A high-level ministerial meeting between Syria and Israel is scheduled to take place on Thursday in Baku, Azerbaijan, to address rising security concerns in southern Syria, a diplomat told AFP, and according to The Times of Israel.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer are expected to attend the talks, which follow a similar meeting held in Paris last week. The Baku meeting will also come after Shaibani’s unprecedented visit to Moscow on the same day.
According to the diplomat, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, the meeting will focus on “the security situation, particularly in southern Syria,” an area that has seen escalating violence in recent months.
Tensions have surged in Syria’s southern Sweida province, a region with a significant Druze population. Deadly clashes broke out earlier this month between local Druze groups and Bedouin tribes, eventually drawing in Syrian government forces and prompting Israeli military involvement. Israel later stated that its intervention was aimed at protecting the Druze population. The fighting reportedly resulted in hundreds of casualties.
In the wake of the violence, Israel carried out targeted strikes on the Syrian presidential palace and army headquarters in Damascus. A ceasefire between the two sides was announced overnight on 18 July by the United States, a key ally of Israel that has also expressed support for Syria’s current authorities.
Russia, which was a principal backer of former President Bashar al-Assad before his ousting in December, has recently hosted Syrian officials, with Shaibani’s trip to Moscow on Thursday seen as a further shift in the country’s foreign engagements.
Israel and Syria have technically remained at war since 1948, and while direct diplomatic relations do not exist, discreet contacts have taken place in recent years. According to diplomatic sources, Shaibani and Dermer previously met in Baku on 12 July, before the latest wave of violence erupted.
Thursday’s meeting in Azerbaijan is part of a series of quiet but significant diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions and seeking common ground on security matters amid shifting geopolitical alignments in the Middle East.
These talks highlight Azerbaijan's growing strategic location for hosting and facilitating discussions on conflicts in the Middle East.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was warned about the "reputational risks" of appointing Peter Mandelson as U.S. Ambassador due to his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein, files released on Wednesday (11 March) show.
President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, visited Azerbaijan on Wednesday. A meeting between Costa and President Ilham Aliyev was held to reaffirm the European Union’s support amid regional security concerns, particularly following recent Iranian attacks on Nakhchivan Airport.
A wave of attacks across Israel and southern Lebanon escalated on Wednesday (11 March), with authorities reporting up to 12 incoming missile and drone alerts over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Tensions in the region remained high on Tuesday (10 March), as the United States and Iran exchanged increasingly sharp warnings, including threats over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
The 32 countries belonging to the Internatioanl Energy Agency agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil on Wednesday (11 March), in efforts aimed at bringing down the price of crude oil, which has soared since fighting between Iran, Israel and the U.S. started at the end of February.
U.S. President Donald Trump called his recent phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very good.” The two leaders spoke on Monday about the situation in Iran and other international issues.
A towering lava fountain from Kilauea shot about 400 metres into the air late on Tuesday (11 March) on Hawaii Island, prompting temporary closures at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and part of a key highway as volcanic ash and debris fell over nearby areas.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 10th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Britain has deployed the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon to the eastern Mediterranean to strengthen protection for its military assets in the Middle East after a drone strike targeted a key UK air base in Cyprus earlier this month.
Member countries of the International Energy Agency have unanimously agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves to stabilise global markets disrupted by the war involving Iran.
The annual pro-Palestinian al-Quds Day march in London, scheduled to take place on Sunday, has been banned by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood following warnings from the Metropolitan Police about the risk of “serious public disorder.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was warned about the "reputational risks" of appointing Peter Mandelson as U.S. Ambassador due to his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein, files released on Wednesday (11 March) show.
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