Damascus, June 12 (SANA)Syria’s Interior Ministry announced on Friday the arrest of a deposed regime senior intelligence official involved in violations committed against the Syrian people.The ministry said Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab, a former brigadier general who served as deputy director of the General Intelligence Directorate (State Security), was arrested by the Counterterrorism Directorate following extensive efforts to track his movements.According to a statement posted on the ministry’s Telegram channel, al-Abd al-Rajab is involved in violations committed against residents of theDamas…

Washington, June 12 (SANA)U.S. forces intercepted and shot down two Iranian attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday after they were launched from Iran in what appeared to be an attempt to target commercial shipping in the strategic waterway, a U.S. official said. According to Reuters, the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the drones were successfully destroyed by U.S. forces before reaching their intended targets. Despite heightened regional tensions, commercial shipping traffic through theStrait of Hormuzcontinues to move normally, the official added. The inciden…

Washington, June 11 (SANA)– Energy MinisterMohammad al-Bashirmet in Washington with Roger Martella, Chief Executive Officer ofGeneral Electric, to discuss the development of Syria’senergy sector. The two sides reviewed efforts to develop electricity grid infrastructure and power generation plants inSyriaand explored available investment opportunities in the energy sector. They also discussed mechanisms for benefiting from the company’s technologies and advanced solutions to support the rehabilitation and development of the sector. Earlier in the day, al-Bashir met with U.S. SenatorJim Risch…

Damascus, June 11 (SANA)Al-Wahda strengthened its grip on top spot in the Syrian Men’s Basketball League Final Six with a 96-85 victory over al-Shabibeh on Wednesday. The win movedal-Wahdato 45 points at the end of the fourth week of the Final Six return leg, extending its lead at the top of the standings.Al-Shabibehremained bottom of the six-team table on 33 points. Playing at Al-Fayhaa Sports Hall inDamascus, al-Wahda controlled much of the contest to secure its latest victory in the title phase of the competition. Elsewhere, Ahli Aleppo edged Homs al-Fidaa 78-75, while al-Nawaeir defeate…

Dubai/Washington, June 11 (SANA)TheUnited Statesand Iran exchanged air and missile strikes late Wednesday and early Thursday, extending a second consecutive day of hostilities and raising concerns over energy supplies from theGulf. PresidentDonald Trumpthreatened additional military action unless Tehran immediately agrees to a peace deal, while Iran launched attacks on U.S. military targets across the region in response to overnight American strikes. The U.S. military said it targeted Iranian surveillance capabilities, communications systems and air defense sites, describing the operation as…

Aleppo, June 11 (SANA)A convoy carrying nearly 1,700 families arrived in theAfrinregion of northernAleppoprovince on Wednesday from the northeastern city ofQamishli, as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate the voluntary return of displaced Syrians to their home areas. The return operation was supervised by the Presidential Team and coordinated between the governorates of Aleppo and Hasakah, as well as the Afrin regional administration, according to local officials. Mohammad Abdul Hanan, mukhtar of Afrin city, said the returning families were received by local authorities, community represen…

New York, June 10 (SANA)Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations,Ibrahim Olabi, affirmed that the new Syria is proud to have adopted a balanced, moderate approach to its foreign relations, based on dialogue and cooperation to build the best possible relations with all countries of the world, far removed from the destructive politics of axes and alliances. Speaking at aU.N. Security Council sessionon political solutions in the Middle East , Olabi stated: “Throughout its long history, Syria has known both war and peace, and it understands the importance of peaceful means to resolv…

Damascus, June 10 (SANA)TheMinistry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriatesstressed that its specialized departments immediately began taking the necessary measures to investigate reports regarding the alleged leak of documents and correspondence attributed to the ministry. “The ministry has also started coordinating with technical departments and security agencies to conduct a comprehensive investigation aimed at identifying the source, mechanism, and scope of the leak. Appropriate legal and judicial measures will be taken to address the incident, contain its repercussions, and hold accountable a…

Ankara, June 10 (SANA)Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğanaffirmed that Israel’s ongoing attacks pose a serious threat to regional security and stability, stressing thatTürkiyerejects any attempts to impose faits accomplis in neighboring countries. Speaking at the parliamentary group meeting of the Justice and Development Party in Ankara on Wednesday, Erdoğan said Israeli assaults onSyriaandLebanonhave reached a level that directly threatens Türkiye itself. He stressed that Ankara will not overlook any Israeli targeting of Syria and Lebanon, given their direct importance to Türkiye’s securi…

New York, June 10 (SANA)UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said on Wednesday that any escalation of the conflict in the region casts a shadow over Syria. After 13 years of violence, the Syrian people are finally beginning to find their way to peace.” “Members of the Security Council witnessed this firsthand during their visit to Damascus six months ago, where they saw what this transitional phase requires to succeed, from inclusivity and the rule of law to transitional justice, dialogue among social groups, and reconstruction,” Guterres, speaking at aSecurity Councilsession on Syria, sai…

Washington, June 10 (SANA)A Syrian delegation headed by Minister of Energy Mohammadal-Bashirheld talks on Wednesday with the Syrian-American Business Council in Washington aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and exploring investment opportunities in the energy sector. The meeting brought together representatives of companies and business leaders to discuss prospects for cooperation and partnership in support of the development of Syria’s energy sector. During the discussions, the two sides reviewed the current state of the energy sector in Syria, as well as ongoing projects aimed at …

Mexico City, June.10 (SANA)The historic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City prepares to make history in world football tomorrow, Thursday, when it hosts the opening match of the2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first stadium in the world to have the honor of hosting three World Cup opening matches. This iconic stadium, which opened in 1966 and has a capacity of 83,000 spectators, was chosen to kick off the largest edition of the tournament in history, which will feature 48 teams for the first time and include 104 matches spread across 16 host cities in three countries; Canada, Mexico, and the Unit…

Quneitra, June 10 (SANA)An Israeli occupation force composed of several military armored vehicles executed a ground incursion on Wednesday, operating west of the village of Saida al-Hanout in the southern countryside ofQuneitraprovince, where troops directly assaulted local civilians before retreating behind the occupied line. According to SANA’s field correspondent in Quneitra, the Israeli unit engaged in acts of intimidation and property destruction, deliberately running over livestock belonging to local farmers. Israeli soldiers physically assaulted two young Syrian men, tying them up secu…

Aleppo, June 10 (SANA)Minister of InformationKhaled Zaarour, accompanied by Aleppo GovernorAzzam al-Gharib, met on Wednesday with a large assembly of journalists, broadcasters, and media personnel in Aleppo as part of efforts to strengthen communication with media workers and assess the state of media work in the province. The meeting focused on the ministry’s future media vision, mechanisms for improving media performance and the key challenges facing journalists. Participants also discussed proposals and demands aimed at advancing media work and strengthening its role in addressing issues o…

Homs, June 12 (SANA)Nestled in the Warsha district ofHoms,Deir Mar Elianstands as one of Syria’s most significant religious and archaeological landmarks, preserving centuries ofChristian heritageand the legacy of Saint Elian, a third-century figure revered as a Healing physician. Built in the Byzantine architectural style, the monastery features marble columns and houses some of Syria’s oldest church icons. The site has undergone several restoration campaigns over the years, while the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums has overseen the preservation of its historical treasures sinc…

Washington, June 12 (SANA)Syria’s proposed “Four Seas Initiative,” an ambitious plan to transform the country into a regional hub for energy, transport and trade connectivity, received renewed attention this week during a policy discussion in Washington that brought together Syrian officials, energy experts and regional analysts. Speaking at an event hosted by the New Lines Institute, Syria’s chargé d’affaires in Washington, Mohammad Kanatri, presented the initiative as a blueprint for reconnecting Syria to regional and global markets after years of war, isolation and sanctions.“We want Syria…

Damascus, June 12 (SANA)TheSyrian National Orchestrafor Arabic Music performed at theDamascus Opera Houseon Thursday, presenting a program that blended classical and contemporary works in reinterpretations ofArab musical heritageunder the direction of Adnan Fathallah. The concert opened with “Sama’i Bayati” by late Syrian composer Hassan Iskaf, in a new arrangement by Essam Rafeh, highlighting one of the key melodic structures in Eastern music. The program continued with “Aziza” by Mohamed Abdel Wahab, performed in a refreshed orchestral arrangement that preserved its original character whil…

Occupied Jerusalem, June 12 (SANA)Israeli occupation forces carried out raids across the West Bank on Friday, detaining several Palestinians, while settlers intensified attacks and violations in multiple areas.According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Israeli forces arrested a young man from the town of al-Yamoun, west of Jenin, after raiding and searching his home. Another man was detained from Jenin refugee camp after troops raided his residence near the Arab American University, while a third was arrested in Nablus.Israeli forcesalso raided the town of al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, an…

Damascus, June 12 (SANA)Syria’sMinistry of Social Affairs and Laboursaid Friday it is intensifying efforts to combat child labour, stressing that protecting children from economic exploitation and ensuring access to education remains a national priority. MarkingWorld Day Against Child Labour, the ministry called for stronger coordination between government bodies and international partners to address growing social challenge driven by economic hardship and war-related disruption. Officials said labour inspections are being stepped up across private sector workplaces, particularly in industri…

Mexico City, June 12 (SANA)Mexico began their2026 FIFA World Cupcampaign with a comfortable 2–0 victory overSouth Africaon Thursday at the iconic Azteca Stadium in the tournament’s opening match. The hosts made a fast start, taking the lead in the ninth minute through Julian Quiñones. South Africa’s task became significantly harder early in the second half when Yaya Sithole was sent off in the 49th minute. Mexicodoubled their advantage in the 67th minute, with Raúl Jiménez heading home from a cross by Roberto Alvarado to put the result beyond doubt. South Africa were reduced to nine men in …