Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on Suwayda Province in southern Syria, July 15, 2025

UPDATE 1625 GMT:

A fact-finding committee has concluded that 1,426 people were killed in March in violence and executions in western Syria.

The committee, mandated by the Government, concluded that commanders had not given orders for revenge attacks, notably against members of the Alawite community. It said that they had tried to halt the mass killings.

The inquiry listed 298 suspects involved in violations against Alawites and 265 involved in the attacks on security forces. The names have been referred to courts for further investigations. Spokesperson Yasser Farhan said 31 people who committed violations against civilians had been arrested, as well as six people linked to the toppled Assad regime.

A Reuters investigation last month identified 1,479 Syrian Alawites who had been slain and dozens who were missing from 40 sites of revenge killings. In contrast to the committee, it found a chain of command leading from the attackers to men who serve alongside the Government.

Farhan said it is now up to President Ahmed al-Sharaa whether to release the report in full.

UPDATE 1331 GMT:

Concern is growing over Hamza Amarin, the head of the White Helmets civil defense in Suwayda, who went missing last Wednesday in Suwayda city during a mission to evacuate civilians.

He is believed to have been abducted, but there is still no information, said the White Helmets.

UPDATE 1309 GMT:

A US citizen is among those who were executed amid fighting in Suwayda Province in southern Syria last week.

Hosam Saraya, who studied in Oklahoma, was a member of the Druze community. He returned to Syria to care for his father who was ill.

His family identified him as one of eight relatives whose executions were shown in a video on social media. Female survivors said gunmen stormed the family’s multi-story home early in the morning. Residents fought back, but after one of the family members was wounded, the rest surrendered their weapons and the men were taken outside.

A relative says Syrian-French academic Firas Abu Latif was found murdered in his home in Suwayda. The family claims the gunmen who raided his home were Government security personnel.

UPDATE, JULY 22:

A leader of Israel’s Druze community has called on counterparts in Syria, notably the cleric Hikmat Salman al-Hijri, to observe a ceasefire in Suwayda Province.

Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif said in a video message:

Separating from Syria isn’t good for us. Don’t be blinded by ‘victory’ or on-line rhetoric. Alienating 2 billion Muslims will backfire.

Abide by the ceasefire. I hope Syrians of all sects preserve coexistence and peace.

Lebanon’s Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna said, “What happened is not what we hoped for. Everyone bears responsibility, including Sheikh Al-Hijri. There must be flexibility. I’m ready to mediate.”

UPDATE, JULY 21:

The Syrian government has started evacuating Bedouin families from Suwayda, as a ceasefire holds in the majority-Druze city.

Buses filled with around 1,500 Bedouin are being accompanied by Syrian Arab Red Crescent vehicles and ambulances.

Unconfirmed claims say the evacuation is conditioned on Bedouin fighters leaving the province and releasing Druze women whom they have abducted.

Interior Minister Ahmad al-Dalati said, “We have imposed a security cordon in the vicinity of Suwayda to keep it secure and to stop the fighting there. This will preserve the path that will lead to reconciliation and stability in the province.”

UPDATE 1503 GMT:

Six US officials say that, despite Israel finally halting its strikes on southern Syria, the Trump Administration is significantly more alarmed about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

One White House official said, “Bibi acted like a madman. He bombs everything all the time.” Another explained, “Netanyahu is sometimes like a child who just won’t behave.”

A senior Israeli official claimed Donald Trump had encouraged Netanyahu to hold parts of Syria and had not expressed concerns about Israel’s intervention.

The US wants to keep the new Syrian government stable and doesn’t understand why we attack in Syria, because of attacks on the Druze community there. We tried to explain to them that this is our commitment to the Druze community in Israel.

A senior US official countered, “The current Israeli policy would lead to an unstable Syria. Both the Druze community and Israel will lose in such a scenario.”

UPDATE 1451 GMT:

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has received a report on sectarian violence in western Syria in early March.

Without disclosing the findings, the Presidency pledged measures to prevent a recurrence.

Several hundred people, many of them from the Alawite religious minority, were killed in days of violence in the Tartous and Latakia Province. The Government said loyalists of the ousted regime sparked the episode with attacks on security forces.

Sharaa will “carefully examine the findings… to ensure steps are taken to advance the principles of truth, justice and accountability, and prevent the recurrence of violations”, the Presidential statement said. The committee of inquiry has been asked the committee to hold a press conference to present its findings as soon as possible “if it seems appropriate.

UPDATE 1009 GMT:

A “tense calm” is reported in Suwayda city amid a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Bedouin fighters. Government troops are at a checkpoint outside the majority-Druze city.

Kenan Azzam, a dentist, said residents still face a lack of water and electricity. He explained, “The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded,” he said by phone.

The Syrian Red Crescent are sending 32 trucks to Suwayda loaded with food, medicine, water, fuel and other aid. The Health Ministry is also sending a convoy of trucks.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR has warned of water shortages due to electricity outages and said many hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of people injured from the clashes.

Some Druze, including community leaders, are blaming the cleric Hikmat Salman al-Hijri for inviting the violence because of his call for armed opposition to the Government. Others are angered at Damascus for statements, including by the Information Minister on Friday, which acknowledge Bedouin casualties and detainees but not those among Druze.

Observers have also noted that President Ahmed al-Sharaa referred to Bedouin and tribes as “honorable” but labelled some Druze factions as “outlaws”.

UPDATE 0718 GMT:

Saudi Arabia told the Trump Administration that Syrian security forces should be allowed to deploy in the south despite Israel’s objections, a US official has said.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday that the kingdom supported the Syrian military restoring control in Suwayda Province.

The US official and a “second source familiar with the diplomacy” said the Saudis are angry about Israel attacking Syrian forces and dictating military deployments to Damascus.

UPDATE, JULY 20:

Syria’s Interior Ministry says tribal fighters have been evacuated from Suwayda city and violent clashes have ceased.

The US envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, posted:

The international community has largely rallied behind the nascent Syrian government, watching with cautious optimism as it seeks to transition from a legacy of pain to a future of hope.

Yet, this fragile ambition is now overshadowed by profound shock, as brutal acts by warring factions on the ground undermine the government’s authority and disrupt any semblance of order.

All factions must immediately lay down their arms, cease hostilities, and abandon cycles of tribal vengeance. Syria stands at a critical juncture — peace and dialogue must prevail — and prevail now.

On Saturday, Barrack met Syrian Foreign Asaad al-Shaibani and Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in Amman.

The three men discussed efforts to “consolidate the ceasefire” in Suwayda and operational steps aimed at supporting Syria in implementing the agreement”, including the release of detainees, humanitarian aid, and reconciliation efforts.

UPDATE 1538 GMT:

Dr. Omar Obeid, head of the Suwayda division at Syria’s Order of Physicians, said the Suwayda National Hospital has received “more than 400 bodies since Monday morning”, including women, children, and elderly people.

“It’s not a hospital any more, it’s a mass grave,” Obeid says.

UPDATE 1454 GMT:

The European Union’s diplomatic service has welcomed the restored ceasefire in Suwayda Province in southern Syria:

Now is the time for dialogue and for advancing a truly inclusive transition. Syria’s transitional authorities, together with local authorities, bear the responsibility to protect all Syrians without distinction.

The service calls for all perpetrators behind “grave violations” of international law to be held accountable.

UPDATE 1020 GMT:

The Syrian Government has confirmed the agreement to halt Israel’s attacks on the south of the country.

The Government said security forces began deploying in Suwayda Province as the Presidency called on all parties to respect a “immediate and comprehensive” ceasefire.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa said in a televised speech, “The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and communities in the country….We condemn all crimes committed.”

He said “Arab and American” mediation had helped bring calm.

Druze cleric Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who had called on followers to oppose the Government, accepted the ceasefire. He said it would guarantee safe exit for tribe members and the opening of humanitarian corridors for besieged civilians to leave.

Trying to maintain pressure on Damascus, Israel dismissed Sharaa’s pledge to protect minorities. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar posted:

UPDATE, JULY 19:

The Trump Administration’s envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, says he has arranged a halt to Israel’s attacks on southern Syria, including the capital Damascus.

Some leaders of the Druze community are pointing to an agreement without explicitly referring to the ceasefire:

“Eight sources familiar with the matter” said the Syrian Government believed it had a green light from Israel earlier this week to send security forces to the south, seeking to restore order after deadly clashes between Bedouin, Druze, and extremist factions.

The belief was encouraged by US messaging, including from Barrack, that Syria should be governed as a centralized state.

Instead, Israel carried out airstrikes on the security forces and expanded them to Damascus, destroying a building of the Defense Ministry.

A senior official from Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that the US messages did not influence the decision to deploy troops. They said the despatch was based on “purely national considerations” with the aim of “stopping the bloodshed, protecting civilians and preventing the escalation of civil conflict”.

UPDATE 0921 GMT:

Syria’s Interior Ministry is stepping back from its earlier announcement of the redeployment of security forces in Suwayda Province.

“We confirm that no official statement has been issued in this regard, and we categorically deny the veracity of what was published,” said spokesperson Noureddine al-Baba.

Israel will allow Syrian “internal security forces” to enter Suwayda for 48 hours, said an Israeli official.

UPDATE 0910 GMT:

The UN High Commission for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called on the Syrian Government to ensure accountability over the killing of hundreds of people in Suwayda Province.

This bloodshed and the violence must stop, and the protection of all people must be the utmost priority, in line with international human rights law….

Those responsible must be held to account.

It is crucial that immediate steps are taken to prevent recurrence of such violence.

Revenge and vengeance are not the answer.

UPDATE 0807 GMT:

Will Christou of The Guardian reports on hundreds of casualties from fighting since Sunday in Suwayda Province in southern Syria.

He quotes a surgeon at the Sweida National Hospital treating those injured by gunshots or shrapnel from exploding artillery.

“There were hundreds of wounded, no less than 200 bodies in the hospital. Many of them shot in the head, as if executed,” said the surgeon.

Videos from the hospital showed hallways lined with corpses, rooms stacked with body bags, and corpses piled up. A second doctor from the intensive care unit said bodies had to be placed outside the morgue for lack of space.

At least 15 unarmed people were killed on Tuesday at a reception hall belonging to the Radwan family in Suweida city, said three members of the family.

A teacher who witnessed the murders said the attackers were wearing army fatigues but could not tell if they were from government-affiliated forces or a private militia: “It’s impossible to tell who is killing us.”

Christou has seen two videos of government personnel boasting of violence. In one, a fighter laughs, while wielding a machete, as he and two other soldiers are driving through Suywayda laughing: “We are on our way to distribute aid.” He filmed himself inside a house in Suwayda ripping a picture of Druze spiritual leaders off a wall and trampling it with his boots.

“On behalf of the tribes, oh Druze and Alawites, we are coming for you with sectarianism,” he said.

Another fighter filmed as he drove through the town of Sahwa Blata, pausing to gloat over two dead bodies on the sidewalk.

Referring to the Druze cleric Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who has ordered followers to fight Government forces, he said, “These are your dogs, al-Hijri. Anyone who stands against the state this is what will happen to them.”

UPDATE, JULY 18:

The Syrian Government has accused factions of violating a ceasefire restored on Thursday in Suwayda Province in the south of the country.

The Presidency said in a statement that “outlaw forces” were engaging in “horrific violence” against civilians including “crimes that completely contravene the obligations of mediation, directly threaten civil peace, and push towards chaos and security collapse”.

It warned against “continued blatant Israeli interference in Syria’s internal affairs, which only leads to further chaos and destruction and further complicates the regional situation”.

A Bedouin military commander declared a new offensive against Druze fighters yesterday, hours after the Government announced the ceasefire.

Defying Israeli warnings, the Syrian Interior Ministry said security forces are preparing to redeploy to the Druze-majority Suwayda city.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Thursday that Syrian forces must not operate south of Damascus.

UPDATE 1354 GMT:

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have discussed Israel’s strikes on southern Syria in a phone call.

Erdoğan pledged support for Damascus. He said Israel’s strikes were unacceptable and a threat to the entire region, while welcoming the ceasefire reached by the Syrian Government with Druze groups. Sharaa thanked Erdogan for assistance in protecting Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

UPDATE 1346 GMT:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded that Syrian Government security personnel stay out of southern Syria.

Netanyahu said in a video statement:

We have set a clear policy. Demilitarizing the area south of Damascus, from the [Israel-occupied] Golan Heights to the Druze mountains, is one line. The second line [is] protecting the brothers of our brothers, the Druze in the Druze mountains.

We will not allow military forces to descend south of Damascus, we will not allow the Druze to be harmed in Jebel Druze.

Netanyahu asserted, “[The Syrian Government] sent an army south of Damascus, into the area that should be demilitarized, and it began to massacre the Druze. We could not accept this in any way.

UPDATE, JULY 17:

Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa says Israel is pursuing “chaos and destruction” with “wide-scale targeting of civilian and government facilities”.

He said the strikes would have pushed “matters to a large-scale escalation, except for the effective intervention of American, Arab, and Turkish mediation, which saved the region from an unknown fate”.

Sharaa addressed Druze citizens:

We reject any attempt to drag you into the hands of an external party.

We are not among those who fear the war. We have spent our lives facing challenges and defending our people, but we have put the interests of the Syrians before chaos and destruction.

The Government announced on Wednesday night that it had begun withdrawing troops from Suwayda Province in southern Syria after the restoration of a ceasefire.

Sharaa said, “We are keen on holding accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people, as they are under the protection and responsibility of the state.” He assured the Druze community that it was “a fundamental part of the fabric of this nation….Protecting your rights and freedom is one of our priorities.”

UPDATE 1916 GMT:

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has claimed on social media:

UPDATE 1902 GMT:

Syrian media are reporting Israeli airstrikes against the Mezzeh Airbase near Damascus, as fighter jets fly over the Syrian capital.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the strikes and expressing concern over redeployment of Israeli troops. He called for an immediate halt to all violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing the need to respect the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

Addressing the unrest in Suwayda Province, Guterres stressed his “strong condemnation of all forms of violence against civilians”. He renewed his call for an immediate de-escalation and measures to restore calm, ensure humanitarian access, and investigate violations with full accountability.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan also called for an end to the Israeli attacks. They said the strikes are likely to undermine the steps taken to establish stability in the country.

Syria’s Health Ministry said earlier that three civilians have been killed and 34 wounded.

UPDATE 1512 GMT:

The Syrian Government has announced the restoration of the ceasefire in Suwayda city.

Security forces will deploy checkpoints in the area.

One of the Druze leaders, Sheikh Yousef Jarbou, said in a video that roads would be secured by Government personnel. State institutions in Suweida will resume operations. A joint Government-Druze committee will be established to investigate “crimes and legal violations”, and all detainees arrested during the current unrest will be released.

However, Israel is maintaining its threat of further attacks.

A “senior Israeli official” of the chances of a peace agreement with Damascus:

Everything depends on how this regime behaves. There’s no doubt things have taken a negative turn in the past few days, after a brief period of calm.

We’re not deluding ourselves. Our policy isn’t based on illusions — it’s based on reality. First and foremost, we want security, and we’re clear with the other side about what we expect.

Syria is making serious mistakes. The legitimacy their regime recently received may be distorting their sense of reality….They would do well to wake up.

The official said Israel “is not in favor of inflating this issue”. However, asked if Israeli troops could be sent further into Syrian territory, they said, “There are two methods — one is to threaten all day long, the other is to act without talking.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir went farther, saying Israel must assassinate Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa: “We must eliminate the head of the snake.”

Syria’s Health Ministry said Israeli strikes targeting the Defense Ministry headquarters in Damascus killed one person and wounded 18. Part of a four-story building adjacent to Defense Ministry was destroyed.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the Trump Administration is “very concerned” by the violence in Syria: “We want the fighting to stop.”

It is a direct threat to efforts to help build a peaceful and stable Syria. We have been and remain in repeated and constant talks with the governments of Syria and Israel on this matter.

He said the US is in contact with relevant parties to pursue de-escalation.

UPDATE 1017 GMT:

Israel has stepped up its strikes against the Syrian Government:

The Israel Defense Forces posted a video of one of its latest attacks:

UPDATE 0837 GMT:

Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has called on Hikmat Salman al-Hajri, the head of a Druze faction in Suwayda, to end his opposition to the Syria government.

“Al-Hijri’s stance is regrettable and the Druze of Suwayda must integrate into the state and not isolate themselves,” Jumblatt said.

The Syrian Presidency has vowed to hold those accountable who committed violations against residents of Druze-majority Suwayda: “[We] strongly condemn these heinous acts and affirm our full commitment to investigating all related incidents and punishing all those proven to be involved.”

UPDATE, JULY 16:

Israel says it will continue bombing unless Syrian security forces withdraw from Suwayda in southern Syria, where they are trying to quell fighting between Bedouin and Druze groups.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said:

The Syrian regime must leave the Druze in Suwayda alone and withdraw its forces. As we have made clear and warned, Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria and will enforce the demilitarization policy we have decided on.

The IDF will continue to strike regime forces until they withdraw from the area, and will soon escalate its response against the regime if the message is not understood.

Some Druze factions are working with the government. However, Druze cleric Hikmat Salman al-Hijri is demanding opposition to Damascus.

Local news outlet Suwayda24 reported heavy artillery and mortar fire on Suwayda city and nearby villages. Syria’s Defense Ministry said “outlaw” groups had broken a ceasefire.

UPDATE 1608 GMT:

Israel is boasting about its strikes on Syrian Government tanks:

Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the strikes as a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Israeli warplanes are bombing, including attacks on Syrian Government forces, amid deadly clashes in southern Syria.

Fighting between Bedouin factions and Druze groups flared in Suweida Province on Saturday. Security forces from Damascus have deployed, including in Suwayda city, to quell the clashes.

As of early Tuesday, fatalities include 46 Druze, 19 Bedouin, 18 Government troops and Interior Ministry personnel, seven Government-aligned Druze militiamen, and two civilians.

While some Druze factions are working with the Government, the group around Hikmat Salman al-Hijri has called for opposition to “extremists” in Damascus.

The Government announced a ceasefire earlier today. Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said military police had been ordered to deploy to “control military behavior and hold violators accountable”.”

However, Israel’s airstrikes destabilized the apparent resolution.

An Israeli defense official hailed “exceptionally large-scale” attacks, claiming, “The State of Israel sees this as a test of its policy to demilitarize southern Syria and its commitment to the Druze.”

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed strikes on Syrian military vehicles “per the directives of the [Israeli] political echelon”.

The IDF struck several armored vehicles, including tanks, armored personnel carriers, multiple rocket launchers, as well as access routes, to disrupt their arrival in the area.

At a news conference in Doha, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said:

Qatar condemns Israel’s irresponsible actions in the region. Israel is not responsible for security of Syrian citizens.

They are pointless actions and have proven to be gravely dangerous. We and the international community cannot accept the impunity that Israeli behaviour enjoys.

The international community must take steps towards Israeli provocative actions in addition to what’s happening in Gaza.