"Washington Post": The Israeli Army Conducted Drops of Military Equipment for Druze Militias in Southern Syria

SadaNews - The Washington Post reported, citing two former Israeli officials involved in the operation, that the Israeli army conducted drops of military equipment it had seized from Hezbollah and Lebanon for Druze militias in southern Syria, specifically in Suwayda.

The officials added that the drops were carried out from helicopters under the cover of "delivering humanitarian aid," which included hundreds of rifles, ammunition boxes, light weapons, and protective gear.

They continued, "Military support operations through airborne drops began on December 17, nine days after the fall of the Assad regime, peaking in April following the clashes and events in Jaramana. These operations nearly stopped after negotiations between the Syrian and Israeli sides in August, due to Israeli concerns over fighting among Druze leaders (though drops continued in the form of medical and precautionary aid such as shields)."

Meanwhile, Druze sources speaking to the newspaper indicated that Israel provides monthly payments ranging from $100 to $200 to around 3,000 Druze fighters in Suwayda - most of the cooperation is conducted through what is known as the "National Guard" militia.