Syrian government officials and Druze leaders announced a renewed ceasefire on Wednesday evening, following several days of violent clashes that prompted intervention from neighbouring Israel.
It remained unclear whether the latest truce would hold, after a previous ceasefire declared just a day earlier quickly collapsed.
The new agreement was reported by Syrian state media and confirmed in a video statement by a Druze leader.
Clashes between government forces and Druze armed groups have raged for days in the southern Syrian city of Sweida.
The announcement came hours after Israel launched a series of airstrikes on targets in central Damascus, citing the need to protect the minority Druze community.
Following the strikes, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar slammed what he described as international inaction on minority persecution in Syria.
In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, Sa'ar said "a recurring phenomenon of persecution of minorities to the point of murder and pogroms in Syria" was unfolding, involving both regime forces and militias that formed the country's transitional government after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
"Sometimes it is the regime's forces. Sometimes it is Jihadist militias that are the basis of the regime. And usually - it is both," Sa'ar said. "What else needs to happen for the international community to make its voice heard?"
The Israeli foreign minister said there was a noticeable pattern of violence against several minority groups over the last six months, including "mass murders against the Alawites in northwestern Syria, on a very large scale" and "constant acts of hostility" toward Kurds in the country's north.
Sa'ar said militants burned down an ancient church in As-Suweyda province Tuesday, following an attack by the so-called IS group on another church the previous week. The recent violence against the Druze community, Sa'ar said, came with "very difficult images of the murder of civilians, of the humiliation of civilians."
"Israel's interests in this country are well known, limited and clear. First of all - to maintain the status quo in the southern Syrian region, which is also close to our border. And to prevent the development of threats against Israel in this area," Sa'ar said.
"The second thing - to prevent harm to the Druze community, with which we have a bold and strong relationship - with the Druze citizens here in Israel," he explained.
Further reinforcements to deploy along the border
Israeli forces conducted an airstrike Wednesday targeting the entrance to the Syrian General Staff compound in Damascus, in what Israel said was a response to the recent escalation of violence against the Druze minority.
An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson said in a statement that the military has acted "in accordance with the directives of the political leadership, and continues to be on alert to face various scenarios."
Syrian state television Al-Ekhbariya reported two civilians were injured in what it described as "Israeli aggression" targeting central Damascus.
Meanwhile, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said a decision was made to "reinforce the number of forces in the area of the security fence on the border with Syria."
According to Adraee, Israel "will not allow a military threat to exist in the south of the country."
Israeli airstrikes also targeted Syrian military positions in Sweida province, where armed clashes have resumed. Defence Minister Israel Katz directly addressed Damascus, demanding Syrian forces withdraw from Sweida and "leave the Druze alone".
"The Syrian regime must pull back and leave the Druze community in Sweida alone," Katz said. Israel, Katz added, "will not abandon the Druze in Syria" and will "enforce the disarmament policy that has been approved."
In Syria's Sweida province, tensions have escalated into open conflict in recent days, where armed clashes between Druze and Bedouin groups have resulted in dozens of casualties.
The Druze — a group that split from Ismaili Shi’ism in the 10th century — are concentrated in Sweida and certain Damascus suburbs such as Jaramana and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya.
During Syria's 14-year civil war, Druze factions formed their own militias and have remained largely self-governed.
While many Druze in Syria have said they do not want Israel to intervene on their behalf, factions from the minority have also been suspicious of the new authorities in Damascus.
