Tel Aviv [Israel], March 20 (ANI): Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Friday said that its overnight strikes in southern Syria targeted a command centre and combat equipment at the military camps in response to the attack on Druze civilians in As-Suwayda region.

Sharing the details in a post on X, the IDF said that it would not tolerate harm to the Druze people in Syria and act for their protection. IDF further said that it continues to monitor the developments in southern Syria and would thus act in accordance with the directions from the political leadership.

'In response to attacks against the Druze population in the As-Suwayda area: IDF strikes Syrian regime infrastructure in southern Syria The IDF struck overnight a command center and combat equipment in Syrian regime military camps in the southern Syria area. This was in response to yesterday's events in which Druze civilians were attacked in the As-Suwayda area. The IDF will not tolerate harm to Druze in Syria and will continue to act for their protection. The IDF continues to monitor developments in southern Syria and will act in accordance with the directives of the political echelon.'

https://x.com/idfonline/status/2034875081034236203?s=20

The statement by IDF comes as Israeli media outlet the Jerusalem Post reported on citing local Druze media that Syrian internal security forces were targeted with mortar shells, after which heavily armed groups from the National Guard Druze paramilitary group were seen moving in the Sweida area.

Citing an independent international commission of enquiry report published last week by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Jerusalem Post highlighted minorities have faced abductions, sexual violence, and arbitrary detentions.The Druze are an ethnoreligious minority group.

Of the one million population, the community lives mainly in Syria and Lebanon, with 104,000 in Israel, including about 18,000 in the Golan and several thousands who emigrated to Europe and North and South America, as noted by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In Israel, the community has a special standing among the country's minority groups, with its members attaining high-level positions in the political, public and military spheres.

The strikes in Syria come amid the backdrop of West Asia and the Gulf region already facing tensions due to the conflict between US-Israel and Iran--which escalated further after several leaders of the Iranian top brass were killed in US-Israeli strikes in Iran. (ANI)