STORY: Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Thursday (July 17) that protecting Druze citizens and their rights is "our priority," as Israel vowed to destroy Syrian government forces attacking Druze in southern Syria.

Sharaa was addressing Druze citizens in his first televised statement after powerful Israeli air strikes on Damascus on Wednesday (July 16).

“We are not among those who fear war. We are the ones who spent our lives facing challenges and defending our people,” he said.

Israel's airstrikes blew up part of Syria's defence ministry and hit near the presidential palace as it vowed to destroy government forces attacking Druze in southern Syria and demanded they withdraw.

The attacks marked a significant Israeli escalation against Sharaa's Islamist-led administration. They came despite his warming ties with the U.S. and his administration's evolving security contacts with Israel.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SYRIA’S INTERIM PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA MAKING TELEVISED STATEMENT

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: (UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, SYRIA) (AIRED JULY 17, 2025) (No use Syria / Must not obscure logo)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIA’S INTERIM PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA, SAYING:

“Dear noble Syrians, today, as we face a new challenge. We live in the heart of a battle aimed at protecting the unity of our country, the dignity of our people, and the steadfastness of our nation. Israel, which has been targeting our stability, and creating discord among us since the fall of the former regime, is now seeking once again to transform our pure land into an arena of endless chaos. It seeks to dismantle the unity of our people, and weaken our ability to move forward in the process of reconstruction and plunder.”

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIA’S INTERIM PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA, SAYING:

“It is a war with no goal other than the fragmentation of our homeland, and the dispersion of our efforts towards chaos and destruction. Syria is not a testing ground for foreign conspiracies, nor a place to implement the ambitions of others at the expense of the blood of our children and women. The Syrian state is the state of everyone, it is the dignity and pride of the homeland, it is the dream of every Syrian to see their homeland rebuild itself again."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIA’S INTERIM PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA, SAYING:

“I also address the Druze people, who are an integral part of the fabric of this nation. Syria will never be a place for division or fragmentation, or sowing discord among its people. We assure you that protecting your rights and freedom is one of our priorities, and we reject any effort that aims to drag you to an external party, or to create division within our ranks. We are all partners in this land, and we will not allow any group to distort this beautiful image that expresses Syria and its diversity.”

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIA’S INTERIM PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA, SAYING:

“Here, Israel resorted to extensive targeting of civilian and governmental facilities, to undermine efforts, which greatly complicated the situation, and pushed matters to a large-scale escalation. If it weren’t for the effective intervention of American, Arab and Turkish mediation, which saved the region from an unknown fate.”

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIA’S INTERIM PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA, SAYING:

“Open war with Israel at the expense of the Druze people and their security is destabilising Syria and the entire region. Between allowing the Druze leaders and sheikhs to return to their homes, and giving priority to the national interest over those who want to tarnish the reputation of the honourable people of the mountains. We are not among those who fear war. We are the ones who spent our lives facing challenges and defending our people.”

10. WHITE FLASH

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIA’S INTERIM PRESIDENT AHMED AL-SHARAA, SAYING:

“But we put the interests of the Syrians before chaos and destruction, so the best choice at this stage was to make a careful decision to protect the unity of our country and the safety of its people, based on the supreme national interest. We decided to assign some local factions and sheikhs the responsibility of maintaining security in Sweida. I stress that this decision stems from our deep awareness of the seriousness of the situation for our national unity, and to avoid the country slipping into a large-scale war.”