On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, Israel intensified its warnings to Syria, threatening to escalate military strikes unless the Syrian government withdraws its forces from the southern Sweida province, where deadly clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes have killed over 200 people since Sunday. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz demanded that Damascus “leave the Druze in Sweida alone,” emphasizing Israel’s commitment to enforcing a demilitarization policy in southern Syria and protecting the Druze minority. Katz warned that Israel would increase its military responses if Syrian troops, deployed to quell the unrest, do not retreat. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who in February called for a fully demilitarized southern Syria, reiterated concerns about the Islamist-led government’s presence near Israel’s border, citing security threats. Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, leader of Israel’s Druze community, described the situation as an “existential battle” for Syrian Druze. On Tuesday, the Israeli military struck Syrian government vehicles in Sweida, following reports from witnesses and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that Syrian forces fought alongside Bedouin groups against Druze militias, exacerbating the conflict sparked by the abduction of a Druze merchant.
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