Israel demands Damascus withdraw troops from Suwayda

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz urged the Syrian government to withdraw its forces from Suwayda, or it would ramp up its strikes.

"The IDF will continue to strike regime forces until they withdraw from the area, and will soon escalate its response against the regime if the message is not understood,” Israel Katz said.

According to the minister, "Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria and will enforce the demilitarization policy."

Clashes broke out in Al-Suwayda on July 13.  The Druze are an Arabic-speaking ethnic and religious group, whose representatives live in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan.