In a significant escalation of Syria’s continuing civil conflict, militant Salafi groups from Idlib have joined forces with militias led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani to conduct coordinated attacks against Druze communities in areas south of Damascus. This development signals a deepening threat from jihadist organizations and presents an acute menace to religious minorities in the region, underlining broader regional dynamics involving Iranian influence, extremist ambitions, and Israel’s ongoing struggle to secure its northern borders.
Idlib and the Rise of Salafi Jihadism
Located in Syria’s northwest, Idlib has long been a safe haven for Salafi-jihadist factions since the onset of the civil war in 2011. The area has become the focal point for groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and related ideologies following military operations and population movements elsewhere in Syria. Led by various hardline commanders, these groups have cemented their authority through brutal tactics and, at times, the tolerance or support of regional powers such as Turkey, which has pursued its own geopolitical and security interests inside Syria.
A Central Figure: Abu Mohammad al-Jolani
Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has shaped the militant landscape of Idlib. Formerly aligned with al-Qaeda, Jolani has rebranded HTS as the dominant Islamist faction in northwestern Syria while persistently espousing hardline Salafi objectives. HTS, working with both local militants and foreign fighters, exerts de facto rule over large swathes of Idlib and coordinates movements and attacks with allied jihadist groups.
Renewed Threat Against Druze Communities
Multiple sources have confirmed that these jihadist groups have deployed contingents from Idlib to collaborate with HTS in operations against Druze-populated areas south of Damascus. Targeted for their minority religious identity, Druze populations have endured a history of attacks, including abductions and massacres, by jihadist organizations such as ISIS, al-Nusra Front, and related factions. The arrival of new fighters raises fears of renewed sectarian violence, possible mass displacement, and further atrocities similar to earlier episodes during the war.
Regional Power Plays and Iran’s Involvement
The conflict around southern Damascus must be understood within a wider geopolitical context. Iran, through its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated militias, has invested heavily in supporting the Assad regime, recruiting local and foreign fighters, and expanding influence from Tehran through Syria toward the Mediterranean. Iran’s strategy involves exploiting the chaos to suppress potential opposition and create new footholds for its proxies.
Turkey, meanwhile, leverages militant groups in Idlib to balance its own concerns: stifling Kurdish autonomy and preserving a buffer zone against both Iranian influence and Assad’s forces. Russia’s support for the Syrian regime and periodic ceasefires with jihadist elements reflect its focus on consolidating regime-held territory and maintaining Mediterranean access.
Impact on Israel and Regional Security
These shifting battle lines underscore growing concerns for Israel’s national security. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), overseen by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, have warned consistently about the escalation of Iranian-backed and jihadi threats near Israel’s borders. Israel maintains a policy of proactive self-defense, targeting arms shipments, Iranian facilities, and terror infrastructure within Syria to prevent entrenchment of hostile terrorist networks. Such interventions serve both immediate defensive purposes and broader regional stability against the spread of Islamist terrorism.
Humanitarian Consequences for Minorities
Druze communities and other minority groups are again at risk amid the expansion of extremist activity. Tactics employed by Salafi militants include siege, forced conversion, abduction, and destruction of religious and community institutions—tactics that have drawn urgent concern from human rights organizations worldwide. Documentation of abuses and sectarian cleansing campaigns fits a clear pattern of targeting non-Muslim and heterodox populations with the intent to eliminate dissenting belief systems through violence and intimidation.
International Response and the Global Terror Threat
While the United States continues a focus on the diminishing ISIS presence, American and European officials increasingly recognize enduring dangers posed by Idlib-based Salafi networks and their transnational reach. Recent sanctions and intelligence operations target recruiters, financiers, and traffickers operating throughout Syria and beyond. Israel likewise advocates for international recognition of the interconnected nature of these threats, emphasizing its counter-terror operations contribute to broader regional and global security.
The Ongoing War for Syria’s Future
The current alliance between Idlib-based Salafi terror groups and forces loyal to Jolani in southern Syria illustrates the persistent use of the country’s territory as both battlefield and launching ground for extremist campaigns, often enabled by state-backed proxies. The Assad regime’s inability—or unwillingness—to prevent jihadist infiltration has left remaining civilian enclaves, especially among minorities, acutely vulnerable.
Israeli leaders, including Defense Minister Israel Katz, reiterate commitments to deny both Iranian proxies and jihadist factions the ability to organize or attack from Syrian territory. The situation remains highly volatile, monitored closely by both Israeli intelligence and the international community, with continued threats facing the Golan Heights and beyond.
Conclusion
The deployment of Salafi militants from Idlib to southern Syria, where they collaborate with HTS under Jolani’s command in operations against Druze communities, marks a serious and ongoing escalation in Syria’s civil war and sectarian strife. This development poses grave risks not only to vulnerable minority populations but also to broader regional security, with Israel and its allies positioned on the front lines of the fight to prevent terrorism and uphold the rule of law in the Middle East.
