On Wednesday, Israel launched airstrikes in Syria and warned of further attacks on government forces if violent confrontations between pro-government fighters and Druse militias continue.
The Israeli military reported targeting a group described as "operatives" accused of attacking Druse civilians amid escalating violence near Damascus. Syrian regional governor Amr al-Sheikh stated that the airstrikes resulted in the deaths of one member of the government’s general security forces and one civilian.
Although Israel did not specify the identity of the targeted operatives, fierce clashes have been ongoing between Islamist-aligned government forces and Druse militia groups in the region for two days. Earlier reports indicated that Israeli forces struck members of an unidentified extremist faction south of Damascus.
Israel is home to a significant Druse population, many of whom serve in its military and consider themselves loyal citizens.
According to a Britain-based war monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 39 people—including 22 on Wednesday—have died in two days of fighting on the outskirts of Damascus.
The Israeli airstrikes followed violent clashes around Ashrafieh Sahnaya, a predominantly Druse town south of Damascus.
The unrest began late Monday into Tuesday after a controversial audio clip circulated on social media, allegedly featuring a Druse cleric insulting the Prophet Muhammad. The cleric denied the claim, and Syria’s Interior Ministry stated its preliminary investigation showed he was not the individual in the recording.
This surge in violence has heightened fears among Syria’s ethnic and religious minorities, who worry about persecution under the country's new Islamist leadership, which replaced the Assad regime last December.
The initial outbreak of sectarian violence occurred in Jaramana, a largely Druse city, where 17 people were killed by the end of Tuesday.
By Wednesday, unrest spread to Ashrafieh Sahnaya, where Druse militias engaged in combat with forces linked to Syria’s defense and interior ministries and other government proxies, as reported by monitoring groups.
Governor Amr al-Sheikh said at a press conference that "outlaw groups" had attacked government checkpoints in Jaramana and Ashrafieh Sahnaya, prompting government forces to seal off both cities to maintain security. He noted that two clashes took place on Wednesday in Ashrafieh Sahnaya, resulting in 14 deaths on both sides before government forces regained control.
While al-Sheikh did not name the "outlaw groups," he emphasized repeatedly that all weapons should remain under state control, seemingly referring to the Druse militias involved.
Syria’s new authorities face challenges integrating the numerous armed factions across the country into official state structures. Several prominent Druse militias are currently negotiating terms for incorporation into the national army.
Abu Hassan, a Druse militia leader in Sweida who uses a pseudonym, described the government forces involved as including foreign fighters and extremist militants allied with the regime. He suggested that the contested audio clip was fabricated and that the violence is really about settling long-standing conflicts following Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war.
State news agency SANA reported that armed gunmen, likely Druse fighters, attacked government checkpoints and vehicles overnight Wednesday in Ashrafieh Sahnaya.
An official from the Interior Ministry labeled the attackers as "criminals" and pledged a strong government response, describing it as an "iron fist" approach.
Israel described its initial airstrike on Wednesday as a warning against an extremist faction allegedly preparing to attack Druse communities.
Israel has offered protection to the Druse minority in Syria amid the country's volatile political transition, though many Syrian Druse have rejected this offer, viewing it as unwelcome foreign interference.
Syria is predominantly Sunni Muslim, while the Druse follow a secretive religion with roots in Islam.
The rebel forces that ousted Bashar al-Assad were led by a Sunni Islamist group once affiliated with Al Qaeda. These groups now control the government and the national military.
Since Assad’s removal, Israel has conducted numerous operations in Syria, including raids, airstrikes, and destruction of military targets, aiming to prevent hostile groups from gaining a foothold near its borders.
Sectarian violence has recurred multiple times since Assad’s ouster, raising concerns among minority communities about marginalization and targeted attacks by the new leadership.
Just last month, a wave of sectarian killings swept through Syria’s coastal region, home to the Alawite minority to which the Assad family belongs.
