Pope Francis urges prayers for peace

Source: Vatican Media

Pope Francis appealed for prayers for peace in Syria and in the world, during his weekly general audience on Wednesday with pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square. The day before, President Donald Trump had announced that the US would be withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, a move that has triggered uncertainty and threatened to spark more unrest in the Middle East.

The Holy Father greeted a number of Arab-speaking pilgrims during his address. He said in Italian: "I invite you to cultivate the devotion to the Mother of God with the daily recitation of the Rosary, praying in a special way for peace in Syria and in the entire world."

The situation in Syria is growing more complex and difficult with new developments each hour. Repeated airstrikes attributed to Israel have killed Iranian fighters and prompted threats of reprisal from Tehran. Syrian state-run media has claimed that Israel struck a military outpost near the capital, Damascus, on Tuesday. The Observatory for Human Rights group, based in the UK, said the missiles targeted depots and rocket launchers that probably belonged to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard in Kisweh, killing nine people.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Moscow on Wednesday to discuss military coordination with President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Russia also considers Iran a strategic ally.