US Congress members Cory Mills and Marlin Stutzman arrived in Damascus, marking the first visit by American lawmakers since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. Mills met with new President Ahmed al-Sharaa, discussing US sanctions and Iran, while Stutzman planned to meet Sharaa despite his sanctions due to past ties with al Qaeda. The congressmen, organized by the Syrian American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity, expressed concerns about Syria aligning with adversaries like China and Iran, emphasizing the need for a supportive government in Syria for better relations with Israel.