Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited Syria to meet with new Syrian government leader Ahmad al-Shara and discuss the issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Mikati called for a way to enable the refugees to return home to a recovering Syria, emphasizing the need to resolve the matter quickly for the benefit of both countries. Al-Shara acknowledged the discussions on outstanding issues but did not make any specific comments on the return of refugees, urging Syrians to lower their expectations for a speedy recovery.
The visit came after the election of Joseph Aoun as Lebanon’s president, and Mikati’s phone call with al-Shara following clashes on the Syrian-Lebanese border. Syrian security forces have also arrested individuals accused of planning a major attack in Damascus, underscoring the ongoing challenges in the region.
In other news, Israeli security officials are set to travel to Qatar for talks on a truce to free hostages held in Gaza, with mediation efforts ongoing between Israel, Hamas, Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Despite continued rocket fire from Gaza, Israeli and U.S. officials believe Hamas’s military capacity has been significantly degraded. The recent rocket launch from Gaza was intercepted by the Israeli military in an ongoing conflict between the two parties.
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