Syria: Israel strikes Damascus as fighting between government forces and Druze rages
The Israeli military began striking Syrian security forces and their weapons on Monday, after they were deployed to the city of Suweida for the first time since Sunni Islamist-led rebels overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December.Minority groups 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 and his government despite his pledges to protect them.Their fears have been heightened by several outbreaks of deadly sectarian violence over the past eight months, including one in May in which dozens of people were reportedly killed in clashes between Druze, security forces and allied Islamist fighters in Damascus and Suweida.In the wake of that fighting, the government reached an agreement with Druze militias to hire local security forces in Suweida province from their ranks.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.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X on Wednesday afternoon that "the warnings in Damascus" had ended and that the Israeli military would "continue to operate vigorously in Suweida to destroy the forces that attacked the Druze until they withdraw completely".He later posted that "the painful blows have begun" above a video clip showing a TV presenter being forced to dive under a desk live on air as an Israeli missile hit the nearby entrance to the Syrian defence ministry in Umayyad Square, in central Damascus.The Israeli military said it struck the Syrian government's military headquarters in the capital as well as a "military target in the area" of the presidential palace.It also said strikes hit armoured vehicles loaded with heavy machine guns and weapons on their way to Suweida, as well as firing posts and weapons storage facilities in southern Syria.Syria's foreign ministry said the strikes targeted government institutions and civilian facilities in Damascus and Suweida and killed "several innocent civilians"."This flagrant assault, which forms part of a deliberate policy pursued by the Israeli entity to inflame tensions, spread chaos and undermine security and stability in Syria, constitutes a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law," it added.The Syrian interior ministry announced on Wednesday evening that it had reached a ceasefire agreement with Druze leaders "as part of efforts to restore security and stability". It said military operations would end immediately, police would set up checkpoints in Suweida city, and that the province would be "fully integrated" into the Syrian state.One Druze leader, Sheikh Yousef Jarbou, confirmed the agreement. But another who supports Israel's intervention, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, called for Druze fighters to continue fighting until the "total liberation of our province from gangs".US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was "very worried" about the violence in the south, and that he was talking to Israel and Syria to calm the situation.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, meanwhile reported that the humanitarian situation in Suweida city had rapidly deteriorated.It cited sources as saying there were clashes in several area of the city and that tanks had attacked the national hospital, causing panic among the scores of casualties from the fighting being treated there. They also said there were acute shortages of water and medical supplies.The SOHR says more than 300 people have been killed since Sunday in Suweida province.They include 69 Druze fighters and 40 civilians, 27 of whom were summarily killed by interior ministry and defence ministry forces, according to the group. At least 165 members of the government forces and 18 Bedouin tribal fighters have also been killed in the clashes, while 10 members of government forces have been killed in Israeli strikes, it says.The BBC is not able to verify the SOHR's casualty figures.
The fighting between Bedouin tribes and Druze militias in Suweida is said to have been sparked by the abduction of a Druze merchant on the highway to Damascus last Friday.On Sunday, armed Druze fighters reportedly encircled and later seized a neighbourhood of Suweida city that is inhabited by Bedouin. The clashes soon spread into other parts of Suweida province, with tribesmen reportedly launching attacks on nearby Druze towns and villages.Syria's interior ministry later announced that its forces and those of the defence ministry would intervene and impose order, saying the "dangerous escalation comes in light of the absence of relevant official institutions".There was a brief period of calm on Sunday night before the fighting resumed, with local activists reporting that Druze villages west of the city had been attacked with drones and mortars as government forces deployed nearby.That afternoon, the Israeli military said it had stuck several Syrian government tanks in Suweida, saying it aimed to prevent forces advancing towards Suweida city.On Tuesday morning, Druze spiritual leaders said they had agreed to allow government forces to enter Suweida province in order to end the bloodshed. But Sheikh Hajri urged Druze to resist, accusing the government of violating a ceasefire by bombarding Suweida city.The fighting continued as government forces entered the city. The defence minister declared a ceasefire and said they would only open fire if attacked, but witnesses reported that they joined the Bedouin fighters in attacking Druze fighters and civilians.That afternoon, Netanyahu and Katz ordered the Israeli military to once again attack government forces and weaponry in Suweida. They said they were working to prevent them from harming the Druze and to "ensure the demilitarisation" of areas near Israel's border.Earlier this year, Israel's prime minister demanded the complete demilitarisation of Suweida and two other southern provinces. He said Israel saw President Sharaa's Sunni Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as a threat. HTS is a former al-Qaeda affiliate that is still designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN and UK, but no longer by the US.The Israeli military has already carried out hundreds of strikes across Syria to destroy the country's military assets since the fall of the Assad regime.And it has sent troops into the UN-monitored demilitarised buffer zone between the occupied Golan Heights and Syria, as well as several adjoining areas and the summit of Mount Hermon.
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The Guardian
4 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on Syria's hopes and fears: stability can't be built without the people
After five decades of Assad family rule, and almost 14 years of civil war, Syrians knew that establishing a brighter future was likely to be as fraught a struggle as removing their dictator had been. Many greeted the new president – Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaida fighter and leader of the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – with excitement, while minorities viewed him with a cautious optimism. Now sectarian violence threatens frail but genuine hopes of a better tomorrow. In March, hundreds of mostly Alawite civilians were massacred along the coast, after an ambush of security forces by supporters of the ousted dictator, Bashar al-Assad, a member of the sect. Then, this month, a dispute between a Bedouin tribesman and a member of the Druze minority in the southern region of Sweida swiftly escalated into horrific sectarian mass violence, involving Syrian government forces. Armed clashes, bombardments, summary executions and then Israeli airstrikes killed hundreds of people, including civilians. What is perhaps most alarming is the speed with which incidents can spiral, and the inability or unwillingness of the new government to control what is less an army than a ragbag of militias and warlords. Mr Sharaa has been adept at winning over his international audience, but much less so at addressing his domestic one. He has made gestures towards inclusivity, but substance has been much less evident. His leadership must straddle a fundamental contradiction: he needs to keep an extremist sectarian base on side – with Islamic State and others trying to lure members away – while reassuring the rest of a fragmented and deeply scarred country that he can protect them and meet at least their basic needs. The Assads weaponised intercommunal divisions to bolster their rule. Many people are seeking redress or retaliation for abuses committed under the old regime. The ubiquity of weapons after years of war and the desire of militia leaders to defend their interests adds to the danger, as does competition for scant economic resources. Israel's intervention this month – purportedly in defence of the Druze, a significant minority in Israel – has deepened the crisis. It has occupied additional territory and has clearly been working to reduce Syrian military capabilities and to undermine the leadership. Striking the defence ministry in Damascus didn't just send a message 'regarding the events in Sweida' but about its broader intentions. The US, which recognises that Syria's disintegration is not in its interests, has sought to rein Israel in and must continue doing so. Amid this bleak outlook, there are still notes of hope, especially in persistent grassroots efforts to tackle intercommunal violence through dialogue and to pursue transitional justice. These two priorities are interconnected: without ending impunity for the events of recent months and past decades, Syria cannot hope to establish the trust on which effective discussions depend. The government has paid lip service to transitional justice but has yet to name those it believes accountable for the slaughter in March – despite evidence on social media as well as from witnesses. It says there will be 'no tolerance' of abuses by anyone in Sweida. Terrified minorities will want to see proof of that assertion. Improved accountability, and commitment to building relations between communities, are not indulgences for happier and more prosperous times, but the foundation stones required for a successful nation. A Syria that is not inclusive and protective cannot hope to survive and thrive.
Reuters
4 minutes ago
- Reuters
Trump says Israel will have to decide on next steps in Gaza, pledges more aid
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The Guardian
4 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Middle East crisis live: malnutrition in Gaza on ‘dangerous trajectory', says WHO, as airdrops of aid begin
Update: Date: 2025-07-27T17:38:10.000Z Title: Oxfam Content: WHO calls for urgent, sustained efforts to flood the Gaza Strip with food after Israeli military announces pause in activity Hayden Vernon (now); Yohannes Lowe and staff and agencies (earlier) Sun 27 Jul 2025 13.38 EDT First published on Sun 27 Jul 2025 01.36 EDT From 9.28am EDT 09:28 has said the airdrops into Gaza are wholly inadequate for the population's needs and has called for the immediate opening of all crossings for full humanitarian access into the territory devasted by relentless Israeli bombardments and a partial aid blockade. Bushra Khalidi, policy lead for the Occupied Palestinian territory, said: Deadly airdrops and a trickle of trucks won't undo months of engineered starvation in Gaza. What's needed is the immediate opening of all crossings for full, unhindered, and safe aid delivery across all of Gaza and a permanent ceasefire. Anything less risks being little more than a tactical gesture. Updated at 9.28am EDT 1.37pm EDT 13:37 Here are some more of Donald Trump's comments from that press conference: Trump said he had met with some families of Israeli hostages still trapped in Gaza. On the return of the hostages, he said: 'When you get it down to a certain number, you're not going to be able to make a deal with Hamas, because once they give them up, then they feel that that's going to be the end of them. 'And what I said is exactly true. You know, they had a routine discussion the other day and all of a sudden they hardened up. They don't want to give. them back. And so Israel is going to have to make a decision. I know what I'd do, but I don't think it's appropriate that I say, but Israel is going to have to make a decision.' On the images of starving children in Gaza, Trump said: 'Well, it's terrible. You know, when I see the children and when I see, especially over the last couple of weeks, and people are stealing the food, they're stealing the money, they're stealing weapons. They're stealing everything. It's a mess. That whole place is a mess.' Updated at 1.38pm EDT 1.19pm EDT 13:19 Speaking at a press conference alongside European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen ahead of their meeting in Scotland over a US-EU trade deal, Donald Trump was asked whether Israel should be doing more to get food into Gaza. He replied: 'You know, we gave $60m two weeks ago – and no one even acknowledged it – for food. And, it's terrible. You really at least want somebody to at least say thank you. No other country gave anything. We gave $60m two weeks ago for food for Gaza and nobody acknowledged it, nobody talks about it. And it makes you feel a little bad when you do that and you have other countries not giving anything.' The comments echo US vice president JD Vance's chiding of Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky in front of news cameras in February, when he asked Zelensky 'have you said thank you once?' for US military aid. Updated at 1.21pm EDT 1.00pm EDT 13:00 Prime Minister Keir Starmer will recall his cabinet from their summer break to discuss the situation in Gaza, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, amid growing pressure on the Labour government to recognise a Palestinian state, Reuters reports. The FT said the move to recall his cabinet of ministers next week was set out on Sunday by Downing Street. The UK parliament and cabinet are currently in a summer recess until 1 September. The recall comes after Starmer said on Friday the British government would recognise a Palestinian state only as part of a negotiated peace deal, disappointing many in his Labour Party who want him to follow France in taking swifter action. French president Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday France would recognise a Palestinian state, a plan that drew strong condemnation from Israel and the US after similar moves from Spain, Norway and Ireland last year. Starmer's approach to the issue has been complicated by the arrival in Scotland on Friday of Donald Trump, with whom he has built warm relations. In foreign policy terms, the UK has rarely diverged from the US. Starmer's office did not immediately reply to a request for comment from the news agency. Updated at 1.01pm EDT 12.50pm EDT 12:50 Malnutrition is on a dangerous trajectory in the Gaza Strip, marked by a spike in deaths in July, the World Health Organization has said in a statement posted on social media. Of 74 malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 occurred in July –including 24 children under five, a child over five, and 38 adults. Most of these people were declared dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly after, their bodies showing clear signs of severe wasting. The crisis remains entirely preventable. Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives. Nearly one in five children under five in #Gaza City is now acutely malnourished, as reported by Nutrition Cluster partners. Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM), which measures the percentage of children aged 6–59 months suffering from acute malnutrition, has tripled since June, making it the worst-hit area in the Gaza Strip. In Khan Younis and the Middle Area, rates have doubled in less than one month. These figures are likely an underestimation due to the severe access and security constraints preventing many families from reaching health facilities … WHO calls for urgent, sustained efforts to flood the Gaza Strip with diverse, nutritious food and to expedite the delivery of therapeutic supplies for children and vulnerable groups, as well as essential medicines and supplies. This flow must remain consistent and unhindered to support recovery and prevent further deterioration. WHO reiterates its call for the protection of civilians and health. WHO also calls for the release of our detained colleague, the release of hostages, and for an immediate #ceasefire. Updated at 12.52pm EDT 12.31pm EDT 12:31 US president Donald Trump said on Sunday Israel would have to make a decision on its next steps in Gaza, adding that he did not know what would happen after moves by Israel to pull out of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with Hamas, Reuters reports. Trump underscored the importance to Israel of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, saying they had suddenly 'hardened' up on the issue. 'They don't want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision,' Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at his golf property in Turnberry, Scotland. 11.43am EDT 11:43 Syria is expected to hold its first parliamentary election under the new administration in September, the head of the electoral process told state news agency SANA, Reuters reports. Voting for the People's Assembly is expected to take place from 15-20 September, added the official, Mohamed Taha. Ahmed al-Sharaa has led Syria since the fall of the Assad regime late last year. Sharaa had previously said it could take up to four years for election to be held. 11.20am EDT 11:20 As reported earlier, Israeli forces seized the pro-Palestinian activist boat Handala in international waters and detained the crew late on Saturday. The boat was then taken into the port of Ashdod early on Sunday, AFP reports. The legal rights centre Adalah told AFP its lawyers were in Ashdod and had been allowed to speak to 19 members of the 21-strong international crew, which included two French parliamentarians and two Al Jazeera journalists. The remaining two of those detained were dual US and Israeli citizens and had been transferred to police custody, Adalah said. 'After 12 hours at sea, following the unlawful interception of the Handala, Israeli authorities confirmed the vessel's arrival at Ashdod port,' said the group, set up to campaign for the rights of Israel's Arab population. 'Adalah reiterates that the activists aboard the Handala were part of a peaceful civilian mission to break through Israel's illegal blockade on Gaza. The vessel was intercepted in international waters and their detention constitutes a clear violation of international law.' Earlier, the Israeli foreign ministry said the navy stopped the Handala to prevent it from entering the coastal waters off the territory of Gaza. 11.00am EDT 11:00 British foreign secretary David Lammy has said Israel's decision to pause military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and allow new aid corridors falls short of what is needed to alleviate suffering in the territory. Lammy said in a statement that Israel's announcement was 'essential but long overdue', and that access to aid must now be urgently accelerated over the coming hours and days. 'This announcement alone cannot alleviate the needs of those desperately suffering in Gaza,' Lammy said. 'We need a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered.' 10.45am EDT 10:45 The Israeli military said it had began a 'tactical pause' in the densely populated areas of Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi to 'increase the scale of humanitarian aid' into the Gaza strip. The pause would be repeated every day from 10am to 8pm local time until further notice and Israel would continue fighting in other areas of Gaza. The Israeli military said designated secure routes for convoys delivering food and medicine will also be in place between 6am and 11pm starting from Sunday. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said staff would step up efforts to feed the hungry during the pauses in the designated areas. Jordan and the UAE have reportedly carried out air drops into Gaza but said the amount of food being allowed to trickle into the devastated territory is totally inadequate for the population's need. Israel's pause in military action in parts of Gaza and the creation of humanitarian corridors has been cautiously welcomed by the UN but fuller access has been urged as calls for a permanent ceasefire were reiterated. The UN's food aid programme has warned that almost one in three people in the Gaza Strip are going for days without eating. There is a starvation crisis and widespread malnutrition in Gaza caused by the restriction of aid into the territory by Israel. At least 133 people, including 87 children, have died from malnutrition since Israel's war on Gaza began in 2023, the territory's health ministry said. You can read our latest report on Israel's war in Gaza here. 9.59am EDT 09:59 In a video statement released ahead of a conference on Palestine opening in New York tomorrow, the UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, has urged governments around the world to pressure Israel to end its assault on Gaza – and said those that don't use their 'leverage' may be complicit in 'international crimes'. Here is what he said in full: I urge immediate steps by Israel to end its unlawful continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory, and for all parties to work for tangible progress towards a two state solution. I urge governments to use the opportunity of this conference for concrete action that puts all possible pressure on the Israeli government to end the carnage in Gaza permanently. Countries that fail to use their leverage may be complicit in international crimes. Every day we are watching the unspeakable tragedy in Gaza and the West Bank with horror and frustration. Every day we see more destruction, more killings and the further dehumanisation of Palestinians. The people of the world will judge this conference on what it delivers. I call again for an immediate, permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and all others arbitrarily detained, immediate and unhindered humanitarian access, and the delivery of massive humanitarian aid to Palestinians wherever they are. 9.28am EDT 09:28 has said the airdrops into Gaza are wholly inadequate for the population's needs and has called for the immediate opening of all crossings for full humanitarian access into the territory devasted by relentless Israeli bombardments and a partial aid blockade. Bushra Khalidi, policy lead for the Occupied Palestinian territory, said: Deadly airdrops and a trickle of trucks won't undo months of engineered starvation in Gaza. What's needed is the immediate opening of all crossings for full, unhindered, and safe aid delivery across all of Gaza and a permanent ceasefire. Anything less risks being little more than a tactical gesture. Updated at 9.28am EDT 8.54am EDT 08:54 In a post on X published after his phone call with Benjamin Netanyahu, Friedrich Merz added: We will closely monitor developments and, in coordination with France, the UK, other European partners, the United States, and Arab states, decide in the coming days how we can contribute to improving the situation.
