Scoop: U.S. to mediate Israel-Syria meeting Thursday to avoid new crises
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Syrian military HQ after it was bombed by Israel. Photo: Nour Ziadeh/Anadolu via Getty Images
Senior U.S., Israeli and Syrian officials are expected to meet Thursday in an effort to reach security understandings regarding the situation in southern Syria, a U.S. official and another source with knowledge tell Axios.
Why it matters: This will be the first meeting between the parties since the crisis erupted last week in the city of Suwayda in southern Syria last week and the Israeli strikes on Damascus that followed.
Driving the news: The meeting will be chaired by U.S. Syria envoy Tom Barrack who has been mediating between the parties in recent weeks. Senior officials from Israel and Syria will also attend, the sources said.
- The meeting is expected to focus on security arrangements in southern Syria and on increasing coordination and communication between Israel and Syria to prevent crises between the countries like the one last week.
- "There is relative calm now, but the fundamental issues will not be resolved without comprehensive agreements between the U.S., Israel and the Syrian government," a senior Israeli official said.
- It's not yet clear where Thursday's meeting will take place. Previous meetings were held in Baku between Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Sheibani.
Catch up quick: Last Tuesday, Israel bombed a convoy of Syrian army tanks that were en route to the city of Suwayda to respond to violent clashes between a Druze militia and armed Bedouin tribesmen.
- Israel claimed the convoy crossed into a zone of southern Syria it demands be demilitarized, and that the Syrian military was participating in attacks on the Druze minority, which Syria denied.
- Israel escalated the incident the following day with air strikes on Damascus, including near the presidential palace. U.S. officials blamed miscommunication between the Syrian and Israeli governments.
- The Israeli airstrikes alarmed senior U.S. officials and deepened their concerns over Israel's policies across the region.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Monday that President Trump was unhappy with Israel's airstrikes in Syria last week and called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "rectify" the situation.
Go deeper: "He's a madman" — Trump's team frets about Netanyahu after Syria strikes
