Evening recap

Good evening Middle East Eye readers,

Our live blog is about to finish for the evening. Here are some of the most important developments today: 

• Syria’s ousted leader has reportedly issued his first statement since his removal, declaring that the country is now “in the hands of terrorism”
• Jordan has strongly criticised Israel’s decision to expand settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, describing it as a “blatant violation of international law”
• The Turkish foreign ministry issued a statement condemning Israel’s decision to expand illegal settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights
• The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has confirmed that Israeli air strikes have targeted military facilities in Syria’s coastal Tartous region, describing them as the most intense in over 10 years
• Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has ordered the reopening of Lebanon's embassy in Damascus, his office said in a post on X on Monday
• German diplomat Michael Ohnmacht has been assigned to facilitate communication between the European Union and Syria’s new caretaker government
• EU officials have stated that Russia and Iran should have “no place” in Syria’s future, reflecting Western opposition to their influence in the region
• As diplomatic efforts intensify, there are rising calls to lift Western sanctions on Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group currently controlling parts of Syria
• Israel’s plans to expand settlements in the occupied Golan Heights have drawn widespread condemnation from multiple countries, further complicating regional tensions