Israel and Syria have reached a ceasefire agreement following several days of intense fighting in the predominantly Druze region of Sweida, which left more than 300 people dead, according to the U.S. envoy to Turkey.
The truce comes after Israel launched airstrikes on Damascus and targeted Syrian government forces in southern Syria on Wednesday, demanding their withdrawal. Israel stated that its actions were aimed at protecting the Druze community—a small but influential minority with populations in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.
“We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to lay down their arms and work together with other minorities to build a new, united Syrian identity,” said Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, in a post on X (formerly twitter).
Barrack added that the ceasefire was brokered with the support of Turkey, Jordan, and other neighboring countries. As part of the agreement, Israel will allow limited access for Syrian government troops to parts of Sweida.
The Israeli Embassy in Washington and the Syrian Consulate in Canada have not yet responded to requests for comment.