Syrian army withdraws from Suwayda after Israeli attacks on Damascus

CAIRO – 17 July 2025: Syrian authorities have reportedly withdrawn their forces from Suwayda city in southern Syria early in the morning, after widely-condemned Israeli strikes that targeted sensitive government facilities in Damascus on Wednesday.

Successive Israeli strikes targeted areas around the presidential palace and the Syrian General Staff complex, marking a dangerous escalation in a region already plagued by violent conflicts, all entwined with Israeli involvement.

These conflicts have been triggered by the unrelenting Israeli war on Gaza, which started in October 2023 and has claimed the lives of nearly 60,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children, amidst international failure to halt the assaults.

Israel claims its strikes across Syria are aimed at defending the Druze, a religious minority group with around one million adherents who primarily inhabit Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

The strikes followed clashes on Sunday in Suwayda between armed Druze and Bedouin groups that led to dozens of fatalities.

Syrian authorities reported the death of more than 30 people and the injury of nearly 100 others. Meanwhile, war-monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported at least 203 fatalities, including 92 Druze members, 93 security personnel and 18 Bedouins.

As the confrontations escalated, government forces announced their intervention in the province on Monday to quell the fighting.

‘Open War’

In recent days, Israel has targeted positions belonging to the Syrian armed forces in Suwayda, prior to the Damascus attacks that were condemned by a wide segment of the international community.

The Israeli government has threatened Syria to withdraw forces from Sweida near the border with Israel or face “painful blows.”

Last night, Syrian authorities announced a ceasefire agreement with Druze factions in the southern city.

In a speech delivered early on Thursday, Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa accused Israel of creating discord within Syria and escalating the situation in Suwayda.

"We were faced with two options,” Sharaa said, “an open war with the Israeli entity at the expense of our Druze community and their security, destabilizing Syria and the entire region” or “allowing Druze elders and leaders to return to reason and prioritize national interests.”

Sharaa stated that American, Arab, and Turkish mediation saved the region from an uncertain fate following Israeli interventions.

Restoring Calm

He declared the Syrian state's success in restoring stability and expelling outlaw factions, despite Israeli interventions that “sought to undermine these efforts.”

Sharaa emphasized the appointment of some local factions and Druze leaders with the responsibility of maintaining security in Suwayda, reaffirming his commitment to “preventing the country from sliding into another wide-scale war that could divert it from its major objectives.”

He also underscored their commitment to hold accountable those who have transgressed and harmed the Druze community, stating that they are under the protection of the state and its responsibilities.

Sharaa addressed the Druze community as “an integral part of the fabric of this nation,” emphasizing that "Syria will never be a place for division or fragmentation or for sowing discord among its people.”

“We assure you that protecting your rights and freedoms is among our top priorities.”