Syria and Israel held their first acknowledged direct talks Tuesday as Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met with an Israeli delegation in US-brokered discussions aimed at de-escalating regional tensions following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The two sides spoke about restoring a 1974 ceasefire agreement, which had established a buffer zone between Syria and Israel, according to Syria's state-run news agency SANA. Neither Syrian nor Israeli officials offered an official statement outlining details about what was said during the meeting, but a senior Trump administration official confirmed the talks. Washington has been pushing for the two countries to normalise relations amid a recent surge of tensions between them, in line with US President Donald Trump's vision of a "prosperous Middle East," which includes a "stable Syria at peace with itself and its neighbours, including Israel," a US official told AP. "The United States continues to support any efforts that will bring lasting stability and peace between Israel and its neighbours," they added, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "We want to do everything we can to help achieve that," the official added. The meeting marks the first time Syria has acknowledged holding direct talks with Israel and comes at a time when tensions between the two countries peaked, following the fall of al-Assad in December. Shortly after the interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's forces overthrew the former dictator's regime, Israeli troops took control of the UN-patrolled buffer zone that had been established under the 1974 ceasefire deal. Israel launched airstrikes on military sites in what it claimed was an attempt to prevent hostile forces from establishing themselves and instead create a demilitarised zone south of Damascus. Last month, Israel again intervened, launching dozens of airstrikes, when violence erupted in Syria's Suwayda province between Bedouin clans and the Druze minority on the other. Israel claimed it was protecting the Druze community, parts of which live in Israel. - Euronews
