200 dead in Syria – Israel attacks targets
Fighting is ongoing in Syria between Druze and Bedouin. More than 200 are reported to be dead.
The Syrian military has entered the conflict – and so has Israel.
Now a Syrian news agency is reporting that the parties have agreed on a ceasefire, NTB reports.
Since July 13, fighting between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes has been ongoing in the province of Sweida and neighboring areas. The violence erupted after a wave of kidnappings, Reuters reports.
Another reason behind the conflict is increased distrust of the new government.
The Druze, a religious minority with strong local roots in Sweida, are at the center of the conflict. They have long remained neutral towards the government, but have now resisted joining the new
Ahmed al-Sharaa government.
High death toll
The situation escalated when Syrian government forces entered Sweida — something that has not happened since Islamist-led rebels overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, reports the BBC.
The clashes that have taken place between Druze, Bedouin groups and Syrian security forces have led to the death of at least 200 people, according to the British group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
However, no official death toll has been published. According to the AP, the Syrian Interior Ministry said 30 people had died.
A ceasefire was declared on Tuesday - something that was not kept.
Israeli involvement
To protect the Druze minority, according to Israel, Israel has carried out air strikes against Syrian military convoys and tanks in the Sweida area. Many Druze live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday morning that the Israeli military will continue to attack Syrian regime forces operating against Druze and Bedouin militias in the region.
"Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria," Katz said, according to the BBC.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Israeli military, IDF, announced on its Telegram channel that it had attacked the entrance to the Syrian military headquarters in Damascus. Later, information also reached the Reuters news agency that an Israeli airstrike also occurred near the presidential palace in the Syrian capital. However, this has not been confirmed by either the Israeli or Syrian sides.
Syria has condemned Israel's involvement, as they believe it results in deaths.
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