7am Could Syria be headed for another civil war?
Jul 23, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Damascus-based journalist Heidi Pett, who reports on the ongoing Syrian conflict, provides insight into the recent Israeli airstrike that shocked Damascus. She details the increasing sectarian tensions between the Druze and Bedouin fighters and the Syrian government, hinting at the fragile state of peace. Pett shares chilling accounts of violence in Sueda and the dire humanitarian conditions, warning that the escalating conflict could lead to a renewed civil war, as communities fracture and displacement rises.
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Witness to Damascus Airstrike
- Heidi Pett witnessed Israeli airstrikes hitting the gate of Syria's Defence Ministry in central Damascus.
- The Ministry building was visibly cleaved in two, with jets and intense blasts nearby.
Fractured South Fuels Conflict
- The south of Syria remains fractured with Druze and Bedouin communities in violent conflict.
- The Syrian government uses the unrest to assert control over the southern province of Sueda.
Druze Call Israeli Intervention
- Druze militias led by Hekmat al-Hajri reject Syrian government control and called for Israeli intervention.
- Israel responded with airstrikes on Syrian troops in Sueda, killing hundreds and forcing a ceasefire.