Tel Aviv

The Turkish embassy in Syria's capital Damascus is set to open on Saturday, Türkiye's foreign minister announced late on Friday.

"They (embassy staff) are on their way as a team. The embassy will start operations tomorrow," Hakan Fidan told private broadcaster NTV.

France has called on Israel to leave the neutral zone established between Israel and Syria.

Bulgaria Air has announced the resumption of its flights to and from Tel Aviv starting December 26, 2024. The decision was made following an improvement in the conditions for operating civil flights in Israel's airspace and a thorough risk assessment to ensure the safety of passengers and crews.

Wizz Air has announced four new routes from Varna for the summer 2025 season, marking a significant expansion of its operations in Bulgaria. Starting on March 31, 2025, the airline will introduce flights to Abu Dhabi, which will operate three times a week. Additionally, the airline is resuming services to Frankfurt-Hahn, Nuremberg, and Tel Aviv.

The Union of NGOs of the Islamic World (UNIW) and the Foundation for Volunteer Organizations of Türkiye (TGTV) jointly issued Wednesday the "Gaza-Istanbul Declaration" after the conclusion of the 4th International NGO Fair in Istanbul.

They condemned the ongoing Israeli onslaught on Gaza and emphasizing the need to halt all military trade with Tel Aviv.

After a ceasefire with Hezbollah went into effect early this morning in Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Kats said that the “ultimate goal” is the release of hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip.

At least 11 people were killed and four others injured in a series of Israeli airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon on Monday, the Health Ministry said.

A ministry statement said eight people lost their lives in a strike targeting the southern town of Maarakeh.

Four other people were injured, including one seriously, in the attack.

Israel is reportedly moving closer to a potential ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to reports by Reuters and Axios, which cited a senior Israeli official. However, Israel's public broadcaster Kan, quoting another Israeli official, reported that no final agreement had been reached, with some issues still unresolved.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Nov. 24 to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.

During the call, Erdoğan emphasized Türkiye's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Russia, particularly in increasing trade volume between the two countries, the Communications Directorate said in a statement.