SANA - Syrian Arab News Agency

Damascus, July 28 (SANA) Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani received Omani Ambassador Turki bin Mahmoud al-Busaidi in a farewell meeting marking the end of his diplomatic mission.

During the meeting, Minister al-Shaibani expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by Ambassador al-Busaidi in strengthening bilateral relations between Syria and Oman, wishing him success in his future duties.

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Daraa, July 28 (SANA) Israeli occupation forces carried out a new incursion into the outskirts of Wadi al-Raqad in the western Daraa countryside, southwestern Syria, on Tuesday, advancing from the Tal Abu al-Ghaithar area.

SANA’s reporter in Daraa said that two Israeli tanks and a military vehicle entered the outskirts of Wadi al-Raqad and opened fire toward the area. No casualties or material damage were reported.

Israel has continued to violate the 1974 Disengagement Agreement through repeated incursions into southern Syria, as well as raids, arrests, land bulldozing and shelling targeting civilians.

Syria has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Syrian territory, stressing that all Israeli measures are null and void under international law and carry no legal effect. It has also urged the international community to uphold its responsibilities and compel Israel to fully withdraw from southern Syria.

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Damascus, July 28 (SANA) Syria and South Korea signed two agreements on Tuesday covering educational support and media cooperation, expanding bilateral ties.

The education agreement was signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in Damascus by Qutaiba Qadish, director of the ministry’s International Cooperation Department, and South Korean Ambassador Geon Gyusuk.

The agreement provides grant funding for essential school supplies for public schools across Syria.

In a separate ceremony, Director-General of the General Organization of Radio and Television Alaa Barsilo and the South Korean ambassador signed a media cooperation agreement with the Korea International Broadcasting Foundation (Arirang).

The agreement grants Syria the right to broadcast three Korean television programs dubbed into Arabic, broadening media content and promoting cultural exchange between the two countries.

Syria and South Korea have expanded bilateral engagement over the past year as Damascus and Seoul seek to deepen economic and political cooperation.

The first Syria-South Korea Economic Forum was held in Damascus in December 2025 to explore ways to strengthen economic and investment partnerships and support cooperation in Syria’s recovery and infrastructure reconstruction through an investment-friendly environment and long-term business partnerships.

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Capitals, July 28 (SANA) Leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan held separate bilateral talks on Tuesday to discuss regional developments, security issues and ways to strengthen cooperation amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed regional developments, de-escalation efforts and prospects for expanding their strategic partnership, including cooperation in economic, technology, artificial intelligence and renewable energy sectors, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
 
Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reviewed regional developments and bilateral relations, with el-Sisi reaffirming Egypt’s support for Kuwait and measures to safeguard its security and sovereignty, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) said.
 
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi discussed regional security and stability, maritime navigation, and ways to strengthen coordination, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said. The two ministers also condemned Iranian attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region.
 
Jordan’s army said it shot down a drone that entered the kingdom’s airspace over the eastern desert early Tuesday, amid continued regional security tensions.

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Damascus, July 28 (SANA) Economy and Industry Minister Nidal Al-Shaar met Egyptian Chargé d’Affaires Mohamed el-Feki in Damascus to discuss ways to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, expand investment and deepen partnerships between the two countries, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Economy and Industry said the talks focused on enhancing cooperation in the industrial and economic sectors, strengthening links between the Syrian and Egyptian private sectors, and encouraging investment and bilateral trade.

The two sides also discussed reactivating the Syrian-Egyptian Business Council to support business partnerships and create new opportunities for cooperation between companies in both countries.

The meeting follows earlier efforts to strengthen economic relations. On June 16, Deputy Economy and Industry Minister Basil Abdul Hanan met a delegation of Egyptian business leaders and investors to discuss prospects for cooperation, including a proposal to establish an integrated industrial zone in Aleppo Governorate.

In May, the ministry announced the formation of the Syrian side of the Syrian-Egyptian Business Council as part of efforts to deepen economic ties between Syria and Egypt.

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Dubai, July 28 (SANA) Gulf states have expressed support for an Omani proposal that would allow Iran to collect voluntary transit fees from ships using the Strait of Hormuz, a Gulf source told Reuters on Tuesday, in an effort to restore stability to oil trade disrupted by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Under the proposal, Iran would jointly manage the strategic waterway with Oman, which controls the opposite shore of the strait, rather than exercising sole authority. Any payments by vessels would be voluntary, the source said.

The proposal is modeled on arrangements in the Strait of Malacca, where Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore invite ships to make voluntary contributions to help fund navigation services, environmental protection and search-and-rescue operations.

Iran has said it wants to jointly administer the Strait of Hormuz with Oman and collect transit fees from vessels using the route. The United States, however, has called for a return to the pre-war system under which ships could pass freely without charges, arguing that mandatory transit fees would violate international law.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi discussed the issue with his Omani and Saudi counterparts on Monday, stressing the importance of regional cooperation, according to a statement from Iran’s Foreign Ministry.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that “good talks” were under way with Iran but warned Washington would resume military strikes if negotiations failed, although Tehran has denied seeking to restart talks with the United States.

Trump halted a two-week U.S. air campaign against Iran over the weekend after military commanders said it had achieved its objectives. The campaign aimed to break Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for global oil and liquefied natural gas exports.

Iran has said it will observe the ceasefire as long as Washington does the same, despite reports of drone attacks in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and northern Iraq. Trump said he remained optimistic about reaching an agreement but warned military action would resume if diplomacy failed.

Oil prices fell sharply after the bombing campaign was suspended, while Washington and Tehran continue to dispute the terms of a June framework agreement governing navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and future negotiations.

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Tokyo, July 28 (SANA) A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The agency said the quake registered 7 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale in the hardest-hit areas and issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas along the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas.

Kyushu Electric Power Co. reported no abnormalities at the Genkai nuclear power plant in Saga Prefecture or the Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture, according to Kyodo News. Radiation levels around both plants remained unchanged after the earthquake.

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Gaza Strip, July 28 (SANA) The number of people killed and wounded in the Israeli genocide war on the Gaza Strip in the Middle East has risen to 73,333 killed and 174,023 wounded since Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the ministry said hospitals in the Gaza Strip received four dead and 14 wounded over the past 24 hours.

The ministry added that the number of people killed since the ceasefire on Oct. 10 has risen to 1,207, while the number of wounded has reached 3,914.

It said a number of victims remain under the rubble and in the streets, as ambulance and civil defense teams have been unable to reach them.

The Israeli genocide war has caused a major humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, with massive destruction of homes and infrastructure, the collapse of essential services and the occupation’s prevention of relief supplies and materials needed for reconstruction from entering the Strip.

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Damascus, July 28 (SANA) One Syrian Arab Army soldier was martyred and another wounded while carrying out their duties after a landmine left behind from the war exploded near the village of Kabinah in northern Latakia province, the Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday.

The ministry’s Media and Communications Directorate told SANA that the explosion occurred in the area surrounding the village of Kabinah, where the two soldiers were on duty.

The incident comes a day after another Syrian Arab Army soldier was martyred while carrying out a mission to clear explosive remnants of war near the Tishreen Dam, east of Aleppo, according to the ministry.

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Islamabad, July 28 (SANA) Pakistan condemned drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, calling them a serious threat to regional security and reaffirming its support for the kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement that Islamabad stands in solidarity with Saudi Arabia and remains committed to supporting efforts to promote security, stability and lasting peace in the region, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

The statement followed an announcement by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense on Monday that it had intercepted and destroyed drones launched from Iraqi territory that were attempting to strike oil facilities in the kingdom’s Eastern Province and the Riyadh region.

The comments also come as Pakistan steps up diplomatic efforts to ease regional tensions. On July 21, Pakistani government sources told Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency that Pakistan and Qatar had jointly submitted a proposal to the United States and Iran aimed at reducing tensions and reviving negotiations to end the conflict between the two countries.

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