By bnm Gulf bureau Violent clashes broke out in Jaramana, a suburb near Damascus, between Syria’s new Turkish-backed administration security forces and local Druze militias on March 2. The Druze in Syria are a small but influential religious minority.

The Israeli army has been ordered to prepare to "defend" a Druze-majority city in southern Syria close to the capital, Damascus, after violence broke out between locals and security services.

Israel’s defense minister says minority Druze in Jaramana a town south of Damascus, were under attack from the new Syrian regime and that he ordered Israeli forces to be poised to help protect them if necessary.