For the first time in decades, the Syrian flag was hoisted above the country’s embassy building in Washington, D.C., by Syrian transitional government Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani.
The recent meeting in Damascus between Abu Mohammad al-Julani (Ahmed al-Sharaa), head of Syria’s interim government, and Ibrahim Kalin, chief of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), has reignited attention on Syria’s evolving political landscape and the flurry of regional and international negotiations surrounding it. The timing of this meeting—just days after Israel proposed a no-fly zone in southern Syria and following visits by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi—suggests a coordinated diplomatic effort rather than coincidence.
Abu Muhammad al-Julani, head of the Syrian transitional government, met with Charles Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, in Damascus yesterday. The meeting included U.S. special envoy Thomas Barrack and several Syrian officials.
In a renewed wave of aerial assaults, Israeli fighter jets struck key military sites in Syria’s Homs and Latakia provinces, reportedly destroying advanced air defense systems and a radar installation. The attacks also targeted a munitions depot linked to the al-Julani government, resulting in multiple Syrian military casualties.
In recent weeks, the situation along the lines in southern Syria—specifically in the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra—has remained stable and unchanged. The Israeli military has been intermittently moving through villages and occupied areas in southern Syria, occasionally setting up checkpoints along roads and routes leading to residential zones.
Last night, Israeli aircraft launched multiple airstrikes targeting the 1st Armored Division base in Jabal al-Mane’, located in the Al-Kiswah region. The operation included a rare helicopter assault, deploying troops directly into the military base — one of the few such large-scale heliborne operations by Israel in Syria.
Syrian state TV Al Akhbariya reported that Israeli military drones targeted a military facility belonging to the al-Julani government in the western outskirts of al-Kiswah, near Damascus. The attack resulted in the deaths of six fighters affiliated with the government.
Hikmat al-Hijri, one of the three main spiritual leaders of the Druze community in Sweida province, issued a statement calling for the formation of an independent Druze autonomous region in the south of the country.
This analysis outlines the “mini-state governance model” as the most probable scenario for Syria’s future. In this model, the state remains legally unified, but in practice, powerful local entities dominate specific regions, effectively holding real power. The central government is compelled to cooperate with these influential local forces. Although this scenario has received limited public attention, it aligns more closely with Syria’s historical context and social fabric.
Recently, the situation on the lines in southern Syria, particularly in Daraa and Quneitra governorates, has remained stable and unchanged. The Israeli army has been intermittently moving between villages and occupied areas, occasionally setting up checkpoints on roads leading to residential zones.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani attended a meeting with an Israeli delegation in France, where they discussed various issues.
A spokesperson for the Turkish Justice and Development Party issued a warning against any attempts to create a passage from Sweida province to areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
