The illegal crossings came around the announcement by US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack that Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire supported by Turkey, Jordan, and regional partners.

Government forces that were initially sent to restore order but effectively sided with the Bedouins against the Druze were redeployed to halt renewed fighting that erupted Thursday in the southern province of Sweida. The violence also drew airstrikes against Syrian forces by neighboring Israel before a truce was reached.

Violence in Syria's Druze province has triggered Israeli military action, complicating relations with Turkey and creating a power vacuum that Iran could exploit.

Members of the Druze community in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights gathered at the border with Syria Thursday morning, anxious to be reunited with their families who crossed into Syria on Wednesday.

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In a stunning shift, Druze communities in Syria’s Sweida region have been seen cheering and saluting Israeli forces entering their areas. The IDF says its operation aims to protect the Druze people from escalating violence by Syrian government troops under Al-Sharaa.

Hundreds of Druze from Israel pushed across the border in solidarity with their Syrian cousins they feared were under attack. Many then met relatives never seen before.