Bombings hit Damascus as Macron meets Syria's new leader

Two bombs detonated near the Four Seasons hotel in Damascus on July 7, wounding 18 people during French President Macron's meeting with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. The attack—second in days in the capital—targeted a heavily secured diplomatic zone. No group claimed responsibility. Macron stayed, but the timing underscores uncertainty: can Syria's post-Assad government stabilize its capital while seeking Western investment?