Egypt Daily News – Israel launched airstrikes on Syrian forces in southwestern Syria for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, pledging to maintain the demilitarized zone near its border and protect the country’s Druze minority amid ongoing bloody clashes in the area.
Correspondents in Suwayda, a majority-Druze city, reported hearing at least four airstrikes, accompanied by the sound of drones overhead. A damaged tank was seen being towed away, while heavy gunfire echoed through the area. Three bodies were visible on the ground, as fighting continued to claim dozens of lives since it erupted on Sunday.
The latest surge in violence highlights the challenges facing Syria’s interim president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, who has struggled to assert control over the region near the Israeli border following the ousting of former president Bashar al-Assad in December.
Although Al-Sharaa has gained diplomatic backing from improved ties with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, the renewed clashes underscore persistent sectarian tensions and a deepening mistrust of the central government among minority communities. These tensions have been exacerbated by reported mass killings of Alawites in March.
On Tuesday, Syria’s foreign ministry squarely blamed Israel for the strikes and their consequences, asserting that “Syria is committed to protecting all of its citizens without exception, particularly our people from the Druze community.”
State-run news agency SANA reported that the Syrian presidency had ordered relevant oversight and law enforcement bodies to “immediately take legal measures against anyone proven to have committed abuses, regardless of rank or position.”
U.S. envoy to Syria Thomas Berwick said Washington is engaging all sides “to move toward calm and stability.”
Israel has previously carried out multiple strikes in Syria, often citing the protection of the Druze as justification. The latest raids came shortly after Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri released an audio statement accusing Syrian forces of violating a ceasefire and urging fighters to resist what he described as a “barbaric assault.”
In response, Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra declared a full ceasefire, stating that government forces would only return fire if attacked.
SANA quoted Abu Qasra saying, “We have ordered the deployment of military police in Suwayda to restore discipline and hold violators accountable.”
Despite the ceasefire announcement, sources observed men in military uniforms looting homes and businesses, setting buildings on fire, including a liquor store adding to the sense of chaos and lawlessness on the ground.
