Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli ‘aggression’ against Syria

2026-03-21 - 04:50

Israel’s military said it struck southern Syria in response to what it described as attacks on the Druze community in Sweida province. (EPA Images pic) RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry condemned today Israel’s strikes on Syrian army camps as “aggression”, joining Turkey in calling on the international community to intervene. Israel’s military said yesterday that it had struck southern Syria in response to what it called attacks against the Druze community in Sweida province. Israel had bombed Syria during a deadly bout of sectarian violence last year, saying it was acting to defend the minority group. The Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement that the kingdom condemned “the blatant Israeli aggression... in flagrant violation of international law and Syrian sovereignty”. It urged the international community “to put an end to Israel’s violations of international laws and norms”. The Turkish foreign ministry called the Israeli attack “a dangerous escalation” that the international community must stop. The Israeli strikes came as war roiled the Middle East after the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28, sparking a conflict that has engulfed much of the region, although Syria has avoided being dragged into it. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Thursday that clashes with government forces in Sweida province left at least four Druze fighters dead. “Israeli shelling later hit residential neighbourhoods in Sweida city,” the Observatory said. After the overthrow of Syria’s longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Israel moved its forces into the UN-patrolled demilitarised zone on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, and has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria as well as regular incursions. The military said on Friday it “will not allow harm to come to Druze in Syria and will continue to act for their protection”. The Syrian foreign ministry denounced an “outrageous assault on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and called the Israeli justification “flimsy pretexts and fabricated excuses”.