Top US diplomats are heading to the Middle East to help ensure a smooth transition of power in Syria as well as a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza.

Secretary of state Antony Blinken is set to visit Jordan and Turkey, while US national security adviser Jake Sullivan is planning stops in Israel, Qatar and Egypt in the coming days.

Biden administration officials have kept president-elect Donald Trump’s aides updated on their diplomatic efforts in the region, though they insist they’re not directly coordinating.

High on the agenda for President Joe Biden’s team will be the future of Syria.

Mr Blinken, who will visit the region this week, will “reiterate the United States’s support for an inclusive, Syrian-led transition to an accountable and representative government”, according to the State Department.