The Syrian government has begun withdrawing its forces from the majority-Druze city of Suwayda, according to the country's state-run SANA news agency. A ceasefire with Druze militia has also been announced but it is "unclear" whether it will hold, said CNN.

Rubio said that steps must be taken by "all parties to deliver on commitments they have made and this is what we fully expect them to do. " US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced an agreement to end the fighting in Syria,

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced steps on Wednesday to end clashes in Syria involving the Druze minority after Israel intervened, striking the Syrian Defence Ministry. View on euronews

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio writes on X that parties “have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight” in Syria. “This will require all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made, and this is what we fully expect them to do,” Rubio adds.

We have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight,' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says.

Sectarian clashes in Southern Syria have shattered expectations of a speedy peace process between Jerusalem and Damascus.

The White House is attributing the outbreak of violence in the Middle East between the Syrian government and Israel to a "misunderstanding" over ethnic grudges.

The fighting was sparked by a dispute between the Bedouin and Druze communities Syrian state-run media say Israel carried out an air strike near Syria's southern Druze-majority city of Suweida late on Thursday.