Israel is supplying weapons and financial support to thousands of Druze fighters in southern Syria, according to senior community leaders and Western intelligence sources cited Tuesday.

The effort, focused in Sweida province, is said to involve rifles, ammunition, and salaries for roughly 3,000 men, as Israel works to unify disparate Druze factions amid rising tension in the area.

The development comes as Washington intensifies pressure on both Damascus and Jerusalem to deliver progress ahead of the UN General Assembly later this month.