Is Israel exploiting distrust between Syria’s Druze and Damascus?
Beyond the Headlines18 Heinä 2025

Is Israel exploiting distrust between Syria’s Druze and Damascus?

The city of Sweida in southern Syria became a battleground this week after a series of retaliatory attacks between Druze militiamen and Bedouin tribes escalated.

President Ahmad Al Shara's government deployed general security forces to the area, ostensibly to restore order. What followed were deadly confrontations and dozens of soldiers were killed. But residents of the Druze-majority city say the government's response was brutal. Populous neighbourhoods came under heavy shelling, forcing people to flee, and civilians were killed in the crossfire.

From across the border, Israel intervened with strikes on key government sites including the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Damascus. It stepped in to defend the Druze, Israeli officials said.

The violence killed hundreds of people before a ceasefire was announced on Wednesday. But what is at the root of the tension between this Druze minority and the new leadership in Syria? And why is Israel imposing itself on the conflict?

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher digs deep into the many complex layers that brought bloodshed to Sweida this week. She speaks to Syria experts and academics Rahaf Aldoughli and Joshua Landis, and we also hear from a Druze fighter involved in the conflict.

Jake Pace Lawrie contributed reporting to this episode.

Editor’s Note: We want to hear from you! Help us improve our podcasts by taking our 2-minute listener survey. Click here.

Jaksot(487)

How serious is the ISIS threat in Syria?

How serious is the ISIS threat in Syria?

After the US struck ISIS targets in Syria in late December, President Ahmad Al Shara’s government stepped up its own operations, carrying out weapons raids and arrests across the country. It came afte...

2 Tammi 20min

The year in impact: Our episodes that resonated the most in 2025

The year in impact: Our episodes that resonated the most in 2025

The profound transformations in the Middle East this past year have rippled far beyond the region, reshaping politics and alliances around the world. The US has taken a new interest in Syria. Lebanon ...

26 Joulu 202528min

How Yemen’s power balance is shifting again

How Yemen’s power balance is shifting again

Political power in Yemen is shifting once again, reigniting questions about who truly holds authority in the country and whether it is heading towards another fundamental rupture. The Southern Transit...

19 Joulu 202515min

What’s stalling phase two of the Gaza ceasefire?

What’s stalling phase two of the Gaza ceasefire?

Two months have passed since a ceasefire was announced in Gaza, but the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan has yet to materialise. The uncertainty has left Gazans anxious that t...

12 Joulu 202520min

One year since Assad’s fall: Where is Syria today?

One year since Assad’s fall: Where is Syria today?

A year has passed since Bashar Al Assad’s government fell in Syria, marking the end of a brutal civil war that lasted for almost 14 years. In the end, it took less than two weeks last December for an ...

5 Joulu 202533min

Is US pressure finally forcing Israel to address settler violence?

Is US pressure finally forcing Israel to address settler violence?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a cabinet meeting this month to discuss settler violence, but this sudden interest stands in stark contrast to years of inaction by the state. Settler ...

28 Marras 202516min

How Israel is obstructing reconstruction in Lebanon

How Israel is obstructing reconstruction in Lebanon

Israel has bombed Lebanon on an almost daily basis over the past year, despite a ceasefire being in place. Its army claims to be attacking Hezbollah, accusing the group of re-arming. But civilian infr...

21 Marras 202521min

What will it take to end the civil war in Sudan?

What will it take to end the civil war in Sudan?

When the Sudanese city of El Fasher fell to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in late October, the group gained control of the entire Darfur region and areas to the south-west. Their rivals, the S...

12 Marras 202519min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

uutiscast
aikalisa
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
politiikan-puskaradio
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
tervo-halme
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
rss-podme-livebox
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
rss-asiastudio
otetaan-yhdet
the-ulkopolitist
rss-hyvaa-huomenta-bryssel
rss-merja-mahkan-rahat
aihe
rikosmyytit
rss-kaikki-uusiksi
rss-raha-talous-ja-politiikka
rss-aijat-hopottaa-podcast
rss-polikulaari-pitka-kiekko-ja-muut-ts-podcastit