UN Diplomacy in Syria: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to visit Damascus this week, aiming to push recovery projects and expand UN Disengagement Observer Force activity near the occupied Golan as Syria seeks support amid Israeli incursions and a post-Assad transition. Energy Corridors: Iraq and Syria signed an MoU for an 800-kilometer onshore oil pipeline from Haditha to Baniyas on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, targeting about 2.5 million barrels per day and positioning the route as a Europe-bound alternative to Hormuz-linked shipping risk. Hormuz Fallout, Red Sea Shift: With Strait of Hormuz tensions and Red Sea disruptions rising, Gulf states are accelerating at least seven pipeline projects to reroute exports via the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and Mediterranean—raising the strategic weight of Africa’s Red Sea coastline. Regional Pressure on Lebanon: Lebanon is framed as a key front in the US-Iran contest, as Washington pushes for Hezbollah disarmament and an Israeli pullback while a US-backed pilot plan expands Lebanese Armed Forces control in southern areas. Syria’s Transition Under Strain: A UN expert warns Syria must turn displacement management into rights-based recovery, noting millions still need humanitarian help and reconstruction funding remains massive. Türkiye-Syria Cultural Ties: Türkiye and Syria signed an accord to establish and operate cultural centers across both countries, including Turkish-language programs, as bilateral relations continue to institutionalize. Northwest Syria Attacks: Germany condemned Assad-allied airstrikes hitting German-funded hospitals and medical facilities in Idlib, with UN chief Guterres also calling for protection of civilians and accountability.