Chaos in Syria after Israel drops bombs to protect brutally persecuted Druze minority

"Israel launching its most intense airstrikes on Damascus in years amid deadly clashes

between Druze factions and government forces in the south.
The renewed conflict, centred on the province of Suwayda in the south, threatens the country’s fragile post-war political transition and has already left hundreds dead, including civilians and soldiers.
The immediate trigger for the violence was the abduction of a Druze merchant in Suwayda on 13 July, which quickly spiralled into armed confrontations between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin tribes. The situation worsened when government troops attempted to restore order but ended up clashing with local Druze fighters – and in some cases, were accused of targeting civilians." Independent