U.S. Envoy to Syria announced that Israel and Syria had agreed to a ceasefire early Saturday, but Ahmad al-Sharaa made no direct reference to the agreement in his speech

DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of trying to fracture Syria and promised to protect its Druze minority on Thursday after U.S. intervention to help achieve a truce in fighting between government forces and Druze fighters.

Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of undermining Syrian unity and promised to protect the Druze minority amidst escalating conflicts involving government forces, Druze fighters, and Bedouin tribes.

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.

The White House is attributing the outbreak of violence in the Middle East between the Syrian government and Israel to a "misunderstanding" over ethnic grudges.

After violence broke out in Druze-majority Sweida this week, 1,000 Druze crossed from Israel into Syria. Most have returned, bringing a sense of relief that the IDF joined the fray

Syria’s Islamist-led government said its security forces were deploying in the predominantly Druze southern city of Sweida on Saturday and urged all parties to respect a ceasefire after days of factional bloodshed that has left hundreds dead.