Middle Orient

Latest Developments Syrian Troops Allegedly Kidnapped: Clashes erupted across the Syria-Lebanon border on March 16 after the Syrian transitional government accused Iran-backed Hezbollah of kidnapping and killing three of its soldiers in Lebanon. Hezbollah denied any involvement in the incident. Transitional Government Shells Lebanon: In response to the alleged kidnappings, …

Senior Iranian officials are trying to obfuscate Iran’s role in leading the Axis of Resistance by denying that Iran exerts direct control over groups like the Houthis, likely to avoid escalation with the United States. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivered a Nowruz speech to Iranian officials in Tehran on …

IDF forces continued operations to counteract Hezbollah’s military buildup and presence in south Lebanon, contrary to the ceasefire agreement. A commander of the air defense system of a regional unit within the organization was eliminated, and Hezbollah Radwan Force facilities in south Lebanon were targeted. Lebanese government officials and Hezbollah …

A renewed peace effort between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has reignited hopes for a resolution to the four-decade-long Kurdish insurgency and the broader Kurdish question in Turkey. In a historic announcement on February 27, PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned on Turkey’s Imrali Island since 1999, …

Days before his troops overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad, Ahmad al-Sharaa said that Syria deserves a political system in which no “single ruler makes arbitrary decisions.” Yet now, as the country’s interim president, al-Sharaa has unveiled a constitution that puts executive, legislative, and judicial power in his own hands, …

The Middle East’s only viable path toward stability and security lies in fostering dialogue, coordinated initiatives, and joint diplomacy among its influential states. The 2023–2025 war in Gaza and Lebanon has not only shattered any remaining hopes for regional peace but also exposed the impotence of the international community, the …

CBP-9613Download

The Trump administration ordered airstrikes against a range of Houthi targets in Yemen over the weekend, following through on threats that came on the heels of redesignating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). The attack was a not-so-subtle signal to Iran, as President Trump has been unequivocal in …

Latest Developments Rockets Fired from Lebanon: Six rockets were fired from Lebanon at the northern Israeli town of Metula on March 22. Three of the projectiles fell short and landed in Lebanese territory, while the other three were intercepted by Israel’s air defense array. There were no reports of injuries …

IDF forces continued targeted raids in the Golan Heights buffer zone and attacked a largenumber of military sites in southern Syria and a structure belonging to the Palestinian IslamicJihad (PIJ) in Damascus. Syria and several other Arab states condemned the attacks andaccused Israel of “escalation.” Syrian security forces exchanged fire …