Explosions Reported Near Damascus Hotel During Macron Visit

Two explosions struck near the Four Seasons hotel in Damascus during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the Syrian capital. The blasts injured multiple people, including police officers, according to initial reports from the scene.

Macron is the first Western leader to travel to Syria since the December 2024 fall of the previous government. The visit marks a shift in European engagement with the country after years of sanctions. French officials said the president arrived with investors and company representatives to discuss reconstruction needs.

Macron had previously hosted Syrian officials in Paris in May 2025 and called for sanctions relief. Most sanctions on Syria have since been lifted by the European Union and the United States. The 14-year conflict killed nearly half a million people and displaced millions more.

Syria's infrastructure remains heavily damaged, and officials estimate hundreds of billions of dollars are still needed for rebuilding.