The Israeli government warned, on Wednesday, July 16, that it would increase its strikes against Syrian government forces if the latter did not withdraw from southern Syria, in particular from the city with Druze of Souweida.
The warning was quickly followed by effect: the Israeli army announced, at the end of the morning on Wednesday, having “Struck the entry of the military headquarters of the Syrian regime into the Damascus region. (…) The Israeli army continues to monitor the evolution of the situation as well as the actions of the regime against Druzes civilians in southern Syria ”. The attack made two injured, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH). In another press release, the Israeli army announced that, “Following an assessment of the situation, [elle] has decided to strengthen its forces in the Syrian border area ”.
For its part, the official Syrian agency Sana reported an Israeli strike, for the second day in a row, on Souweida, where government forces were deployed the day before despite Israel’s warnings. “The aviation drones of the Israeli occupation are targeting the city of Souweida”announced the agency.
In the morning, Israel Katz, the Minister of Israeli Defense, quoted by his services, had demanded Syrian power that he “Leave quiet” Souweida’s Druze. “As we have clearly indicated, Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria and impose the policy of demilitarization” In the south of the country announced after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, he said.
Strikes against Syrian forces vehicles in Souweida
The clashes between Syrian government forces and local Druzes fighters resumed on Wednesday, ending a cease-fire announced Tuesday evening by the Syrian Ministry of Defense. Local Souweida24 media reported that the city and neighboring villages were the target of heavy artillery fire and mortar early Wednesday morning.
On Monday then Tuesday, the Israeli army had led to strikes against vehicles of the Syrian forces, who entered Souweida after two days of deadly clashes having initially opposed Druze fighters to Bedouin tribes of the region. Government troops intervened by saying wanting to pacify the region, but they took part in the fights against the Druzes factions alongside the Bedouins, according to the OSDH, witnesses and Druze groups.
The results of the violence in Souweida have been 248 dead since Sunday, according to the OSDH. A previous assessment of this NGO reported 203 people dead on Tuesday. The OSDH recorded on Wednesday 64 Druzes fighters and 28 civilians killed, including “21 civilians summarily executed” by members of government forces. In addition, 138 members of the security forces and 18 Bedouin fighters were killed, said the NGO.