Israel launched attacks in southern Syria on Monday after deadly clashes that involved the Druze community, a minority group that the Jewish state has pledged to protect.

The Israel Defense Forces struck several tanks advancing toward Suwayda province, where confrontations broke out Sunday and persisted into Monday. "The IDF struck the tanks in order to prevent their arrival to the area,” the army said on Telegram.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the strikes as a "clear warning” to the Syrian regime that Israel would not allow the Druze to be harmed.