Country: Syrian Arab Republic Source: Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project Please refer to the attached file. Author: Ameneh MehvarIsrael’s 16 July strikes in Syria — including direct hits on al-Suwayda, Daraa, and the Defense Ministry in Damascus — mark another sharp escalation in what has become a sustained military campaign since December 2024. Between the fall of the Assad regime and this week’s strikes, Israel carried out over 280 instances of violence across Syria, including at least 140 in the south (see map below), where it has been expanding its footprint by seizing the Syrian-controlled Golan buffer zone. Israel, which is demanding a complete demilitarization of southern Syria, has sought to leverage divisions within minority communities and clashes with government and pro-government forces by positioning itself as the protector of the Druze.The current flashpoint is al-Suwayda, where intercommunal violence has surged amid deepening fragmentation among local actors. On 13 July, fighting erupted between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes, after Druze fighters retaliated for the kidnapping of a local merchant by Bedouin tribesmen near al-Suwayda. The violence escalated into sectarian reprisals. After Syrian government forces deployed to the area to restore order, further clashes broke out and field executions were reportedly carried out by regime-linked forces.1 Hundreds of people were killed in the initial four days of clashes.2In response, Israel launched targeted airstrikes on al-Suwayda and Damascus, reinforced its military presence along the border, and issued public statements warning the Syrian government against harming the Druze or allowing the “buildup of a threat” along the southern border.3 This outbreak follows months of mounting tensions across Druze areas, where neither the authorities aligned with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) nor the local Druze factions have been able to assert control. The Druze, for their part, remain divided: Some factions have pursued integration and cooperation with Damascus, while others demand autonomy and reject disarmament. A minority have even expressed cautious interest in Israeli support as a counterweight to regime pressure.As reports emerge of renewed fighting in al-Suwayda just a day after a 17 July ceasefire with Druze leaders saw the withdrawal of Syrian troops, the mix of local rivalries, contested security, and Israeli influence means things are far from settled.