Parties agree on steps to bring Syria situation to an end tonight: Top US diplomat

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that all parties agreed on "specific steps" that would end the clashes in Syria.

"We have engaged all the parties involved in the clashes in Syria. We have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight," Rubio said on X.

"This will require all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made and this is what we fully expect them to do," he added.

The Israeli army launched air attacks on the Syrian Defense Ministry and near the presidential palace in the capital Damascus.

Clashes had been continuing in the south of the country between Druze militias and Bedouin groups in Suwayda. Israel, which also pounded targets in Syria on Tuesday, claims its attacks are meant to protect the Druze community.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told a press briefing that the US is calling on the Syrian government to withdraw its forces, which were deployed to restore order.

"We are calling on the Syrian government to, in fact, withdraw their military in order to enable all sides to de-escalate and find a path forward," Bruce said. "That's obviously the goal, because of the nature of what's happened. The Secretary phrased this as a misunderstanding."

"We do understand that the Israeli forces intervened to protect the Druze — that is something we can confirm," she added.

Asked by Anadolu whether the US considers the Syrian presidential palace and military headquarters — belonging to a government whose leader Ahmad al-Sharaa has met and been praised by President Donald Trump — as legitimate targets for Israeli airstrikes, Bruce declined to comment directly.

"I'm not going to comment on how Israel makes its decisions about what it feels the need to do," she said. "We understand, again, that they intervened to protect the Druze … but we are clearly involved in the framework of stopping this and de-escalating. We will no doubt have more answers as the days go on."