During a press briefing after two bomb blasts in Damascus that killed one person and injured dozens, French President Emmanuel Macron—on a historic trip that marks the first visit by an EU leader since Bashar al‑Assad was ousted in 2024—urged the public to remain steady in the face of attempts to sow disorder and reiterated France’s support for the Syrian authorities. The explosions struck near the hotel where he had spent the night, occurring after he left the building and shortly before a scheduled meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Ahmed al‑Sharaa at the presidential palace. Syrian officials later said they had seized the cell responsible through coordinated raids in four districts, including two with Alawite populations, and pledged to release the suspects’ identities once the investigation concludes.