Chaos and violence are escalating rapidly in southern Syria as fierce clashes between government forces and Druze armed groups erupted in Sweida, shattering a fragile ceasefire. Meanwhile, Israel has dramatically intensified its military strikes near Damascus, targeting Syrian regime forces and vowing to protect the Druze minority amid fears of wider regional conflict.

The Syrian Defense Ministry accused Druze militias in Sweida of breaking the ceasefire reached just a day earlier, prompting the Syrian army to respond with heavy fire. Reports of extrajudicial killings, looting, and destruction of civilian homes have surfaced, adding to the turmoil in this Druze-majority province. Casualty estimates are grim: over 250 people—including civilians, security personnel, and children—have reportedly died since fighting reignited.

As the violence unfolds, Israel launched airstrikes close to the Syrian Ministry of Defence in Damascus and reinforced its border forces. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning that attacks on regime forces will continue and could escalate unless Syrian troops withdraw from the volatile region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to maintaining a demilitarized zone along the Syrian border and safeguarding the Druze community.

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The Druze, a unique religious sect with deep roots in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, find themselves caught in a deadly crossfire amid Syria’s ongoing post-civil war chaos. Divisions within the Druze community between accommodation and resistance to Damascus’s rule have further fueled the conflict, while neighboring Israel positions itself as a protector of the minority group.

With Syria still reeling from years of civil war and regime collapse, this latest flare-up threatens to spiral into a broader regional crisis. As airstrikes thunder near Damascus and brutal street battles rage in Sweida, the world watches nervously—will the Druze conflict spark a new front in the Middle East’s volatile landscape.

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