UN says it has credible reports of summary executions during Syria fighting

The UN human rights chief says his office has received credible reports indicating widespread violations and abuses, including summary executions and arbitrary killings, during the recent violence in the southern city of Suweida. Among the alleged …

Dead relatives and looted homes: Syria’s Druze reel as dust settles from bloodshed

BEIRUT — One elderly man had been shot in the head in his living room. Another in his bedroom. The body of a woman lay in the street. After days of bloodshed in Syria’s Druze city of Sweida, survivors emerged on Thursday to collect and bury the scores of …

Israel bombed Syria with “no real consultation”

Akiva Eldar on Israel’s attack on Damascus – framed as protecting Syria’s Druze community. Political analyst Akiva Eldar talks about Israel’s strike on Damascus – framed as protecting Syria’s Druze community – but says the government acted without proper …

Key players in Syria's latest violence, from the Druze and Bedouin to government forces

THE DRUZE The Druze are Arabs who follow a religion derived from a branch of Islam. They maintain a degree of secrecy about the practice of their faith that emerged in the 11th century and incorporates elements from Islam and other philosophies, …

Israel's strike on Syria: Defending the Druze and standing up for justice - editorial

Almost 600 killed in south Syria violence, monitoring group says

Emir NaderBBC News Reporting fromJerusalem ShareSave The fighting was sparked by a dispute between the Bedouin and Druze communities A monitoring group says 594 people have been killed during the recent violence in southern Syria that took on a sectarian …

What’s the real motive behind Israel’s involvement in Syria?

Israel has repeatedly bombed Damascus, saying it is defending the Druze minority. Israeli warplanes have struck Damascus – part of a wave of cross-border strikes that have put the region on edge. Israel says the attacks are to protect the Druze minority in …

News Analysis: Israeli airstrikes in Syria deepen tensions with Türkiye

by Burak Akinci ANKARA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airstrikes on Syria have sharpened tensions between Türkiye and Israel, two regional powers with conflicting agendas and rival military footprints in the war-torn country, Turkish analysts have said. …

Israel says sending humanitarian aid to Druze in Syria

by Naharnet Newsdesk 18 July 2025, 12:11 Israel said Friday it was sending humanitarian aid to Syria's Sweida province, following days of deadly clashes in the Druze heartland. "In light of the recent attacks targeting the Druze community in …

Smuggling attempts to Hezbollah increasing via Syria, report says

by Naharnet Newsdesk 18 July 2025, 13:02 Tehran is reportedly making new efforts to arm its allies including Hezbollah across the Middle East. Senior fellow at the Washington Institute for near east policy Michael Knights said that "Iran is rebuilding …