To ease tensions: Israel and Syria held a meeting

Israel and Syria held a high-level meeting in an effort to ease tensions, following an unusual Israeli strike on a Syrian air force base. Mossad chief Roman Gofman met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani. The Trump administration is trying to prevent further escalation in the region.

Israel and Syria held a high-level meeting today (Sunday) in an effort to ease tensions between the two countries, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. The meeting took place between Mossad chief Roman Gofman and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, several days after Israel carried out an unusual strike on the Syrian air force base at Abu al-Duhur. The strike, which occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday, heightened tensions among three close U.S. allies in the region, just as the Trump administration is trying to prevent further escalation. Foreign Minister al-Shibani clarified to Israel in an interview on Thursday that his government is not working with Turkey to establish a military presence at the targeted base, but Israel carried out the strike nonetheless. Meanwhile, President Trump said in a phone call on Wednesday that he had been briefed on the Israeli strike but refrained from criticizing it. According to information provided by a senior American official, Israel informed political-level officials in Washington that it has intelligence on Turkey's intention to deploy weapons systems at the Syrian air force base. The official added that despite the initially critical response of U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, the United States believes the Israeli information is accurate.

To ease tensions: Israel and Syria held a meeting