Middle Orient

Islamic State cells continue to target Sunni areas while armed groups thought to be close to Iran step up attacks on facilities hosting international coalition forces. Islamic State (IS) remnants continue to make their presence known in mostly Sunni-majority areas in Iraq, including an attack earlier this month on fishermen …

While Moscow does not yet have the resources to eliminate Iranian influence in Syria, it would be in its interests to at least prevent the expansion of the activities of pro-Iranian paramilitary structures. On the evening of June 27, the United States launched airstrikes in Iraq and Syria on targets …

At Bagram air-base, Afghan scrap merchants are already picking through the graveyard of U.S. military equipment that was until recently the headquarters of America’s 20-year occupation of their country. Afghan officials say the last U.S. forces slipped away from Bagram in the dead of night, without notice or coordination. The …

Turkey is allegedly planning to use Syrian fighters in its proposed mission to guard and run Kabul’s airport, but this time recruitment is expected to proceed via private security firms. Turkey’s government appears to have learned little from the troubles it has faced for deploying Syrian fighters in the wars …

The sum which was seized reportedly included funds meant for, but not limited to, the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades (the Hamas military wing). Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) last week released information regarding the seizure of cryptocurrencies which had been transferred to the Hamas organization. The report detailed …

Imports of medical equipment, fishing equipment, raw materials for industry and textiles will be permitted through Gaza crossing. There is a diplomatic push to find a resolution to prevent another Gaza escalation, or even war, by removing some of the points of conflict between Israel and Hamas. As a sign …

Abu-alQian was arrested on June 10th following a joint investigation by the Shin Bet and Israel police. Bedouin businessman Yaakub Abu Alqian was indicted on serious offenses including contact with a foreign agent and providing intelligence to an enemy country, the Shin Bet internal security agency announced on Monday. Abu-alQian …

Evidence shows not the creation of “killer robots,” but rather the networking of drones and other autonomous or unmanned systems. Israel used drone-swarm technology in the recent Gaza war. Much of that technology and how it was used has not been revealed, but what is important is the wider context. …

The leader of the Syria Tomorrow movement has offered an initiative to three Arab countries, in a bid to end the political deadlock, according to al-Souria Net. The leader of the Syrian Tomorrow Movement (Al-Ghad Movement), Ahmad al-Jarba, announced the introduction of an initiative for three Arab countries, Saudi Arabia, …

Key point: It is difficult to shoot down a lot of drones all at once, especially if those drones don’t intend to survive in the first place. On January 21, Iranian, Syrian and Israeli forces unleashed a hail of missiles upon each other in what is becoming yet another flare-up …