As clashes intensify, Israel allows some Syrian regime forces into Sweida

After Israeli strikes in Syria, including the Syrian capital, Netanyahu said his clear policy was that the area south of Damascus, from the Golan Heights and up to the Druze Mountain, would be demilitarized.

"The Syrian regime violated our policy – demilitarization of the area south of Damascus, from the Golan to the Druze Mountain region, and protection of our Druze brothers." Netanyahu said on Thursday. "The Syrian regime, they began to slaughter Druze in an area that should be demilitarized. We could not accept this. We will not allow military forces to move south of Damascus, and we will not allow harm to the Druze."

He said he instructed the military to act with force. "As a result of the IDF's actions, a ceasefire came into effect and Syrian forces withdrew back to Damascus. This is important and it was achieved through strength, not through requests or through begging. Through strength," Netanyahu said in his video post. "We will not allow military forces south of Damascus and will not allow harm to come to the Druze living in Druze Mountain."

Israeli Druze who have been watching events unfold said Israel was allowing Jihadist to enter Sweida. "How are we being deserted like this?" some asked. "Our sect will not survive under the hellish al-Sharaa regime," one Israeli member of the Druze community said. "If Israel is deserting us, we will leave. We will not live here anymore. This is a red line that is being crossed and there is no turning back."

Members of the Syrian opposition have claimed in recent days that it was regime forces who committed the massacre of Druze in Sweida although according to reports, the atrocities were committed by Bedouin tribes.

Regime supporters have described the Druze on social media as armed militias and claimed regime forces were there to return order.