Bombings strike Damascus during Macron's visit as Syria's capital faces second attack in a week

Two improvised explosive devices detonated near the Four Seasons hotel in Damascus on July 7, wounding 18 people while French President Emmanuel Macron met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace. The attack—the second bombing in the capital within days—struck one of Damascus's most fortified diplomatic compounds. No group claimed responsibility. Macron continued his visit, signaling resolve, but the timing raises questions about whether the post-Assad government can secure its own capital as it courts Western investors.