Tensions Rise in Sweida as U.S. Confirms Truce Between Israel and Syria

A top U.S. diplomat says Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire after deadly clashes in southern Syria sparked international concern. The fighting, which has left nearly 80,000 people displaced, began as a local conflict between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes—but quickly spiraled out of control, drawing in both the Syrian government and the Israeli military.

The situation is still tense, with fresh violence reported even after the truce was announced.

What Triggered the Violence?

Clashes broke out last Sunday in Syria’s Sweida province between local Druze fighters and Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes. Government troops stepped in but reportedly sided with the Bedouins, leading to accusations of bias and abuse.

In response, Israel launched airstrikes targeting Syrian forces, saying it was defending the Druze minority—many of whom live in Israel and serve in its military. Israeli strikes even hit Syria’s Defense Ministry in Damascus, a bold move that escalated the crisis.

A Ceasefire—But Fighting Continues

On Wednesday, the Syrian government agreed to pull its forces out of Sweida under a ceasefire mediated by the U.S., Turkey, and Arab nations. Druze leaders were left in charge of local security.

But by Thursday night, fighting between Druze and Bedouin groups had resumed. Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, said Friday that a special government force would be sent back in to stop the clashes and restore order. The move came after talks between officials and Druze leaders, but the timing of the deployment remains unclear.

Humanitarian Crisis Grows

The conflict has caused a massive wave of displacement. The U.N. says nearly 80,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in just a week. Entire neighborhoods are without electricity or running water, and many roads are too dangerous to use.

“Health services are overwhelmed, and getting aid to Sweida is almost impossible right now,” said Adam Abdelmoula, the U.N.’s top humanitarian coordinator in Syria. While some trauma care supplies have reached nearby Daraa province, Sweida remains cut off.

To make matters worse, gunmen recently kidnapped a local head of the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, as he was heading out to help evacuate a U.N. team.

More Fighters Join the Fray

The violence is now spreading beyond Sweida. Bedouin supporters from other parts of Syria have traveled to the province to join the clashes. In one case, a fighter from Deir ez-Zor province said they came to support what he called “the oppressed.”

Meanwhile, revenge attacks from Druze militias have pushed more families to flee, especially from Bedouin communities. Local officials warn the crisis is deepening by the day.

Old Tensions, New Crisis

Druze and Bedouin groups have a long and uneasy history in Sweida. The Druze are a religious minority that split from Shiite Islam over 1,000 years ago. Today, about half of the world’s Druze live in Syria, mostly in the south. Bedouins, who are Sunni Muslims, also live in the area and have clashed with Druze in the past over local disputes.

This latest round of violence reportedly began when a Bedouin group attacked a Druze man at a checkpoint—triggering a chain of revenge kidnappings and attacks.

Syrian researcher Ahmed Aba Zeid says there’s often no clear reason for these tensions. “The government used the latest incident to shift the balance in Sweida,” he said. “But it only made things worse.”

Calls for Calm and Unity

While Israeli Druze urged military support for their Syrian counterparts, Druze leaders in Lebanon rejected Israeli involvement. Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna, the top Druze spiritual leader in Lebanon, warned that Israeli intervention “harms our history and identity.”

He and veteran Lebanese Druze politician Walid Joumblatt are urging all sides to respect the ceasefire and open a national dialogue.

Joumblatt has also called for an independent investigation into reported abuses by both Druze and Bedouin groups during the clashes.

What’s Next?

With the ceasefire hanging by a thread and fresh violence flaring up, it’s unclear whether peace will hold. Humanitarian needs are growing fast, but access remains blocked. International mediators are urging all sides to stop fighting and work together to avoid a deeper crisis.

The world is watching closely as Syria’s fragile truce faces its toughest test yet.

Source: AP News – US envoy says Syria and Israel agree to ceasefire as Druze minority and Bedouin clans clash in Syria

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Syrian insurgent groups launched a significant attack on government-controlled areas in the country’s northwest, seizing territory in the region. The government and its allies responded with airstrikes and artillery fire to counter the insurgents’ advances, according to opposition groups.

The violence has displaced thousands of families and forced humanitarian organizations to pause some services. Volunteers from the Syrian Civil Defense (the White Helmets) reported that at least 18 people, including three children and two women, were killed in two villages in western Aleppo following airstrikes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a prominent war monitor, stated that the airstrikes were carried out by Russian warplanes.

Syria’s armed forces said the offensive was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group that controls much of northwest Syria. The government claims that the offensive violates a 2019 de-escalation agreement between Turkey, which supports opposition factions, and Russia and Iran, which back the Syrian government. This agreement had effectively frozen the frontlines and prevented government forces from advancing into Idlib, the last major opposition-held area.

“The situation will return to how it was,” Syria’s army declared in a statement, emphasizing their ongoing efforts to confront what they call “terrorist organizations” with support from allied forces.

The insurgent attack began early Wednesday. Opposition factions claimed to have captured more than 15 villages in northwest Aleppo, along with a military base and weapons. They also reported taking several government soldiers hostage. On Thursday, the offensive expanded into Idlib province, where government forces control key locations, including a strategic highway and a town previously held by insurgents. These claims have not been independently verified.

Opposition fighters stated that their goal was to create conditions for the return of thousands of displaced people who fled government airstrikes in recent weeks.

The offensive follows weeks of rising tensions, with activists saying that government and Russian forces have intensified their bombardment of the opposition’s last stronghold. The International Rescue Committee reported that at least 7,000 families have been displaced by the recent violence, and several schools and health facilities have suspended operations, including those run by the IRC.

The offensive comes at a time when Iran-linked groups, which have supported the Syrian government since 2015, are focused on their own struggles at home. Israel and Hezbollah, a key member of the Iran-backed alliance, have been engaged in an escalating conflict since September. A ceasefire was announced on the same day the opposition launched their offensive. Israel has also increased attacks on Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria in recent months.

HTS, formerly known as the Nusra Front, was once affiliated with al-Qaeda but distanced itself from the group in recent years.

Russia and Iran have backed Syrian government forces since the outbreak of the war in 2011. Meanwhile, Turkey has supported various opposition groups and established a military presence in parts of northwest Syria. The United States has focused its support on Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State in the eastern part of the country.

Turkey said Thursday it was closely monitoring the ongoing offensive in northern Syria. Turkish defense officials confirmed that measures have been taken to protect Turkish troops in the region.

Turkish security officials explained that the initial attack by the opposition was limited to Aleppo, where Syrian government forces began retreating. The offensive grew as government forces pulled back. The operation is believed to have been planned for months to drive government forces and allied militias out of the area to protect civilians. Turkey had previously attempted to prevent such operations to avoid further escalating tensions, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Turkish officials added that the ultimate goal of the offensive was to restore the boundaries of the de-escalation zone established by the 2019 agreement.

Source

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