tension

The government also holds little sway in Suweida, where tensions with the predominantly Druze population have remained high since the sectarian violence there three months ago.

Some agents who were fired had been photographed kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest in Washington, D.C. – an action they said they took to defuse tensions with protesters.

One possible source of tension may be in international coverage, primarily the war in Gaza, which has been the subject of internal debate in many newsrooms.

Many fear that widespread weapons, tensions between powerful families and Hamas's grip on power could spiral into scenes resembling civil war in a territory already gripped by displacement, destruction, and fear of further lawlessness.

These underlying tensions were just coming into focus.