Israel’s strikes push Syria towards Mecca defence pact membership

Air strikes intended to curb Turkish expansion risk triggering the very encirclement Israel fears, analysts say

Securing a Washington-mediated security deal with Israel was still Damascus’ top priority, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani reportedly told Roman Gofman, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, at a meeting in Amman on Sunday.

Such a deal would see Israeli forces withdraw from areas of southwest Syria they have occupied since the Assad regime collapsed in December 2024.

Syria was a sovereign state with “the full right to rebuild and develop its national army and determine its alliances and partnerships in accordance with its national interests”, Shaibani reportedly said, adding that Damascus would not accept any arrangement that restricted those rights.