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Syria Unrest Grows as Israel Hits Military Targets

Syria Unrest Grows as Israel Hits Military Targets

Syria Unrest Grows as Israel Hits Military Targets \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Israel launched strikes on Syrian military tanks Monday as deadly clashes erupted between Druze militias, Bedouin clans, and Syrian security forces in Sweida province. The unrest has left at least 99 people dead. The violence threatens fragile regional stability and intensifies foreign tensions.

Syria Unrest Grows as Israel Hits Military Targets
Syrian government forces pass next of a dead fighter from Druze militias, at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

Quick Looks

  • Israel hit Syrian military targets amid deadly local fighting
  • At least 99 people killed, including security personnel and civilians
  • Clashes in Sweida involve Druze militias and Bedouin tribes
  • Syrian Interior Ministry denies sectarian motives, blames criminal elements
  • Israel warns Syria not to harm its Druze population
  • Druze leaders call for international protection from Syrian state violence
  • Tensions fueled by lack of trust in Syria’s interim government
  • UN urges restraint, civilian protection, and political dialogue
  • Over half the world’s Druze population resides in Syria
  • Past Israeli strikes also targeted Syrian military installations

Deep Look

Escalating violence in southern Syria took a dangerous turn Monday as Israel launched airstrikes on Syrian military tanks, citing concern for the country’s Druze minority amid deadly internal clashes. The unrest, concentrated in Syria’s Sweida province, has killed at least 99 people and wounded nearly 100 more, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, adding to the chaos of a country still reeling from over a decade of civil war.

Sectarian Tensions and Internal Conflict

The conflict erupted after members of a Bedouin tribe reportedly kidnapped and robbed a Druze vegetable vendor. In retaliation, tit-for-tat kidnappings and armed skirmishes followed, eventually drawing in Syrian government security forces. Clashes have since spiraled, with Druze militias, Bedouin tribesmen, and state forces engaged in ongoing violence throughout Sweida.

While the Syrian Interior Ministry insists the violence is not sectarian, many observers, including Druze leaders and international analysts, argue otherwise. “The real conflict is between the state and bandits and criminals,” said Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba. He added that the Druze remain integral to Syria’s national unity vision.

However, the Druze community accuses state security forces of siding with Bedouin militias, intensifying their mistrust toward Syria’s interim government, which took over after former President Bashar Assad fled in December during a rebel-led offensive.

Israel Responds with Airstrikes

In a rare public statement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the airstrikes were meant as a warning to Damascus. “We will not allow harm to the Druze in Syria,” he declared. While Israel’s Druze population is viewed as a loyal minority—many serve in the Israel Defense Forces—the Druze in Syria have historically walked a careful line with both the government and insurgents.

Despite public skepticism among Syrian Druze toward Israeli intervention, the strikes represent a signal of deterrence and protection. In May, Israel reportedly targeted a site near Syria’s presidential palace, shortly after intense fighting erupted between Druze fighters and pro-government forces in Sahnaya and Jaramana—areas with large Druze populations.

Regional and International Reactions

The latest flare-up has drawn international concern. U.N. Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, urged all sides to protect civilians and restore order. “The violence underscores the urgent need for trust-building and inclusive political dialogue,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, a prominent Druze spiritual leader, called for international protection, accusing the General Security Directorate of enabling “takfiri gangs”—a term commonly used for extremist Sunni groups. The accusation deepens the sectarian overtones of the crisis and underscores the Druze’s sense of betrayal by the Syrian state.

In response, Syria’s Foreign Ministry pushed back, warning all countries and international bodies to respect Syrian sovereignty and to avoid supporting any separatist movements. It called on all armed groups to lay down their weapons and refrain from stoking division.

A Fragile Peace Shattered

Sweida, a predominantly Druze region in southern Syria, had largely remained neutral during the 13-year civil war. The Druze maintained local defense militias and suffered attacks from ISIS and other jihadist factions over the years. Despite those challenges, the area had mostly avoided large-scale fighting—until now.

The latest violence reveals just how fragile local governance and security remain. As Syria’s interim leaders attempt to restore authority, they are encountering resistance not just from militant groups, but also from long-marginalized communities seeking greater autonomy.

Israel’s Growing Role

Israel has consistently taken an aggressive stance against threats emanating from Syria, especially near the Golan Heights—a strategic plateau it captured during the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. It has carried out hundreds of airstrikes targeting Iranian-aligned militias and Syrian government positions, often without confirmation.

Israeli leadership fears the rise of radical Sunni factions along its northern border. The Trump administration had previously encouraged Syria’s interim leaders to normalize relations with Israel, though direct negotiations remain speculative. U.S. envoy Tom Barrack told AP last week that peace between the two could evolve “like unwrapping an onion, slowly.”

Yet with each new wave of violence in Syria, prospects for normalization dim, as instability, sectarian grievances, and regional tensions rise.

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