According to two senior Druze commanders and a Western intelligence source, Israel is providing military supplies, including arms and ammunition, to Druze militias in the Suwayda region in southwestern Syria. They said Israel is also paying salaries to many of the roughly 3,000 Druze fighters active there.

At the same time, four sources involved in the discussions told Reuters that Washington is pressing Syria and Israel to advance negotiations so that US President Donald Trump can announce a breakthrough at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly later this month. One Israeli security source said, "The US is pressuring Syria to move forward with the security deal. This is personal for Trump," adding that "Israel is not offering much, despite the American president's desire."

The talks are reportedly centered on restoring the 1974 disengagement agreement that followed the Yom Kippur War, securing an Israel Defense Forces withdrawal from southeastern Syria, and halting Israeli airstrikes and ground raids there. Sources stressed the issue of the Golan Heights has not been part of the current talks. A Syrian official told Reuters that Damascus prefers to leave the Golan dispute for future negotiations, noting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa believes "any compromise over the Golan would end his rule."

Israeli officials, however, have flatly ruled out concessions on the Golan Heights. According to Reuters, Israel suggested instead a withdrawal from parts of southern Syria in exchange for Damascus renouncing its claim to the strategic plateau. "Our inquiries through the Americans suggest this is not open for discussion," an Israeli official said.

A senior US official said Trump made clear when he met al-Sharaa in Riyadh in May that he expects Syria to pursue peace and normalization with Israel and its neighbors. "The president wants peace across the Middle East," the official said.

The push for talks comes amid growing unrest in Sweida, where massacres carried out by al-Sharaa's forces against the Druze population have fueled calls for breaking away from the Syrian regime and forming an autonomous administration. Israel has moved to unify fragmented Druze factions in the region, according to the two Druze commanders.

Reuters noted it could not independently verify claims of Israeli arms deliveries or payments, and neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office nor Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer's office provided a comment. Two Syrian sources and a Western diplomat said Dermer met Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shabani in Paris, in what they described as a tense encounter marked by mutual distrust.

According to Reuters, the negotiations are envisioned as a gradual process, similar to the talks that eventually produced Israel's 1979 peace treaty with Egypt. But Syrian sources emphasized that while al-Sharaa is willing to speed up contacts to please Trump, "the basic foundations of trust simply do not exist," as one put it.

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At the same time, Syrian outlets said the Israeli Air Force carried out 15 strikes on Syrian Defense Ministry military sites in the al-Kiswah area, in Damascus province. According to those reports, one of the targets was a Syrian army headquarters.

A military source in the Syrian regime told the Qatari channel Al Jazeera that the IDF operated for more than two hours in a landing zone near al-Kiswah, south of Damascus. According to the source, Israeli forces deployed dozens of soldiers and search equipment.

The Syrian source claimed there were no exchanges of fire between the Israeli troops involved in the landing and Assad regime forces. He added that four Israeli helicopters took part in the operation in the al-Kiswah area. At this stage, the report has not been confirmed by Israel.

On Tuesday night, Syrian media also reported an Israeli drone strike in the Damascus region, in which six Syrian soldiers were killed in the suburbs of the capital. This came in addition to several other military operations in Syria attributed to Israel.

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Coordination with the village councils is carried out by an IDF unit tasked with liaising with them. The troops guarding the convoy are reservists from Battalion 299, the Druze "Herev" Battalion, which once served under the 300th Brigade in the western sector of the Lebanon border as part of the Mountain Brigade.

Today, veteran Druze soldiers make up 30% of the battalion, with the remaining 70% mostly Jewish veterans of the Golani Brigade and paratroopers. Most of the command remains Druze. Many of the Druze troops have relatives in the villages across the border, making the unit a human bridge between the local population and Israel. "There isn't a Druze soldier who hasn't asked to visit these villages," Lt. Col. N. said of the emotional encounters. "They offer coffee and snacks, and at most we'll take a piece of fruit to return the gesture."

'The children beg for an Israeli flag'

"It's our duty, and it's part of our core values, to provide them with basic needs," Lt. Col. N. said. "They don't ask for much, and they are very happy the IDF is here. The children beg me for the Israeli flag from my uniform. They tell me, 'Next time you come, bring us an Israeli flag.'"

While the aid is mainly basic supplies, patients have also been brought into Israel for treatment. "At the end of the day, there are babies, families, people here. This isn't our primary mission, but we can't ignore the humanitarian need," he said. "They ask me how much control the army has here, and whether someone could surprise us and kill them. They're afraid of what happened in Sweida. The younger ones are already saying they want to be part of Israel, while the village sheikhs are still afraid and don't express an opinion. They worry we might abandon them."

The residents, most of them farmers who grow deciduous fruit and raise livestock, live as if time has stood still. Running water is available for only one hour every five hours, electricity for limited periods each day, and to bathe, residents heat water over a fire. "They live like people did 100 years ago," said Lt. Col. N., who comes from a Druze village in the Galilee and is now finishing his term as commander of the 299th Reserve Battalion.

We drove from the Israeli outpost line to the border after looking down from above at the Syrian village of Hader and the hospital built by Israel to provide its residents with medical care. We continued deeper into Syrian territory along a road the IDF expanded under Israel Nature and Parks Authority guidelines. Once we passed the red barrels marking the border, the road widened. "This is the Hermon's Highway 6," one soldier joked.

The wider road ensures that trucks and supplies can get through even when the mountain is covered in snow. Along the way is Majdal Beit Jann, a Sunni village separating Hader from the northern Druze villages. Roadblocks there prevent the Druze from reaching Hader, so the IDF delivers supplies through the Hermon sector. While Sunnis can travel to nearby Damascus without concern, such a trip could cost a Druze their life.

"This sector demands a lot of our attention, especially when there's instability," said Lt. Col. N., the sector commander. "Once you go in, you feel there's no control - no laws, no functioning government. We're the ones trying to create order, helping people and bringing some aid. The Syrian state isn't felt here at all."

Below us are the villages of Arneh, Rima, Buq'ata and Qalaat Jandal. Most residents are Druze, with small Christian and Sunni minorities. The IDF assists them all. Beyond the humanitarian aspect, control of the area is a clear security interest, Lt. Col. N. explained. "If these villages fall, the next step is our outposts and communities. That's why we must strengthen the villages and the population. As long as Syria is unstable, we cannot leave the Hermon."

'Hummus in Damascus?'

In the past, Israel held only 7% of the Hermon. Today, it controls the entire mountain, a strategic buffer against any military force that might try to take it. "It was absolutely the right decision to take the Hermon," said Lt. Col. N. "To get a sense of its size, the drive from the Hermon ski site to the far end of the Syrian Hermon takes about an hour. On the way, you cross the smugglers' route, which leads to the villages, once used to move goods to Shebaa and southern Lebanon, including electronics and cigarettes. Now that the IDF controls the area, the smuggling has stopped or shifted further north, beyond the Hermon ridge."

The IDF has two outposts on the Hermon: One which overlooks the Druze villages and the smugglers' route, and further north, and another built on the site of a former Syrian position. "When we first entered the outpost, I could barely breathe even with a mask on. They lived in terrible conditions. Every year, soldiers died from the cold, and they were buried in the outpost yard. We saw the graves," said Lt. Col. N.

Snow on the highest peaks can pile up more than 10 meters (33 feet) deep, with freezing winter temperatures and snow lingering into mid-summer. The IDF prepares for the possibility that the outposts could be cut off for weeks, ensuring they can function independently in terms of supplies and combat readiness.

"Eating hummus in Damascus is detached from reality," said Lt. Col. N. "As a Druze who follows social media, I don't believe [al-Qaida-linked terrorist leader] Abu Muhammad al-Julani. A terrorist remains a terrorist. But maybe we can have hummus here in the Druze villages." Looking ahead with a more tourist-minded vision, he added, "Israel could develop an international ski resort here, something the Syrians never did."

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According to estimates, there are hundreds of captives on both sides. Israel Hayom has learned that the Israeli official is in contact with members of the Druze community, while third parties, including Americans, are conducting the negotiations with the Syrian regime and the Bedouin side. The hope is that all captives from both sides will be released in the coming days.

According to senior Israeli officials, the primary Israeli intrest at this stage is to calm tensions in Syria, although they acknowledge any resulting calm will likely be temporary.

Officials involved in the matter argue that the recent violence in Sweida highlights the need for Israel to maintain a military presence in the area it took control of in December 2024. They note that Israeli intelligence had no advance warning that hostile forces - first Syrian regime elements, then Bedouin fighters - were planning to attack the Druze. Likewise, they say, there is no guarantee that Israeli intelligence will detect an Islamist plot to target Israeli towns.

Since the Hamas-led October 7 massacre, Israel's political and defense leadership has repeatedly emphasized the necessity of buffer zones along all its borders to ensure the safety of nearby Israeli communities.

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Assuming these events have truly concluded, they should ignite a glaring warning signal in Israel, or rather a sequence of alerts necessitating profound systemic analysis. The incidents revealed Israeli weaknesses and potential threats that require immediate attention to avert a larger catastrophe.

Warnings for the defense establishment

The first alert pertains to Syria, specifically its president. Israel, alongside the international community, aimed to see Mohammed al-Julani – now Ahmed al-Sharaa – as a courageous partner for transformative regional change. Reports even noted meetings between the former militant turned leader and Mossad head David Barnea, National Security Council chief Tzachi Hanegbi, and other senior figures, with prospects of agreements to be signed between the countries. Such expectations may have been hasty: it remains unclear if al-Sharaa is what Israel perceives him to be, or if he can genuinely fulfill expectations.

The second alert concerns Syria's current leadership. It comprises jihadists with a violent past and an ideology offering little tolerance for opponents. The Alawites, removed from power, felt this through a massacre earlier this year in Latakia and Tartus, and now the Druze face similar threats. The Shiites, including Hezbollah – their representatives in Lebanon – are also in the crosshairs. There is no indication that jihadists have different intentions for Jews if given the chance.

Video: Hundreds of Druze have crossed the border fence in Majdal Shams

The third alert focuses on Syria's Druze. The blood feud ignited now remains unresolved despite the ceasefire, and given the regime's character, it will likely resurface. Israel must determine how far it is prepared to go for its allies: will it offer only air support, or, if needed, send divisions for ground combat for an uncertain duration.

The fourth alert involves the possibility that Israel may need to take in Syrian Druze. It is uncertain if they plan to seek refuge, but the rapidly shifting Middle East may force swift decisions. This happened with South Lebanon Army members who collaborated with the IDF in southern Lebanon and fled to Israel overnight during the 2000 withdrawal. Israel has no plans to absorb thousands of Druze – or more – a complex inter-ministerial issue requiring staff work now, in collaboration with Israel's Druze community.

Internal challenges

The fifth alert addresses Israel's Druze community. The alliance with them is firm, recognized, and clear, but the political-security leadership must hold open discussions to set boundaries. Thousands of Israeli Druze breaking through the border into Syria risks disaster, as they could be killed or abducted, potentially dragging Israel into a complicated conflict. Israel rightly committed to protecting its allies in Syria; it should clarify to its Druze community that this is the IDF's responsibility, not a task for independent actions.

The sixth alert is directed at the IDF. In May 2011, during the start of Syria's civil war, thousands of Palestinians crossed from Syria into Israel. The failure of defenses then led to the establishment of a dedicated division (210) and an advanced barrier. Both collapsed on Wednesday. The IDF argued its role is to prevent entry into Israel, not to stop exits, but this is evasive and demands a detailed investigation and solutions to avoid similar failures.

The seventh alert concerns situational awareness. The movement of forces to Sweida started Monday night. Israel promptly warned the Damascus regime and conducted symbolic warning strikes, but significant force reinforcement occurred only on Wednesday, when events peaked. This suggests erroneous assessments by senior political and security officials, possibly due to overdependence on the partner-enemy al-Sharaa.

The eighth alert is for Prime Minister Netanyahu. In English-language interviews, he stated that had he been given the warning signs before Hamas's October 7 attack, he would have acted differently. Now, with all warning signs evident, he relied on his team – Barnea and Hanegbi – engaging with al-Sharaa, and on the Americans, without ordering IDF force reinforcement or measures to calm Israel's Druze community. These steps were taken with considerable delay, when Israel was one step from a major crisis.

Video: The moment of the strike near the Syrian military general staff building, as broadcast on Syrian state television // Arab networks

Despite these issues, recent events had some positive notes. Al-Sharaa, despite uncertainties about his true motives, operates with caution and is susceptible to influence. Mediators – primarily Americans, Turks, and Qataris – exert a moderating effect on him. His presence in Syria poses a significant challenge but still offers more benefits than drawbacks, especially in disrupting the Shiite axis and weakening Hezbollah.

The robust connection with the Druze, tested in a difficult situation, prevailed. Israel should strengthen this bond by addressing disputes with the community over land issues and resolving the Nation-State Law. The time to act is now, before Syria's tensions reignite.

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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.

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The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged it had not been prepared for a mass crossing of Druze civilians from Israel into southern Syria and is now bracing for several days of fighting between the new Syrian regime and Druze forces in the Sweida region, Israel Hayom has learned.

The Israeli military admitted it had not been properly prepared for the mass crossing, which will be subject to an internal review. For now, Israel has ruled out a ground operation in Syria and is focusing on airstrikes to defend the Druze.

Video: IDF forces attempt to push back Druze at the fence

Earlier, hundreds of Druze crossed the border into southern Syria on coordinated buses with police approval, even as IDF forces were mobilized to the Golan Heights in anticipation of possible escalation. The IDF is also investigating how the breach occurred, despite reinforcements.

The Syrian regime has deployed armored vehicles, including tanks and APCs, from Damascus to Sweida since Monday evening, in a show of force aimed at reasserting control over the area. Israel is monitoring developments closely to prevent potential threats to residents in the north. Estimates suggest around 200 regime soldiers have been killed so far, including 50 on Tuesday alone.

According to IDF field sources, Syrian army units have encircled Sweida and are reportedly operating with brutality. While these fighters are presented as former ISIS operatives or extremists, they are described as an organized and vicious force.

Video: Hundreds of Druze have crossed the border fence in Majdal Shams

The IDF has conducted around 160 air sorties and combat patrols along the border, and it struck targets near Damascus, likely as a signal to the regime. "We will escalate if needed," an IDF statement said.

Defense officials noted the challenge of distinguishing between Druze civilians and Syrian regime forces on the ground, as both are moving in armed convoys. The IDF estimates that while the regime's army is using artillery against Sweida, there are fewer armored vehicles involved.

Reserve troops from the 3rd Brigade have been called up and are actively searching for suspects. The IDF has shifted significant force northward, with Sweida and Damascus now designated key focal points. "Operations have been limited so far, but we will intensify them if necessary," officials said.

According to IDF sources, the Syrian regime claims to be restoring order, but its actions amount to a broad military offensive that risks destabilizing the region. The military is preparing for multiple days of combat, and alert notices have gone out to the 98th Division and the Paratroopers Brigade, which is expected to relocate north.

The situation has left Israeli forces caught between border defense and tracking Druze crossings. While there are allegations of harm to IDF troops, no evidence has been confirmed.

The IDF believes the Syrian military still has armored units at its disposal, but the key difficulty in launching strikes remains differentiating between regime forces and Druze civilians. Currently, 70–80% of Sweida appears to be under regime control, according to assessments. However, Israeli officials do not believe Syrian forces intend to fire on Israeli civilians.

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The message, signed by Tarif, paints a picture of acute crisis on Jabal al-Druze (Mountain of the Druze) and includes strong criticism of the Israeli government and military for their inaction. "Despite explicit commitments, no meaningful steps are being taken to halt the killings," the statement said.

Video: Regime soldiers in Syria shave the mustache of a Druze community elder /// Arab networks

The Druze leadership warned that the long-standing "blood alliance" between their community and the State of Israel is now at a breaking point. For over two years, Druze citizens have served at the front lines of Israel's battles against its enemies, the statement continued, calling on the government to take unequivocal action to protect their relatives across the border.

In response to the violence in Syria, Druze leaders have declared a general strike and national days of mourning. They also issued an extraordinary directive: to prepare for the possibility of crossing the Israeli border into Syria to protect fellow Druze.

"The community's leadership calls on all Druze citizens to prepare by all necessary means to cross the border and assist our brothers being slaughtered in Syria," the statement read.

The leaders said they had formally appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and senior defense officials, urging them to authorize immediate Israeli airstrikes against the forces responsible for the attacks in southern Syria. "Failure to act will dangerously deepen the rift between our community and the State of Israel," they warned.

The statement ended with a stark message: "Silence and inaction are no longer an option."

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According to reports emerging Tuesday, at least nine members of the Radwan family, known for its affiliation with one of the Druze militias, were slaughtered in their home by regime forces. Shocking images showing their bodies strewn across the family's living room have spread on social media, sparking outrage across Syria.

Video: Regime soldiers in Syria shave the mustache of a Druze community elder /// Arab networks

Footage also showed mass arrests of Druze militia members, with detainees beaten, threatened and humiliated. Although Syrian air force strikes destroyed several regime tanks and vehicles, they failed to halt the offensive, and Syrian government forces continued to deepen their grip on the city, home to roughly 50,000 residents. Nevertheless, Druze militias were still reported to be fighting in parts of Sweida, and casualties were reported among regime troops.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that regime soldiers and police summarily executed 12 civilians after storming the Radwan home. Four others, including one woman, were executed inside the home of the Mathluma family in the village of al-Thaala. Additional reports suggested more people had been abducted, their fate unknown.

The organization also claimed that armed regime loyalists shot and killed three brothers in front of their mother at Al-Basha Square in northern Sweida, forcing her and other family members to watch.

In the past 48 hours, 64 residents of the Sweida Governorate - including two children and two women - have been killed, the observatory said. Nineteen people, including one woman, were executed, while 51 regime troops and loyalist militia members also died in the fighting.

As reports of the atrocities mounted, local media in Syria said Druze residents were fleeing the city en masse, fearing reprisals similar to those inflicted on the Alawite minority in western coastal regions. Despite calls from Druze leadership to lay down arms, Syrian state TV reported continued fierce street battles in Sweida.

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