Israeli attacks kill two more as Syria government reaches deal with Druze

At least two civilians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in Syria over the course of the night because Israel has claimed to be conducting attacks to protect the Druze minority from government violence, a position that the Syrian Druze community itself rejects.

After 15 air raids hit several locations in Syria after midnight on Saturday, with at least eight attacks hitting Damascus, at least eight people were reported injured.

Without providing further details or proof, the Israeli military confirmed the attacks on Saturday, claiming its forces “struck a military site, anti-aircraft cannons, and surface-to-air missile infrastructure in Syria.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not allow Syrian forces to deploy south of Damascus nor “tolerate any threat to the Druze community” following Israel’s attack on the day before the incident.

This week during fighting between pro-government forces and Druze fighters in Syria, more than 100 people were killed.

Imran Khan, a reporter from the suburb of Jaramana in Damascus, reported that there was a shaky calm on Saturday.

“Many people had absolute fright. During the clashes on Tuesday, the fighters entered from various directions, but the security forces eventually placed Jaramana under a two-day curfew.

He claimed that security would return when a Druze delegation arrived to reassure people at that time.

Agreements were reached between Druze leaders in Damascus and the Druze stronghold of Suwayda province in the country’s southern region to increase security and remove some of the heavy weapons fighters had in storage.

As part of the agreement here and in Suwayda, a local force from the Ministry of Defense will now be in charge of security, according to Khan.

However, it is claimed that the armed fighters were rebelling against the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime. That’s a real concern because many Syrians believe that elements are attempting to destabilize the nation by stoking sectarian tensions.

The Druze community has been sceptical of Israel’s claim to protect the Druze, he added.

They claim they have internal control over this problem and don’t require Israel to intervene. They also mention how frequently the Druze are mistreated in Israel and how they have been forced to flee their homes and communities to make way for illegal Israeli settlements. The Israeli prime minister appears to be using this to pressure Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and launch attacks on Syrian targets.

Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, stated on Saturday that he “strongly condemns Israel’s continued and escalating violations of Syria’s sovereignty, including numerous airstrikes in Damascus and other cities.”

Despite being condemned internationally, the Israeli military, which continues to occupy parts of Syria, including the Golan Heights, has continued to launch attacks across the nation.

Nothing can stop us from defending our people or pursuing our duty toward our people, said Ammar al-Hariri, a commander with the Syrian security forces, from the Suwayda town of al-Soura al-Kubra.

Residents of the town, Salman Olaiwi, said that when they learned about the agreement between the government and Druze leaders, they felt “relieved.”