Overview

• At least 73 people have been killed in ongoing violence in southern Syria, including 42 Druze fighters, as sectarian tensions intensify.
• The clashes were reportedly triggered by a disputed audio recording insulting Prophet Mohammed, initially blamed on a Druze individual but denied by Syrian authorities.
• An ambush attributed to Syrian security forces and allied militias killed 23 Druze, with some victims' bodies reportedly burned, according to local sources.
• Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hidschri has condemned the violence as a 'genocide campaign' and urged international powers to intervene to protect the minority community.
• Israel conducted a warning operation against an extremist group planning attacks on Druze and demanded the Syrian regime take action to safeguard the community.