Syrian Forces and Druze Militias Agree to Ceasefire Amid Rising Tensions

Syrian government forces and Druze militias in Southern Syria agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday, according to reports from regional media outlets.

Syria’s state news agency confirmed that a truce had been brokered in the city of Sweida, where the Druze community forms the majority. Several Israeli and Arab media outlets have also reported this development.

Under the agreement, government forces will establish security checkpoints in the region. Sheikh Yousef Jarbou, a prominent Druze leader in Syria, outlined the terms of the ceasefire in a video shared by Arab news platforms.

According to Sheikh Jarbou, the terms of the agreement include the:

• securing of roads in the area by government forces;
• resumption of public institutions’ operation in Sweida;
• formation of a joint committee consisting of Druze representatives and regime officials to investigate “crimes and legal violations” committed during the recent unrest;
• and release of all individuals detained during clashes.

#BREAKING Ceasefire agreement reached in Suwayda, Syria, with security checkpoints deployed, full reintegration into state, Interior Ministry source tells official news agency SANA pic.twitter.com/YKIMshO2AV

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) July 16, 2025

Israeli airstrikes target Damascus

Earlier, Israeli airstrikes struck the Syrian Ministry of Defense headquarters in Damascus, intensifying the ongoing conflict in the country. Syria’s Ministry of Health reported that the strikes, which targeted the General Command of the Syrian Armed Forces, resulted in one fatality and eighteen injuries.

The bombardment caused heavy damage to a four-story building adjacent to the Ministry of Defense. According to journalists from Agence France-Presse on the ground, the once-bustling Umayyad Square near the complex was deserted save for ambulances and military vehicles that remain in the area.

Huge explosions were seen in Damascus as Israel bombed Syria’s defence ministry during a live Al Jazeera broadcast nearby. pic.twitter.com/Fe7N6xH02I

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 16, 2025

High casualties in Sweida clashes

Meanwhile, the death toll from the fighting in Sweida—a predominantly Druze city in southern Syria—has exceeded 300, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. A previous report had cited 248 deaths.

Sixty-nine Druze fighters and 40 civilians have been killed since violence broke out on Sunday, including 27 reportedly executed without trial by members of Syria’s Ministries of Defense and Interior. Additionally, 165 government troops, 18 Bedouin fighters, and 10 Syrian security personnel—killed in Israeli airstrikes—are among the dead.

Who are the Druze?

The Druze are a religious and ethnic minority in the Middle East, with populations primarily in Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, where they strive to maintain their distinct identity.

“The Druze are a transnational community that transcends geography,” said Makram Rabah, an associate professor of history at the American University of Beirut. With a population of over one million in the Middle East, the Druze have played a significant role in the region’s political and social history. Rabah noted that they are considered among the “foundational communities” of both Lebanon and Syria.

Druze beliefs trace back to the 11th century in Egypt, where the sect emerged as a branch of Shia Islam. Though still regarded as a form of esotericism within mainstream Islam, the Druze faith is wrapped in mysticism and includes elements such as the belief in reincarnation. “You wouldn’t know someone is Druze unless they tell you,” Rabah explained.