The airdrops on Dec. 17, 2024, came nine days after Assad’s removal and included 500 rifles sent to the Druze-led Military Council.
Israel has delivered rifles, ammunition, body armor, and humanitarian aid to Druze militias in southern Syria following the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
The airdrops on Dec. 17, 2024, came nine days after Assad’s removal and included 500 rifles sent to the Druze-led Military Council.
According to the report, the shipments were allegedly aimed at counteracting Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed control of Syria after Assad’s fall. The report asserted that Israeli officials view Sharaa as a security threat due to his past leadership of a group previously linked to al-Qaeda and the continued presence of extremist fighters among his supporters.
Israeli support for the Druze includes nonlethal military equipment, such as body armor and medical supplies, and monthly payments of $100 to $200 to approximately 3,000 Druze militiamen.
Weapons deliveries peaked in April 2025 amid clashes between Druze fighters and forces aligned with Sharaa, before easing in August as Israel shifted toward negotiations with the new Syrian leadership.
Syrian Druze fly Israel, Druze flags during protest in Sweida, August 16, 2025. (credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)
Prior to Assad’s removal, Israel reportedly trained Druze fighters, provided funding through theSyrian Democratic Forces, and helped establish the Military Council under Tareq al-Shoufi in preparation for potential regime changes.
After Assad’s fall, Israeli forces reportedly entered southern Syria, seized territory, and conducted airstrikes on Syrian military positions to limit Sharaa’s control.
Internal disputes among Syrian Druze have emerged. In August, leadership of the Druze militias shifted from the Military Council to a new National Guard aligned with the spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, which led to tensions among commanders.
Israeli officials maintain that their support is limited to defensive aid and humanitarian assistance. Medicine and protective equipment deliveries reportedly continued as recently as September 2025.