US Envoy Signals 13-Year Shift in Syria Strategy

Tom Barrack spoke with Australian X personality Mario Nawfal on Friday about the future of southern Syria.

The US special envoy to Syria and Iraq referred to a specific Druze sheikh, widely identified as Hikmat al-Hijri, during the conversation. Barrack appeared to favor the Syrian government having direct control over the Suwayda governorate rather than an armed group linked to al-Hijri. The National Guard, a Druze faction connected to the sheikh, has faced accusations of acting as an Israeli proxy with separatist goals.

Navvar Saban, a researcher at the Arab Center for Contemporary Syrian Studies, interpreted the comments as a clear message to Jerusalem. He stated that Israel backing al-Hijri does not equate to American support. According to Saban, Washington has prioritized an agreement with Damascus while Israel maintains its own security demands.

The diplomatic stance contrasts with the approach of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Israel has seized land in the Quneitra governorate and bombed the Syrian Ministry of Defence. Nanar Hawach, a Syrian analyst, noted that Washington is building a partner in Damascus, while Israel appears to prefer a weaker central government in the south.

Tensions in the Druze-majority governorate escalated in July 2025 when fighting between Bedouin tribes and Druze communities resulted in sectarian killings. Israel intervened by attacking Syrian government forces entering the province. Since that conflict, the region has remained in a state of deadlock. Residents have expressed deep distrust toward the new leadership in Damascus, particularly after forces reportedly connected to the government joined the fighting on the side of the Bedouins.

A trilateral agreement signed in Amman in September 2025 requires Syria to invite an independent international commission to investigate the July events. The deal stipulates that perpetrators will be brought to justice. Hawach noted that al-Hijri’s authority rises when the Druze community feels threatened, but his support is not universal. He observed that pressure from Damascus often strengthens the local leadership it aims to weaken.

Saban emphasized that a durable settlement requires credible accountability for the 2025 violence. He stated that the Druze need guarantees for movement, education, and security. He added that neither weakening al-Hijri nor restoring government institutions alone will rebuild the trust between the province and the capital.