Druze strike new ceasefire deal with Syria government forces in Sweida after clashes

Syria’s Druze have reached a new ceasefire agreement with the Syrian government in Sweida, and the truce comes into immediate effect, said Druze religious leader Sheikh Yousef Jarbou in a video broadcast by the state media on Wednesday. An earlier ceasefire announced on Tuesday night had collapsed within a few hours. However, firing from government forces was still going on in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida even after the new ceasefire announcement was made, a witness told Reuters.
According to the state media agency, regime forces will deploy checkpoints in the area.

Druze leader in Syria, Sheikh Yousef Jarbou, who announced the terms of the ceasefire in a video published by Arab media, said the roads in the area would be secured by state forces, state institutions in Sweida would resume operations, a joint committee of Druze and the regime would be set up to investigate the “crimes and legal violations” that occurred during the clashes, and all detainees arrested during the unrest would be released.

‘Syria making serious mistakes, peace talks will depend on regime’s behaviour’

The possibility of Jerusalem reaching a peace agreement with the new Syrian government “depends on how the regime behaves,” said a senior Israeli official amid Israel’s strikes on Syria in response to recent violence against the Druze community.

“Everything depends on how this regime behaves. There’s no doubt things have taken a negative turn in the past few days, after a brief period of calm. But we’re not deluding ourselves,” says the official.

“Our policy isn’t based on illusions — it’s based on reality. First and foremost, we want security, and we’re clear with the other side about what we expect,” the official adds.

“Syria is making serious mistakes. The legitimacy their regime recently received may be distorting their sense of reality….they would do well to wake up. This country has been torn apart from within for years, with external help, through endless war and bloodshed. What’s happening now is not helping them get to a better place,” the official added.

‘Attacks on Druze in Sweida just like on Oct 7’

IDF Brigadier General (res.) Amal As’ad, an Israeli Druze public figure, accused Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa of wanting to “eliminate the Druze” amid deadly clashes in the southern Syrian city of Sweida.

Speaking to Channel 12, As’ad describes the attacks on Druze in Sweida as “just like on October 7,” claiming that girls as young as five have been raped and pregnant women have been slaughtered.

He denounced Druze residents of Israel who crossed the border into Syria, but said that Israel should have done more to help their community. He also criticized attempts to make peace with Syria’s new regime.

“Was it possible to make peace with Sinwar? With Nasrallah?” he said, charging that the current regime in Syria is “way worse” than the former Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

Israel warned of ‘painful blows’ as airstrikes hit Damascus

Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz warned Syria on Wednesday that it would hit the country hard after deadly clashes that saw government forces align with Bedouin fighters in clashes against the Druze.

“The signals to Damascus are over—now come the painful blows,” he said, promising that the Israeli military would “operate forcefully” in Syria’s southern Sweida region “to eliminate the forces that attacked the Druze until their full withdrawal”.

A live broadcast by the Qatari channel Al Jazeera showed Israeli airstrikes on the Syrian army and defence ministry headquarters in Damascus.