Turkish officials say Syria’s interim government has requested Turkey’s help to boost its defense capabilities.

Syria has been beset with another round of deadly sectarian clashes, with hundreds reportedly killed last week, drawing renewed international involvement. Israel says its airstrikes in southern Syria and Damascus in the last few days were meant to protect the Druze religious minority against government-backed forces and to prevent recent militarization near its border.

A U.S. envoy has urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach after a new round of sectarian bloodshed last week, or risk losing international support and fragmenting the country.

President Donald Trump was caught by surprise last week by Israeli actions in Gaza and Syria, and in both instances phoned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “rectify” the matter, according to the White House.

Syria’s interim government has requested Turkey’s support to strengthen its defense capabilities, Turkish officials said, following sectarian violence over the past two weeks that increased tensions in Syria and drew intervention by Israel.

Saudi Arabia's investment minister led a business delegation travelling to Syria on Wednesday, where they were expected to sign deals worth around $4 billion as part of Riyadh's efforts to support the country's post-war recovery.

A Saudi Arabian delegation including government officials and businessmen arrived in Syria on Wednesday to sign pacts worth around $4 billion, most of which are expected to be memorandums of understanding and joint projects,

Having started on 19 July and lasted for about five days, with considerable bloodshed and subsequent displacements, the Sweida clashes brought attention to the complex problems that are challenging the stability and territorial unity of Syria beyond the rule of the Assad regime that was toppled on 8 December 2024.