Israeli Helicopter Delivers ‘Aid’ to Syrian Druze Amid Intensified Bombing Campaign
Sweida (Quds News Network)- Israeli public broadcasting admitted that an Israeli Air Force helicopter landed in Sweida, southern Syria, on Friday. The helicopter delivered ‘aid and equipment’ to Syrian Druze. Syrian media had reported that an Israeli helicopter landed in the Syrian city for a few minutes.
An unnamed Israeli security source stated that the decision to send what he referred to as ‘aid’ to the Syrian Druze was made with political leadership approval. The source claimed the assistance aims to help the Druze in Sweida face ‘humanitarian challenges’. Locals fear that the Israelis had sent weapons to the Syrian city to escalate the situation between them and the Syrian government.
These developments follow a night of intense Israeli airstrikes across various regions in Syria. Israel has threatened to escalate its actions under the pretext of protecting the Syrian Druze from their government.
Syrian state news agency SANA reported that Israeli strikes targeted locations in the village of Shat’ha in northwestern Hama and the towns of Al-Tal and Harasta in the Damascus countryside. The attacks resulted in the death of one civilian and injuries to others.
On Friday morning, the Israeli military announced an airstrike near the presidential palace in Damascus. Israel described the strike as a “warning message” to the Syrian administration, which later labeled the attack as a “dangerous escalation.”
On Saturday, Israel claimed it evacuated five injured Syrian Druze for treatment in its hospitals. This brings the total number of Druze evacuees since Wednesday to 15, according to Anadolu Agency.
In its claims of defending Druze rights in Syria, Israel conducted airstrikes around Ashrafiyat Sahnaya on Wednesday, resulting in casualties among the Druze, according to SANA.
These developments come amid rising warnings that Israel seeks to exploit the Druze community to justify its intervention in Syria, while Damascus insists that all components of the population are equal in rights.
Since 1967, Israel has occupied most of the Golan Heights. It has taken advantage of the situation following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, occupying the Syrian buffer zone and declaring the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement between the two sides.
Although the new Syrian administration under Ahmad al-Shara insists that it does not pose any threat to Israel, Israel has conducted near-daily airstrikes on Syria for months, resulting in civilian casualties and the destruction of military sites, vehicles, and ammunition belonging to the Syrian army.
