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Blinken Meets Jordan's King to Discuss Syria

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks his aircraft upon arrival in the Red Sea city of Aqaba, Jordan on December 12, 2024. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Pool via REUTERS
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks his aircraft upon arrival in the Red Sea city of Aqaba, Jordan on December 12, 2024. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Pool via REUTERS
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Blinken Meets Jordan's King to Discuss Syria

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks his aircraft upon arrival in the Red Sea city of Aqaba, Jordan on December 12, 2024. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Pool via REUTERS
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks his aircraft upon arrival in the Red Sea city of Aqaba, Jordan on December 12, 2024. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Pool via REUTERS

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Jordan's King Abdullah in the Red Sea town of Aqaba on Thursday as he arrived in the region for talks on Syria following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
Blinken, who will head to Türkiye later on Thursday, this week set out Washington's hopes for Syria's political transition, saying it would recognize a future Syrian government that amounts to a credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governing body.
Blinken will discuss US priorities of ensuring Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles are secured and destroyed, facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid and that the country is not used as a "base of terrorism," the State Department said.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is playing a key role in Damascus after it led the ouster of Assad, ending a 50-year family dynasty in a swift takeover after 13 years of civil war.
Blinken, the top diplomat in the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden, will also meet Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday and will discuss Israel's conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon during his trip, the State Department said.

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Lebanon: Mysterious Evacuation Calls Renew Fears of Israeli Strikes

A Lebanese soldier secures participants during a marathon in Beirut last week (AP)
A Lebanese soldier secures participants during a marathon in Beirut last week (AP)
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Lebanon: Mysterious Evacuation Calls Renew Fears of Israeli Strikes

A Lebanese soldier secures participants during a marathon in Beirut last week (AP)
A Lebanese soldier secures participants during a marathon in Beirut last week (AP)

A wave of anonymous phone calls urging residents to evacuate buildings in southern and eastern Lebanon sparked fresh panic on Saturday over potential Israeli attacks. Though the threats later proved to be unfounded and traced to local sources, the incident unfolded amid heightened tensions and the continued presence of Israeli military aircraft in the skies above South Lebanon.

According to local media reports, Lebanese citizens in the town of Tammine in the Bekaa Valley (eastern Lebanon) received phone calls urging them to evacuate a residential building. Security forces immediately launched an investigation into the origin of the calls, while residents evacuated the building as a precaution.

After coordination with Lebanese security agencies, authorities confirmed the caller was Lebanese and the threat lacked credibility. Legal measures were initiated against the individual responsible for the hoax threat.

Security sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the calls were made from within Lebanese territory, and the numbers are being tracked using technical means. “We are monitoring these calls and pursuing those responsible,” a source said.

This incident is the latest in a series of similar events. Over the past few months, especially during the expanded conflict along the Lebanon-Israel border, hundreds of Lebanese citizens have received anonymous calls warning of imminent strikes, spreading fear across communities.

Lebanese authorities have arrested around 20 individuals linked to these threats. Security officials noted that during periods of active conflict, Lebanon’s military intelligence identified coordinated foreign campaigns - some linked to Israel - aimed at inciting fear among the population.

“These calls were part of organized external efforts, and in some cases, the Lebanese army’s intelligence managed to trace and neutralize them by blocking digital access points used to relay such messages,” a security source explained. “They were indeed causing panic among residents.”

Residents, particularly in southern Lebanon, say they have no choice but to treat such calls seriously. Israel has occasionally issued official warnings ahead of attacks, as seen in two incidents in Beirut’s southern suburbs after a ceasefire agreement took effect. However, in other instances, Israeli aircraft have carried out strikes without warning, further fueling concern among civilians and prompting widespread caution.

Saturday’s panic was further heightened by intensified Israeli aerial activity over southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported low-flying Israeli fighter jets over the villages and towns of Tyre district, as well as over Jezzine and the eastern sector of the south.

Local activists also reported Israeli drones flying at low altitude above the Litani River basin. One drone reportedly dropped two sound bombs over the Wadi al-Asafir area in the town of Khiam.