Israeli warplanes carried out at least seven air raids before dawn on the rural outskirts of al-Thaala Military Airport and the village of al-Shaqrawiya in Suwayda province, Syrian state and opposition outlets reported. Local sources told Syria TV that the strikes caused “unspecified human losses” near the air base, while separate raids hit suspected supply routes around Sweida city.
Although Israeli media had earlier suggested U.S. coordination, a senior U.S. defense official flatly denied any joint planning. Channel 12 later reported that Israel pledged to Washington it would halt attacks on Syria after Wednesday evening—a claim neither government has confirmed publicly.
Sweida Engulfed in Street-to-Street Fighting
The airstrikes did little to stem violent clashes that have raged inside Sweida and on its northern approaches for a third consecutive day. Syrian Army units, backed by Interior Ministry forces, launched what officers called a “three-axis push” to expel the Druze-led al-Hajri militias and cut rebel supply corridors across the volcanic Jabal al-Arab plateau.
Residents described continuous machine-gun and mortar fire echoing through normally quiet neighborhoods. A security checkpoint in nearby al-Sanamayn, Daraa countryside, was sprayed with automatic weapons overnight by unidentified gunmen, underscoring the volatility across the south.
Symbolic Sites Targeted
Amid the chaos, unknown assailants torched the historic Church of Archangel Michael in al-Soura al-Kabira village, north of Sweida, just 48 hours after the surrounding area witnessed heavy fighting. Photographs circulating online show the nave roof collapsed and icons blackened by smoke. In central Damascus, civil defense crews spent the morning extinguishing a separate blaze that swept through trees near al-Wahda Sports Club in the al-Mazraa district.
Druze Leadership Issues Dire Warning
In an emotionally charged video, the community’s spiritual leader, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, declared that Druze in Syria face “a war of extermination,” accusing Damascus of breaking recent truces and shelling civilians “without restraint.” The sheikh implored Syrians of all sects to “stand united or accept decades of humiliation.”
Humanitarian System Under Strain
The National Hospital in Sweida appealed for all available doctors and nurses to report immediately as the number of casualties mounted. North Press recorded waves of displacement from hard-hit quarters after stray mortar rounds struck residential blocks Tuesday afternoon. Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew starting 08:00 a.m. to prevent further civilian movement amid “continuing security operations.”
Calls for De-Escalation
The political wing of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), warned that spiraling violence in Sweida “only deepens Syria’s wounds” and urged dialogue over arms. Yet, far to the north, its military arm—the YPG—dispatched 150 pick-ups with anti-aircraft guns from Raqqa toward Deir Hafir, east of Aleppo, after a firefight with government troops, highlighting how fronts nationwide remain interconnected.
International Stakes
Israel’s strikes came hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated a commitment to keep southwestern Syria “demilitarized,” while Syrian government advances aimed to isolate Sweida’s city center from the mountain hinterland. Analysts note that the simultaneous U.S. pullout from the Tal Baydar and Jabal Abdul Aziz bases in Hasakah could further shuffle alliances if Washington opts to downsize its footprint.
Photo: North Press