Who are the Druze, and why are they at the heart of Syria-Israel tensions?

Renewed violence in Syria between the Islamist-led government and Druze communities has drawn international attention to one the region’s influential but often overlooked religious minorities. As fighting intensifies in southern Syria, Israel has cited the protection of Druze civilians as justification for recent strikes against Syrian forces – escalating tensions in a region already fraught with sectarian and political divisions.