Syria's interior ministry spokesperson said on Friday that government forces were not preparing to deploy to Sweida Province, the state news agency reported.

Syrian forces are preparing redeployment to Sweida as ceasefire collapses, prompting international concern over escalating violence.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported "clashes west of Sweida pitting tribal fighters and Bedouin supported by the authorities on one side, against Druze fighters on the other". Combatants on both sides confirmed the clashes and AFP correspondents reported hearing exchanges of fire.

The conflict had drawn airstrikes against Syrian forces by neighboring Israel in defense of the Druze before a truce halted most of the fighting.

The fighting had threatened to unravel Syria's post-war political transition and brought further military intervention by neighbouring Israel.View on euronews

Despite reports indicating the strike was carried out by Israel, Channel 12 reported that the Israeli military had not conducted the strikes. Israel carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Syria's Sweida,

A ceasefire between Syria and Druze religious minority leaders had halted several days of violence earlier this week

Fresh clashes broke out overnight between the Druze minority armed groups and members of Bedouin clans in southern Syria, prompting government forces to deploy again to the area on Friday after pulling out under a ceasefire agreement that halted several days of violence earlier this week,

Israel's statement on Friday came just days after sectarian violence and Israeli airstrikes in Syria left hundreds dead.