Syria: Israeli Strikes Hit Damascus Amidst Deadly Suweida Fighting, US Announces Ceasefire Deal
Syria: Israeli Strikes Hit Damascus Amidst Deadly Suweida Fighting, US Announces Ceasefire Deal
Recent Israeli airstrikes have targeted the Syrian defense ministry in Damascus and government forces in southern Syria, intensifying a four-day sectarian conflict in the mostly Druze province of Suweida. This escalation comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a breakthrough, stating “specific steps” have been agreed upon to end the “troubling and horrifying situation” in Suweida tonight. Syria’s foreign ministry has welcomed these US and “Arabian sides” efforts towards a peaceful resolution, though Israel has yet to comment on the ceasefire bid.
The strikes occurred amidst fierce clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes in Suweida, which have reportedly claimed over 300 lives since Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed his forces are working to “save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the regime’s gangs,” while Syrian officials condemned the Israeli actions as “treacherous aggression.”
Reports indicate Syrian troops have begun withdrawing from Suweida as part of an agreement with local religious leaders, following the military’s stated “completion of the army’s pursuit of outlaw groups.” However, the humanitarian situation in Suweida city remains critical, with reports of clashes, attacks on hospitals, and severe shortages of water and medical supplies. Both Israeli and Syrian sides have reported casualties, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) detailing significant losses among Druze fighters, civilians, government forces, and Bedouin tribal fighters.
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