Damascus is reportedly coordinating with the United States to assert control over Jabal al-Arab, the southern Syrian region home to the majority of the Druze population, Israeli broadcaster KAN News reported, citing a Syrian official.
According to the official, American support comes with strict conditions: Syrian operations must not threaten Israel’s national security, a caveat that has left Tel Aviv uneasy. The official, knowledgeable in military affairs, added that the Syrian government believes Washington is aligned with President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s efforts to reassert authority over the province.
The Syrian government has yet to decide on a formal re-entry into Sweida, the official said, noting that the move is expected “sooner or later, hopefully through dialogue and understanding.”
KAN 11 reported that Israel, during recent negotiations with Syria, insisted that any security arrangements include a mechanism allowing Tel Aviv to open a humanitarian corridor into Sweida. Washington reportedly factored this request into its conditional support, emphasizing that operations must avoid harming Israel’s security and prevent atrocities similar to the October 2025 massacre, in which around 2,500 Druze were killed by state-backed factions.
Residents of Sweida expressed concern about the Syrian army’s potential return. An Israeli security source, quoted by KAN, warned that any attacks on the Druze could prompt expanded Israeli military action, underscoring that “escalation will be met with escalation.” Despite these tensions, the province has experienced relative calm in recent weeks.
Last July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his commitment to keeping southern Syria demilitarized, warning against the emergence of “a second Lebanon” near Israel’s border.
U.S.-mediated talks between Damascus and Jerusalem are expected soon, potentially in Paris, to finalize a security agreement and explore strategic and economic projects in buffer zones, a Syrian source told i24NEWS. Previous rounds of negotiations, according to Reuters, failed to produce a comprehensive agreement stabilizing the region.
As the situation unfolds, the balance between U.S. support, Syrian ambitions, and Israeli security concerns remains delicate, with the Druze population in Sweida at the center of the emerging geopolitical dynamics.
