Syria’s Sharaa Congratulates Trump, Looks Forward to Improving Relations 

A handout picture released by Syria's transitional government shows the country's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa waiting for the arrival of Spain's foreign minister at the presidential palace in Damascus on January 16, 2025. (Syria's Transitional Government / AFP)
A handout picture released by Syria's transitional government shows the country's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa waiting for the arrival of Spain's foreign minister at the presidential palace in Damascus on January 16, 2025. (Syria's Transitional Government / AFP)
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Syria’s Sharaa Congratulates Trump, Looks Forward to Improving Relations 

A handout picture released by Syria's transitional government shows the country's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa waiting for the arrival of Spain's foreign minister at the presidential palace in Damascus on January 16, 2025. (Syria's Transitional Government / AFP)
A handout picture released by Syria's transitional government shows the country's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa waiting for the arrival of Spain's foreign minister at the presidential palace in Damascus on January 16, 2025. (Syria's Transitional Government / AFP)

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa congratulated US President Donald Trump on his inauguration in a statement on Monday, saying he is looking forward to improving relations between the two countries.

"The past decade has brought immense suffering to Syria, with the conflict devastating our nation and destabilizing the region. We are confident that he is the leader to bring peace to the Middle East and restore stability to the region".

The US, Britain, the European Union and others imposed tough sanctions on Syria after a crackdown by ousted President Bashar al-Assad on pro-democracy protests in 2011 that spiraled into civil war.

In early January, Washington issued a sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria for six months in an effort to ease the flow of humanitarian assistance.

Syria welcomed the move, but has urged a complete lifting of sanctions to support its recovery.



Israeli Forces ‘Deepening’ Activity in Gaza City, Military Says 

A woman mourns over shrouded bodies of Mushtaha family members at the Al-Shifa in Gaza City, 23 July 2025. (EPA)
A woman mourns over shrouded bodies of Mushtaha family members at the Al-Shifa in Gaza City, 23 July 2025. (EPA)
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Israeli Forces ‘Deepening’ Activity in Gaza City, Military Says 

A woman mourns over shrouded bodies of Mushtaha family members at the Al-Shifa in Gaza City, 23 July 2025. (EPA)
A woman mourns over shrouded bodies of Mushtaha family members at the Al-Shifa in Gaza City, 23 July 2025. (EPA)

The Israeli military said in a statement Wednesday that forces were operating in Gaza City, as well as in northern Gaza.

It said without elaborating that in Jabaliya, an area hard-hit in multiple rounds of fighting, an air strike killed “a number of” Hamas fighters.

Troops struck roughly 120 targets throughout Gaza over the past day, including militant cells, tunnels and booby-trapped structures, among others, the military said.

Overnight strikes kill at least 21

One Israeli strike hit a house Tuesday in the northwestern side of Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to the Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties.

The dead included six children and two women, according to the Health Ministry's casualty list.

Another strike hit an apartment in the Tal al-Hawa area in northern Gaza, killing at least six people. Among the dead were three children and two women, including one who was pregnant. Eight others were wounded, the ministry said.

A third strike hit a tent in the Naser neighborhood in Gaza City late Tuesday and killed three children, Shifa Hospital said.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strikes. It blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the fighters operate from populated areas.