were left injured in the fatal clashes, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated on Tuesday.
Israeli occupation warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on Monday targeting military factions linked to the new Syrian Ministry of Defense in the southern countryside of Sweida, according to local sources who spoke to Al Mayadeen.
The airstrikes specifically targeted convoys and gatherings of these forces along the strategic road connecting the village of al-Mazraa to the city of Sweida, where Syrian government-affiliated factions have reportedly been mobilizing and advancing.
In response to the strikes, Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the raids were deliberate and served as 'a clear message and warning' to the government of Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria's interim president. Katz claimed the attacks were meant to deter what the Israeli regime perceives as emerging threats along its northern frontier.
Katz further asserted that the Israeli occupation 'will not stand idly by' in the face of any perceived threat to the Druze community in Syria, stating that the occupation would take 'necessary measures' to prevent harm or influence against Druze populations in the region.
Read more: Damascus forces move troops to Sweida, bomb villages