Druze, Syria and Israel
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Israeli officials react to the ongoing violence in Syria's Sweida between regime forces and the local Druze community.
Israel said it bombed Syrian army headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday after warning the Islamist-led government to leave the Druze minority alone in its Sweida heartland where a monitor says sectarian clashes have killed nearly 250 people.
Syrian government forces entered the majority-Druze city of Sweida on Tuesday with the stated aim of overseeing a ceasefire agreed with Druze community leaders after clashes with local Bedouin tribes left more than 100 people dead.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issues a video statement imploring members of the Druze community not to cross the border into Syria to try and rescue their brethren under attack by Syrian regime forces in the city of Sweida.
Members of the Druze community have faced humiliation and massacres at the hands of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's regime, Attorney Raad Shanan, Director-General of the Druze Community Council, said in an interview with 103FM on Wednesday.
AS-SUWAYDA] The southern Syrian province of As-Suwayda has once again surged to the forefront of the national crisis, this time with reports of field massacres and tribal clashes between Druze and Bedouins.
Defense Minister Israel Katz called on the Syrian regime to withdraw its forces from the Sweida area and stop its operations against the Druze in the area and threatened that Israel's response would escalate.
The longer al-Sharaa acts on big issues and Israel intervenes in questionable matters not clearly threatening Israeli interests, the faster Israel may lose the key cards it holds in Syria.
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