Israeli occupation forces have launched a chain of air strikes on the southern Syrian city of Suwayda, hours after the Syrian government declared a truce in the region. The strikes mark an escalation in the unstable area, which has been rapt by fatal fighting between Bedouin tribes and local Druze troops since Sunday.
On Tuesday, Syria’s Ministry of Interior accused armed groups of recommencing attacks on government forces with direct funding from the Israeli Air Force. The government condemned Israel’s intervention, calling it a violation of international law.
The condition deteriorated after prominent Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri criticized the Syrian military’s earlier actions as a breach of the declared cease-fire. Al-Hajri called on local fighters to counterattack what he described as a “barbaric attack” from government troops.
Israel has claimed its military intercession is intended to shield the Druze minority, who it views as prospective regional allies. Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli defended the air strikes in a statement posted on social media.
“We see massacres and insults against the Druze, and we must fight against the terrorism regime in Syria,” Chikli wrote. “It is a grave mistake to acknowledge Ahmed al-Sharaa as the legitimate leader of Syria.”
It was also conveyed from Damascus that the state in Suwayda has “further escalated, with multiple Israeli drone and air strikes they claim are in support of Druze fighters.” The Syrian Defence Ministry had earlier proclaimed a complete ceasefire in Suwayda in an effort to terminate the accelerating violence. Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra forwarded the order online, urging all armed units in the area to stand down. But by Tuesday afternoon, new fighting and Israeli air incursions had rendered the truce ineffective.
More than 30 people have been killed and over 100 injured since clashes exploded between Bedouin and Druze armed groups. The two groups have a history of tensions in Suwayda, which is home to Syria’s largest Druze population.
The Druze, a minority faction with about 700,000 members in Syria, predominantly live in the Suwayda jurisdiction and the outskirts of south of Damascus. Their position has become more fragile since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December, as the new Syrian authorities struggle to uphold stability and assure minority rights.
The United States has communicated its concerns over the worsening state of affairs in Syria. U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said Washington was in contact with all sides “to navigate towards calm and integration.”
This is not Israel’s first intervention in the area. Since December 2024, the Israeli military has piloted hundreds of air strikes on targets in Syria, averaging one every three to four days. Israel asserts the operations are intended to prevent Iranian-aligned forces and aggressive groups from gaining ground near the borders.
The latest Suwayda attacks come amid wider regional military operations by Israel, which is tied to its ongoing violations in the Gaza Strip. Since October 2023, Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed more than 58,479 Palestinians, according to local authorities. Israel has also launched attacks on the West Bank, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran in recent months. This ceasefire violation is one of its many continuations in the same line.
