Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed at an election event for the Druze community that he spoke on the phone with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during the massacre of Druze in As-Suwayda in 2025.
During his remarks, Netanyahu discussed the Israeli strikes on Damascus at the time and claimed that a direct conversation with the Syrian President led to the massacre stopping.
"We took down the Defense Ministry in Damascus, just like that, it went. We took out a target in the palace complex. And I picked up a phone and called al-Sharaa; it was a very short call, very sharp, and the massacre stopped," Netanyahu stated.
The Prime Minister emphasized his commitment to defending the Druze community in Syria and made clear that Israel would continue fighting for them.
"I will do anything I need to protect our brothers, your brothers and our brothers. We will not allow a massacre; they have to also return to their homes. There is more work to do; I can't talk about it all. But this commitment comes from the depth of our soul," Netanyahu declared.
In July 2025, the Druze community in Syria's southern As-Suwayda province was subjected to a wave of massacres and violence after clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes escalated into a broader confrontation involving Syrian regime forces. Troops loyal to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and allied gunmen were accused of carrying out atrocities against the local Druze population, including the summary execution of civilians. Hundreds of people, most of them Druze, were killed, while disturbing footage emerged showing civilians being executed and elderly Druze men being humiliated by armed militants.
In response to the massacres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the IDF to launch airstrikes against Syrian regime forces operating in the area. Israeli aircraft struck tanks, armored vehicles, and other military targets in southern Syria. On July 16, Israel escalated its response, striking the Syrian military's General Staff headquarters in Damascus and a military target near the presidential palace.
Netanyahu declared that Israel would not allow the massacre of the Druze to continue, citing the longstanding alliance between the State of Israel and its Druze citizens, as well as their familial ties to the Druze community in Syria. Following the Israeli strikes and international diplomatic pressure, Syrian regime forces withdrew from As-Suwayda and a ceasefire was reached. Israel reiterated its commitment to protecting the Druze population and preventing the deployment of Syrian military forces in southern Syria.