Middle Orient

Syrian state media said IS fighters ambushed buses carrying the employees in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province. Several oil workers were killed by the Islamic State (IS) in eastern Syria today. IS fighters ambushed two buses carrying the workers back from work in the al-Kharata oil field in the southwest …

The Saudi-led coalition claimed it bombed a secret facility used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Yemen. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson denied Saudi claims that Tehran has a military facility in Yemen yesterday. “Such baseless declarations are made to deflect the nations of the region and the world’s public …

Working in all directions against a nuclearized Iran, the Israeli air force prepares itself for different scenarios. Never, to the best of our knowledge, has an incumbent Mossad chief publicly issued such a pronouncement, but on Nov. 2, the spy agency’s director David Barnea pledged that Iran would never have …

Following the resignation of the finance minister and his replacement by a loyalist on Dec. 2, the Turkish lira continued its steady decline against the dollar, bringing its losses for the year to nearly 50%. The Turkish currency is once again under speculative attack, similar to previous episodes in July …

Ahead of the seventh round of the Iran nuclear negotiations that ended on Dec. 3 in Vienna, many observers interpreted Ebrahim Raisi’s election to the presidency and his recent rhetoric as representing a distinct shift in Iran’s nuclear strategy. Indeed, in November, Raisi’s government’s official newspaper Iran explained that Tehran’s …

In the occupied al-Bab countryside, social media users reported the defection of the so-called commander of the al-Sukkaria village’s forces from the pro-Turkish Hamza Division militia. The commander was accompanied by other gunmen and some cars and their arrival in areas of army control. According to reports, gunmen from the …

The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) has expressed its readiness to participate in a “genuine, constructive dialogue process” with the Damascus government. SDC considers this step to be one of the most important processes for resolving the Syrian crisis through a Russian-American consensus. In remarks quoted by opposition websites, SDC president …

The Russian rapprochement with Israel seems to be increasing day by day in Syria, at a point where the interests of both sides meet, each according to their strategy, especially in diminishing the influence of Iran in Syria. In what appears to be a new message for Israel, the Russian …

The Paris attacks trial resumed on Tuesday with police evidence from Brussels on the background and Syrian activities of Mohamed Abrini. Abrini did not hear what was said about him, since he is one of five accused who continue to boycott the trial in protest against Belgian police witnesses being …

For Jerusalem, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s intentions for better relations need to be backed up with actions. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog met Dec. 1 with Natali and Mordi Oknin, who were liberated two weeks ago from an eight-day detention in Turkey. The couple thanked the president for his efforts …