The fighting, which started with clashes between Druze and Bedouin militias in the city of Sweida and drew in Sunni tribesmen and Israel, is among the deadliest since the fall of former dictator Bashar al-Assad in December.

Video showed government forces on the streets of a predominantly Druze city and smoke billowing across roads as gunfire sounded.

Hundreds of people have been killed in days of violence in southern Syria which began with clashes between members of the Druze minority group and Bedouin tribes and drew a military intervention from Syria.

Syria should not be allowed back into the international community unless it is able to uphold protections for the Druze and its other minority groups, Israel has said.

U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack at an official ceremony held on May 29, 2025 Photo by Rami Alsayed/NurPhoto via

Syrian war monitor says fighting across Sweida province ongoing, although Druze fighters regained control of provincial capital after booting out rival armed factions

One day after reaching a ceasefire with Israel, Syrian military forces began moving into the country's Suwayda Governorate, where dozens of people have been killed in recent days amid fighting between warring tribes.

Violence in Syria's Druze province has triggered Israeli military action, complicating relations with Turkey and creating a power vacuum that Iran could exploit.