Syria: Who are the Druze and why is Israel attacking?

Syria's leader Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel on Thursday of sowing discord with a wave of airstrikes following deadly clashes with the Druze community.

Syria's leader accused Israel on Thursday of sowing discord with a wave of intense airstrikes following deadly sectarian clashes that threatened the country's fragile unity and illustrated its neighbor's capacity to attack across the region.

In a televised speech, Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa promised to protect the rights and freedom of Syria's Druze community — and avoid an “open war” with Israel. He said Syria "will never be a place for division or fragmentation."

His comments came after the Syrian government and leaders in the Druze community announced a renewed ceasefire Wednesday after days of clashes in the southern city of Sweida threatened the relative stability achieved in the country since the toppling of the Assad regime in December.

A previous ceasefire to end the violence in Sweida quickly crumbled so it was unclear whether the latest truce would hold.

Israel launched rare strikes in Damascus and elsewhere on Wednesday in a campaign it said was aimed at defending the Druze, who also have a strong presence in Israel and are considered a valued minority — as well as forcing Islamic militants away from its border.