Syria’s Fragile Peace Threatened as Israel Strikes Sweida,US Denounces ⁣Action

DAMASCUS,Syria – The fragile peace in Syria has been severely tested this week following Israeli airstrikes in the southern province ⁢of Sweida,an action that has drawn sharp criticism ⁤from the United States and raised fears of further regional destabilization. The ⁤strikes,which targeted positions⁢ reportedly held by militias aligned with the Syrian government,have ‍exacerbated existing ⁣tensions in a ⁤region already grappling ⁤with inter-communal violence.

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Sweida operation was not aimed at revenge or ⁢escalation,but at preserving the peace and unity of the country. Syrian troops, they asserted, were ready to re-engage to end the communal violence⁢ there “whenever appropriate⁤ conditions arise, ⁣including clear guarantees from the United States that Israel will‍ not intervene.”

Escalating Tensions and Minority Fears

The intervention by government forces followed clashes that began on July 13 ‍between Druze and Bedouin tribes in Sweida city,stemming ⁤from a long-running feud. These internal conflicts have unluckily led to significant bloodshed, with reports of dead bodies in Sweida⁤ being verified by ⁣Reuters, though ⁤the perpetrators and ‍exact timing of the ⁣killings could not be independently confirmed.

A regional‍ intelligence source indicated that the Syrian leadership, specifically under the⁢ command of Sharaa, has struggled to maintain ‍control on the⁢ ground due to ‍a lack⁣ of a disciplined military. This reliance on a patchwork of militia groups,⁣ some with a history of Islamic militancy, has contributed to the volatile ⁤situation. The source also pointed to sectarian violence in Syria’s⁣ coastal ⁤region in March, were hundreds of people from⁣ the Alawite minority were reportedly killed by forces aligned with Sharaa.

This escalating violence and the deep distrust among minority communities towards Sharaa’s government have fueled significant concern. A senior Gulf Arab official expressed “real fears that ‍Syria is ‍heading towards being⁣ broken up into statelets.”

US Denounces Israeli Strikes,⁤ Undermining Diplomatic Efforts

Adding a significant ⁣layer ‍of complexity, the United States has publicly stated that it ⁣”did not support” Israel’s strikes‍ on Sweida this week. This stance comes as a surprise to⁣ some,notably given the US’s evolving engagement with the Syrian government.

In February, reuters reported⁤ that⁤ Israel had initially lobbied the US⁢ to maintain a weak and decentralized Syria following the potential fall of President Bashar ⁣al-Assad.However, US policy appeared to shift in May⁢ when President Donald Trump met with Sharaa, announcing the lifting of‍ all US sanctions and encouraging ⁣Israeli engagement with Damascus, despite⁢ skepticism from ⁤much of Israel’s political establishment.

The Israeli strikes also caught American business ⁢interests in Syria off guard. Executives from three US-based energy companies arrived in Damascus for meetings just hours⁤ before ⁤the capital city was targeted. Jonathan Bass, CEO of Argent LNG and the lead organizer of the delegation, stated he had been reassured by Washington that the violence in Sweida would⁢ not escalate to ⁢Damascus. The executives were in ‍the process of ‍pitching an energy project to Syria’s ⁣finance minister when the strikes occured.

the situation underscores the precarious balance of power and the complex⁤ geopolitical dynamics at play in Syria, where internal conflicts ‍and external interventions threaten to plunge‍ the nation into further chaos.

Members of the Druze community in Israel and their supporters wave a Druze ⁣flag and raise placards near the US Embassy in Jerusalem ⁤to show solidarity with their⁣ community in neighbouring Syria,on 16 ⁣July 2025.
Photo:‍ Ahmad Gharabli /‍ AFP