PM says strikes in line with demilitarization policy, pledge to protect Druze; Damascus says truce reached with factions controlling Sweida, where sectarian violence has killed scores

The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman strongly condemned the Israeli military attacks that have targeted Syria in the past days, expressing concern over the recent clashes in the Suwayda region which have killed dozens of civilians.

The Druze are a small, secretive ethnoreligious community that emerged in the early 11th century in Egypt. They broke away from mainstream Islam during the rule of the Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah and developed a distinct monotheistic belief system.

Washington and Jerusalem have kept a watchful eye on Damascus ever since the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime by Sunni Muslim rebels in December. Of greatest concern has been the level of solidarity the new Syrian government maintains with ISIS — the terrorist organization that Syrian interim president

At least 135 people have been killed at the Druze-majority city of As-Sweida since Sunday and many others humiliated by the assailants. The

The post IDF says dozens of civilians crossed border into Syria amid protests against killing of Druze appeared first on The Times of Israel.

To all units operating within the city of Suweida, we declare a complete ceasefire after an agreement was reached with the city's notables and dignitaries'