Trump administration brokers breakthrough between Israel and Syria

Israel and Syria have reached a ceasefire agreement with the mediation of the United States.

The agreement, reported by Israeli media and confirmed by US Special Representative for Syria Thom Barrack, follows weeks of intensified conflict and rising instability.

According to Barrack, the administration of US President Donald Trump played a central role in facilitating the talks, driven by concerns that continued hostilities could further destabilise the region and undermine US diplomatic efforts in Syria.

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, with the support of the US, have agreed on a ceasefire,” Barrack stated. He emphasised that the agreement also has the backing of regional players, including Türkiye, Jordan, and other neighbouring states.

As part of the broader effort to restore stability, Barrack issued an appeal to Syria’s diverse communities. “We call on the Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to lay down their arms and, together with other minorities, build a new unified Syrian identity, as well as peace and prosperity with their neighbours,” he said.

The ceasefire comes in the wake of escalating violence following the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. His successor, interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, pledged to create an inclusive political environment for national and religious minorities. However, this promise has been challenged by renewed violence from Islamist factions, particularly against Alawite and Druze communities.

Tensions reached a critical point in July when clashes erupted in the Druze-majority city of As-Suwayda, after local fighters resisted government calls to disarm and join the national armed forces. In response, the Syrian government deployed troops to the area on July 16, prompting retaliatory airstrikes by Israel.

The Israeli Defence Forces targeted key military and government sites in Damascus, destroying the General Staff and Defence Ministry buildings and damaging the presidential palace. Prime Minister Netanyahu later justified the attacks as a move to protect the Druze population from what he described as undue pressure by the Syrian regime.

However, despite the ceasefire agreement, Israeli forces carried out another airstrike on the city of As-Suwayda on July 18, highlighting ongoing tensions and the challenges ahead for sustaining peace.

By Tamilla Hasanova