Israel intensifies strikes on Syria, Al-Shara urges state-building

Damascus, Dec 15 (IANS) Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has confirmed that the Lebanese armed group has temporarily lost its weapons supply route through Syria following the recent fall of Bashar al-Assad's government.

In his first televised address on Saturday since the collapse of Assad's government, Qassem acknowledged the disruption, describing it as a "detail" in the broader scope of Hezbollah's operations, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that the supply route could be restored once a new regime is in place, or Hezbollah may seek alternative pathways.

Israel intensified its airstrikes against Syrian military facilities on Saturday, conducting 24 air raids in the countryside of Damascus, according to a war monitor.

The strikes reportedly hit tunnel-equipped installations carved into a mountainside in the targeted area, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The latest raids bring the total number of Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory to 426 since the collapse of the Syrian government on December 8. These operations have spanned 13 Syrian provinces, according to the observatory.

Ahmad al-Shara, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), acknowledged on Saturday the enormous scale of destruction in the Syrian capital Damascus and beyond after the downfall of Bashar al-Assad's government.

In an interview with Syria TV, al-Shara said Syria now stands at a critical juncture, requiring careful data-driven strategies and the establishment of a rule-of-law state to ensure lasting stability.

Al-Shara, who led the military operation that resulted in the collapse of al-Assad's government, emphasised the need to govern with a state-oriented mindset. He called for building institutions based on law and justice.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed here on Saturday the latest developments in Gaza and Syria, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

The meeting reviewed both sides' efforts to reach a ceasefire and facilitate the exchange of captives in the Hamas-Israel conflict. Al-Sisi emphasised the urgency of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, particularly as winter approaches.

The two sides also discussed the implementation and maintenance of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon as a key element in regional efforts for calm.

Qatar Charity, a non-governmental charity and humanitarian group based in Doha, has dispatched a 40-truck humanitarian aid convoy to Syria to support those affected by the ongoing crisis, the official Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported on Saturday.

The initiative aims to meet urgent needs as harsh winter conditions worsen the hardships faced by vulnerable populations, according to the report.

The aid includes flour for bakeries and families, food baskets with essential supplies, winter clothing kits, personal hygiene kits, non-food item kits, medical supplies, and consumables. The total cost of the convoy's assistance is estimated at 4.5 million Qatari riyals ($1.24 million), according to the QNA.

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