Netanyahu: Syria strikes to protect Druze
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday defended airstrikes in Syria's Suwayda province, describing them as part of Israel's effort to enforce a demilitarized buffer along its northern border.
During a visit to the ultra-Orthodox Hashmonaim infantry brigade, Netanyahu warned of the emergence of 'a second Lebanon' in southern Syria, stressing Israel's determination to keep the southwest demilitarized.
'We are acting in Syria as well,' he declared. 'We are also committed to protecting the Druze population. We are doing this through intense actions. I hope we will not have to act further; it depends greatly on what is understood and done, and also not done in Damascus.'
Earlier today, the Israeli military confirmed striking convoys and vehicles linked to Syrian government forces near Suwayda, a Druze-majority area bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he and Netanyahu had authorized the attacks, targeting actors he accused of 'violating the demilitarization policy' and operating against the Druze.
Tensions in Suwayda have escalated in recent weeks amid clashes between Druze and Bedouin factions, sparking fears of wider unrest. While Israel frames its strikes as both strategic and humanitarian, Druze leaders in Syria have rejected foreign intervention and emphasized their autonomy.
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