nnSyrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced troop withdrawals from Suwayda following deadly clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes, which triggered Israeli airstrikes on Damascus that killed at least three people. In a televised address, al-Sharaa vowed to protect Druze rights while accusing Israel of trying to destabilize Syria, stating the nation chose de-escalation over ‘open war’ to avoid civilian casualties. A US-brokered ceasefire requires all parties to halt military operations and establish Druze-led local security, though prominent Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri rejected the truce. The violence has killed at least 169 people according to monitors, with hundreds of Druze crossing from Israel into Syria to support their community. This crisis poses a major challenge to Syria’s new government amid ongoing instability following years of civil war.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/16/middleeast/damascus-syria-airstrikes-intl