Daily life is gradually resuming in Damascus as banks and commercial establishments begin reopening their doors, marking a significant shift in the Syrian capital.

The caretaker prime minister, Mohammed al-Bashir, reportedly is working alongside existing administrative officials to restore public services across the city. At the same time, government office workers and university and school staff have all been told to return to their positions as of December 11.

Streets across the Syrian capital are becoming increasingly busy, with several shop owners nervous about what comes next following the Assad regime’s departure earlier at the weekend. Supply shortages are increasing across the country, with petrol (gasoline) and diesel shortages reported in the Syrian capital, according to Al-Sham channel.

However, with the transitional authorities in place and Assad’s allies either already gone or on their way to Lebanon, many are feeling a sense of normality returning to the streets.

Meanwhile, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has announced advances in Der Az-Zor province, where they face ongoing resistance from Kurdish and US forces who maintain control over portions of the territory.

The humanitarian situation continues to evolve as families make their way back from neighbouring Turkey and Lebanon, and families of Alawites, Shiites and other supporters of Assad prefer to leave for the country on foot, previous video reports suggest.

"We've been queuing since 6 am to get money from the bank. At least they're open now. My family just wants stability – we don't care who's in charge anymore," said Rania Khoury, 43, shopkeeper.

"I reopened my pharmacy yesterday. We're running low on supplies but at least the roads are clear now. People need their medications," Ahmad, 52, pharmacist, said to bne Intellinews.

However, despite the generally positive mood by many, the situation for the country remains critical; supply lines have broken in many regions, and managerial and ministerial staff from the former regime have left their positions and are not returning, leaving a skeleton crew in many sectors and utilities.

"The electricity comes and goes. One hour we have power, the next we don't. But at least we can buy food again – the markets are starting to fill up," Mohammed, 61, the retired civil servant on the outskirts of Damascus, told the news agency.

"People are washing the streets, trying to clean up. Everyone wants to get back to business. But when you hear explosions in the distance, you wonder how long this calm will last.," Omar, 34, our taxi driver, told us.

Those explosions are believed to be Israeli movements on the outskirts of the capital. Despite several reports and confirmations for Lebanon and elsewhere of Israeli incursions into Syria, Israel has denied it is there in any formal capacity, despite images from the IDF previously showing tanks heading towards Damascus.

Israeli military operations in Syria have intensified, with reports indicating strikes on over 480 locations. Israeli authorities state these operations target military infrastructure, including aviation and naval assets.

On the diplomatic front, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has engaged in discussions with regional partners, including Egypt, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE, stressing the importance of establishing an inclusive governmental framework in Syria.

Broadcaster NBC News reports that the outgoing Biden administration is considering policy changes regarding HTS's designation status from terrorist groups to move proceedings.

Syria has been heavily sanctioned by the US and EU for more than three decades, meanwhile currency markets in the country remain steady on December 11.

Currency exchanges reopened in Damascus with relatively stable rates, reflecting cautious market sentiment.

The US dollar was trading at SYP14,500 for buying and SYP15,500 for selling, showing no significant change. The euro saw a slight decline of 0.18%, with rates at SYP15,231 for buying and SYP16,286 for selling.

The Turkish lira and Saudi riyal both experienced minor downward movements, dropping 0.22% and 0.24% respectively.

The Turkish lira was trading at SYP414/444, while the Saudi riyal stood at SYP3,854/4,123. Only the Emirati dirham showed modest gains alongside the dollar, edging up 0.02% with rates of SYP3,948 for buying and SYP4,223 for selling. These rates suggest the local currency market is maintaining relative stability despite the recent political upheaval.