Israel launches strikes on Syrian forces in Suwayda over threats to Druze
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed on Tuesday the Israeli military to carry out airstrikes against Syrian forces and weaponry deployed in the southern Syrian governorate of Suwayda.
In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Katz called for the military “to immediately strike regime forces and weaponry that were brought into the Sweida region … for the regime’s operations against the Druze.”
“Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherhood alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel,” they said. “We are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them and to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border with Syria.
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed that, under political directives, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had begun targeting Syrian military vehicles in the Suwayda region. “The IDF continues to closely monitor developments and is prepared to respond to all possible scenarios,” Adraee stated via his social media in Arabic.
Meanwhile, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported that Israeli airstrikes targeted the city of Suwayda. Israeli Channel 12 reported that the strikes resulted in casualties among Syrian army and security personnel west of the city, describing the Israeli offensive as “large-scale.”
Earlier in the day, Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu held a high-level security meeting with Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi to assess the rapidly evolving situation in Suwayda.