Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s interim president, delivered a televised address to the nation following a new wave of Israeli airstrikes and mounting violence in the southern city of As-Suwayda. He warned that Syria must not become a battlefield as Israel intends, yet emphasized the nation's resolve to defend its sovereignty.
“We are not among those who fear war. We’ve spent our lives confronting hardship and protecting our people, always placing the interests of Syrians above chaos and destruction,” al-Sharaa declared, as quoted by SANA.
The Israeli strikes come amid escalating clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin groups, especially in As-Suwayda. On July 15, the Syrian army entered the provincial capital to conduct a security sweep.
Addressing the Druze community, al-Sharaa called them “an inseparable part of the Syrian nation” and guaranteed their protection. He promised that all those responsible for attacks against the Druze would face justice.
“Syria will never become a place of discord among its own people. We assure you that safeguarding your rights and freedoms is one of our top priorities. We reject any attempt to draw you into foreign agendas. We are all partners on this land,” he said.
Al-Sharaa also addressed the unrest in As-Suwayda, blaming “criminal groups accustomed to chaos and rebellion” for the violence. He accused their leaders of refusing dialogue for months and pursuing personal interests over the nation’s wellbeing.
The tensions between the new Syrian government and the Druze stem from two major issues: efforts to disarm local Druze militias and integrate them into national structures, and Druze fears of political exclusion. While Damascus seeks to unify all armed factions under state control, the Druze demand to retain their arms and independent status. Currently, the new government includes just one Druze minister, further fueling concerns of marginalization.
