Syria Blames Israel for Strikes as Clashes With Druze Escalate

Syria reported that Israel carried out fresh airstrikes close to Damascus on Wednesday. This followed sectarian unrest that resulted in almost 40 fatalities over two days, with Israel cautioning against assaults on the Druze community.

The sectarian conflict and Israel’s involvement pose significant hurdles for the Islamist leadership that toppled long-standing leader Bashar al-Assad in December, following mass killings the previous month in Syria's Alawite stronghold along the Mediterranean coastline.

The UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, denounced the violence as "unacceptable" and voiced concern over "the risk of increased tension in what is already an exceedingly delicate scenario."

The state news agency SANA reported "Israeli occupation attacks on the surrounding area" of Sahnaya, located southwest of the capital.

Violent sectarian conflicts broke out last night in Sahnaya, where numerous Druze and Christian residents live.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, six Druze combatants lost their lives during the skirmishes. Meanwhile, the interior ministry stated that 16 members of the General Security forces were slain when "illicit factions" assaulted governmental locations and roadblocks.

The governor of the Damascus countryside, Amer al-Sheikh, subsequently stated that one member of the security forces and a local from Sahnaya died as a result of the Israeli attack.

He mentioned that the majority of individuals associated with these "banned organizations" have been detained, leading to the reinstatement of security in Sahnaya.

The prior evening, eight Druze combatants along with nine gunmen associated with the government forces lost their lives in Jaramana, which is predominantly a Druze and Christian area located southeast of the main city, as reported by the Observatory.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that the military conducted a "preemptive operation," targeting an "extremist group that was planning to assault the Druze community" in Sahnaya.

"The Israeli government sent a strict warning to the Syrian regime, emphasizing that they must take action to protect the Druze community from any harm," stated an official release from Netanyahu’s office.

Israel had earlier cautioned Syria’s Islamist leadership not to mistreat the Druze population, which can also be found in Lebanon and within Israel itself.

The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that they have instructed their forces to be ready to attack Syrian government targets “if the attacks against Druze communities persist.”

Later, the Israeli military announced that they had moved three Syrian Druze for medical care to Israel from Syria.

Meanwhile, Syria's foreign ministry pledged to "safeguard all elements" of society, including the Druze community, and declared its opposition to "external intervention."

- 'Iron fist' -

The SANA agency stated on Wednesday night that a "security operation" in the Sahnaya region has concluded, with General Security forces stationed there to "reestablish security and stability."

Jaramana and Sahnaya are encircled by regions with majority Sunni populations.

The unrest was triggered by the spread of an audio clip claimed to be from a Druze individual and considered offensive.

The News Pulse was not able to verify the authenticity of the recording.

The interior ministry stated that authorities would "hit hard all those attempting to undermine Syria's stability," according to SANA.

Activist Samer Rafaa from Sahnaya stated, "We couldn't sleep... mortars were striking our houses."

The newly established Islamist leadership in Syria, which has ties to the Al-Qaeda jihadist group, has promised an inclusive governance structure for this ethnically and religiously diverse nation. However, they will face challenges from extreme factions within their own movement as well.

Israel, viewing Syria's new factions as extremists, has maintained an ongoing campaign of hundreds of attacks on military targets within Syria following Assad's ousting.

It has likewise deployed soldiers into the demilitarized buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights and expressed backing for Syria’s Druze community.

Key Syria backer Turkey has accused Israel of stirring up divisions and turning minorities against Damascus.

The Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has called upon Syria's Druze community to "shun Israeli intervention."

Syria's chief Muslim cleric, Osama al-Rifai, cautioned that "should conflict erupt in our nation... we would all face losses."

Analyst Michael Horowitz informed The News Pulse that "by presenting itself as a guardian of the Druze community, Israel aims to secure local supporters," along with "gain influence amid the uncertainty surrounding Syria’s future."

He further noted that local allies may also function as a factor that facilitates the diminishment of the central government’s power, which Israel, whether correctly or incorrectly, views as a subordinate of Turkey and a possible adversary.

- Jaramana -

A Druze combatant named Karam, who is 27 years old and chooses not to share his complete name, stated to The News Pulse that "it will take significant efforts to reinstate tranquility."

In Jaramana, tranquility was restored on Tuesday following assurances from Syria’s government to the Druze leadership that they would seek out those accountable for the unrest, which the authorities attributed to “armed individuals.”

A photographer reported that mourners displayed Druze flags during the funeral on Wednesday for seven fighters from Jaramana.

Representatives from the Druze community have expressed their allegiance to a unified Syria following earlier cautions issued by Israel.

The massacres along the coast last month, as reported by the Observatory, indicated that security forces and their allies killed over 1,700 civilians, primarily Alawites. This represents the most significant loss of life since Assad’s removal in December; he hails from the minority Alawite community.

The government blamed Assad supporters for initiating the unrest by assaulting security personnel, and has initiated an investigation.

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