Ahmad al-Sharaa, the de facto leader of Syria, stated that it may take up to four years to hold elections and dissolve his Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). He emphasized the need for a new constitution and a comprehensive population census. The remarks follow the group's recent insurgency that ousted President Bashar Assad. Al-Sharaa mentioned the importance of political dialogue and infrastructure reconstruction. Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike near Damascus killed 11 people, targeting a weapons depot linked to Assad's forces. Al-Sharaa expressed a desire to maintain relations with Russia and ongoing negotiations with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.