Israeli jets carried out strikes on Syrian government forces after they had attempted to quell a wave of deadly sectarian violence.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, ordered the attacks on Syria’s Sweida region on Tuesday, saying Israel was attacking to protect the Druze community and ensure the safety of Israel’s border.

“A short while ago, the IDF began striking military vehicles belonging to Syrian regime forces in the area of As Suwayda [Sweida] in southern Syria,” the military said in a statement.

The announcement came just after Mr Netanyahu and Israel Katz, the defence minister, ordered the army to “immediately strike regime forces and weaponry”, accusing Syria’s military of trying “to carry out operations against the Druze”.

Syrian government forces had entered the Druze-majority city of Sweida in what Damascus said was an effort to end the deadly clashes between Druze fighters and neighbouring Bedouin tribes.