Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Syria's interim government under President Ahmad al-Sharaa engaged in US-mediated security talks with Israel in Paris on January 5-6, 2026, discussing de-escalation, intelligence sharing, and a potential demilitarized border zone to address jihadist threats and smuggling. However, prospects for diplomatic normalization have dimmed amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes—over 1,000 since the regime change—incursions into southern Syria like recent operations in Al Quneitra, and disputes over the Golan Heights, buffer zones, and Druze protection. Syria condemns these as sovereignty violations, prioritizing internal stabilization, while Israel's forward military posture underscores unresolved security risks. US diplomatic efforts may intensify, but structural barriers persist.