President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Syria’s newly appointed leader, who is a former insurgent, concluding his visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday before proceeding to Qatar, the next destination in his three-country Middle East itinerary this week.
On Tuesday, Trump was warmly welcomed in Riyadh, where he declared plans to lift sanctions on Syria to offer the nation “a chance at peace.” His visit also emphasized forming partnerships with the kingdom, a vital ally in the region, while discussing mutual concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the conflict in Gaza.
Trump said the rapprochement with Syria came at the urging of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“There is a new government that will hopefully succeed,” Trump said of Syria, adding, “I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.”
Furthermore, Trump encouraged Iran to adopt “a new and better path” as he advocates for a renewed nuclear agreement and expressed his desire to prevent conflict with Tehran. During his visit, Trump and Prince Mohammed, the effective leader of Saudi Arabia, signed numerous economic and bilateral deals.
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Syrians cheer Trump’s announcement on sanctions
Syrians cheered Trump’s announcement that America will move to lift sanctions on the beleaguered Middle East nation. People in the capital, Damascus, whistled and cheered the news as fireworks lit the night sky.
The state-run SANA news agency published video and photographs of Syrians cheering in Umayyad Square. Others honked their car horns or waved the new Syrian flag in celebration.
Trump’s planned meeting with the country’s rebel-turned-leader Ahmad al-Sharaa represents a remarkable political turnaround for Syria, which has been locked in a bitter war since the 2011 Arab Spring. In December, rebels led by al-Sharaa toppled Syrian autocrat Bashar Assad’s government.
Al-Sharaa, who was imprisoned in Iraq for his role in the insurgency following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, will be the first Syrian leader to meet an American president since Hafez Assad met Bill Clinton in Geneva in 2000.
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From a former insurgent who led Assad’s overthrow to a meeting with Trump
The U.S. once offered $10 million for information about the whereabouts of the insurgent then known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani. He had joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq.
Syria’s new president came back to his home country after the conflict began in 2011, and led al-Qaida’s branch that used to be known as the Nusra Front.
He later changed the name of his group and cut links with al-Qaida before they finally succeeded in overthrowing President Bashar Assad in December.
Syrian’s interim government hails US sanction decision
Syria’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday night called Trump’s statement about the sanctions a pivotal turning point for the Syrian people as they “seek to emerge from a long and painful chapter of war.”
The statement also was careful to describe the sanctions as coming “in response to the war crimes committed by the Assad regime against the Syrian people,” rather than the war-torn nation’s new interim government.
“The removal of these sanctions offers a vital opportunity for Syria to pursue stability, self-sufficiency and meaningful national reconstruction, led by and for the Syrian people,” the statement added.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels likely fired another missile at Israel
The Israeli military issued a statement on Wednesday morning announcing the missile fire from Yemen after sirens sounded in the country.
“A missile launched from Yemen was intercepted,” the Israeli military said. “Sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol.”
The Houthis had launched another missile just after Trump addressed an investment summit in Riyadh on Tuesday. Trump had earlier announced a ceasefire between America and the rebel group.
The Houthis have been attacking Israel over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s decision to bar aid to the beleaguered Palestinian enclave. The Iranian-backed rebels also are locked in a stalemated war with a Saudi-led coalition backing the country’s long-exiled government.
The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack, though it can take hours or even days for them to acknowledge an assault.
New Zealand tells its travelers to the US to expect more ‘scrutiny’ at America’s border
The foreign ministry bolstered its travel cautions for New Zealanders visiting the United States, the first such update since Trump took office, officials said Wednesday. The travel advice hadn’t been fully updated since 2023, the statement said.
Language added to the guidance for U.S.-bound travelers included an alert that visitors “may encounter scrutiny from U.S. border authorities,” including inspection of their travel documents, reason for travel and personal belongings.
It also warned travelers to “expect strict enforcement” of entry conditions and caution of “detention, deportation and ban from re-entry” if travelers don’t comply.
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