Israel is using the Druze community in southern Syria as a pretext to expand its influence beyond its borders while publicly framing the move as humanitarian assistance following the announcement of a financial aid package to the Syrian province of Suwayda on Friday.

Armed tribes supported by Syria’s government clashed with Druze fighters outside Sweida on Friday a day after government troops withdrew from

Israel said it "struck the entrance of the Syrian regime's military headquarters" and warns of more "painful blows".

Clashes that shook southern Syria this week have killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and drawn in an array of both local and international players, harking back to the dynamics of the country’s nearly 14-year civil war.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the situation as "complicated" but said it looked like a "misunderstanding".

After days of bloodshed in Syria's Druze city of Sweida, survivors emerged to collect and bury the scores of dead found across the city.

Members of Syria's Druze community are searching for loved ones and counting their dead after days of clashes in a southern province that left bloodied bodies of civilians on the streets and homes looted.

Israel carried out heavy airstrikes in the heart of Damascus on Wednesday, hitting Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters and an area near the presidential palace.

Bedouin commander says ceasefire only applies to Damascus government, declares offensive with aim to free Bedouins held by Druze, after regime's retreat during IDF strikes

Violence in Syria's Druze province has triggered Israeli military action, complicating relations with Turkey and creating a power vacuum that Iran could exploit.