Israel strikes Syrian city, vows to protect Druze from government forces

Israel carried out strikes against Syrian government forces in the Sweida region of southern Syria on Tuesday, saying it was acting to protect the Druze minority and vowing to ensure the area near the Israeli border remained demilitarized, Report informs via Reuters.

A Reuters correspondent heard at least four strikes as drones could be heard overhead and saw a damaged tank being towed away from the city, where bursts of gunfire were heard as violence entered a third day.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the military "to immediately strike regime forces and weaponry that were brought into the Sweida region ... for the regime’s operations against the Druze," they said in a statement.

"Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherhood alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel," they said.