The Israeli army announced today that overnight it struck “infrastructure of the Syrian regime” in southern Syria in order to defend the Druze minority, according to its statement.

“Tonight, the IDF targeted headquarters and camps of the Syrian regime in southern Syria. This was in response to yesterday’s events, during which Druze civilians were attacked in the Suwayda province,” the Israeli army explained in a statement, without specifying the exact nature of those events.

At the same time, the Israeli armed forces warned that they “will not allow the Druze in Syria to become targets and will continue to ensure their protection.” They also noted that they are “closely monitoring developments in southern Syria.”

The Middle East has been plunged since February 28 into a cycle of violence that erupted after U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, with Tehran responding by launching attacks against countries in the region.

Tehran was one of the main supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown by an Islamist coalition now in power in Syria and hostile toward Iran and its allied Shiite movement in Lebanon, Hezbollah.

Who are the Druze

The Druze are an Arabic-speaking minority within Islam living in parts of Syria, northern Israel, Lebanon, and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

They are the only minority—along with the Circassians—allowed to serve in the Israeli Armed Forces.

Israel maintains close ties with the Druze in Syria, who often clash with Sunni Bedouin tribes and Syrian government forces.

In 2025, Israel—where more than 150,000 Druze live—intervened in southern Syria by bombing Syrian government forces in order to defend the minority.