Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government responded by deploying forces to the city. Druze residents of Suweida told the BBC they had witnessed "barbaric acts" as gunmen - government forces and foreign fighters - attacked people. Israel targeted these forces, saying they were acting to protect the Druze.

Barrack suggested that Israel would prefer to see Syria fragmented and divided rather than a strong central state in control of the country.

Clashes that shook southern Syria this week have killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and drawn in an array of both local and international players, harking back to the dynamics of the country’s nearly 14-year civil war.

Druze fighters had pushed out rival armed factions from the city on Saturday, a monitor said, after the government ordered a ceasefire following a US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military intervention.

FM Gideon Sa’ar accuses Syrian leader of 'glorifying jihadists' and victim blaming, says global community 'has a duty to ensure the security and rights' of Syria's minority groups

Syria denies forces will re-enter conflict-stricken city despite Israeli warnings - The move further strains a fragile truce

A Bedouin military commander told the Reuters news agency that the truce only applied to government forces and not to them, adding that the fighters were seeking to free Bedouins