The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday that it conducted airstrikes against targets in southern Syria overnight, stating the operation was a direct response to recent violence affecting the local Druze population.
In a statement released at 12:29 GMT, the IDF said its aircraft targeted a command centre and weapons located within military compounds belonging to the Syrian regime. The strikes were carried out, according to the military, following “attacks against the Druze population in As-Suwayda,” a major city in southern Syria known for its significant Druze community.
“The IDF will not tolerate harm towards the Druze population in Syria and will continue to operate to defend them,” the military’s statement added.
There was no immediate comment from Syrian state media or the Syrian regime regarding the strikes or the alleged attacks on the Druze community in the As-Suwayda Governorate.
Druze Community
The Druze are an Arabic-speaking ethno-religious minority whose communities are primarily located in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. In Syria, the Druze population is concentrated in the southern province of As-Suwayda.
The city and its surrounding areas have largely remained on the sidelines of Syria’s ongoing civil war, with local factions often seeking to maintain a neutral stance. However, the region has periodically witnessed tensions with the central government in Damascus over issues of local governance, economic hardship, and security.
This is not the first time Israel has acknowledged intervening in Syria’s conflict, though it typically frames its actions as necessary countermeasures against Iranian entrenchment or Hezbollah operations near its border. The stated motivation of protecting a specific minority group is a notable justification in this instance.
The IDF has not yet released details on the extent of the damage or potential casualties from the overnight strikes. The situation in southern Syria remains tense.
