STORY: Convoys of Syrian army tanks, trucks and motorcycles entered parts of Sweida city on Tuesday morning (July 15), after the Druze spiritual leadership said in a written statement that it would allow Syrian forces to enter the city to 'stop the bloodshed', calling on armed groups to surrender their weapons and cooperate with incoming troops.

Earlier this week, a new round of heavy fighting broke out between Druze armed groups and Bedouin fighters in Sweida province, leaving dozens dead and thousands displaced. Syria's defense and interior ministries dispatched units to quell the fighting and exert control over the province.

The upsurge in violence in the predominantly Druze city marks the latest challenge for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in a corner of Syria where Israel has vowed to protect the Druze minority.

Israel carried out strikes against Syrian government forces in the Sweida region of southern Syria on Tuesday, saying it was acting to protect the Druze minority and vowing to ensure the area near the Israeli border remained demilitarized.

A Reuters reporter heard at least four strikes as drones could be heard overhead and saw a damaged tank being towed away from the city, where bursts of gunfire were heard as violence entered a third day.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the military "to immediately strike regime forces and weaponry that were brought into the Sweida region ... for the regime’s operations against the Druze," they said in a statement.

"Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherhood alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel," they said. "We are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them and to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border with Syria.

Earlier on Tuesday an influential Druze leader, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, issued a statement accusing Syrian government forces of breaching a ceasefire and bombarding the city and called on fighters to confront government troops.

Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra later issued a statement declaring that a complete ceasefire was in place, and saying government forces would only open fire if fired upon.

For months, Druze leaders said they did not trust the new Syrian government and pushed back against the presence of their troops, saying they would secure Sweida with their own local fighters.

Neighbouring Israel also conducted strikes on Syrian troops in Sweida and near Damascus with the stated aim of protecting the Druze minority, which is an offshoot of Islam with adherents in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Syrian security forces enter Sweida following clashes

VIDEO SHOWS: SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES DEPLOYED IN SWEIDA COUNTRYSIDE / SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES ENTERING PREDOMINATELY DRUZE CITY OF SWEIDA FOLLOWING 2 DAYS OF CLASHES / VEHICLES ON FIRE AND SMOKE RISING IN SWEIDA / SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES FIRING

RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT.

SHOWS: SWEIDA COUNTRYSIDE, SYRIA (JULY 15, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. DAMAGED TANK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

2. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES ATOP A VEHICLE, RAISING SYRIAN FLAG

3. VARIOUS OF SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES ATOP, NEAR VEHICLES

4. TANK ON TANK TRANSPORTER / SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES DEPLOYED ON A ROAD

5. VARIOUS OF SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES MOVING WEAPONS ONTO MILITARY VEHICLE

6. VARIOUS OF SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES STANDING ON TANK BEING CARRIED BY TANK TRANSPORTER

7. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES GATHERED

8. TRUCKS CARRYING SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES DRIVING

9. VEHICLES DRIVING, WITH SOME TRANSPORTING SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES / SMOKE RISING IN THE BACKGROUND

10.`SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES STANDING NEAR VEHICLES PARKED ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD

11. SMOKE RISING NEAR HOUSES

12. TANK DRIVING THROUGH

13. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES ATOP VEHICLES / SMOKE IN THE BACKGROUND

14. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES WALKING WHILE SOME ARE ATOP VEHICLES / SMOKE RISING IN THE BACKGROUND

15. TANK TRANSPORTING SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES MOVING FORWARD BEHIND VEHICLES TRANSPORTING OTHER SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES

SWEIDA, SYRIA (JULY 15, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

16. SIGN READING (English/Arabic) 'Sweida'

17. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES ATOP VEHICLE WITH MACHINE GUNS FIRING / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE

18. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES DEPLOYED ON THE STREET

19. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES NEXT TO VEHICLE ON FIRE AS SMOKE RISES / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE

20. MEMBERS OF SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES WALKING AND FIRING WHILE ONE OF THEM IS FILMING WITH HIS PHONE / SMOKE RISING FROM VEHICLE ON FIRE / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE

21. MEMBER OF SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES WAVING WHILE ANOTHER ONE IS FIRING AS HE MOVES FORWARD / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE

22. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES DEPLOYED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS AUDIO OF GUNFIRE IS BEING HEARD

23. ARMED MEN AND SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES HIDING BEHIND ROCK / AUDIO SIRENS WAILING

24. MEMBER OF SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES STANDING NEXT TO TANK WHILE IT MOVES FORWARD

25. VARIOUS OF SMOKE RISING FROM VEHICLE ON FIRE NEAR BUILDING

26. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES STANDING ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD WHILE VEHICLES TRANSPORTING OTHER SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES DRIVE THROUGH

27. VEHICLE DRIVING IN FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE ON FIRE NEXT TO A BUILDING WHILE A MEMBER OF SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES STANDS NEARBY / SMOKE RISING / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE

28. SYRIAN SECURITY FORCES RAISING VICTORY SIGN AND THE SHAHADA FLAG, POSING