Five Syrian-Druze civilians were evacuated Friday overnight to receive medical treatment in Israeli territory, the IDF announced on Saturday.
They were evacuated to the Ziv Medical Center in Safed after sustaining injuries in Syrian territory.
The military stated that it deployed soldiers in southern Syria and is prepared to prevent hostile forces from entering the area, including Druze villages.
In addition, the Army Radio confirmed 16 Syrian-Druze citizens treated in Israel in recent days.
צה''ל: 5 סורים דרוזים פונו לקבלת טיפול רפואי בישראל; בימים האחרונים טופלו בארץ 16 דרוזים אזרחי סוריה@Doron_Kadosh https://t.co/5zO6p8yjyH — גלצ (@GLZRadio) May 3, 2025
The spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday and thanked him for protecting Druze, sending a message to Syria. Members of Syrian security forces patrol after being deployed in the village of Al-Soura al-Kubra, following clashes between Sunni Islamist militants and Druze fighters, in Sweida province, Syria, May 2, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/KARAM AL-MASRI)
The Druze factions in Syria confirmed that food aid was delivered to them overnight from IDF forces, Channel 12 reported. A video circulated online shows IDF fighters transferring packages that are loaded onto trucks.
הפלגים הדרוזים בסוריה טוענים: קיבלנו סיוע מישראל התיעוד שפרסמו | https://t.co/TPFLINsNws pic.twitter.com/B4NHLM3JjL — החדשות - N12 (@N12News) May 3, 2025
Striking the presidential palace compound in Damascus
The actions, which included striking the presidential palace compound in Damascus, were said by Sheikh Tarif to be a deterrent message to the new Syrian regime on Israel’s commitment to keeping the Druze community safe.
Netanyahu and Katz stated that the strike was "a clear message" that Israel would not allow any danger to the Druze community.
Disturbing reports and videos are circulating on social media that appear to show the deliberate targeting and dehumanization of the Druze community in Syria, The Jerusalem Post reported on Friday.
Although the Druze communities in Israel, Lebanon, and Syria are in different locations, all of them are interconnected with each other, as many of them have distant cousins and relatives in each country.
quantax on May 3rd, 2025 at 13:11 UTC »
As much as I sympathize with the Syrian Druze, we all know the Israeli government's stated concerns for their well-being is a fig leaf for territorial expansion into Syria in its currently weakened state.
Unfortunately, the fledgling government seems to be falling into the same sectarian patterns, and it's not clear whether former Salafists are being honest about their long term intentions despite saying they want a secular government.
Syrians can't catch a break.
Zatoecchi on May 3rd, 2025 at 12:53 UTC »
If Israel cared about civilians, they wouldn't be murdering them and starving them to death in Gaza.
NotSoSaneExile on May 3rd, 2025 at 12:16 UTC »
Following the outbreaks of violence against the Druze in Syria by government forces (Unclear if by orders or acting independently), and the protests of Israeli Druze demanding Israel to help (Including protesting outside of Netanyahu's home), Israel is continuing to provide medical support and conduct limited strikes in Syria, seems to be in an attempt to deter further violence against the Druze.
This comes after Netanyahu met with a Druze leader yesterday.
The continuation of the violence is really concerning. Does the new Syrian government really have such little control over their own troops? Or is it actually happening with their agreement?