US-brokered Syria-Israel talks seek to halt Israeli strikes

According to Syria’s state news agency, Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaibani and senior intelligence officials met an Israeli delegation during the discussions. The meeting focused on measures to reduce

AMMAN: Syria and Israel have held high-level talks in Jordan under US mediation as diplomatic efforts intensify to contain tensions following recent Israeli military actions in Syria.

According to Syria’s state news agency, Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaibani and senior intelligence officials met an Israeli delegation during the discussions. The meeting focused on measures to reduce tensions and prevent further Israeli attacks, arrests and targeted operations inside Syria.

The United States played a mediating role in the talks, with the discussions aimed at establishing arrangements that could help prevent further escalation between the two sides.

Syrian officials reiterated Damascus’s position that the Golan Heights remain occupied Syrian territory, saying it would be premature to determine their final status at this stage. Syria instead emphasised the need to address immediate security concerns.

Damascus has called for Israeli forces to withdraw to the positions they held before December 8, 2024, and for the implementation of the 1974 disengagement agreement.

The talks come amid broader diplomatic contacts between Syria and Israel. Reuters previously reported that Mossad chief Roman Goffman had spoken by telephone with Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaibani on August 14.

According to the report, the conversation included detailed discussions about Turkey’s military presence in Syria, highlighting the complex regional security concerns surrounding the country.

The latest Jordan meeting represents another attempt to open channels of communication between Damascus and Tel Aviv and prevent renewed violence while broader negotiations over security and territorial issues remain unresolved.