Israel Provided Arms and Aid to Syrian Druze

Israel quietly supplied weapons and other assistance to Druze factions in southern Syria in the months following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, according to a report published by the Washington Post.

The assistance reportedly included arms deliveries between December and April, aimed at shaping the postwar balance in Syria and limiting the ability of the new authorities in Damascus to consolidate control. The report said the transfers halted after U.S. President Donald Trump met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in May.

Israeli and Druze sources told the newspaper that Israel has since continued providing non-lethal support, including airdrops of body armor and medical supplies. In addition, Israel is said to be paying monthly stipends of roughly $100 to $200 to around 3,000 Druze fighters operating in southern Syria.

According to the report, Israeli officials explored the possibility of formalizing the Druze militias as a proxy force but ultimately abandoned the idea. The decision was driven by concerns over internal rivalries among Druze factions and fears that deeper involvement would entangle Israel more directly in Syria’s internal conflicts.

Israeli officials cited in the report framed the assistance as limited and situational rather than part of a broader proxy strategy.

“We were helping when it was absolutely necessary and are committed to minorities’ security,” one Israeli official said. “But it is not as if we are going to have commandos take positions next to the Druze or get in the business of organizing proxies.”

Israel has not officially commented on the report.