U.S. Expects De-Escalation As Damascus Announces Ceasefire With Druze

US says it expects Syria de-escalation as Damascus announces ceasefire with Druze

The Times of Israel is liveblogging Wednesday

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says fighting between Syrian Druze and Bedouin in the southwest of the country led to a “misunderstanding” between the Israeli and Syrian governments that resulted in widespread IDF bombings of regime targets.

Rubio tells reporters in the Oval Office, “We’re on our way towards a real de-escalation, and then hopefully getting back on track to helping Syria build a country and arriving at a situation there in the Middle East is far more stable.”

He says the US hopes to see progress in this effort in the next few hours, though, there are already reports of a ceasefire in place in Syria, so it’s not clear whether Rubio was updated on that development.

Israel won’t ‘stand idly by’ when Druze community is under attack, Herzog vows

Israel will not “stand idly by” when threats emerge from Syria, says President Isaac Herzog.

Speaking at the state memorial in Jerusalem for Zionist visionary Theodor Herzl, Herzog says that “Israel does not stand idly by when there is even the potential for a jihadist threat over the border.”

“Second, Israel does not stand idly by when our allies and family members of Israelis – the sons and daughters of the Druze community, an integral part of us – are under attack and in danger of a horrific massacre,” he continues.

He calls for Druze in Israel not to cross the border, after roughly 1,000 did so earlier today.

“Israel must act, and indeed is acting and will continue to act, until quiet and security are restored to our border,” he says.

He calls for the return of all hostages from Gaza, which he does at almost all his public appearances.

“This is not only a moral imperative but a sacred responsibility of a state to its citizens – to return them urgently to their homeland,” says Herzog. “Every last one.”

Following reports of ceasefire in Syria, some Druze voice opposition

A statement published on an official Druze page in Syria calls to “continue fighting the terrorist gangs until our land is liberated from them” — referring to regime forces.

“There is no agreement with these gangs that call themselves a government,” the statement says. This comes after announcements of a ceasefire agreement between Syrian regime forces and the Druze in Sweida.

According to reports on social media, among those leading the opposition to the agreement is Druze Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who has taken a hardline stance against the new regime in Syria.