"After October 7 and the increased threat from Hezbollah, can Israel afford to allow radical actors to entrench themselves on the northern border?" asked Sheikh Muafak Tarif.

Hijri has harshly criticized Syria’s government for what he called an “unjustified genocidal attack” during deadly sectarian fighting in Druze-majority areas south of Damascus this week.

The sectarian violence involving Islamist factions, security forces and Druze gunmen is another sign of the fragile security situation.