Israel’s military announced on Saturday that its forces deployed in southern Syria are prepared to safeguard the Druze minority amid concerns following recent sectarian clashes. In an official statement, the Israeli army asserted that it is ready to prevent hostile forces from entering the Druze villages, though details about whether this marks a new deployment or specifics regarding troop numbers were not disclosed.
A Druze official from Sweida province, the center of Syria’s Druze community, countered that there has been no physical deployment of Israeli soldiers in the region. According to the official, Israel’s military presence is reportedly limited to Quneitra province, adjacent to the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, where positions were established after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad in December.
Tensions escalated following deadly sectarian violence near Damascus earlier in the week. Israel has since executed multiple airstrikes purportedly aimed at protecting the Druze community while issuing warnings to Syria’s ruling Islamist authorities against harming the minority.
Notably, the Israeli military reported that five Syrian Druze citizens were evacuated overnight for medical treatment following injuries sustained on Syrian soil. The Druze official indicated these individuals had been hurt during clashes in Sahnaya, a site of recent violence near Damascus, expressing concerns that they feared detention if sent to hospitals in Damascus for care.
Since the beginning of the week, a total of 15 Syrian Druze have been admitted to Israeli hospitals for treatment. The Israeli airstrikes intensified late Friday, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting over 20 strikes in response to an incident near the presidential palace in Damascus, which officials deemed a “dangerous escalation.”
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, cautioned on Thursday that the country would respond decisively if Syria’s new government fails to ensure the safety of the Druze minority. The military actions came in the wake of Druze clerics and armed factions reaffirming their allegiance to the Damascus government, following further clashes involving government-affiliated groups. The Observatory indicated that the violence in Sahnaya, Jaramana, and the Sweida province has resulted in more than 100 fatalities.
