Syrian foreign minister stresses need for Israeli withdrawal from Syrian areas

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani reaffirmed that Damascus’s position on Israeli escalation is based on the necessity for Israeli forces to withdraw from areas they penetrated after the fall of the Assad regime, and to adhere to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Damascus, Al-Shaibani said: "We adhere to the option of diplomatic confrontation, based on our deep awareness of the cost of wars and denying any pretexts the aggressor seeks to fabricate."

During the joint conference today, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused Israel of seeking to "destabilize" Syria through continued strikes, while his Syrian counterpart Asaad Al-Shaibani emphasized commitment to a diplomatic solution.

Last month, Syria announced it had held high-level talks with Israel in Jordan, focused on de-escalation following strikes on the Abu Al-Duhur airbase.