Syria, Israel hold US-mediated talks in Jordan to de-escalate tensions

What the report says

Syria’s foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, has met Israeli officials in Jordan in US-mediated talks aimed at lowering tensions after an Israeli strike on a Syrian airbase near the Turkish border, according to Al Jazeera’s report citing Syrian state media and AFP. The discussions reportedly involved a senior Israeli delegation, including the head of Mossad, and came amid continued friction between Syria, Israel and Turkiye.

Al Jazeera reported that the Syrian side said the talks focused on practical steps to stop Israeli attacks, arrests and other military actions, while also reviving negotiations on a longer-term security arrangement. Damascus said it wants Israeli forces to pull back to positions held before Bashar al-Assad’s fall in December 2024 and to restore the 1974 disengagement agreement. Syrian officials also reiterated that the Golan Heights remains Syrian territory and rejected any limits on its sovereignty or military rebuilding.

The report said Israel entered the talks with its own red lines, including limiting Turkish military activity in Syria, keeping the Syrian side of the Golan demilitarised and protecting the Druze community. Israeli media described the meeting as positive, though Al Jazeera cited a political analyst who said the process may be difficult because of Israel’s broader regional aims and Syria’s concern about becoming a battleground between Israel and Turkiye.

The US has been trying for more than a year to broker a security deal between Israel and Syria. The article says earlier rounds of talks had stalled, but the latest meeting suggests both sides are still exploring ways to reduce the risk of further escalation.