Syria latest: Assad prisons searched; Israel hits suspected chemical weapons sites

Syrian rebel leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani today met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, according to video distributed by the rebel group.

The video shows al-Jalali seated with three others, including al-Jolani, in an apparent attempt to demonstrate an orderly transfer of power after 13 years of civil war.

Al-Jolani is heard saying in Arabic that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group he leads, has “gained a great deal of experience.”

"You will see that they possess expertise and have achieved considerable success," he added. 

Oil prices rose by more than 1% on Monday after the fall of Bashar al Assad’s regime in Syria and amid increasing uncertainty in the Middle East.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures, the U.S. benchmark, gained 91 cents, or 1.35%, to $68.11 by 06:36 a.m. ET.

Brent crude futures, the benchmark used to price over three-quarters of the world’s traded oil and the international standard went up 84 cents, or 1.18%, to $68.04 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by 6:36 a.m. ET.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that the toppling of Bashar al-Assad’s regime presents “a historic opportunity” but also “carries considerable risks.”

“History shows how quickly moments of promise can descend into conflict and violence,” Blinken said. “ISIS will try to use this period to reestablish its capabilities to create safe havens, as our precision strikes over the weekend demonstrate we are determined not to let that happen and will continue to protect our personnel against any threats from any quarters.”

Blinken also said the U.S. has a “strong interest in preventing the re-emergence of ISIS” in Syria and that chemical weapons in the country do not fall in the wrong hands. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has pledged not to use chemical weapons and affirmed its commitment not to allow them to fall into irresponsible hands.

Blinken said statements from the rebel group are welcome, but “the real measure of their commitment is not just what they say, but what they do.”

“The Syrian people have endured so much suffering, we have work to do to ensure that they endure no more,” he said. “It’s imperative that all actors involved protect civilians, respect human rights, especially vulnerable minorities, preserve the state’s institutions and services, help meet the needs of the Syrian people and to build toward inclusive governance.”

Qatar is condemning Israel’s ground incursion into Syria and seizure of the Golan Heights buffer zone.

Following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Israel carried out strikes and launched a ground incursion into Syria. The Israeli government said it was a temporary measure to prevent chemical and biological weapons from getting into the wrong hands. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the assault against Assad along with other groups, has pledged not to use chemical weapons or allow them to fall into irresponsible hands, according to a statement.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement the move is “a dangerous development and a blatant attack on the sovereignty and unity of Syria,” as well as “a flagrant violation of international law.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that the policy of imposing a fait accompli pursued by the Israeli occupation, including its attempts to occupy Syrian lands, will lead the region to more violence and tension," the ministry said on X, further calling on

The ministry called on the international community to confront Israel on its recent actions in Syria and reiterated its support for the country's sovereignty.

U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens is in Beirut, Lebanon, as part of intensive efforts to bring journalist Austin Tice home, a U.S. official with direct knowledge tells NBC News.

The U.S. is reaching out to anyone in Syria or the region who is able to help, the official said.

Tice, a former U.S. marine, is believed to have been detained by the government of Bashar al-Assad in 2012 while he was in Syria to cover its lengthy conflict. The Syrian Foreign Ministry denied kidnapping or holding any American citizen on its territories in 2022.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, one of the groups responsible for toppling the Assad regime, has pledged not to use chemical weapons or allow them to fall into the wrong hands.

The Department of Political Affairs Administration of the Liberated, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, said the Assad regime used chemical weapons against the Syrian people "dozens of times," resulting in thousands of deaths.

"We clearly affirm that we have no intention or desire to use chemical weapons or any weapons of mass destruction under any circumstances," the group said. "We consider the use of such weapons a crime against humanity and will not allow any weapon to be used against civilians or be transformed into a tool of revenge or destruction."

During a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden, King Abdullah II of Jordan expressed the need to "ensure stability" in Syria.

According to a statement from the Royal Hashemite Court, Abdullah also spoke to Biden about the current situation in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.

"His Majesty also called for intensifying international efforts to stop the Israeli war on Gaza and ensure the delivery of relief aid to the Strip, noting the importance of working to ensure the success of the ceasefire in Lebanon," the statement read. "His Majesty warned of the danger of violent acts by extremist settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, and violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem."

For years, Abdulaziz Almashi believed one of his close relatives was dead, only to find out he had been languishing in prison for more than a decade.

"A young boy spending years of his youth in a prison — in Assad's prisons, which is a different type of prison," Almashi, a Syrian refugee in London who founded the organization Syria Solidarity Campaign, said of the facilities known for torture and killings.

Almashi, 39, said authorities told his family his second cousin had been killed during mandatory military service, leaving them to believe their loved one had died fighting for Assad. But in the wake of Assad's toppling, he emerged free, now in his 30s, from one of Syria's prisons, emaciated and weary after a devastating yearslong ordeal but very much alive to the shock of his loved ones.

"How dare you call someone’s mom and dad and family when they call to ask about their son and you tell them, 'Oh, he died on the battlefield,'" Almashi said. “It doesn’t make sense how on earth these people are living with us; how on earth these people are Syrians."

Almashi said his family is far from alone in its harrowing ordeal.

"So many people deemed dead  — they are alive," he said.

Syrian opposition fighters stand at the entrance of the ransacked Iranian embassy in Damascus yesterday.

Looted offices inside the embassy.

A man steps on a Syrian regime flag next to Iranian national flags in a ransacked office at the embassy yesterday.