Summary
Syrian authorities have detained two senior members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Khaled Khaled and Yasser al-Zafari, for five days without explanation, as confirmed by the group and a Syrian official. Islamic Jihad, which participated in the October 2023 attacks on Israel, called for their release, highlighting concerns over the detentions. The arrests occur amidst shifting Syrian-Israeli relations, as Syria aims to rebuild ties and distance itself from Iranian influence, while the U.S. has set conditions for sanctions relief, including limiting Iranian-backed groups.