Netanyahu said in February that southern Syria must be completely demilitarised, warning that Israel would not accept the presence of forces of the Islamist-led government near territory it controls.
Sharaa faces mounting challenges to reunify Syria, with deep mistrust from ethnic and religious groups, particularly after the March massacre of Alawites.
The head of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, called the situation “an existential battle for the Druze community”.
“My family is in Syria – my wife is in Syria, my uncles are from Syria, and my family is in Syria, in Sweida,” said Faez Shkeir, an Israeli Druze man. “They kicked them out of their homes, they robbed and burned their houses, but I can’t do anything.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor has said at least 21 Druze civilians had been killed “in summary executions by government forces”.
The Syrian presidency condemned in a statement the “heinous acts” in Sweida, expressing “full commitment to investigating all related incidents and punishing all those proven to be involved”.
Sporadic gunfire continued to ring out in Sweida on Wednesday, an AFP correspondent reported.
Columns of smoke were seen rising from several areas amid the sound of shelling.
The correspondent counted the bodies of around 30 combatants, some in plain clothes and some in military uniform.
Syria’s health ministry said dozens of bodies, including fighters and civilians, had been found in a hospital in the city.
A Reuters reporter said government troops were seen looting and burning homes, stealing furniture and vehicles. One man showed the body of his brother, shot in the head.
