Syria

Syria Monitor Reports 11 Killed in Ex-Assad Bastion, Clashes in South

A Syria war monitor said Wednesday that four civilians had been killed in a security operation in a former pro-government bastion this week, while clashes in the south had left at least seven security personnel and gunmen dead. Restoring and maintaining security across Syria remains one of the most pressing challenges for the country's new ...

The Druze: Riding the Tide in a Turbulent Middle East

The Druze question has reemerged at the forefront of the current regional scene, following the regime change in Syria and Israel’s incursion into Syrian territory through the demilitarized zone in the occupied Golan Heights. All this is compounded by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s warning that Israel would intervene in Syria to ...

Syria Forces Launch Latakia Operation after Deadly Ambush

Syrian forces launched a security campaign in the coastal city of Latakia after "militia remnants" supporting ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad killed two personnel in an ambush, state media reported Tuesday. "Groups of Assad militia remnants killed two members of the Syrian defence ministry in an armed ambush" in Latakia's Daatur district, the SANA ...

Israel Army Says Struck 'Military Site' in Northwest Syria

Israel's military said it struck a military site in northwest Syria on Monday, as a Syria war monitor reported an explosion in the Tartus area. An army statement said that Israeli forces "struck a military site where weapons belonging to the previous Syrian regime were stored in the area of Qardaha", the hometown of deposed Syrian ...

Syria Forces Deploy in Damascus Suburb After Deadly Unrest

The forces of Syria's new authorities deployed Sunday in a Damascus suburb following deadly clashes with Druze gunmen, state media said amid tensions after Israeli demands to protect the minority group. Jaramana, a mostly Druze and Christian suburb of the capital, saw a fatal shooting at a checkpoint on Friday, followed a day later by clashes ...

Syria Announces Committee to Draft 'Transitional' Constitutional Declaration

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced on Sunday the formation of a seven-member committee to draft a constitutional declaration for the country's transition after the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. The new authorities are seeking to rebuild Syria and its institutions after Assad was ousted on December 8, ...

Joumblatt Warns of 'Israeli Plots,' Plans to Visit Damascus

Former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Joumblatt, issued a stark warning on Sunday about alleged Israeli schemes to destabilize the region during a press conference from his residence in Clemenceau. He also revealed plans to visit Damascus as part of ongoing political efforts. Speaking on the preparations for the 48th anniversary ...

US Says Killed Military Leader of Syria Al-Qaeda Affiliate

The US Army said Saturday it had killed a top military leader of Hurras al-Din, a Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda which announced its dissolution in January. The US Central Command (CENTCOM), in charge of American forces in the Middle East, said in a statement that its forces on February 23 "conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, ...

Hezbollah's Financing From Iran Undermined Following Assad's Fall in Syria

Hezbollah continues to pay salaries to its leaders, but the long-term sustainability of this practice is increasingly uncertain. The challenges in receiving Iranian funds have grown, compounded by the closure of hard drug production facilities in Syria. The land route to transfer these funds through Syria has been entirely shut down, and the air ...

Israel's Strategic Push to Redefine the Balance of Power in Southern Syria

Israel has taken a firm stance on its plan for the “total demilitarization” of southern Damascus. “We will not allow forces from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (the group behind the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024) or the new Syrian army to enter the area south of Damascus,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ...

New Syria leader holds talks with Jordan king

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Jordan's King Abdullah II in Amman on Wednesday on his third foreign visit since ousting Bashar al-Assad. King Abdullah II greeted Sharaa at Amman's Marka airport, the royal court said in a statement. The two leaders then headed to Raghadan Palace for their first talks since Sharaa took power. It is ...

Syria: Major Israeli Attack in the South of Damascus, At Least Two Killed

The Israeli army said it carried out air strikes targeting military sites containing weapons in southern Syria on Tuesday, just days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for demilitarising the area. At least two people were killed by a strike on one of the sites, the headquarters of a military unit southwest of Damascus, a war monitor ...