The Damascus Four Seasons explosions injured 18 people, Syrian state media and officials reported Tuesday during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit. Authorities said two improvised explosive devices were found near the downtown Four Seasons hotel and detonated while security teams prepared to dispose of them.
SANA, Syria’s state news agency, and Syria’s Ministry of the Interior said the devices were placed inside a parked car and in a garbage can outside the hotel. The ministry said both devices exploded “while preparations for the disposal operation were underway,” and that the blasts struck outside the security perimeter surrounding the president’s residence.
Damascus Four Seasons explosions: what happened
According to the Interior Ministry and SANA, two blasts occurred outside the Four Seasons hotel in central Damascus. Officials reported a total of 18 people injured, including four police officers who were part of the security response.
The ministry said one device was located inside a parked car and the other inside a garbage can near the hotel. State accounts said both exploded after they were discovered and while explosive ordnance teams were preparing disposal measures. Authorities described the detonations as outside the secure bubble assigned to protect the French president’s residence.
SANA and Interior Ministry statements said security forces quickly sealed off the area, evacuated nearby civilians and conducted initial forensic and ordnance assessments. Independent international verification of the device placement and exact casualty figures was not immediately available; reporting relies on the cited official statements.
How security responded and official statements
SANA and the Interior Ministry provided the primary official details, saying the bombs were found and detonated during a disposal attempt and that the perimeter protecting the presidential residence held. The ministry said officers and explosive ordnance disposal teams were on the scene when the devices exploded.
The Élysée Palace confirmed President Macron was not in the hotel at the time and said he did not hear the explosions. An Élysée spokesman told reporters that Macron “continued his scheduled meetings,” including a session with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and that French security teams remained in close contact with Syrian authorities during the incident.
Macron posted a written message after the incident saying, in part: “Nothing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria. This morning I met Syria in all its diversity. My visit continues.” The Élysée provided those comments in official briefings following the blasts.
Casualties, device details and links to earlier attacks
Syrian officials reported 18 people injured in the two blasts, naming four police officers among the wounded. The Interior Ministry’s figures were relayed by SANA; independent confirmation of the casualty breakdown was not available at the time of reporting.
Officials emphasized the location of the devices — one inside a vehicle and one in a public trash receptacle — and that both detonated after discovery. Those details have been central to the ongoing probe as authorities seek to determine how the devices were placed and whether they were intended to target the hotel specifically or to undermine security in the area.
The episode follows an earlier explosion on July 2 at a Damascus cafe that Syrian authorities said killed at least nine people. France described that July 2 blast as a “terrorist attack,” and Syrian investigations into that incident are ongoing. No verified public attribution has been made for either the July 2 cafe blast or the hotel-area explosions.
Why it matters for the state visit and regional security
The explosions occurred while Macron was on a rare state visit to Damascus — the first by a Western leader since Ahmed al-Sharaa assumed the presidency in 2025. The visit has been framed by officials as a diplomatic opening, and the security incident underscores the risks of conducting high-level diplomacy in a volatile environment.
Syrian authorities stressed the detonations were outside the security perimeter for the president’s residence, an argument intended to reassure foreign delegations that protective measures held. The incident nevertheless drew immediate international attention and will likely shape security arrangements for remaining public events during the visit.
What comes next
Syrian authorities said an investigation is ongoing to determine who placed the devices and how the bombs were deployed. Officials reported that forensic teams and ordnance specialists were continuing on-site work and reviewing security footage as part of the probe.
As of the latest official statements, no group has claimed responsibility. International outlets noted that inquiries into previous attacks in Damascus remain unresolved; reporters have reached out to Syrian and French officials for additional comment. Fox News Digital reported it reached out to the Syrian Foreign Ministry and the Élysée Palace for confirmation and further details.
Background
Macron’s visit marks a notable diplomatic moment with Damascus and has prompted close attention from regional and Western governments. Some outlets and past reporting have included allegations about Ahmed al-Sharaa’s background; those reports are part of broader coverage and — unless independently verified by neutral sources — should be understood as reported allegations rather than established fact. SANA and the Interior Ministry have not published material independently corroborating those specific claims.
FAQ
Were there any deaths reported in the Damascus explosions?
Syrian officials reported 18 people injured and did not report deaths in the statements carried by SANA and the Interior Ministry at the time they were released.
Was President Macron at the hotel during the blasts?
Élysée Palace officials said Macron was not in his hotel at the time and did not hear the explosions. The Élysée said the president continued his scheduled meetings after the incident.
Has any group claimed responsibility for the attacks?
No group has publicly claimed responsibility. Syrian authorities said the investigation into the blasts is ongoing.
Sources
Primary official accounts cited in this report: SANA (Syrian Arab News Agency); Syria’s Ministry of the Interior; the Élysée Palace (official statements). Independent reporting and coverage referenced: Fox News Digital (original report and outreach efforts), The Washington Post (related July 2 cafe explosion coverage).
Selected links: Fox News original report — https://www.foxnews.com/world/video-shows-bomb-rock-damascus-hotel-french-president-macron-staying-syrian-state-visit. Related reporting on the July 2 cafe explosion — The Washington Post, July 2, 2026. Official sites: SANA — sana.sy; Élysée Palace — elysee.fr.
Note: Reporting in this article is based on official Syrian statements carried by state media and on statements from the Élysée. Independent verification of all details was not available at the time of publication.
