Israeli Strikes Hit Damascus as Clashes Escalate in Suweida

Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Syria’s defence ministry headquarters in Damascus and targeted government forces in southern Syria on Wednesday, amid ongoing sectarian violence in the Druze-majority province of Suweida. The strikes come as clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes, which began on Sunday, have left over 300 people dead, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the military operations aimed to protect Syria’s Druze community and counter “regime gangs.” Syria’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes as “treacherous aggression,” accusing Israel of violating international law and destabilising the region. The Israeli military also reported targeting a military site near the presidential palace in Damascus, as well as armoured vehicles and weapons depots en route to Suweida.

The violence in Suweida, sparked by the abduction of a Druze merchant last Friday, has escalated into widespread fighting, with Druze fighters clashing with Bedouin tribes and Syrian government forces. The SOHR reported that 69 Druze fighters, 40 civilians, 165 government troops, 18 Bedouin fighters, and 10 government soldiers killed in Israeli strikes have died since Sunday. The group also noted attacks on Suweida’s national hospital by tanks, causing panic among patients and worsening shortages of water and medical supplies. A ceasefire agreement was announced by Syria’s interior ministry on Wednesday, aiming to restore stability in Suweida. The deal includes halting military operations, establishing police checkpoints, and integrating the province fully into the Syrian state. Druze leader Sheikh Yousef Jarbou confirmed the agreement, but another leader, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, urged fighters to continue until the province is “liberated” from government forces.

The humanitarian situation in Suweida has deteriorated rapidly, with reports of civilian deaths from artillery and sniper fire. Local resident Hosam described witnessing a neighbour being shot by a sniper, with no ambulance able to reach him. The BBC has not independently verified the casualty figures reported by the SOHR.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern over the violence but said a resolution was expected soon, citing US and Arab efforts to mediate. Syria’s foreign ministry welcomed these efforts. Meanwhile, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed to continue operations in Suweida until Syrian forces withdraw.

The conflict follows months of tension in Syria, particularly since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December. The Druze, a minority religious group, remain wary of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government, despite assurances of protection. Israel, which has conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria since Assad’s ousting, has also deployed troops into a UN-monitored buffer zone near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, citing security concerns over al-Sharaa’s Sunni Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

As the situation unfolds, international attention remains focused on efforts to de-escalate the violence and address the broader instability in Syria.