US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Friday to meet with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani amidst the international community's concerns over the Syrian government's collapse.
Blinken held a meeting with Sudani in Baghdad, following a series of discussions in Turkey and Jordan, as part of urgent efforts to coordinate a response to the recent fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime to rebel forces.
Across Syria, thousands of people are celebrating the downfall of the Assad regime, with gatherings in cities like Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, and Hama, which have recently come under opposition control.
A US citizen, Travis Timmerman, who was previously reported missing in Syria, has been handed over to US forces by opposition groups. Timmerman was found walking barefoot in Damascus and claimed to have been released from one of Assad's prisons after the regime's collapse.
Meanwhile, the conflict in Gaza continues to escalate, with at least 44,875 Palestinians killed and over 106,454 injured since Israel's offensive began in October last year. Israeli airstrikes have targeted civilian areas, including a residential block in central Gaza's Nuseirat camp, resulting in a rising death toll.
In northern Syria, a crucial dam is under threat as clashes persist between Kurdish factions and Turkish-backed groups. Satellite images suggest that Russia is preparing to withdraw its aircraft from military bases in Syria.
Israel has seized control of Mount Hermon on Syrian territory following Assad's ousting, with the Israeli Defense Minister ordering military readiness to maintain security in the area.
