Syria and Israel are holding discreet talks in Paris in a bid to reduce rising tensions in southern Syria. According to diplomatic sources in Europe, representatives from both sides met earlier this week to explore possible de-escalation measures.
The meeting comes at a time of growing instability across the southern provinces, where clashes involving Druze and tribal forces have raised fears of renewed violence near the disengagement line. France is believed to have facilitated the talks, although neither Damascus nor Tel Aviv has offered any public confirmation. The discussions reportedly focused on practical ways of preventing further military confrontations and maintaining existing security arrangements in the Golan Heights area, which has remained a longstanding flashpoint since Israel captured the territory during the 1967 war.
Analysts caution that the issues at stake are deeply entrenched and unlikely to be resolved quickly, but the fact that direct contacts have taken place is viewed by some observers as a notable shift in regional dynamics. It comes as Washington and other international actors continue to emphasise the need for stability in Syria amid the wider Middle East crisis and the ongoing reshuffling of alliances following the fall of the Assad government.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus in a visit that underscores Kyiv’s push to strengthen military ties across the Middle East and promote its military expertise following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.
Explosions were heard in the Syrian capital Damascus as Israeli air defences intercepted Iranian missiles, Syrian state television reported on Tuesday.
A man previously convicted of spying on Türkiye has been arrested by Turkish and Syrian authorities after more than a decade on the run, Turkish security sources said on Monday.
Türkiye’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ahmet Yildiz, has called for Syria to be shielded from the effects of the ongoing regional war, warning that instability could threaten the country’s recovery.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran's "whole civilisation" on Tuesday in a post on social media. Meanwhile, the UN failed to reach an agreemement on a resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after China and Russia used their vetoes.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it had stopped firing on northern Israel and Israeli forces on Wednesday as part of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East brokered between the United States and Iran. However, a Hezbollah lawmaker warned that the pause could collapse if Tel Aviv does not adhere to it.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Iran and the United States, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate two-week ceasefire covering all areas, but Israel says the deal excludes Lebanon. Tel Aviv says the U.S. is committed to achieving shared goals in upcoming negotiations.
The four astronauts aboard Artemis II briefly lost contact with Earth while flying behind the Moon, then regained it during a dramatic lunar far-side flyby.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Hungary days before the 12 April parliamentary election has underscored Washington’s open support for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at a critical point in his political career.
In a special edition of Context, Orkhan Amashov reports from Washington on the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, examining plans for Gaza’s reconstruction, a proposed stabilisation force, and the wider diplomatic impact of the U.S.-led initiative.
In today’s Prime Time, we covered the following conversations: Azerbaijan has shipped petroleum products to Armenia by rail for the first time in decades, marking a significant step toward economic cooperation and regional integration in the South Caucasus.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment