WASHINGTON: The leaders of Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire following recent Israeli airstrikes in Damascus, according to US envoy Tom Barrack. The agreement, supported by Turkey and Jordan, aims to de-escalate tensions in the war-torn region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa reached the truce after major Israeli strikes targeted Syrian military sites earlier this week. Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and key negotiator on Syria, urged all factions to disarm.
“We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbors,“ he wrote on X.
The Israeli strikes on Damascus, including attacks on the army headquarters, were described as defensive actions to protect the Druze community after clashes with Bedouins in Sweida. Analysts suggest Israel may be exploiting Syria’s instability under Sharaa’s new Islamist-led government, which ousted Bashar al-Assad in December.
The US State Department clarified it did not endorse Israel’s military actions, despite its close alliance with the country. A recent US-brokered deal saw Syrian forces withdraw from Sweida, raising hopes for reduced hostilities. - AFP
