U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that Washington, along with the concerned parties, has agreed on “specific steps” to end the escalating tensions between Israel and Syria — and expects the situation to de-escalate “tonight.”
Speaking from the Oval Office alongside former President Donald Trump, Rubio emphasized the “historic and long-standing rivalries” between Israel and Syria, calling the current conflict “an unfortunate situation and a misunderstanding.”
“We have engaged all the parties involved in the clashes in Syria. We have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight,” Rubio said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“This will require all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made and this is what we fully expect them to do.”
The announcement came hours after Israel launched new airstrikes in Syria and deployed additional troops to the border, aiming to prevent attacks on the Druze minority in the southern city of Sweida.
Renewed Ceasefire in Doubt
Despite the diplomatic efforts, a ceasefire agreement announced by Syrian officials and a Druze religious leader remains shaky. A similar truce on Tuesday quickly collapsed, and influential Druze spiritual figure Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri disavowed the latest deal.
Israeli strikes reportedly continued even after the ceasefire was declared. Defense Minister Israel Katz reaffirmed that operations would not stop until the “forces that attacked the Druze withdraw completely.”
“We will continue to operate vigorously in Sweida to destroy the forces that attacked the Druze until they withdraw completely,” Katz said.
Netanyahu’s Commitment to Druze Protection
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Tuesday that Israel would not allow the Druze community in Syria to be harmed, citing “the deep brotherly alliance” with Druze citizens in Israel and their familial ties to the Syrian Druze.
U.S. Concerns Over Israeli Strikes
Earlier in the day, Rubio had expressed concern about Israel’s bombing campaign in Syria and said Washington was pressing for it to stop.
“We’re on our way towards a real de-escalation… In the next few hours, we hope to see some real progress to end what you’ve been seeing,” Rubio said in the Oval Office.
Meanwhile, Syrian forces began pulling back from Sweida, as part of the ceasefire attempt. However, with ongoing strikes and fragile agreements, it remains uncertain if peace will hold through the night.