Overview

• Following ethnic tensions, Syrian government backed militias attacked Suwayda, the Druze capital in southern Syria, briefly capturing the eastern district. Israel attacked regime targets in Syria to protect the Druze. After American mediation a ceasefire was reached.

• The IDF controls, operationally, 75% of Gaza’s territory. 1,300 Hamas fighters have been neutralized during Operation “Gideon’s Chariots”.

• The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced that the EU would not adopt sanctions against Israel over its military operations in Gaza.

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Beijing for the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Summit, where he held bilateral meetings with President Xi Jinping and Russia’s foreign minister.

Gaza 

Hostage Deal

• Hamas military spokesman Abu Obeida warned in a recorded statement that Hamas might not participate in any future ceasefire talks if the current negotiations  fail.

• Israel presented revised maps earlier this week demonstrating its willingness to reduce troop presence in parts of Gaza during a potential truce. This is seen as a concession from Israel’s previous insistence on holding strategic areas that has controlled since January.

• In advance of the Trump-al Thani meeting,  Mohammad Darwish (Chairman of Hamas’s Shura Council), Khalil al-Hayya (head of negotiations), and Ziyad al-Nakhalah and Mohammad al-Hindi from Islamic Jihad, clarified their obstinate negotiating positions: 

“The negotiations must lead to the end of the war, a full Israeli withdrawal, the opening of Gaza’s crossings, and reconstruction of the Strip.”

Operational 

• Operation Gideon’s Chariots continued with heavy engagements in Daraj-Tuffah, Jabalia, and Beit Hanoun.

The IDF controls operationally 75% of Gaza’s territory. Additionally, 1,300 Hamas fighters have been neutralized.

• The Nahal Brigade, with support from Yahalom engineering units, destroyed military infrastructure and uncovered a major 800-meter-long tunnel, further disrupting Hamas’ underground network.

• IDF opened the “Magen Oz” corridor which serves dual goals:

  • Severing East Khan Yunis (targeting the Bani Suheila and Abasan areas) to finalize the destruction of Hamas’s Khan Yunis Brigade, as was done in Rafah.

  • Increasing pressure on Hamas to accept the Israeli terms for a hostage deal. Hamas currently demands a full withdrawal from the Morag area, which Israel rejects, as it would compromise the Abu-Shabab humanitarian initiative, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundations activities, critical Israeli achievements that have benefited and separated Gazan civilian from their reliance on Hamas.

Humanitarian

• Humanitarian City Project: The planned “humanitarian city” is projected to cost ₪20 Billion (~$6 Billion) and will house approximately 600,000 Gazans.

• Located west of Rafah, near the coast and the Tel al-Sultan camp (mostly destroyed), the area is set to be governed by the Abu-Shabab militia and its newly formed civilian branch.

• This represents a pilot for an alternative governance structure in Gaza under Israeli backing, designed to exclude Hamas while minimizing IDF’s on-the-ground presence. It is seen as a test case for post-Hamas local administration.

Diplomatic

• Prime Minister Netanyahu called Pope Leo XIV and expressed regret following an IDF tank shell that landed adjacent to Gaza’s only Catholic church and whose shrapnel killed three civilians

• The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced that the EU would not adopt sanctions against Israel over its military operations in Gaza. This decision came after a ministerial debate led by Ireland and Spain advocating for enacting punitive measures. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar hailed this as an “important diplomatic victory” for Israel, crediting proactive lobbying by the foreign ministry.

Judea and Samaria

• US Ambassador Mike Huckabee urged the Israeli government to investigate the death of Palestinian-American Saif Musalat, allegedly killed by settlers in Sinjil, near Ramallah.

• Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is laying the groundwork for European recognition of a Palestinian state. His conditions for post-war governance include:

  • Hamas will not rule Gaza after the war.

  • Hamas must disarm and surrender its weapons to the PA.

  • The only solution is a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and recognition of a Palestinian state governing the territory.

Lebanon

• Two Hezbollah operatives were eliminated: one responsible for rebuilding terror infrastructure, and the other a commander in Radwan’s naval force. Lebanese sources reported that the IDF carried out ground operations inside Lebanon overnight, destroying terror-related infrastructure.

• The Lebanese Central Bank declared all financial cooperation with “Al-Qard al-Hassan” illegal. The organization is effectively Hezbollah’s financial arm, and this move may accelerate economic suffocation and undermine the group’s operational capabilities.

Syria

Clashes with the Druze

• Following ethnic tensions, Syrian government backed, Bedouin militias attacked Suwayda, the Druze capital in southern Syria, briefly capturing the eastern district. Druze reinforcements pushed them back in a battle that left at least 6 dead and 20 injured. Over the following days, armed Sunni factions, including Salafi cells from the Bashan region, Syrian Army units, and even a combat helicopter, converged on the city.  Their objective was to crush the Druze Military Council. By the end of July 13^th, at least 20–30 Druze were killed and as many as 100 wounded in what became an organized campaign of ethnic violence.

• Suwayda and its surroundings experienced power outages, looting, arson, rapes, and humiliations as the forces of the new Syrian government and other factions entered the city. Reports included the forced shaving of elderly Druze men’s mustaches (considered a humiliation in the Druze culture), and calls for jihad against the Druze in Syrian mosques. The chants of “Khaybar Khaybar ya Yahud”—an anti-Semitic call—were heard, revealing the deep sectarian and genocidal motivations behind the violence.

• Senior Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri denied claims of a ceasefire and condemned retaliatory violence by Druze. He called for coexistence and humanitarian corridors, including an appeal to the King of Jordan and the Syrian government to allow passage to Rojava, the Kurdish region. He declared a National Day of Mourning and urged international media, medical, and humanitarian teams to enter Suwayda and document the massacre.

• Following several days of brutal ethnic clashes in Suwayda that left over 300 people dead, a ceasefire was declared on July 19. US Ambassador to Turkey and Syria Envoy Tom Barrack announced that Israel and Syria reached an agreement to halt the fighting.

• Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa called for all sides to respect the truce and pledged to protect minorities, stating:

“Syria is committed to protecting all minorities and communities… We condemn all crimes committed in Suwayda.”

• Israeli Druze crossed into Syria hours before the ceasefire was declared in an effort to aid the Druze population. The scale and spontaneity of this action raised security concerns in Israel.

• Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar dismissed al-Sharaa’s speech, writing:

“Bottom line: In al-Sharaa’s Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority — Kurd, Druze, Alawite, or Christian.”

Israeli Military Response

Strategic Goals:

Israel’s military posture in southern Syria is guided by several key strategic objectives. First, the IDF seeks the complete demilitarization of three Syrian provinces bordering Israel, thereby preventing hostile actors from establishing military footholds close to Israeli territory. Another major goal is the protection of strategic sites such as Mount Hermon, which serves as a crucial intelligence and surveillance outpost. The IDF also aims to safeguard Druze communities under threat, particularly in areas beyond its current defense perimeter, reflecting both a humanitarian imperative and a strategic alliance. Finally, Israel is intent on preventing the Syrian Army—particularly elements loyal to al Sharaa or influenced by Iran—from redeploying southward toward Damascus, a move that could destabilize the region further and reintroduce direct threats along Israel’s northern border.

Military Actions:

In response to the unfolding massacre of Druze civilians and the broader threat posed by Islamist and regime-backed militias, the IDF launched a broad campaign of aerial and ground strikes across southern Syria. In Suwayda, Israeli strikes directly supported embattled Druze militias, targeting enemy tank formations and artillery positions. Simultaneously, key roadways in the Daraa province—used to transport reinforcements and weaponry to the front—were bombed to disrupt Syrian Army logistics and encirclement strategies. Israeli jets also conducted precision strikes within Damascus itself, destroying military convoys, weapons depots, and key command centers associated with the al Sharaa regime. As the campaign expanded, the IDF began targeting military facilities in Latakia on Syria’s coast, signaling an escalation in Israel’s reach and deterrence initiatives.

Reservist Operations:

IDF reserve units from the mountain commando force operated on the Lebanese side of Mount Dov, a sensitive and contested area. During these operations, soldiers uncovered and seized over three tons of weaponry, including anti-tank mines, explosives, rockets, and improvised munitions. This operation not only neutralized a potential threat to Israeli territory but also bolstered the security of Druze communities in the village of Hader, which lies just within the IDF’s current range of protection and has been under increasing pressure from nearby hostile actors.

Force Mobilization:

The recent announcement of the transfer of Division 98 and an additional reserve division (likely Division 146) to the Golan Heights has raised expectations of a possible ground maneuver into Syria’s Bashan region and potentially deeper into the Hauran. While Israel’s northern frontier is already protected by three territorial brigades—Alexanderoni, the Mountain Brigade, and the Golan Brigade—as well as a newly constructed system of fortifications and obstacles, the magnitude of this reinforcement indicates intentions beyond static defense. The involvement of Division 98, in particular, known for its rapid-deployment and offensive capabilities, suggests Israel is actively preparing for a possible cross-border incursion to create a buffer zone, establish humanitarian corridors, or protect allied Druze populations under siege.

Israeli Druze Mobilization

• A critical breach occurred when around 1,000 Israeli Druze crossed into southern Syria to assist their Syrian, Druze brethren. Even a Likud Knesset Member (Afef Abed) joined. PM Netanyahu and the IDF Chief of Staff urged them to return immediately, warning that they endanger themselves and compromise IDF operations. Some Druze from Hader also entered Israel illegally, underscoring the fluidity of the frontier during the crisis.

International Reactions

• US: Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for a ceasefire, which led to the withdrawal of al-Sharaa’s forces from Suwayda.

• Syria: President al-Sharaa claimed he was ready to fight Israel but stood down due to mediation.

• Turkey: President Erdoğan blamed Israel for inciting the situation and accused it of exploiting the crisis to intervene militarily in Syria.

• Israel: PM Netanyahu clarified that Israel’s goal is demilitarizing the area between the Golan and Mount Druze and protecting the Druze people. He emphasized the moral dimension, citing a conversation with Druze leader Mowaffak Tarif, who evoked the Holocaust as a moment for Israel to act on behalf of another persecuted minority.

Yemen

• The official Yemeni Coast Guard (of the Sunni Yemenite Government) intercepted a massive Iranian arms shipment destined for the Houthis.

• The cargo ship carried 750 tons of ammunition, weapons, and assembly parts—including anti-aircraft systems capable of targeting UAVs at altitudes up to 25km.

Iran

•  Dr. Mohammad Javad Larijani, senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, made explicit threats against the West: He claimed that “Europe may become unsafe”, warning that “within days, 5 drones may strike a European city,” in addition to previous threats against US President Donald Trump.

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Beijing for the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Summit, where he held bilateral meetings with President Xi Jinping and Russia’s foreign minister.

• The EU imposed new sanctions on Iran, targeting eight senior IRGC officials for human rights violations.

• On July 14, Secretary of State Rubio held talks with E3 foreign ministers to finalize a deadline for triggering the Snap-Back sanctions mechanism if Iran does not return to a nuclear agreement by end of August.

• The mechanism will be activated no later than September 3, though its implementation has already been delayed multiple times, including from the original June deadline.

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International

• North Korea issued a direct threat, stating that: “Any future Israeli strike on Iran will be treated as a direct threat to the security of Asia.” Pyongyang declared the “solo period of Iranian confrontation is over” and that Israel will now be targeted in response to aggression toward Tehran.

• The Belgian Parliament passed a resolution defining the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, and urged the EU to adopt the same stance.

Fallen Soldiers

• Staff sergeant Shoham Menahem z"l

• Sergeant Shlomo Yakir Shrem z"l

• Sergeant Yuliy Faktor z"l