Beirut/Jerusalem, July 19 2025 – After days of heavy airstrikes and ground fighting in southern Syria, Israel and its government reached a ceasefire agreement, announced by U.S. Envoy Tom Barrack on Friday. Backed by Turkey, Jordan, and neighboring countries, it comes after violence in Sweida province claimed over 300 lives and displaced tens of thousands (Reuters/AP News).
Last week, tensions escalated between Druze militias and Bedouin tribal fighters, prompting Damascus to send government units into Sweida. Israel responded with airstrikes on southern Syria and Damascus while maintaining that its action was necessary in defense of Druze citizens residing within Israel as opposed to troop deployments south of Damascus; This assertion led to Israel carrying out airstrikes targeting southern Syria and Damascus and their Syrian allies, with The Guardian +15, Reuters +15 and AP News +15
Envoy Barrack, who serves as U.S. ambassador to Turkey, confirmed the ceasefire on social media platform Twitter: “We call upon Druze, Bedouins, Sunnis to lay down their weapons and join with other minorities to forge a new and united Syrian identity” Axios @ 8
Reuters @8
CBS News at 8.
The truce includes granting temporary, limited entry permits to Syrian internal security forces into Sweida for 48 hours to help restore order. Wiki + 10; Reuters +10
The Syrian presidency responded quickly, warning of any violations to Syria’s sovereignty and promising to deploy forces to protect civilians and prevent further violence (Wikipedia +13 for The Guardian article).
As global concerns have grown over human rights abuses in the province, including field executions, kidnappings and obstruction of humanitarian aid (Reuters), these abuses were met with international condemnation and condemnation from governments around the world.
Casualties & Humanitarian Crisis
Human rights groups and UN monitors report over 300 deaths–composed of Druze fighters, Bedouin combatants, government troops, and civilians–with up to 80,000 displaced individuals as reported by The Sun (PS) +6 and Reuters (+6), respectively.
Residents in Sweida described scenes of desperation: For four days now there has been no electricity, fuel, food or drink – none at all,” one told Reuters (Reuters +2). Reuters [+2], The Guardian (+2).
Humanitarian groups are demanding unimpeded relief access.
Israel’s decision to allow limited Syrian security force deployment signals a significant shift. Up until now, Israel had insisted that any army be kept north of Sweida in order to avoid further threats to Druze communities, according to The Times +8 and Reuters.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted his administration’s disapproval of Israeli airstrikes while applauding diplomacy that resulted in the ceasefire with Wikipedia (+1), yet also praised it for achieving this outcome (+1).
This diplomatic achievement follows months of U.S.-led advanced talks aimed at normalizing relations and reinstating Syria within a post-war order – possibly including steps toward the Abraham Accords with Israel
Wikipedia.
Outlook: Fragile Peace or Fresh Escalation? Military hostilities have temporarily subsided, yet observers caution the ceasefire is fragile as thousands of Bedouin fighters remain present and violence flares intermittently in the region (Reuters).
The deployment of limited Syrian forces and temporary Israeli restraint may only last briefly, depending on broader diplomatic momentum.
Regional and international actors now face urgent tasks: upholding the ceasefire, opening humanitarian corridors, and addressing sectarian grievances. Failure would threaten to overturn this week’s delicate balance restored and possibly reigniting yet another theater of Syria’s long civil war.