Role of the Druze ...
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This policy of minority engagement was clearly articulated by Gideon Sa’ar during his first press conference as Israel’s foreign minister, where he specifically named the Kurds and Druze as minorities of interest to Israel in the region.
Currently, as skepticism within Israeli circles grows toward the continued presence of Sharaa in Syria, the Druze are being viewed as a potential balancing force. The Zionist regime has heavily counted on the Druze to counterbalance Damascus’s influence and support them as a strategic asset—or even a “trump card”—in Syria’s power struggles.
Tensions in Sweida erupted just as negotiations between Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) collapsed. The breakdown came after SDF leaders issued a strongly worded statement criticizing the interim authorities in Damascus. These developments unfolded concurrently with violent clashes in Sweida.
Given the already strained relations between the Sharaa-led government and the Druze, Damascus responded by deploying large numbers of military forces—mainly Sunni troops—from northern and central Syria as well as from Daraa in the south. These deployments appeared aimed at settling scores with the Druze, marking the first such large-scale military movement toward Sweida since Sharaa assumed control of Damascus eight months ago. Until now, Sweida had largely managed its own affairs without major interference from the central government.
Against this volatile backdrop, Israel launched limited but symbolic airstrikes in recent days against Damascus-aligned forces. Though the strikes were not militarily decisive, they were intended as a clear warning: Israel may escalate its involvement if the Druze are seriously threatened.
Taken together, these developments suggest that the Druze will likely play an increasingly role in shaping Syria’s future political landscape.