Israel’s military launched its third consecutive day of airstrikes on Syrian targets on Wednesday, striking the Syrian defence ministry in central Damascus and government forces in southern Syria, as deadly sectarian fighting in the Druze-majority province of Suweida continued to spiral out of control.
The strikes mark one of Israel’s most significant escalations in the region in years and come amid intensifying clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes, which have left more than 350 people dead since Sunday, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the offensive, stating, “We are working to save our Druze brothers,” referencing the deep historical and familial ties between the Druze communities in Syria, Israel, and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
In contrast, Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of orchestrating a “large-scale escalation,” calling the strikes a violation of international law.
Suweida, a province that had largely avoided direct involvement in Syria’s civil war until recent years, has now become the epicenter of a brutal sectarian conflict. Clashes began following the abduction of a Druze merchant on the highway to Damascus last Friday. Druze fighters retaliated by seizing a Bedouin neighborhood in Suweida city on Sunday, prompting violent counter-attacks and a fierce response from Syrian government forces.
By Wednesday, the Syrian army reportedly began pulling back from Suweida, following an agreement brokered by the U.S. and Druze religious leaders. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X:
“We have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight.”
The Syrian foreign ministry expressed support for the ceasefire, thanking both “American and Arabian efforts” to resolve the crisis peacefully.
In Damascus, Israeli warplanes bombed the Syrian defence ministry in Umayyad Square, just steps from where massive crowds had celebrated the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad months earlier. Another airstrike targeted a military facility near the presidential palace, in what observers described as a severe warning to President Sharaa’s administration.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared the attacks a necessary measure to force Syrian forces out of Suweida, writing:
“The warnings in Damascus have ended… the painful blows have begun.”
A video posted shortly after showed a Syrian TV presenter diving under a desk as a nearby strike rocked the building live on air.
Israel also said it hit convoys transporting armoured vehicles and heavy weaponry en route to Suweida, along with weapons storage facilities and firing positions across southern Syria.
Syria’s foreign ministry condemned the Israeli airstrikes, claiming they killed “several innocent civilians” and struck civilian infrastructure. “This flagrant assault… constitutes a blatant violation of the UN Charter and international humanitarian law,” a statement read.
The Syrian health ministry later reported that troops entering Suweida’s national hospital found “dozens of bodies” after opposition fighters withdrew. Witnesses reported that the hospital, already overwhelmed with wounded, was shelled by tanks and snipers during the fighting.
“I lost my neighbour today on the street. One of the snipers shot him,” a man named Hosam said. “We tried to get an ambulance, but we couldn’t.”
Looting, arson, and extrajudicial killings have also been reported, adding to the chaos. SOHR’s casualty report includes 79 Druze fighters, 55 civilians (27 allegedly executed by government forces), 189 government troops, and 18 Bedouin tribal fighters.
The Druze, followers of a religion rooted in Shia Islam but with its own distinct theology, remain skeptical of President Sharaa’s Islamist-led government. Their mistrust has deepened after months of violence, including a deadly flare-up in May.
In response to previous tensions, the government had allowed Druze militias to form local security units in Suweida. However, the continued dominance of these militias stirred resentment among Bedouin tribes, some of whom are believed to have received backing from state actors.
Earlier this year, Netanyahu demanded the complete demilitarisation of Suweida and warned of threats from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate linked to Sharaa’s Sunni Islamist bloc.
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