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Getty imagesA new wave of deadly communal violence has shaken Syria, focusing on the country’s delicate security scenario, saying that the new government tries to implement its authority over the fragmented sector.
On Sunday, July 13, the kidnapping of a businessman from the Drews Minority gave birth to a deadly clashes between the Drews Militia and the Sunni Bedouin fighters in southern Syria.
Later on Tuesday 15 July, Israel military intervened, stating that its army was demanding the abolition of government-supporting forces accused of protecting the draus and attacking them in Suida. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 350 people have been killed in Suveda since Sunday.
Violence was killed for the first time in Suvida’s Drews-Bahul province after fighting between Drews Fighters and new Syrian security forces in April and May. Earlier, in March, clashes in the coastal provinces of Syria said that hundreds of members of Alvite minority were killed, with former ruler Bashar al-Assad.
The fatal disturbance, with violent Israeli strikes, has re -ignited the possibility of a security breakdown in Syria, as the country struggles with a decline for over a decade of civil war, and in December 2024, Damascus’ recent Islamist leadership acquisitions.
Who are the druzes?
Drews are an Arabic-speaking ethnic-religious minority in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and occupied Golan Heights. The Drew Fath Shia Islam has an offshoot with its unique identity and beliefs.
About one million followers of it live in Syria, where they create about 3% of the population. In Israel, the Drews community is considered to be loyal to the Israeli state on a large scale, due to the participation of its members in military service. According to Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, there are some 152,000 druzes living in Israeli and Israel -occupied Golan Heights.
He has historically captured an uncertain situation in Syria’s political system. During the Syrian civil war of nearly 14 years, Drews operated their own militia in southern Syria.
Since the collapse of Assad in December, Drews have opposed the state’s efforts to impose authority over southern Syria. While in Syria, drew factions are divided into their approach to new officers, carefully until lump sum rejection, has opposed several commodities for the official Syrian security appearance in Suveda and integration in the Syrian army – relying on local militia.
Despite the Syrian government condemning the recent attacks, the Drews vowed to restore the order in the southern Syria, its forces have also been accused of attacking the minority – the UK – the UK – the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war with the monitoring of the SOHR War. Such reports have promoted mistrust among some members of the drew community towards the authorities in Damascus.
After Assad’s sudden decline, Israel has reached the Drews community near its northern border in a bid to combine Syria’s minorities. It has rapidly deployed itself as a regional protector of minorities, including Kurdish, Drews and Alvites in Syria, attacking military sites in Syria and government forces.
During communal clashes in May, Israel attacked the President’s Mahal in DamascusSaying that it was a warning against the attacks on the draus. However, some drew data in Syria and Lebanon have accused Israel of preventing communal division to pursue its expansive aspirations in the region.
Why is Israel attacking Syria now?
The most recent strike has mainly acted as a warning and served as an obstacle to deploy against the Syrian Army in southern Syria, seeking to create a dimilitated zone in the Israel region. In particular, Israel is afraid of the presence of Islamist fighters near its northern border, with Israeli -occupied Golan Heights.
While on July 15, Israeli air strikes were limited to targeting security forces and vehicles in Suvida, Israeli army expanded the scope of its attacks on 16 JulyThe Ministry of Defense and Syrian Army Headquarters in Damascus. Syria has condemned the attacks.
From December 2024, Syria represented the most serious Israeli growth when it destroyed hundreds of military sites across the country and Seized a non-protected buffer zone in the height of Syrian goalS. Israel has hit Syria several times, with the intention of preventing new officers from building their military capabilities – was seen as a possible threat to the safety of Israel.
“The warning in Damascus has ended – now a painful explosion will come,” Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katj wrote on social media on 16 July, shortly after the Israeli strike on Damascus began.
The target of the Syrian military headquarters was broadcast live by the Syrian TV channel, which was from its studio from the building – the presenter captured Air running away from the studio.
How has the rest of the world reacted?
US State Secretary Marco Rubio has said that the US was “very worried” about violence and was declared on 16 July: “We have agreed to specific steps that will end this disturbed and frightening situation tonight.”
Several Arab states including Lebanon, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt and Kuwait have condemned Israeli attacks targeting Syrian government and security forces. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry described Syria as a “clear attacks of Israel”, while Iran described the attacks as “all forecasts”.
Turkey, a major stakeholder from Assad Syria, described the strike as a task of sabotage against Syria’s efforts to secure peace, stability and safety “.
United Nations Secretary -General Antonio Guterres also condemned Israel’s “Escalery” attacks in Suveda and Damascus.
What can happen next?
Violence has underlined the safety after the Syrian war and the fragility of the political scenario, with the most recent violence promoting fears of renewed communal attacks in Syria.
As Shara tries to establish control over Syria and unite its various groups, it remains to be seen whether their Islamic-oriented government will be able to cover the division of deep roots of Syria, surrounded by the years of civil war. Along with Israeli attacks, communal clashes threaten to derail state-building and post-war recovery.
Israel, for its share, new authorities, and its affiliated Islamic fighters in the south are likely to continue as a significant safety threat – to push it to combine with groups that may feel isolated by new authorities.
