Description

On 13 July 2025, fighting began between Druze and Bedouin armed groups in the city of Suwayda and its surrounding villages in southern Syria. The Syrian transitional government deployed the Syrian Armed Forces to the area to restore order between 14–16 July. An agreement was reached between Druze leaders and the government on 15 July, but one of the Druze leaders, Hikmat al-Hijri, called for armed resistance against the government and Bedouin. There were reports of extrajudicial killings and abuse of Druze civilians. Israel launched airstrikes on the Syrian military, saying it defends the Druze. Israel had recently invaded its buffer zone with southwestern Syria and had been demanding the Syrian military stay out of the region. Syria's foreign ministry accused Israel of inflaming sectarian tensions to undermine the new Syrian government. Another ceasefire agreement was reached on 16 July, and the Syrian Armed Forces withdrew from Suwayda. Following the withdrawal, al-Hijri-aligned Druze groups reportedly committed massacres against local Bedouin tribes, leading to a mass exodus to the neighboring Daraa Governorate. The clashes are considered part of the aftermath of the Syrian civil war.