As reports surface of Israeli strikes near Damascus, Jerusalem signals red lines to Iran and Hezbollah — while religious leaders in Israel reaffirm the nation’s covenant with the Druze and its unwavering defense of life.

Middle East expert Edy Cohen on the new suffering of the Druze, the silence of the Arab world, and Israel’s role as guardian.

Jerusalem is also reinforcing border security to deter further unrest.

Israel’s strikes in defense of the minority’s communities across the border attest to a deepening bond, according to locals in the Druze village of Majdal Shams.

Why Israel must not remain silent when the Druze in Syria are persecuted – a moral litmus test, a strategic imperative, and a historical responsibility.

Some people blamed Israel—the only country that went to their aid—for attacking Syria.

Israel broadens Golan deployments and warns tougher action if Syrian regime persists in attacks on Druze, as U.S., Syria and Israel issue stark statements.

As the Israeli Air Force conducts strikes in southern Syria, a military official says, “The more the Syrian regime has intervened, the worse it looks.”

The IDF “will soon raise the level of its responses” if Syrian forces continue to threaten the Druze community in southern Syria, said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.