Israeli Aid to Syrian Druze Compromised After Ministry Posts Airdrop Photos
The IDF criticized the Israeli Health Ministry for revealing the use of Hercules aircraft airdrops to deliver aid to Syria’s Druze, labeling it a serious security breach. The incident, under investigation, risks complicating Israel’s covert humanitarian efforts amid ongoing regional tensions.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has expressed outrage at the Israeli Health Ministry for inadvertently revealing the method used to deliver humanitarian aid to the Druze community in Syria’s Sweida province. The IDF labeled the incident an “אירוע חמור” (serious event) after the ministry posted images from Nevatim Airbase, showing aid crates attached to parachute harnesses, with Hercules aircraft visible in the background. The photos exposed that the IDF had airdropped medical supplies and humanitarian aid from 80 kilometers away from the Israel-Syria border, a method the military had sought to keep confidential to protect operational security. The aid, coordinated with the United States, was delivered to support the Druze in Sweida, where a hospital serving the community was destroyed amid sectarian clashes that killed over 1,100 people, including 326 Druze fighters and 262 civilians, since July 13, 2025.
The IDF’s Information Security Department launched an immediate investigation into the breach, emphasizing the risks of exposing such sensitive operations. The airdrop, conducted using C-130 Hercules aircraft, was part of Israel’s broader efforts to assist the Druze, a minority group with ties to Israel’s 152,000-strong Druze community, amid violence involving Syrian government forces and Bedouin militias. The IDF had previously used helicopters for similar aid deliveries in May 2025, but the airdrop method was meant to remain undisclosed to avoid escalating tensions with Syria’s interim government under Ahmad al-Sharaa. Social media posts on X criticized the ministry’s oversight, with one user stating, “Health Ministry’s blunder could jeopardize Druze aid operations.” The ministry has not yet responded to the IDF’s concerns. The incident follows Israel’s airstrikes on Damascus, targeting Syrian military sites to protect the Druze, which drew international criticism, including from U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who called for de-escalation on July 16, 2025.