Syria Deploys Troops to Sweida Amid Israeli Military Buildup and Druze Militia Activity

Syria has dispatched troops to bolster its southern province of Sweida, a move that comes amid increased Israeli military activity in the region. Security sources suggest these Israeli actions may be preparatory for establishing a military base. The Syrian reinforcements are heading to a front line in Sweida, a province where Druze minority members have organized militias, reportedly with Israeli backing.

Sweida, considered the heartland of the Druze community, represents one of several obstacles to a US-brokered peace initiative between Syria and Israel. Tensions have escalated since an inconclusive US-backed meeting in Jordan in August, with Israel reportedly expanding its military presence within Syrian territory in provinces east of Sweida. Reports indicate that increased Israeli involvement in Sweida could strengthen the Sweida National Guard, a coalition of Druze militias allied with Hikmat Al Hijri, the paramount Druze spiritual leader in Syria. Al Hijri has previously denounced the post-Bashar Al Assad Syrian government as extremist and advocated for a new constitution.

Over the last two weeks, approximately 1,000 Syrian soldiers, primarily from rural Damascus, have arrived in western Sweida in stages via pick-up trucks, according to sources. This deployment increases the total number of government troops in the area to 3,000. A Syrian security official has confirmed the arrival of these reinforcements. Sources also indicate that Israel has been airlifting equipment into the province's interior, potentially in preparation for base construction.

Government forces, notably the Syrian Army's Fourth Corps, have maintained a presence surrounding the city of Sweida since last year. One source stated that the Sweida National Guard militias have established control over 10 hills surrounding the provincial capital. Israeli helicopters have been observed delivering surveillance, radar, and other equipment to these strategic locations. "Securing the hills would protect any base that they could be planning. It would also increase Israel’s warning capabilities against Iranian attacks," a source with connections to National Guard members commented.

Last year, Israel established positions within the Quneitra and Deraa governorates, which were seen as a precursor to extending a military line parallel to the occupied Golan Heights. "Israel has been raising the capabilities of the National Guard, so the Syrian army has to factor in the possibility of a Druze offensive," the source added.

The Syrian reinforcements have maintained a low profile to avoid provoking an Israeli response, given Israel's past air strikes against government forces aimed at preventing attacks on Syria's Druze population. In July 2025, Israeli airstrikes halted a Syrian government offensive intended to subdue Sweida, a province with a majority Druze population. While Druze forces retained control of Sweida city, government forces subsequently captured over 30 Druze villages west and north of the city, resulting in approximately 1,700 casualties, predominantly Druze.

A source emphasized that Damascus cannot afford to appear inactive while Israel expands its military footprint in the country. For the past 22 months, Syria's central government has been managed by elements of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, a former Al Qaeda affiliate, following their ousting of Bashar Al Assad in December 2024. However, neither the Sweida Druze nor the current authorities desire a resumption of hostilities. The army is wary of triggering an Israeli reaction, while Al Hijri recognizes that conflict could increase the vulnerability of Druze communities outside Sweida, particularly in Damascus, to sectarian attacks, according to the source.

In March 2025, Israeli air force strikes targeted locations near Damascus to thwart attacks by pro-government gunmen on Druze neighborhoods, which resulted in numerous fatalities. US envoy Tom Barrack recently discussed the Sweida situation with President Ahmad Al Shara during a visit to Damascus, as confirmed by a western diplomat. Barrack had previously brokered an unsuccessful deal in September of the previous year involving Syria, Washington, and Jordan to resolve the Sweida issue. Barrack described Syria's role as