A leading Druze spiritual leader accused the Syrian leadership in Damascus of bombarding the southern city of Sweida despite having reached an agreement to quell violence, and he called on fighters to confront Syrian troops entering the city.

The ceasefire followed deadly clashes between the Druze of Suwayda and Bedouin tribes that left over 100 people dead.

The Druze are a prominent religious community of more than a million people spread across Syria, Lebanon and Israel, who for centuries have sought to preserve a distinct identity.

Military tanks from Israel targeted southern Syria amidst ongoing conflict among Syrian government forces, Druze militias, and Bedouin tribes. The deadly clashes in Syria's Sweida province have resulted in over 30 deaths and nearly 100 injuries,