Israel and Jordan conducted secret talks on Friday to coordinate about the situation in Syria, three Israeli officials told Axios. Why it matters: The fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime has left a fragile state, a chemical weapons stockpile and numerous different armed rebel groups, some of them Islamist organizations once affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the United States was communicating directly with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the dominant rebel faction, despite its designation as a terrorist group.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed U.S. officials have been in direct contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria’s new Islamist leaders, during a press conference in Aqaba, Jordan, on Dec.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken said the U.S. has been in direct contact with Sunni Islamist opposition group HTS, which led the revolution that toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. Why it matters: This is the first time the U.