The latest news on Israel and Syria. On Tuesday, Israel launched airstrikes in southern Syria after government troops entered Sweida, a city with a large Druze population, prompting regional tensions to flare once more.
In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Defence Minister Israel Katz, directed 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. 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."
Citing a commitment to protecting the Druze community and keeping the border zone free of military build-up, Israeli leaders justified the strikes as preventive. The move came shortly after Druze leaders accused Damascus of violating a ceasefire and urged resistance.