U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Expresses Deep Concern Over Israeli Strikes in Syria, Calls for Ceasefire

Watan-U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that the United States is “deeply concerned” about the recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria and emphasized Washington’s desire to halt the ongoing confrontations.

Speaking alongside Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Rubio stated:“We are engaged in discussions with both sides—indeed, with all relevant parties—and we hope to reach a solution. But we are extremely concerned.”

On Wednesday, Israel bombed the Syrian Army’s General Staff headquarters in central Damascus, after threatening to intensify strikes on Syrian government forces unless they withdrew from the Druze-majority city of Suwayda, where over 300 people have been killed in recent tribal clashes and government interventions.

Rubio noted that he had held phone consultations with multiple stakeholders, though he declined to name them specifically.

“We’re very concerned about this issue,” he said. “I hope we’ll have updates later.” He confirmed a temporary ceasefire had been reached on Tuesday, but that it was violated shortly afterward.

Rubio when asked about Israeli strikes on Syria: “We’re very concerned about it… We want the fighting to stop because we had a ceasefire overnight, it broke down again. We’re talking to both sides, all the relevant parties, on this, and hopefully can bring it to conclusion.” pic.twitter.com/9JQHj5snMc

— Rabia İclal Turan (@iclalturan) July 16, 2025

Earlier, U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack had also called on all parties to enter dialogue aimed at achieving a sustainable ceasefire in Syria.

• The U.S. statement comes amid intense regional escalation, particularly following Israeli air raids on Suwayda and Damascus, as well as the public calls by Israeli ministers for the assassination of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

• Israel’s attacks were reportedly in response to the Syrian army’s re-entry into Suwayda, which saw deadly clashes between Druze and Bedouin factions, sparking tensions among Israel’s own Druze citizens.

• Marco Rubio, appointed Secretary of State under the new U.S. administration, is known for a traditionally hawkish stance on Middle East issues, but his emphasis on de-escalation here signals a pragmatic diplomatic pivot, likely in response to European and regional pressure over the war’s growing humanitarian fallout.

• The Biden administration had previously offered full diplomatic cover for Israeli operations in Gaza, but the Netanyahu government’s expansion of military operations into Syria—especially against state actors like the Syrian army—may be testing U.S. and European tolerance.

• A ceasefire, even briefly attempted, shows that backchannel negotiations are ongoing, likely involving the U.S., Russia, and Jordan, along with UN intermediaries.