Pained and angered by deadly clashes between Islamist and Druze gunmen in Syria in recent weeks, leaders of Israel's own Druze minority say the Israeli military was right to intervene to defend the Druze and should do so again if violence restarts.

"We want to want to be sure that he is not a terrorist anymore," senior Israeli official told Newsweek of Syria's Ahmad al-Sharaa.

Sharaa, earlier known as Abu Mohammed al Joulani, had been imprisoned at Abu Ghraib as a member of the Iraqi ISIS faction. Trump describes

President Trump's announcement that US sanctions on Syria would be lifted was met with elation by Syrians. Syria has a long way to go to recover from years of civil war and brutal dictatorship. But experts say the country needs to see sanctions lifted just to have a chance at beginning the long process of rebuilding.

An end to U.S. sanctions on Syria is expected to mark a new era for an economy devastated by 13 years of war, opening the way for investment flows from the Syrian diaspora, Turkey, and Gulf states that back the new government.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has said that his government is holding indirect talks with Israel to bring an end to Israeli attacks on Syria.

The US president is making a slew of deals, decisions and alliances central to the daily well-being and geostrategic future of a marginalized Israel. Gaza could be next

Five months after its liberation from the police state of Bashar al-Assad, Syria sometimes looks like a country in civil war. Sectarian clashes have turned into street battles with rockets and mortars.