Damascus

Israeli Forces Dismantle Turkish Spy Equipment Near Damascus

Israeli forces conducted an overnight airborne raid on a site near the Syrian capital after bombing it several times, Syrian state media reported Thursday. Israel has not confirmed the raid, but Defense Minister Israel Katz said its forces operate "in all combat zones" to ensure the country's security. If verified, it would be the ...

America’s Beirut Gamble: Barrack, Ortagus and Graham Push Lebanon Toward Peace

When Tom Barrack, Morgan Ortagus and Senator Lindsey Graham touched down in Beirut, it was clear that the United States was no longer willing to watch Lebanon’s crisis unfold from the sidelines. Their visit was not ceremonial. It was an intervention, part carrot, part stick, designed to push Lebanon into one of the most consequential decisions ...

Lebanon and Syria: A New Diplomatic Era

A Syrian delegation is expected in Beirut later this month to address outstanding issues between the two countries. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and the election of Ahmad al-Sharaa as Syria’s president, a new dynamic has emerged. For Lebanon, this represents both an opportunity to build a more balanced relationship with ...

Unit 4400: Hezbollah’s Vulnerable Logistical Backbone

In the Beqaa Valley, once bustling with heavily loaded night convoys, silence now reigns. The routes that Unit 4400 used to transport weapons, drones and spare parts from Iran via Iraq and Syria are currently heavily monitored, relentlessly targeted by Israeli airstrikes and patrolled by the Lebanese Army. Once hailed as the backbone of ...

US-Brokered Israel-Syria Security Deal Possible in September?

The Trump administration is working to secure a preliminary security agreement between Tel Aviv and Damascus ahead of the UN General Assembly in September, according to Israel National News. A source close to the talks said there is “a real possibility of reaching security arrangements” by then. Ongoing Talks and Key Players Syria’s ...

Israel Strike on Syria Kills One

An Israeli strike killed a man in southern Syria, state media reported Tuesday, a day after a new Israeli incursion in the area drew condemnation from Damascus. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria since an Islamist-led alliance toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December. It has also opened talks with the interim ...

Damascus Says Drug Smuggling Foiled Near Lebanese Border

According to the Syrian Interior Ministry, security forces on Monday foiled an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of narcotics from Lebanon into the Zabadani area, close to the Syrian-Lebanese border. The ministry said that the shipment was intercepted before reaching its destination but did not disclose details about the type or amount of drugs ...

Syria Kurds Say Lawmaker Selection Process Undemocratic

Syria's Kurds on Sunday criticised the upcoming selection of members of a new transitional parliament as undemocratic, after authorities postponed the process for Kurdish-controlled areas in the north and northeast. After toppling longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, Syria's new authorities dissolved the parliament and adopted a temporary ...

Suicide Bombing Kills Syria Police Officer: State Media

A suicide attack on Friday at a security checkpoint in Syria's east killed one police officer, state media said, blaming the bombing on the Islamic State group (IS). A second would-be assailant was killed by security forces, the official news agency SANA reported. "A suicide bomber of the terrorist organisation Daesh attacked the Siyasiyeh ...

Sweida at the Center of Damascus-Tel Aviv Talks in Paris

Syria and Israel resumed direct dialogue on Tuesday in Paris. Syrian Foreign Minister Assaad al-Chaibani met with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer to explore ways to stabilize southern Syria, which has been rocked by violent clashes in recent weeks. This marks the second direct meeting between the two countries in less than a ...

Syrian, Israeli Diplomats Met in Paris to Discuss De-Escalation: Syrian State Media

Syria's foreign minister met with an Israeli delegation in Paris to discuss de-escalation and the situation in Druze-majority Sweida province after deadly sectarian violence last month, state media reported Wednesday. State news agency SANA said late Tuesday that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister ...