Sectarian Violence Rocks Syria’s Druze City Sweida as Israeli Airstrikes Hit Damascus and Gaza, Catholic Church in Gaza Damaged

Southern Syria’s Druze-majority city of Sweida has been engulfed in brutal sectarian violence between local Druze militias, Sunni Bedouin tribes, and Syrian government forces. Over the past week, nearly 600 people have been killed according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The city suffered widespread destruction with looting, homes burnt, and bodies left in the streets. 

Following intense fighting, Syrian troops pulled out of the Sweida province on Thursday under a fragile ceasefire. Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated that local community leaders would resume security control, emphasizing the need for unity amid deep sectarian distrust.

Reports circulated of Syrian forces abusing Druze residents, including forced shaving of mustaches, considered a profound humiliation. The UN’s humanitarian agency estimated nearly 2,000 families displaced in the violence, which has severely disrupted civilian life.

Israel launched multiple airstrikes against Syrian government military sites in Damascus and the Sweida region aiming to prevent military build-up near its borders and protect the Druze community. The strikes included an attack on the Defense Ministry compound in Damascus and outskirts of Sweida.

The air raids reportedly killed several people in Damascus and intensified tensions between Syria and Israel. Israeli officials warned the strikes would continue until Syrian forces withdrew from the Druze heartland.

In Gaza, an Israeli airstrike damaged the city’s sole Catholic church, causing casualties among worshippers and civilians nearby. The attack drew sharp condemnation from UN Secretary-General António Guterres who decried the strike as unacceptable and a violation of protections for places of worship.

The ongoing violence in the region, including the clashes in Syria and strikes in Gaza, risks undermining fragile peace prospects in the Middle East. The escalation has triggered mass displacement, with thousands forced to flee violence and insecurity.