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31 May - 6 Jun 2025

Published: June 7, 2025

SYRIA SITREP: 2025-05-31 - 2025-06-06 (Published: 2025-06-07)

Executive Summary

This week was marked by a significant diplomatic and economic push by the transitional government, juxtaposed with a dangerous military escalation with Israel. The period’s most critical development was the first rocket attack from Syrian territory into Israel since the fall of the Assad regime, launched by Iran-linked militants on June 3. This prompted a broad series of retaliatory Israeli airstrikes, reversing a recent trend of de-escalation and heightening regional tensions.

Diplomatically, Damascus secured major financial commitments; a high-level Saudi delegation visited, and both Riyadh and Doha jointly pledged to cover public sector salaries for three months. The EU also announced a €175 million recovery package. Economic normalization advanced as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded its first assessment mission to Syria in 18 years, recommending immediate cooperation on reforms, while the Damascus stock exchange formally re-opened.

Domestically, a crucial breakthrough occurred in government-SDF relations, with the first round of substantive talks in Damascus yielding an agreement on subcommittees and a major prisoner exchange involving 420 individuals. Concurrently, President Ahmed al-Sharaa made his first visit to Daraa, a symbolic move aimed at national reconciliation, further reinforced by a Supreme Fatwa Council decree forbidding acts of vigilante revenge.

Key watchpoints for the coming week include the potential for further military escalation between Syria and Israel, and the operational progress of the newly formed government-SDF subcommittees, which will be a key test of the national integration process.

Detailed Analysis

1. Politics

Covers all diplomatic, governmental, and internal political activity.

International Affairs
  • A high-level Saudi delegation led by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud traveled to Damascus on May 31, meeting with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani. Following the visit, Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced they would jointly pay for Syria's public sector salaries for an initial three-month period.
  • President al-Sharaa and FM al-Shaybani traveled to Kuwait on May 31, meeting with the Emir and other officials. Kuwait's Foreign Minister announced on June 2 that its embassy in Damascus would "soon" re-open.
  • A Syrian government delegation held extensive ministerial-level meetings in Doha, Qatar, on June 3, focusing on energy, finance, and trade. Qatar pledged to support Syria’s banking sector recovery, equip three hospitals, and finance gas supplies via the Arab Gas Pipeline.
  • The G7 nations and the Arab Quintet (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar) convened in Doha on June 4 for a meeting focused on Syria.
  • An EU delegation led by Commissioner Dubravka Suica visited Damascus on June 4 and announced a new €175 million package to support Syria’s recovery in energy, education, health, and agriculture. Follow-up meetings on June 5 included discussions on the potential cancellation of Syria's $750 million debt to the EU.
  • Sweden's Ambassador to Syria confirmed an $80 million grant on June 4 to support the rehabilitation of hospitals and schools and to fund economic reforms.
  • President al-Sharaa and FM al-Shaybani hosted the Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, on June 4, signing a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on food security and cancer treatment.
  • The Syrian General Federation of Trade Unions signed a cooperation agreement with its Turkish counterpart on June 6 to enhance technical support and exchange expertise.
Domestic Affairs
  • The government and the SDF held their first round of substantive negotiations in Damascus on June 1. The talks resulted in an agreement to form specialized subcommittees to manage school exams, facilitate the return of displaced persons, and reactivate previous agreements concerning Aleppo. (Related: See Security/Government-SDF Security Coordination)
  • President al-Sharaa made his first visit to Daraa governorate on June 6 for Eid al-Adha, where he met with tribal and civil notables, Christian leaders, and the leadership of the Syrian Army’s 40th Division.
  • The Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) announced on June 2 its formal dissolution and integration into the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Response, led by their former founder, Raed al-Saleh.
  • On June 1, a series of presidential decrees were issued to reform state administration, including establishing committees to manage employee service extensions (Decree No. 42), approve organizational structures (No. 43), and regulate the merit-based appointment of middle and executive leadership positions (No. 44 & 45).
  • Numerous high-level appointments were made, including Major General Mohammed Khayr Hassan Shuayb as Deputy Minister of Defense (June 1) and the reinstatement of 63 judges dismissed by or defected from the former regime (June 5).
  • In a move to curb vigilante violence, the Supreme Fatwa Council issued a fatwa on June 6 declaring that citizens are "obligated to obtain their rights through the judiciary," forbidding individual acts of "revenge or retaliation."
  • The AANES reportedly transferred all vehicle ownership documentation for northeastern Syria to the government in Damascus on June 2 as part of a gradual integration of civic databases.

2. Business

*Covers all economic activity, investment, and development. *Focus on business news, announcements, and specific economic deals/trends

Financial Sector Reforms and International Engagement
  • The Syrian stock exchange formally re-opened on June 2 after being inactive since December 2024, with trading scheduled for three days a week.
  • The IMF’s first assessment mission to Syria in 18 years concluded on June 5, recommending short-term cooperation on tax and customs reform, public finance management, and developing a monetary policy framework.
  • Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh announced on June 6 the establishment of a committee of independent and international experts to develop a new tax system.
  • The Governor of Syria’s Central Bank confirmed on June 3 holding meetings with officials from the Banque de France to discuss updating monetary policy and enhancing the bank's independence.
  • Finance Minister Barnieh confirmed on June 1 that discussions were underway with the World Bank to finalize a $146 million project to repair electricity lines from Jordan and Turkey, with a board presentation scheduled for June 23.
Foreign Investment and Trade
  • President al-Sharaa issued a decree on May 31 announcing a gift of SYP 500,000 ($54) for all public sector employees and SYP 300,000 ($32) for retirees to mark Eid al-Adha.
  • Saudi Arabia and Qatar issued a joint statement on May 31 announcing their intent to provide financial support for Syrian public sector salaries for an initial three-month period.
  • The Arida border crossing linking Tartus with Lebanon formally re-opened on June 3 following extensive rehabilitation work.
  • A ship carrying 824 vehicles docked at Tartus Port on May 31, the fourth such delivery since December 2024.
  • Syrian authorities began loading 28,000 tonnes of phosphate from Homs onto a vessel on June 2 for export to Romania.

3. Security

  • Covers all military, conflict, internal stability, and humanitarian conditions. Separate the military/security angle from the political/diplomatic angle (e.g., a diplomatic talk about a border goes in Politics; a border clash goes here). Create dynamic ##### sub-chapters based on this week's data.
Israel-Syria Escalation
  • Iran-linked militants launched two artillery rockets from Tasil in Daraa into Israel late on June 3, the first such attack from Syria since the transition. The attack, which caused no casualties, was claimed by a group called Kataib Awli al-Bas.
  • Israel launched a significant retaliatory response, conducting artillery strikes on seven locations in western Daraa and airstrikes on three military brigade bases near Izraa (Daraa), Kanaker (Rif Dimashq), and Saasaa (Rif Dimashq).
  • Israeli military forces conducted at least seven separate ground incursions into southern Syria throughout the week, primarily in Quneitra governorate villages like Jabah, Khan Arnabeh, al-Mushayfirah, and Koudna.
ISIS Activity
  • Three SDF-linked Asayish fighters were killed and one injured in an ISIS IED attack targeting their vehicle on the Raqqa-Hasakeh highway on June 1.
  • Two SDF fighters were killed in an ISIS drive-by shooting in Hajin, eastern Deir ez Zour, on May 31.
  • SDF forces captured an alleged Iraqi ISIS operative, Saleh Salman Ali, during a raid inside al-Hol Camp on May 31.
  • ISIS militants attacked an SDF post in al-Shuheil on June 2, triggering a clash with no confirmed casualties.
Government-SDF Security Coordination
  • A major prisoner exchange was conducted in Aleppo city on June 2, with 250 government-linked individuals released in exchange for 170 SDF-linked prisoners.
  • A joint government-SDF convoy visited the Tishreen Dam in eastern Aleppo on June 2, where earthen barriers were bulldozed to clear road access. The joint force also recovered the bodies of 18 SNA and 7 SDF combatants killed in previous clashes.
  • The U.S. government reportedly approved a Syrian government plan to establish a dedicated Army division (the 84th Division) to house approximately 3,500 foreign fighters, primarily from the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP). A TIP leader confirmed to Reuters that his movement had dissolved in Syria and now operates under the Ministry of Defense.
Targeted Killings and Localized Violence
  • Eight Alawite men were shot dead while in a vehicle in the village of al-Rabiyah, Hama, on June 4. Multiple former Assad regime informants and soldiers were also assassinated in Hama city during the week.
  • In Daraa, a local militia leader, Maher al-Labbad, and his son were shot dead in al-Sanamayn on June 1, sparking retaliatory clashes that killed at least two more people.
  • Public Security forces continued counter-narcotics and counter-crime operations, seizing a large weapons cache including over 100 Iranian-made artillery rockets intended for Hezbollah in Telkhalakh (Homs) on June 6. Forces also seized 800kg of hashish in al-Safira (Aleppo) on May 31.
  • Public Security forces detained several anti-government insurgent leaders and former regime officers in Latakia, Homs, and Rif Dimashq.

Relevant Context

Israel-Syria Tensions and the Iranian Factor: The June 3 rocket attack by an Iran-linked group from Daraa into Israel represents a major turning point. This was the first direct attack of its kind since the new transitional government took power in December 2024. Its significance is magnified because it shattered a period of tentative de-escalation, which reportedly included quiet talks between Syrian, Turkish, and Israeli officials, encouraged by the United States. For Israel, the attack confirms its long-stated fears that hostile actors could exploit the post-Assad security vacuum. For Syria's new government, it presents a critical challenge: demonstrating it can control its territory and prevent its use as a launchpad for attacks, a central demand of regional and international stakeholders. The incident places the government in Damascus in a difficult position, caught between Israeli military pressure and the destabilizing actions of Iran-backed factions.

Transitional Justice and Vigilante Killings: This week saw a confluence of events highlighting the profound challenge of transitional justice. The Supreme Fatwa Council's June 6 decree forbidding "revenge or retaliation" was a direct response to a persistent wave of vigilante violence. Throughout the week, numerous targeted killings of former Assad regime figures, their associates, and members of the Alawite community were reported, most notably the execution of eight Alawite men in Hama. These acts of retribution underscore the deep-seated grievances remaining from the war and the public's lack of faith in formal justice mechanisms. While the government is attempting to establish state authority, these killings reveal the difficulty of imposing a monopoly on force and achieving reconciliation in a society where accountability for past atrocities remains largely unaddressed.