Middle Orient

Local factions in Suwayda renewed attacks on internal security forces affiliated with Syria’s Ministry of Interior, on the province’s western front, on Saturday, 13 December. Enab Baladi’s correspondent in Daraa (southern Syria) said local factions in Suwayda targeted an internal security vehicle with a bomb-laden drone in the town of …

Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yosr Bernieh , in his capacity as chair of the board of Syria’s Insurance Supervision Authority, announced the dissolution of the Syrian Insurance Companies Union and the Insurance Agents and Brokers Union. In a post on LinkedIn today, Friday 12 December, the minister said the move …

President Donald Trump said Saturday that “there will be very serious retaliation” after two U.S. service members and one American civilian were killed in an attack in Syria that the United States blames on the Islamic State group. “This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a …

The Iraqi government did the right thing and froze the assets of Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis, but once the story made news on December 4, the government walked its decision back within hours. In November, the country’s Committee for the Freezing of Terrorists’ Funds put the two Iran-backed groups on …

If the agreement collapses, violence may be imminent. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have spent months negotiating with the government in Damascus how to implement their March agreement for the SDF to merge with the national armed forces. Mistrust of government centralization and recent sectarian massacres have shaken the …

Official says unresolved disputes over Gaza, Rafah Crossing and security make summit with Netanyahu unlikely despite interest from Jerusalem, Washington Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi currently has no plans to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a government official familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel, amid reports that …

Youssef Rajji says Lebanon seeking to prevent escalation and negotiate terror group’s disarmament; denounces Iran as ‘source of instability’ Lebanon has received warnings from Arab and international parties that Israel is preparing for a wide-scale military operation against Hezbollah, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji told Al Jazeera on Friday, as …

3 others said killed in airstrike on terror group’s No. 2; Netanyahu, Katz say assassination a response to IED that lightly hurt 2 reservists in Strip’s south Top Hamas commander Raad Saad was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Saturday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces said, in …

US military to host conference with over 25 countries in Doha next week to discuss plans for International Stabilization Force; it remains unclear how Hamas will be disarmed International troops could be deployed in the Gaza Strip as early as next month to form a UN-authorized stabilization force, two US …

While some elements that constitute the Syrian National Army (SNA) have moved away from their revolutionary foundations and turned into a contractor structure for Turkey’s foreign operations across various regional conflicts, others are trying to transform into an organized army under civilian leadership. Although the SNA’s previous attempts at institutionalization …