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U.S. urges ceasefire in Syria, sanctions TDA leader and presses Israel to investigate Gaza church strike
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Summary
At a State Department briefing, a spokesperson said the United States is pressing for a ceasefire in Syria, announced sanctions and a reward for a transnational criminal leader, and asked Israel to investigate strikes that damaged a church in Gaza.
Tammy, a State Department spokesperson, said the United States “unequivocally condemns this violence” and is calling on all parties in Syria to step back and engage in meaningful dialogue that leads to a lasting ceasefire. She announced sanctions on Hector Ruthenford Guerrero Flores, described in the briefing as a TDA leader, and said the Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5,000,000 for information leading to his arrest or conviction. "The Department of State ... is offering a reward of up to $5,000,000 for information leading to the arrest and or conviction of Guerrero," Tammy said.
Tammy said U.S. diplomatic efforts over the previous 48 hours had promoted de-escalation and that Ambassador Tom Barrack, identified in the briefing as the special envoy for Syria, is engaged in the process. She said Secretary Rubio and the administration have “engaged all the parties involved in the clashes in Syria” and that the United States expects commitments made by the parties to be delivered.
On reports that Israeli strikes damaged the Holy Family (Roman Catholic) Church in Gaza City and killed civilians, Tammy said Israel has expressed sorrow and that the Israel Defense Forces were investigating the incident. "Israel never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians," she said, repeating language provided at the briefing about Israeli statements and adding that the results of the IDF investigation "will be published transparently," per the Israeli foreign ministry language cited. The briefing also referenced President Trump and Secretary Rubio contacting Israeli leaders about the incident.
In the same opening remarks, Tammy said the United States, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Kingdom marked the U.K.'s accession to the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (CIPA), a framework the briefing described as building on the Abraham Accords to advance regional cooperation and deterrence. She also announced that the State Department had ended "ordered departure" status for certain U.S. mission personnel in Iraq and that staff temporarily relocated outside Iraq would begin a gradual return to U.S. Embassy Baghdad and Consulate General Erbil; she said the department’s travel advisory for Iraq remained at Level 4 (Do Not Travel).
What happened at the briefing consisted of announcements and questions from reporters; Tammy repeatedly framed the U.S. role as diplomatic engagement and urged transparent investigations where civilian harm occurred. She said the U.S. will continue to monitor regional security and “is actively engaging all constituencies in Syria to navigate toward calm and continued discussions on integration and a stable, more prosperous future for all Syrians.”
