Report: Israel arms the Druze militia in al-Suwayda in southern Syria

A report by the Arab website 'Al-Modon' claims that Israel is accelerating the arming of the Druze militia in al-Suwayda, southern Syria. Druze leaders traveled to the Golan Heights and met with IDF officers after the arrival of military aid from Israel.

A report by the Arab website 'Al-Modon', cited in the article, claims that Israel is accelerating the arming of the Druze militia in the al-Suwayda district of southern Syria. According to sources, armed groups affiliated with Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the Druze leader in al-Suwayda, now possess American-made M16 and M4 rifles. It was also reported that Druze leaders from the district traveled to the Golan Heights on Thursday, October 15, and met with IDF officers, following the arrival of a military aid shipment from Israel. The report comes amid tensions between Damascus and the Druze under al-Hijri's leadership, and against the backdrop of a show of solidarity with Israel in al-Suwayda marking three years since the October 7 massacre. The Syrian Center for Human Rights reported 100 Israeli strikes in Syria since the beginning of 2026, including six airstrikes and 94 ground strikes, in which six people were killed. The article relies on indirect sources and does not include an official response from the Syrian side.