Israel bombs Syria to defend Druze, who are they and why do they matter

The Israeli army struck near the entrance to the Syrian Ministry of Defense in Damascus on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) and targeted the same site several hours later with a larger strike. The strikes from Israel come as it vows to destroy Syrian government forces attacking Druze communities in southern Syria and demands they withdraw.

Israel has also launched a series of airstrikes on convoys of government forces in southern Syria since the clashes erupted and has beefed up forces on the border. According to Reuters, warplanes swoop low over the capital and unleash a series of massive strikes on central Damascus.

Syria’s Defense Ministry had earlier blamed militias in the Druze-majority area of Sweida for violating a ceasefire agreement that had been reached Tuesday, causing Syrian army soldiers to return fire. It said they were “adhering to rules of engagement to protect residents, prevent harm, and ensure the safe return of those who left the city back to their homes.”


Meanwhile, reports of attacks on civilians continued to surface, and Druze with family members in the conflict zone searched desperately for information about their fate amid communication blackouts.

Who are the Druze

The Druze are an Arab religious group of around one million people, mainly living in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. In southern Syria’s Suwayda province, where they are the majority, the Druze were sometimes stuck between Assad’s forces and extremist groups during the 10-year civil war.

Their group originated in the 11th century. It practices an offshoot of Islam, allowing no converts either to or from the religion and no intermarriage.

According to CNN, the Druze community is concentrated in three main provinces near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in the south of the country.

More than 20,000 Druze live in the Golan Heights. It is a strategic plateau seized by Israel from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967. It was later annexed in 1981.

The territory is shared by Druze with around 25,000 Jewish settlers, spread across more than 30 settlements. Most Druze living in the Golan see themselves as Syrian and turned down Israeli citizenship when Israel took over the area. Those who said no were given Israeli residency cards but aren’t counted as citizens.

Why are Syrian forces clashing with the Druze

One major reason that triggered the tension between Syria’s new government and the Druze is the push to disarm Druze militias and bring them into the national army. After ousting Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, pledged inclusion and vowed to protect all of Syria’s diverse communities. He wants to unite all armed groups under one military, but the Druze have strongly refused, insisting on keeping their own weapons and independent forces.

Why is Israel protecting Druze

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) that Israel is “committed to preventing harm to the Druze due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel and their familial and historical ties to the Druze in Syria,” CNN reported.

Around 130,000 Israeli Druze live in the Carmel and Galilee regions in northern Israel. Unlike other minority groups in the country, Druze men have been drafted into the Israeli military since 1957, with many reaching senior ranks and building careers in the police and security services.