US urges 'Israel' to halt Syria airstrikes, Tel Aviv pledges to stop
Axios reports that the US asked the Israeli regime to stop airstrikes on Syria after the aggression on Sweida as Tel Aviv pledged to halt strikes.
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A convoy of government forces drives toward Sweida city, where clashes erupted between government troops and Druze factions as it passes through Mazraa village in southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025 (AP)
The United States has reportedly asked the Israeli regime to stop its military strikes on Syria, with Tel Aviv pledging to suspend attacks by Tuesday evening, according to a report by Axios citing a US official.
The request, made by the administration of President Donald Trump, comes in response to escalating tensions following Israeli airstrikes on Syrian positions in the southern province of Sweida earlier in the day. The Israeli regime claimed the strikes were carried out to defend the Druze community in Syria, citing historical and societal links with the Druze population inside the occupied territories.
The Syrian interim presidency issued a statement on Tuesday calling on all civilian and military institutions in the country to prevent any "form of violations or abuses, regardless of the pretext."
The statement came in the wake of a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting several locations in Syria, including the southern province of Sweida. The attacks resulted in casualties among both military personnel and civilians.
In a separate statement, the Syrian interim Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the Israeli aggression, stating that the strikes led to the martyrdom of members of the Syrian armed forces, security personnel, and civilians.
The ministry reaffirmed Syria’s legitimate right to defend its territory using all means permitted under international law and urged the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and the international community to condemn the Israeli occupation’s repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty.
Israeli military confirms direct strikes on Syrian forces
A spokesperson for the Israeli occupation forces confirmed the attack, stating that the military had targeted armored vehicles belonging to the Syrian army, including tanks, personnel carriers, and mobile artillery units. He claimed the operation was conducted under direct orders from the political leadership, with the intent to disrupt Syrian troop movements in the area.
In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Israel Katz announced that they have instructed the occupation military to launch strikes against Syrian government forces, citing attacks on members of the Druze community in Syria.
The statement claimed that the occupation forces would target "regime forces and weapons that were brought into the Sweida area," alleging violations of what they called a "demilitarization policy" that bars the presence of Syrian military units and weapons in southern Syria.
"Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel, and their familial and historical ties to the Druze in Syria," the statement said.
The occupation authorities framed their actions as a measure to “prevent the Syrian regime from harming them” and to “ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border with Syria.” Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that the occupation's Air Force has launched a wave of large-scale attacks on southern Syria.