Israel’s military has conducted airstrikes targeting military tanks in southern Syria, where ongoing conflicts between government forces, Bedouin tribes, and Druze militias have intensified the country’s long-standing struggle for stability. This unrest follows a thirteen-year civil war. The Armed confrontations in Syria’s Sweida province have resulted in numerous fatalities, including members of various local militias and government security forces. According to reports from the Syrian interior ministry, over 30 people have died and nearly 100 others have been injured. Additionally, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented at least 99 deaths, including two children, two women, and fourteen members of the security forces.
As hostilities escalated, Israel, which has previously targeted Syria in purported defense of the Druze minority, stated that it launched strikes against “several tanks” in the region as a “warning” to Damascus. The situation in Sweida initially worsened due to a kidnapping incident involving a Druze vegetable seller by a Bedouin tribe, leading to retaliatory actions and further kidnappings. The Syrian interior ministry referred to the situation as a grave escalation, asserting that it occurred in the absence of effective governmental institutions, which contributed to a state of chaos and a deterioration in security.
United Nations deputy special envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, expressed deep concern over the violence, urging both the government and local groups to protect civilians, restore calm, and prevent any incitement. The clashes highlight the urgent need for true inclusion, trust-building, and meaningful dialogue to facilitate a credible and inclusive political transition in Syria. Israel, which also has a Druze population, has engaged in military actions, including seizing a UN-patrolled buffer zone and conducting numerous airstrikes on military sites in Syria. However, many Druze in Syria have expressed apprehension regarding Israeli intervention, with some factions distrusting the new authorities in Damascus following the departure of former President Bashar al-Assad in December.
The Syrian foreign ministry has called on all countries and organizations to respect Syria’s sovereignty and to refrain from supporting any separatist rebel movements, urging Syrians to cease violence, surrender illicit weapons, and thwart efforts aiming to dismantle the Syrian social fabric.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/15/israel-attacks-syrian-military-amid-deadly-clashes-between-druze-and-bedouin-clans
