A delegation of four U.S. Senators and Representatives, including Joni Ernst, Markwayne Mullin, Jason Smith, and Jimmy Panetta, visited Damascus and met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, and Interior Minister Anas Khatab to discuss economic and security cooperation. Concurrently, U.S.-led coalition forces conducted a joint airdrop operation near Idlib, Syria, targeting Islamic State suspects. The operation resulted in the killing of Salah Numan (also known as Ali al-Iraqi), a top ISIS leader involved in reactivating sleeper cells, who was shot while attempting to escape in Atmeh village near the Turkish border. The raid also led to the capture of French nationals alleged to be wives of ISIS leadership. This marks the second joint U.S.-Syrian operation in the area. Additionally, a mass grave containing nine bodies was discovered in Latakia. The visit and military actions come amid ongoing complex regional dynamics, including reported meetings between Al-Qaeda representatives and an Israeli delegation in Paris.