Defense Minister Israel Katz sent a warning to the new Syrian president al-Julani on Thursday evening, stressing that if any Druze in his country are harmed, Israel's response would be harsh.
"I reiterate my warning to the head of the Syrian regime, al-Julani, “If the attacks on the Druze in Syria do not stop, we will respond with great force. In the wake of yesterday's attacks on Druze in Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF to carry out a number of warning attacks against extremist elements, and a clear message was conveyed to the Syrian regime that it is responsible for preventing the attacks. We are committed to protecting the Druze and are now monitoring what is happening. If the attacks on the Druze are renewed and the regime does not do anything to prevent them, we will respond with great severity," Katz said.
Two Druze citizens have been transferred to Israel for treatment at the Ziv Hospital in Safed (Tzfat), after sustaining injuries in Syria.