Israel has threatened to increase its involvement in Syria and vowed to protect the Druze religious minority, which began as a 10th-century offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam, the Associated Press reported. Most of the world’s Druze population lives in Syria, with the rest predominantly in Israel and Lebanon.

Clashes that shook southern Syria this week killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and drew in an array of local and international players, harking back to the dynamics of the country's yearslong civil war.

The Druze–Jewish covenant is a call for moral awakening for all who believe in partnership, in values, and in mutual responsibility. It is a reminder that the courage to stand with the other – while remaining loyal to who we are – is the most ethical act a community can choose.

Veteran Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt on Thursday criticized Israel for fueling unrest in southern Syria by manipulating members of the

Claims circulated that he was dead after a video appeared online of men in military attire taunting the 80-year-old. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.