Israeli forces launched air strikes on Suwayda in southern Syria on Tuesday, hours after the Syrian government announced a ceasefire to halt ongoing clashes in the predominantly Druze city. Syria’s Ministry of Interior accused Israel of backing armed groups

Washington and Jerusalem have kept a watchful eye on Damascus ever since the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime by Sunni Muslim rebels in December. Of greatest concern has been the level of solidarity the new Syrian government maintains with ISIS — the terrorist organization that Syrian interim president

Druse militiamen have been fighting with Bedouins in the Sweida Province, and Syrian government forces and the Israeli military are getting involved.

The ceasefire followed deadly clashes between the Druze of Suwayda and Bedouin tribes that left over 100 people dead.

The Syrian Catholic archbishop of Homs in Syria, Jacques Mourad, has issued an urgent appeal for the future of the Christian presence in that country.

This matters because if ISIS is on the rise in parts of Syria, then it will require coordination between Damascus and the SDF. The SDF controls a third of Syria.

The development of Syria’s energy sector is crucial for the Syrian government as it is witnessing a major transformation in light of international diplomatic and economic openness that has resulted in various agreements, with the aim of modernizing the infrastructure and achieving energy security.