{
  "id": 19150800,
  "title": "Jordan's FM visits Damascus to smooth relations after deadly air raid",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/jordans-fm-visits-damascus-to-smooth-relations-after-deadly-air-raid-19150800",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-09T11:34:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/11/09/jordan-syria/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Monday, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi visited Damascus to mend strained relations following a deadly air raid. Syrian officials welcomed Safadi upon his arrival at the airport, with a delegation reportedly including the army chief, Maj Gen Majdi Al Harasis. The visit comes as Jordan and Syria explore potential transport corridors to reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing Iran war. Despite border disputes, both nations hope to benefit economically from the situation.\n\nEarlier this month, Jordan launched air strikes south of Damascus in retaliation for a church attack that killed nine people. Syria claimed at least seven casualties, including three children, a woman, and an elderly man, while Jordan stated its forces killed around 20 ISIS members during the strikes. Both countries expressed regret over any civilian deaths.\n\nThe Iran war has propelled Syria and Jordan into the spotlight as countries seek alternatives to the Hormuz blockade, which affects global supplies. Efforts are underway to develop land-based transport links between Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Turkey, with a modernized motorway system potentially linking to the Saudi railway network. The investment in Syria's infrastructure and economy is desperately needed, as the country's long-standing mismanagement and civil war have left it in dire straits.\n\nJordan and Syria have had a strained relationship during the Assad regime's 54-year rule. In April, King Abdullah II received a Syrian ministerial delegation in Amman, highlighting the significance of the visit. The main issues between the two nations include weapon and drug smuggling, water rights related to a joint dam, and stability in the southern province of Sweida, which borders Jordan.\n\nCivilians, primarily Druze, were killed in June when Syrian government forces, backed by Bedouin fighters, attacked Sweida in an attempt to seize control of the region. Southern Syria has been a significant source of drugs, particularly the Captagon amphetamine-like substance, since 2018. Smuggling attempts have decreased since the fall of former President Bashar Al Assad in December 2024. On Monday, Jordanian military forces intercepted a drug-smuggling attempt using guided balloons in the Eastern Military Region Command, responsible for areas bordering Syria and Iraq.",
  "summary": "Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi travelled to Damascus on Monday and met his Syrian counterpart for the first time since a deadly aerial attack marred relations between the two countries. Syrian official media published photographs of Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani receiving Mr Safadi at the airport in Damascus. The Jordanian delegation includes army chief Maj Gen Majdi Al Harasis ,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Jordanian FM in Damascus: Syria's stability vital for Jordan, urges Israeli withdrawal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/jordanian-fm-in-damascus-syrias-stability-vital-for-jordan-urges",
        "published": "2026-11-09T12:47:05.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}