Israel has launched airstrikes on Syrian government forces approaching Suweida city, a predominantly Druze region in southern Syria, following two days of deadly sectarian violence between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes.

The strikes came shortly after Syria’s Defence Minister, Maj Gen Murhaf Abu Qasra, announced a “complete ceasefire” on Tuesday and confirmed an agreement with local dignitaries to deploy government forces to Suweida in a bid to quell the unrest.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had authorised the strikes, claiming the Syrian forces and weapons were intended for use against the Druze. He emphasised Israel’s commitment to protecting the Druze community, citing their “covenant of blood” with Druze citizens in Israel and shared heritage with Druze communities in Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

“This is a clear warning to the Syrian regime,” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz added, noting that Syrian tanks had also been targeted near the city.

At least 99 people, including 60 Druze, among them four civilians,have been confirmed dead in the clashes that erupted on Sunday, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence was reportedly triggered by the abduction of a Druze merchant along the Damascus highway by Bedouin tribesmen. In retaliation, armed Druze fighters seized the al-Maqwas neighbourhood, sparking wider clashes that spread across the Suweida countryside.

The Syrian Interior Ministry had earlier described the situation as a “dangerous escalation” and announced plans for the defence and interior ministries to jointly restore order.

On Monday, activist network Suwayda 24 reported renewed fighting west of the city, as drones and mortars targeted villages. Dozens of casualties were brought into local hospitals, with the Syrian Defence Ministry confirming 18 security personnel were killed in attacks by “outlaw groups.”

Despite the ceasefire agreement, influential Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri released a video Tuesday calling on fighters to resist what he described as a “brutal campaign,” accusing the government of violating the truce by bombarding Suweida.

Israeli officials also accused the Syrian government of breaching demilitarisation policies and posing a threat to Israeli security. Earlier this year, Netanyahu warned against any threat to Syria’s Druze population and called for the full demilitarisation of Suweida and two other southern provinces. He also identified the Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, linked to interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government, as a regional threat.

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