The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based war monitor, said the clashes started after members of a Bedouin tribe ...

The Israeli military launched Wednesday rare airstrikes in the heart of Damascus, hitting the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters as clashes in the southern Syrian city of Sweida continued to flare.

Neighboring Israel has sought to portray itself as defending the minority group, but some analysts suggest it's a pretext for pursuing Israel's own military goals.