DAMASCUS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A fragile ceasefire entered into effect Wednesday night in Syria's southern province of Sweida, as Syrian interim government troops began withdrawing from the city following days of deadly clashes between government forces, Druze fighters, and Bedouin tribes, according to the state-run media outlets.

The de-escalation came hours after Israel launched multiple airstrikes on the Syrian capital Damascus, citing the protection of the Druze community in Sweida.

The ceasefire was reached between Syria's interim government and Druze spiritual leaders after four days of intense fighting that killed at least 248 people, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A statement from Syria's interior authorities said the agreement includes a complete cessation of hostilities, the return of army units to their barracks, and the full reintegration of Sweida into state control.

The agreement will see internal security checkpoints staffed by local police established across the Sweida city, while a joint monitoring committee of interim government officials and Druze clerics will be formed to oversee implementation of the deal. The agreement also outlines steps to regulate heavy weapons in cooperation with the defense and interior authorities, and to restore government institutions under Syrian law.

Sheikh Youssef Jarbouh, the top spiritual leader of Syria's Druze community, confirmed the terms and urged all sides to honor the accord. However, in a sign of continued division, influential Druze cleric Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri issued a separate statement rejecting any agreement with the transitional government, vowing to continue what he called "legitimate resistance" until Sweida is fully "cleansed" of armed government forces.

Hours before the ceasefire, Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Damascus, targeting high-profile government and military sites in a dramatic escalation. At least five missiles struck the Syrian Army's General Command headquarters and the defense authority compound in Umayyad Square, a symbolic heart of state authority. Additional strikes hit the vicinity of the Al-Shaab presidential palace situated on a mountain overlooking the capital.

Footage aired by local TV showed widespread destruction and rising smoke in central Damascus. The Syrian health authorities reported that at least one civilian was killed and 19 others injured in the strikes. The General Command building suffered extensive damage, and several adjacent government buildings and roads were left in ruins.

In a statement, the Israeli military said it had targeted command sites from which Syrian forces had launched operations against the Druze community in Sweida. The strikes were intended to "deter further aggression" and "defend vulnerable communities," it said.

The Syrian foreign affairs authorities condemned the Israeli assault as a "flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and international law," warning it could ignite wider instability. "What happened today from Israel was contrary to our expectations," the defense authorities added in a separate statement.

The escalation in Sweida began on Sunday after armed members of a Bedouin tribe in the countryside of Sweida reportedly assaulted and robbed a young Druze man near the town of al-Masmiyah, along the Damascus-Sweida highway. The brutal attack sparked retaliatory kidnappings, spiraling into full-scale clashes between local Druze fighters, government troops, and Bedouin militias.

The violence exposed long-standing tensions in Sweida, a majority-Druze province that had previously remained relatively insulated from Syria's civil war. Limited government presence and local discontent have created a volatile landscape, with Druze factions seeking more autonomy and protection amid fears of demographic and political marginalization.

The death toll from armed clashes, summary executions, and Israeli airstrikes in Syria's southern Sweida province has risen to 302 since Sunday morning, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The casualties include residents of Sweida and personnel affiliated with government forces.

With a ceasefire now in place but divisions unresolved, the coming days will test whether the agreement can hold and whether the broader crisis will ease or reignite.