Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told visiting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday that he was ready to stem "illegal immigration" to Europe, the European diplomat said.

The European Union could begin lifting sanctions on Syria if the war-torn country’s new rulers take steps to form an inclusive government that protects minorities, the bloc’s top diplomat said Friday.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met Syria's new ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus Friday, state media said, in the latest such visit from a European diplomat since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is travelling to Syria on Friday to encourage the country’s transition following the ouster of President Bashar Assad by Islamist insurgents, and said Europe should review its sanctions on Damascus now that the political situation has changed.

Italy's foreign minister has arrived in Damascus for talks with de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa following a series of visits by EU officials

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syria's de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, right, meets with Italian foreign minister Antonio

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani visits Syria to support its transition post-Assad and urges the EU to reconsider sanctions amid changing political dynamics.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed Thursday in talks in Rome with European counterparts on the need to encourage stability in Syria, officials said, as Turkey threatens Kurdish forces in the war-torn country.

Israel’s military says it has carried out new airstrikes in Yemen against what it said were Houthi rebel targets. Its statement Friday said fighter jets struck “on the western coast and inland Yemen,” a day after the Houthis launched three drones at Israel.

Israel’s army confirmed Friday that one of the bodies recovered from Gaza earlier this week was that of 23-year-old hostage Hamzah AlZayadni.

ROME—US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has agreed in talks in Rome with European counterparts on the need to encourage stability in Syria, officials