A source in Syria's Interior Ministry told the country's official news agency on Wednesday that a ceasefire agreement had been reached in Sweida, following a revelation by an American official that the Trump administration had asked Israel to stop its attacks in Syria.
The announcement came amid a dramatic day marked by Israeli strikes in Damascus, hundreds of armed Druze crossing into Syria, and a stern warning from the US regarding Israeli operations. Even in the past hour, Druze continue to cross the border into Syria.
The official Syrian announcement
A source from the Syrian Interior Ministry told the official Syrian news agency: "A ceasefire agreement has been reached in Sweida. Security checkpoints have been set up in the city, which will be fully reintegrated into the Syrian state." In parallel, Druze Sheikh Yusuf Jerbo also announced a ceasefire agreement with the regime, the deployment of checkpoints, and the "full integration of the province into the Syrian state," according to the pro-Assad daily Al-Watan. The statements suggest that the Syrians regard the situation in Sweida as resolved through a formal agreement, not merely a temporary ceasefire. However, it should be noted that this information comes solely from Syrian sources and has not yet been independently confirmed by Israeli or international channels.
American pressure and the Druze crisis
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern on Wednesday morning about the Israeli strikes: "We are concerned about Israeli strikes in Syria. We are speaking with all parties and want the fighting to stop." It has since emerged that behind the scenes, the Trump administration was working to end the strikes. A US official revealed: "The Trump administration asked Israel to stop its attacks in Syria." The American pressure comes amid fears of regional escalation and a desire to ease tensions along the Israel-Syria border.
Washington's intervention stems from a severe escalation triggered when the Druze leadership in Israel declared a general strike and urged the government to act immediately on behalf of the Druze population in Syria. The leadership warned that "the blood pact with Israel is at a breaking point," citing what they described as a "brutal massacre" of Druze residents in southern Syria. In response, the Israel Defense Forces carried out strikes on the Syrian regime's general staff compound in the Damascus area. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned: "The time for signals in Damascus is over – now come painful blows."
The crisis reached a peak when hundreds of armed Druze civilians crossed the security fence at Majdal Shams into Syria, aiming to aid their brethren being slaughtered in the Sweida region. The incursion was massive and dramatic, with Druze carrying personal weapons and acting against IDF directives. Israeli forces attempted to prevent the crossing and to safely return the civilians, but the Druze protest was resolute and well-organized. Demonstrations also erupted at major junctions in northern Israel, as the Druze leadership declared a general strike and days of national mourning.
