Jerusalem: In a rare and cautious move, Israel has agreed to allow limited access for Syrian internal security forces into the volatile Druze-majority province of Sweida for a 48-hour period, aiming to de-escalate one of the region’s most severe recent outbreaks of communal violence.
The decision came as Sweida, traditionally spared from Syria's broader civil conflict, has descended into chaos. Recent clashes between Druze self-defense groups and Bedouin armed factions spiraled into open conflict, killing at least 254 people, including civilians and medical personnel. Israel’s green light marks a calculated effort to stabilize the area, though it remains firm on excluding full-scale Syrian military redeployment near its border.
Tensions in Sweida began simmering over disputes involving land, security, and alleged external interference. Druze militias, who have long maintained a degree of autonomy and neutrality during Syria’s civil war, accused Bedouin elements some allegedly backed by remnants of extremist cells of provocation and territorial aggression. The violence reached a tipping point earlier this month with widespread gunfights, abductions, and accusations of mass executions on both sides.
Although a brief ceasefire was brokered mid-week, hostilities resumed almost immediately, prompting Israel to intervene diplomatically while also launching precision airstrikes on suspected Syrian military assets in Sweida and Damascus. Israeli officials justified the strikes as “protective measures” for the local Druze community, many of whom have familial and religious ties to Israel’s own Druze population.
Israeli intelligence reportedly assessed that allowing internal security forces not combat troops could help contain the violence without emboldening Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s military ambitions near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. The 48-hour window was carefully framed as a “non-military humanitarian allowance”, strictly to aid in restoring local order and facilitate emergency medical response.
However, Damascus has denied that any redeployment is taking place, perhaps in a bid to avoid provoking a wider military response from Israel. Meanwhile, Syrian forces are reportedly on standby, citing pressure from community leaders in Sweida to restore calm through central government intervention.
The United States, which quietly backed the original ceasefire talks, has urged restraint from all sides, calling on both Israel and Syria to avoid actions that could widen the conflict. The United Nations Human Rights Office issued a stern warning about alleged human rights violations in Sweida, including summary executions, indiscriminate shelling, and the blockade of humanitarian convoys.
Archbishop Joseph Hajjar, a prominent Druze-Christian mediator, has appealed for a permanent ceasefire and international monitoring presence, noting that many of Sweida’s villages have been cut off from basic supplies and electricity for over a week.
While the Israeli concession to Syrian security forces may seem small, it reflects a strategic balancing act. On one hand, Israel seeks to protect minority populations and maintain border stability. On the other, it remains wary of any Syrian or Iranian foothold in southern Syria. The crisis in Sweida thus becomes more than a local skirmish it is a flashpoint in the region’s broader struggle for power, identity, and influence.
If the 48-hour trial deployment fails to restore order, both sides may be dragged into deeper conflict. For now, Sweida remains a test case for how far regional diplomacy can go to tame local chaos without igniting a broader war.