Israel’s attack on Syria: Protecting the Druze minority or a regional power play?

Here is the introductory paragraphs from the article. I did not extract any other sections in case I introduce any of my own biases, please see the article for the full discussion.

Author: Spyros A. Sofos | Assistant Professor in Global Humanities, Simon Fraser University

A new round of violence recently erupted in southern Syria, where clashes between local Druze militias and Sunni fighters have left hundreds dead.

In response, Israel launched airstrikes in and around the province of Sweida on July 15, saying it was acting to protect the Druze minority and to deter attacks by Syrian government forces.

The strikes mark Israel’s most serious escalation in Syria since December 2024, and they underline a growing trend in its foreign policy: the use of minority protection as a tool of regional influence and power projection.