The Druze religious sect, enmeshed in an outbreak of tit-for-tat violence in Syria, began roughly 1,000 years ago as an offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam.

They were driven by something else: a sense of responsibility toward the Druze community in Syria.Past strikes typically followed a narrow script: preventing weapons transfers, blocking entrenchment near the border,

Israel is the primary beneficiary of what’s happening in Suwayda. It is using the security vacuum to incite divisions and push some communities toward seeking protection,’ Sheikh Sami Abil-Mona tells

A catastrophic UK security breach has exposed over 100 MI6 agents, special forces operatives, and nearly 19,000 Afghan allies who worked with British troops during the Afghanistan war. The leak occurred in 2022 via a misdirected email but was suppressed by a court gag order.

DAMASCUS, Syria — Renewed clashes broke out overnight between Druze armed groups and members of Bedouin clans in southern Syria, and government forces were preparing to deploy again to the area Friday after pulling out under a ceasefire agreement that halted several days of violence earlier this week, officials said.

The United States said it did not support recent Israeli strikes on Syria and had made clear its displeasure, while Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of trying to fracture his country.

As Israel claimed to target Syria in defence of the Druze minority, powerful Druze voices have pushed back. Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna, Lebanon's spiritual Druze leader, called Israel's "protection" both harmful to Druze history.

Hundreds of Druze from Israel pushed across the border in solidarity with their Syrian cousins they feared were under attack. Many then met relatives they had never seen before.