Defense Minister Yisrael Katz wrote a post on X in response to criticism by the US over Israel’s strikes in Syria to deter the massacre of Druze in the city of Sweida in southern Syria.

“Israel’s attacks on regime targets in Suweida and Damascus were the only way to stop the massacre of Druze in Syria, the brothers of our Druze brothers in Israel,” he wrote.

“Those who criticize the attacks are not well-versed in the facts.”

“The government’s policy in Syria, including the presence of the IDF in Hermon and the security zone and the protection of the Druze, is correct and responsible, reflecting strength and mutual responsibility,” he concluded.

Axios reported over the weekend that US officials were furious about Israel’s strikes in Syria, saying that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is undermining President Donald Trump’s regional strategy in Syria and Gaza.

However, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack seemed to tone down the criticism in an interview with the Associated Press on Monday, conceding that the clashes, which took place near the Israeli/Syrian border, posed security issues for Israel

“The United States was not asked, nor did they participate in that decision, nor was it the United States responsibility in matters that Israel feels is for its own self-defense,” he said.

However, he said that Israel’s intervention “creates another very confusing chapter” and “came at a very bad time.”

When the clashes erupted, “Israel’s view was that south of Damascus was this questionable zone, so that whatever happened militarily in that zone needed to be agreed upon and discussed with them,” Barrack said. “The new government (in Syria) coming in was not exactly of that belief.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)