DAMASCUS/JERUSALEM, July 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 99 people have been killed and around 200 others wounded over the past two days in southern Syria's Sweida province, as clashes escalate between local Druze militias, Bedouin tribes, and government forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Monday.

According to the Britain-based monitoring group, the fatalities include 60 from the Druze community -- among them two women and two children -- 18 from Bedouin tribes, 14 from the defense authorities, and seven unidentified individuals wearing military uniforms.

Meanwhile, in a televised statement, defense authorities spokesperson Hassan Abdel Ghani said 18 Syrian army personnel were killed and several others wounded while performing "national duties to contain the conflict and restore stability" in Sweida on Monday. He said military positions came under attack by "outlawed armed groups," resulting in what he called a "treacherous assault" on army checkpoints.

The defense authorities vowed to continue operations to end what it described as "futile clashes" and to pursue armed groups operating outside the law.

The interior authorities, in a separate statement, confirmed the deployment of security forces and defense authorities' units to Sweida in a joint effort to halt the violence, restore order, and prevent further bloodshed.

Fighting initially broke out after Bedouin gunmen reportedly assaulted and robbed a Druze youth at a makeshift checkpoint near al-Masmiyah last week. In retaliation, Druze fighters detained several Bedouins, prompting a cycle of abductions and violent confrontations.

A source from "Rijal al-Karama," the largest Druze faction in the region, told Xinhua that 11 Druze civilians were kidnapped by Bedouin tribes, while five Bedouin civilians were taken hostage by local Druze fighters. A prisoner exchange was planned in an attempt to defuse the tension.

Despite mediation efforts, heavy fighting continued Monday across eastern and western Sweida, including in the al-Muqawwas neighborhood and surrounding rural areas. Explosions and gunfire were reported by a Xinhua correspondent on the ground.

Adding to the unrest, Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting Syrian military positions in the villages of al-Mazraa and near Kanaker in western Sweida. The strikes reportedly hit gatherings and military vehicles belonging to Syria's defense authorities.

Israel's military said the strikes were intended to send a warning to the Syrian government not to harm the Druze community.

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) struck targets in Syria as a message and a clear warning to the Syrian regime: we will not allow harm to come to the Druze in Syria," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. "Israel will not stand idly by," he added.

Israel has previously intervened in Syria, saying such actions were aimed at defending the Druze minority, which it considers an ally.

The Damascus-Sweida highway remains closed at multiple points, including the al-Masmiyah checkpoint, as security forces seek to prevent civilian casualties.

The situation remains tense and highly volatile as both the government and community leaders call for restraint and seek a return to calm.

As for now, the Syrian military units have entered the countryside of Sweida and are on their way to enter the provincial capital of Sweida. According to sources from inside Sweida, the Syrian military personnel are 10 km from the city. ■