The strikes in Syria were a rare attack on forces of the new government, which is led by Islamist former rebels who toppled the dictator Bashar al-Assad in December. Since the fall of the Assad regime, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes in Syria and deployed forces across a demilitarized buffer zone between the two countries.

Open-source intelligence analysts reported that a mass mobilization was declared in all of Syria's governorates despite the ceasefire.

Israel’s government said it was acting in defense of the Druze community, a minority group the Jewish state has pledged to protect.

Israel said its military struck several tanks in southern Syria, as clashes between Bedouin gunmen and Druze militias left dozens dead and injured.

The longtime enemies have opened contacts, reflecting a power shift across a Middle East in which they have newfound common ground: antipathy for Iran.

Syria's foreign ministry has accused Israel of bearing full responsibility for recent military actions in southern Syria. The ministry emphasized its commitment to protecting all Syrian citizens, including the Druze minority.

These are wild times between Israel and Syria.And in these wild times it is unclear whether Israel's attacks on Syrian regime forces on Monday and Tuesday - even if it is to protect some Syrian-Druze who the Jewish state has good relations with and even if the Syrian forces are in part of Israel's self-declared buffer zone – will stand unchallenged or lead to major strategic fallout.