The Elysee Palace confirmed that French President Emmanuel Macron is safe after reports of explosions in central Damascus, Syria, on Tuesday morning became the subject of shocking headlines.
Syrian state media said that two bombs exploded near the hotel in Damascus where Macron held meetings on July 7. According to a Reuters report detailing the incident, the explosions shook a busy area between the Syrian tourism ministry and the national museum across the street from the Four Seasons where the French leader was meeting civil society groups.
Videos and photos of the blast have since surfaced on social media, showing plumes of black smoke and flames rising near a hotel in the Syrian capital. According to Syria’s state news agency, at least 18 people were injured in the blasts, including four police officers.
Syrian explosions amid Macron’s visit
The French president is in Damascus for talks with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmed al-Sharaa, at the presidential palace. Macron’s office eventually revealed that he did not hear the blasts as he met with the Syrian president shortly after the incident.
While the first blast struck after Macron departed for his talks with al-Sharaa at the presidential palace, the second one hit near an ambulance at the scene. A Reuters video even showed the French leader’s motorcade leaving for the presidential palace before the explosions.
Despite the explosions, the French presidency said Macron would be sticking to his schedule for the day. The Elysee Palace also disclosed that he is set to depart for the NATO summit in Turkey after his Syrian visit.
The explosions struck a busy area between the Syrian tourism ministry and the national museum across the street from the Four Seasons, where Macron was meeting civil society groups pic.twitter.com/7tDwYrti0Y
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 7, 2026
The latest wave of shocking developments rocked Syria a week after a bomb went off at a Damascus cafe, killing nine people and wounding 20 others.
A security source has since told Reuters that roads were sealed off after Tuesday’s blasts as authorities implemented security measures. Moreover, Syria’s state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV cited a security source as saying that internal security forces have launched search operations to determine who was behind the attack.
This is a developing story.