Syrian minority the Druze were at the center of a new conflict, following another outbreak of violence. What began as fighting between local Bedouin groups and Druze turned into an international conflict that saw Israel bombing the center of the Syrian capital, Damascus, this week. A ceasefire has been declared and the death toll stands at over 300. 

Who are the Druze?

The Druze have a long history in the Middle East, with communities spread across several countries in the region. 

The Druze community is a small Middle Eastern religious sect characterized by an eclectic system of doctrines. They practice a unique Abrahamic religion (the Abrahamic group includes Christianity, Islam and Judaism) which developed from a branch of Shia Islam. However the Druze do not identify as Muslim. They believe in reincarnation and do not accept converts. 

In Syria, they are estimated to number around 700,000 and make up about 3% of the country's population. The other main groups in Syria are Sunnis, who make up about 70% of the population, Alawites who make up about 10% and Shia, 3%. The Druze have pressed the new, interim Syrian government, which is Sunni-dominated, to uphold minority rights.

Where do they live?

There are around a million Druze worldwide. In Syria, Druze communities are located predominantly in the southern Sweida province, and the Jaramana and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya neighborhoods of the Syrian capital Damascus.

Druze communities are also located in Lebanon, Israel and Jordan.

An estimated 150,000 Druze live in Israel and some 20% hold Israeli citizenship. They are eligible for conscription and senior Druze military officers are considered important to the state of Israel. Most live in the north of Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Druze relationship with Syria

Following the collapse of the authoritarian Assad regime in Syria, there have been mixed responses from the Druze community to the interim government headed by former rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa.

Some Druze leaders have voiced support for a unified and pluralistic Syria and have expressed willingness to work with the interim government. Others have taken a more confrontational stance. The Druze also operate their own security forces and have resisted centralization under the new government. 

More than 100 Druze were killed in clashes with government forces earlier in 2025, which also claimed the lives of some 1,700 people, most of them from the Alawite minority.

Following the withdrawal of government forces from Sweida this week, al-Sharaa pledged to protect the Druze community from violence, saying he would hold accountable "those who transgressed and abused our Druze people, as they are under the protection and responsibility of the state."

The Druze relationship with Israel

Israel's government says it wants to protect Syria's Druze and there is some support for this position among Israeli Druze. Although there are different factions and opinions within Syria's Druze community, observers say the majority reject Israel's offers of "protection."

Analysts see Israel's posture as a pretext to limit Syrian influence in the south of the country. Israel's prime minister has previously demanded "the complete demilitarization of southern Syria."  Israeli troops have also been observed moving beyond buffer zones between Israel and Syria, further into the south of Syria. 

Edited by: Cathrin Schaer