Beirut, Sept. 17 (SANA)Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes and Israeli forces conducted explosions and artillery fire across several areas ofsouthern Lebanonlate Wednesday, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.NNA said Israeli aircraft launched two waves of strikes shortly after 11 p.m. on Mansouri, south of the coastal city of Tyre.Israeli forcesconducted explosions in the same town that caused strong tremors in nearby villages.The agency reported another explosion in the Wadi Mazlam area of Beit Lif in Bint Jbeil district and an explosion in Kfar Tebnit.In the Nabatieh area, NN…

Riyadh, Sept. 17 (SANA)Saudi Crown Prince and Prime MinisterMohammed bin Salmanand French PresidentEmmanuel Macrondiscussed regional developments, security and freedom of maritime navigation during a phone call, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Thursday. The two leaders reviewed regional developments and efforts to strengthen security and stability in the region and ensure the security and freedom ofmaritime navigation, SPA said. They discussed other issues of mutual interest. The call follows Mohammed bin Salman’s official visit to France on Aug. 23-24, when he met Macron and the two l…

Samarkand, Sept. 17 (SANA)Syria opened its campaign at the 46th FIDEChess Olympiadin Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with 4-0 victories over Niger in the Open section and Guinea in the Women’s section on Wednesday. Syrian Arab Chess Federation President Ali Abbas told SANA that the Syrian Men team defeatedNiger4-0, while the Women’s team recorded the same score against Guinea. Syria’s Men team featured Mazen Fandi, Rudy Bakr, Talal al-Zaeem and Bashir Aiti. The Women’s team comprised Rola Mahmoud, Nibal al-Jalda, Doha Farha and Naya Boufaroud. The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad is being held in Samarkand …

Steve Lutes: US-Syria commercial and economic ties deepen President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrives at Dubai World Trade Centre for Arab Media Summit Artists bring hope and beauty to Syrian Art Week in Damascus Haneen Choir brings Safita’s musical voice to Syrian Art Week Syrian Visual Arts Exhibition: ‘The Impact of Art 2026’ From tools of destruction to art Damascene craftsmen grant war relics new life Draykish: A scenic natural masterpiece amid the mountains and valleys of Tartous Al-Farnlaq Forests attract visitors with stunning landscapes and serene beauty

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)President Ahmad al-Sharaadiscussed withEnergy MinisterMohammadal-Bashirthe current state of Syria’s energy sector, fuel supplies, and ways to develop the country’s energy system and improve its efficiency.MHD

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Speaker of theSyrian People’s AssemblyAbdul Hamid al-Awak received aFrench Senatedelegation headed by Olivier Cigolotti, with members of the Assembly’s Bureau attending the meeting. The People’s Assembly said on its Telegram channel Wednesday that the talks focused on the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and ways to develop cooperation betweenSyriaandFrance. The French delegation included Étienne Blanc, Nicole Duranton, and Michel Grall. The French Chargé d’Affaires in Damascus, Jean-Baptiste Faivre. On Tuesday, the French delegation held talks with Finance Min…

Singapore, Sept. 16 (SANA)Only fourvesselscrossed theStrait of Hormuzon Tuesday, down from seven a day earlier and far below the 130 to 140 ships that typically used the waterway each day before the war, preliminaryshipping datashowed Wednesday. The four crossings were also well below the 10-day average of 18 vessels. Two ships entered the strait and two exited, with no very large crude carriers (VLCCs) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers among them. The actual number of crossings could be higher because some vessels transit the waterway with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) t…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syria seized 697 millionCaptagonpills, dismantled 90 international trafficking networks and shut down 17 production facilities in the 18 months following liberation, official figures showed, as authorities target the drug infrastructure left behind by the deposed regime.The figures cover operations from December 8, 2024, through June 26, 2026. Further seizures reported in July and September show that the counter-narcotics campaign has continued beyond that period. 1,550 operations target Captagon infrastructure The Drug Enforcement Department said authorities carried…

Washington, Sept. 16 (SANA)TheUnited Kingdomheld theHouthi militiaresponsible for the escalation in Yemen, condemning continued attacks onSaudi Arabia, increased military operations inside Yemen, and threats tointernational navigationand regional stability. During a UN Security Council session on Yemen on Tuesday, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Kate Foster said Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia the previous night injured 13 civilians, damaged homes and residential areas, and disrupted commercial air traffic. She affirmed Britain’s solidarity with Saudi Arabi…

Washington, Sept. 16 (SANA)TheU.S. House of Representativesvoted for a third time in favor of a resolution calling for an end to the war with Iran, in a move aimed at limitingPresident Donald Trump’s ability to continue military operations without congressional approval. The vote, held late Tuesday, passed by 220 votes to 204, according to The Associated Press. The resolution calls for ending unauthorizedU.S. military involvementin hostilities withIran. Previous measures of this kind did not reach the president’s desk, while the latest resolution must complete the legislative process before …

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Twenty people were injured in 23traffic accidentsacross different parts of Syria during the past 24 hours, according toCivil Defenseteams at the Ministry of Emergency Management and Disaster Administration. The Civil Defense said on its Telegram channel Wednesday that its teams provided first aid to the injured, transported them to hospitals for necessary treatment, cleared accident debris and secured the affected sites. The Civil Defense renewed its advice to drivers to reduce speed, ensure vehicles are in proper technical condition, including functioning brakes and…

Quneitra, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syria’s Civil Defense Directorate inQuneitraorganized a training course on Tuesday at the Cultural Center in Madinat al-Baath to raise awareness of the risks posed bywar remnantsand promote safe practices for dealing with them. The three-day course aims to equip volunteers with the knowledge needed to reduce risks, identify potential hazards and provide safety guidance to local communities. Youssef Abu Husseini, Director of Empowerment at the Southern Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate, told SANA that the training was conducted in cooperation with Aman Com…

Vienna, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syrian Atomic EnergyCommission and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday signed a Country Programme Framework (CPF) for the period of 2026–2031 at the Agency’s headquarters in Austrian capital, Vienna. The CPF was signed on behalf of the Syrian side by Chairman ofSyria‘s Atomic Energy Commission,Mudar al-Okla, and on behalf of IAEA by Deputy Director General and Head of Technical Cooperation Department, Hua Liu. Key framework for medium-term planning The Commission’s media office told SANA that the CPF constitutes the main reference framework for medi…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Syria and Egypt held their second government meeting in Damascus on Wednesday, focusing on strengthening bilateral cooperation in economic, trade, investment, energy and other priority sectors. The meeting was chaired bySyrian Foreign and Expatriates MinistryAdviser Mohammad al-Jafal and Egypt’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad Ambassador Ihab Fahmy, with the participation of representatives from ministries, institutions and bodies concerned with economy, trade, investment, oil, gas, electricity and free zones…

Latakia, Sept. 16 (SANA)Chief of General Staff atDefense MinistryMaj. Gen. Ali al-Naassan, accompanied by Air Force Commander Brigadier General Assem al-Hawari and Naval Forces Commander Brigadier General Mohammad al-Saoud, conducted a tour ofHmeimim Airportin Latakia countryside on Wednesday. The tour was marked by a number of meetings and discussions withRussian militarycommanders there, as part of communication and coordination between the two sides. Earlier in February, Defence Minister Maj. Gen. Murhaf Abu Qasra held talks in Damascus, in the presence of Maj. Gen. al-Naassan, with Russi…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)The General Authority ofCivil Aviationand Air Transport announced Wednesday that its Compliance and Quality Department has obtainedISO 9001 certificationfor its quality management system, with accreditation from a U.S. body.The authority’s president, Omar al-Hosari, said the certification makes civil aviation the first Syrian government institution to receive ISO 9001 certification afterliberation.Al-Hosari told SANA that obtaining the certification represents an important milestone in developing institutional work and reflects the authority’s commitment to applying qu…

Damascus, Sep. 16 (SANA)The Ministry ofLocal Administrationand Environment signed on Wednesday a contract with Saudi company Ejad Tech at Cham Palace Hotel in Damascus to implement enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, marking a key step toward the implementation phase of the ministry’s institutionaldigital transformationproject. The signing was attended by Minister of Local Administration and Environment MohammadAnjaraniand Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdul SalamHaykal. The project aims to develop the ministry’s institutional work environment through an integ…

Damascus, Sep.16 (SANA)The Syrian Arab Republic stronglycondemnedWednesday an attempt by the Houthi militia to targetMeccawith drones, stressing that any attack on the Holy city, the Qiblah of Muslims, or its surroundings, or any act that puts worshippers, citizens and residents at risk, constitutes a serious violation of the sanctity of holy sites and an affront to Muslims worldwide. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates expressed full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed Syria’s support for the Kingdom in confronting threats posed by the Houth…

Riyadh, Sept. 16 (SANA)Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Wednesday condemned the targeting of the Holy city of Mecca by a Houthi militia drone, after Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed the aircraft before it entered the city’s restricted airspace. The Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as an attack targeting the sanctity of Mecca, saying the incident represents a violation of holy sites and provokes the sentiments of Muslims worldwide. In a statement, the ministry called on the international community to take a firm position against attacks targeting religious sites, civ…

Damascus, Sept. 16 (SANA)Economy and Industry MinisterNidal al-Shaarwill travel toUzbekistanon Thursday, accompanied by an economic delegation, for talks aimed at strengthening economic ties and exploring new opportunities for trade, investment and business partnerships between the two countries. Qassem Kamel, director of government communications at theEconomy and Industry Ministry, told SANA on Wednesday that the visit follows a recent trip toSyriaby an Uzbek delegation for discussions on areas of mutual economic cooperation. Kamel said the visit is part of the ministry’s efforts to expand…