Tens of thousands of people remained displaced by the violence and the United Nations has been unable to bring in much-needed humanitarian and medical aid because of ongoing clashes.

The conflict had drawn airstrikes against Syrian forces by neighboring Israel in defense of the Druze before a truce halted most of the fighting.

One elderly man had been shot in the head in his living room. Another in his bedroom. The body of a woman lay in the street. After days of bloodshed in Syria's Druze city of Sweida, survivors emerged on Thursday to collect and bury the scores of dead found across the city.

ToI's diplomatic reporter delves into the secretive religion and why, in championing the underdog minority, Israel may be playing the long game in the region The post Friday Focus with Lazar Berman: Who are the Druze and why is Israel protecting them?

Members of Syria's Druze community are searching for loved ones and counting their dead after days of clashes in a southern province that left bloodied bodies of civilians on the streets and homes looted.

President al-Sharaa says ‘Israeli entity has consistently targeted our stability, sowed discord since fall’ of al-Assad.