Israel Conducts Airstrikes on Syrian Government Forces in Sweida Amid Rising Violence

Israeli Air Force jets struck Syrian military positions in Sweida province, southern Syria, targeting armored vehicles and supply routes, Orda.kz reports.

The IDF described the operation as a protective measure for the Druze minority in the region.

On July 11, Bedouin gunmen intercepted and kidnapped a Druze vegetable vendor along the Damascus–Sweida highway. The vendor was reportedly beaten, robbed, and taken to a remote location before being released in critical condition.  

Druze armed groups responded by detaining several Bedouin individuals, setting off a chain of retaliatory kidnappings and armed clashes. Heavy fighting erupted between Druze militias, Bedouin factions, and later Syrian government forces, particularly in Sweida and surrounding rural areas.

Tensions escalated beginning July 13, when clashes erupted between Bedouin tribes and Druze factions in Sweida. Syrian government forces entered the area the next day. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least 166 people were killed, including civilians and military personnel.

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered strikes on Syrian army positions, citing the need to protect civilians and prevent militarization near Israel’s border.

Druze community leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri accused pro-government forces of “genocide” and called for resistance. A curfew was imposed in Sweida.

Syria’s Interior Ministry stated that its operation targeted criminal groups, not the Druze.

Original Author: Rustam Muratov