Syria and Israel Hold High-Level Talks in Jordan on De-Escalation and Regional Tensions

Syria and Israel held high-level talks in Jordan on Sunday under U.S. mediation to discuss de-escalation following recent Israeli strikes on Syrian territory and efforts to keep growing tensions between Israel and Turkey from spilling into Syria. The discussions aimed to address the recent Israeli bombardment of Syrian territory and rising tensions in southern Syria, while supporting stability in Syria and the wider region.

The talks came after the two sides agreed in January to establish an intelligence-sharing mechanism as they moved toward a possible security agreement. The latest negotiations followed an Israeli strike earlier this week on the disused Abu Duhur airbase in northwestern Syria. Israel claimed the attack was intended to prevent Turkish troops from deploying to the facility, a claim Ankara denied.

Syrian state news agency SANA quoted a diplomatic source at the Foreign Ministry as saying that a “high-level Syrian delegation headed by the foreign minister and including the general and military intelligence chiefs” met with a senior Israeli delegation “under American mediation and hosted by Jordan.” The meeting was part of efforts to achieve de-escalation following recent Israeli bombardment of Syrian territory and rising tensions in southern Syria, while supporting stability in Syria and the wider region.

The discussions also focused on efforts to narrow differences between Turkey and Israel and ensure that tensions between the two countries do not affect Syrian territory, according to SANA. A diplomatic source and a Syrian government source told AFP that Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani met with Roman Gofman, head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency.

The talks included discussions on establishing a “special operations room” in Jordan under U.S. supervision to prevent confrontations on Syrian territory, including potential clashes involving Turkey, the sources said. U.S. envoy for Syria Tom Barrack criticized Israel’s strike on the Abu Duhur airbase on Tuesday, describing it as an “unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability.”

Tensions between Israel and Turkey have risen sharply since the incident, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchanging increasingly hostile rhetoric. A Syrian government source told AFP that Sunday’s meeting was the first between Syria and Israel in some time, while a diplomatic source described it as the first such meeting in several months.

SANA reported that the discussions included establishing “practical mechanisms to stop Israeli attacks” and other measures to promote peace and security in the region. The talks reflect ongoing efforts to manage complex regional dynamics and prevent further conflict.

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