Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has urged Sunni Bedouin tribes to honor a ceasefire aimed at ending deadly clashes with Druze-linked militias.

Sectarian-tinged clashes left hundreds dead and drew in Israeli military intervention. A U.S. envoy said Israel and Syria had agreed to a truce.

Syrian government forces were struggling to implement a shaky ceasefire in the southern province of Sweida on Saturday after factional bloodshed between Druze militias and Arab Bedouin tribes left hundreds dead, threatening the country’s postwar transition.

Israel launched airstrikes in Damascus and hit government forces in the south, demanding they withdraw and saying that Israel aimed to protect Syrian Druze - part of a small but influential minority that also has members in Lebanon and Israel.

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack announced on Friday that Syria and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire. Israel intervened in the conflict earlier this week, hitting government forces and the defence ministry building in Damascus as it declared support for the Druze minority.

The Syrian presidency has announced an "immediate ceasefire" in the southern city of Suweida to try to bring an end to a week of sectarian violence that has left hundreds dead

The government of Syria confirmed on Saturday that it had struck a ceasefire agreement with Israel to end a conflict that erupted in the south of the country earlier this week and killed hundreds of people. The deal appears to permit Syrian government forces, which had been withdrawn on Wednesday, to redeploy in the area.

U.S. Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack says that Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire, following Israel’s intervention this week in fighting between Syrian government forces and Bedouin tribes and armed groups from the Druze minority.