The southern Syrian city of Suweida has been left devastated after five days of intense sectarian violence and alleged atrocities by government forces and foreign fighters. More than 590 people have been killed since clashes erupted last Sunday between Druze and

Israel continues to bomb Syria, ostensibly to support Druze forces in the southwest, even after ceasefire is declared.

The attack follows a wave of Israeli strikes on Syrian government forces during two days of sectarian clashes between local Druze and Bedouin populations.

As alarming sectarian violence swept through Syria in the third week of July, Christian communities in the region experienced a new wave of persecution. Attacks on the country's Christian, Druze and Alawite communities were perpetrated mainly by Islamist jihadists.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based war monitor, said the clashes started after members of a Bedouin tribe in Sweida province set up a checkpoint where they attacked and robbed a Druze man, leading to tit-for-tat attacks and kidnappings between the tribes and Druze armed groups.

Syria’s defense minister has announced a ceasefire after government forces entered a key city in Sweida province on Tuesday

Following the deaths of dozens of Druze in Suwayda, southern Syria, Bianna Golodryga speaks to Dareen Khalifa from the International Crisis Group about how this is jeopardizing a fragile sense of stability in a country facing deep sectarian divisions.

At least 203 people have been killed in sectarian fighting involving Sunni tribes, Druze militias and Syrian troops in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida since Sunday, a war monitor said

Israel says it is intervening to protect Syria’s Druze residents who have strong ties to Israel’s Druze community. Damascus called the attack a violation of sovereignty.

The conflict drew airstrikes against Syrian forces by neighboring Israel in defense of the Druze minority before most of the fighting was halted by a truce announced Wednesday.