IDF confirms several hundred Druze crossed border into Syria, troops working to return them

Several hundred Druze residents of Israel crossed into Syria today amid protests over deadly clashes in the Sweida area, according to the IDF.

The IDF says troops are working to return them to Israel. The military acknowledges that it was unprepared to handle the chaos.

Meanwhile, the military says it successfully prevented Syrian Druze from entering Israel from the Hader area of southern Syria at the same time.

The chaos on the border comes as the Syrian military deployed forces to the Druze-majority city of Sweida to crack down on deadly clashes.

Syrian government forces are now believed by the IDF to be in control of 70% or more of Sweida, with around 200 forces in the city and 1,000 in the outskirts.

Israel has warned it would strike Syrian forces unless they withdraw from Sweida.

A short while ago, the IDF says it struck the Syrian general staff command building in Damascus, after an earlier warning strike on the entrance to the headquarters.

The IDF also says it hit Syrian tanks and other army vehicles in the Sweida area. Over 160 targets were hit in Syria, mostly in the Sweida area, since Monday.

The Israeli military says it is preparing for several days of fighting, while at the same time, there are ongoing indirect talks between Israel and Syria.

The IDF is also readying to deploy two divisions to the Golan Heights and divert aerial forces, including drones and fighter jets, to the area.