Two bombs detonated in Damascus on Tuesday, wounding 18 people, moments after French President Emmanuel Macron left the Four Seasons hotel where he was staying for a meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace.

The explosions occurred shortly after Macron's motorcade departed the hotel area. His office said the French president did not hear the blasts and his visit continued as planned. Syrian Interior Ministry officials said security forces had identified two improvised explosive devices near the Ministry of Tourism and were preparing to dismantle them when they detonated. One device was placed inside a vehicle parked along the road, while the other was hidden in a trash container.

The bombs detonated outside the security zone designated for Macron's residence and did not pose a direct threat to the French president or his official schedule, authorities said. Four police officers were among those wounded, according to Syrian state media. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, and search operations were underway to identify those behind it.

The explosions occurred during what both governments described as a landmark diplomatic visit. Macron traveled to Damascus as Syria's new leadership works to rebuild international ties after more than a decade of civil war. Sharaa, who once commanded an al-Qaeda-affiliated insurgent group before breaking with the organization, has sought closer relations with Western governments while pledging to build a more inclusive post-Assad order.

What the Left Is Saying

Progressive analysts and some human rights organizations argued that Macron's decision to remain in Damascus following the explosions demonstrated the importance of sustained diplomatic engagement. They said halting talks would only empower those seeking to destabilize Syria's fragile transition.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on social media that France stands with the Syrian people and that dialogue remains essential. "Our presence here is a signal of support for a sovereign Syria choosing its own future," he wrote.

Human Rights Watch called for independent investigations into both Tuesday's bombing and a separate attack last week at a central Damascus café that killed at least nine people. The group said accountability was critical as Syria's new government seeks international legitimacy.

Some progressive commentators argued the bombings underscored why Western engagement matters. "If you abandon this process now, you're leaving Syrian civilians to face these threats without international support or oversight," wrote commentator Sarahid in a widely shared post on X.

What the Right Is Saying

Conservative critics questioned the wisdom of visiting Damascus given Syria's uncertain political trajectory and security situation. They pointed to Sharaa's history with extremist groups as reason for caution.

Senator Laurent Alexandre said the visit sent a premature signal of normalization. "We should be clear-eyed about who we're dealing with," he told reporters in Paris. "The fact that these bombings happened during his visit raises serious questions about intelligence coordination and threat assessment."

Former National Rally leader Marine Le Pen called for a review of French security protocols, saying the proximity of the explosions to Macron's movements warranted explanation. "French citizens deserve answers about how this occurred mere moments after the president departed," she said in a statement.

Some Republican lawmakers argued that Western engagement should be conditional on concrete progress toward stability and human rights protections. "We want Syria to succeed, but unconditional support is not a policy — it's naiveté," said Senator Dupont in comments reported by French media.

What the Numbers Show

Eighteen people were wounded in Tuesday's explosions, including four police officers, according to Syrian state media. The figure does not include casualties from last week's bombing at a Damascus café, which killed at least nine and wounded approximately 20 others.

Macron was accompanied on his visit by executives from TotalEnergies and shipping giant CMA CGM. The Élysée said CMA CGM signed an air cargo freight handling partnership with Syria at Damascus airport as part of the economic dimension of the visit.

France and Syria agreed to begin returning €51 million in assets confiscated from Rifaat al-Assad, the late uncle of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. That figure represents funds frozen by French authorities under sanctions imposed during Assad's rule.

The Islamic State has claimed several attacks against government forces since February, when the group announced what it described as a new phase of operations against the Syrian government. Authorities have not publicly linked IS to Tuesday's explosions or last week's café bombing.

Syria's civil war, which began in 2011, displaced approximately 6.8 million people internally and another 6.5 million internationally, according to UNHCR data. Reconstruction costs estimated by international organizations range from $250 billion to $400 billion over several years.

The Bottom Line

Tuesday's bombings highlight the persistent security challenges facing Syria's new government as it seeks to consolidate control and rebuild diplomatic relationships with Western nations. Macron's decision to continue his visit suggests France views engagement as strategically important despite immediate risks.

The timing — occurring moments after Macron's motorcade departed the hotel area — has prompted questions about whether the targets were French officials or part of a broader attack targeting Syrian security forces. Syrian authorities said they had identified both devices before detonation, suggesting at least some advance warning was available to responders.

What comes next will likely depend on investigation results and whether responsibility is attributed to any group. IS operations against Syrian government targets have increased since February, though no direct link has been established to Tuesday's blasts. The attack also follows a separate bombing in Damascus last week that killed nine people at a café popular with civilians.

For France, the visit represents a diplomatic gamble: engaging with Syria's new leadership while managing security concerns and domestic political skepticism about normalization. Whether Macron can point to tangible progress on reconstruction partnerships or accountability for past human rights abuses will shape how this engagement is received politically in Paris.