War in the Middle East

Israel Approves Plan to Double the Population of Annexed Golan Heights
Israel Approves Plan to Double the Population of Annexed Golan Heights

The Israeli government on Sunday approved a plan to double the population of the occupied and annexed Golan Heights, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the prime minister's office said. The government had "unanimously approved" the 40 million shekel ($11 million) "plan for the demographic development of the Golan... in light of the ...

Moscow Says ‘Part’ of Its Diplomatic Personnel in Syria Evacuated by Plane
Moscow Says ‘Part’ of Its Diplomatic Personnel in Syria Evacuated by Plane

Russia's foreign ministry said it has evacuated some of its diplomatic staff from Syria Sunday, a week after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. "On December 15, the withdrawal of part of the personnel of the Russian (diplomatic) representation in Damascus was carried out by a special flight of the Russian Air Force from the Hmeimim airbase" in Syria, ...

Al Jazeera Reports Its Journalist Killed in Israeli Strike On Gaza
Al Jazeera Reports Its Journalist Killed in Israeli Strike On Gaza

An Israeli airstrike on Gaza killed Al Jazeera journalist Ahmed al-Louh on Sunday, the Qatar-based network reported. The strike targeted the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to Al Jazeera's Arabic-language website. The Israeli military, when contacted by AFP for comment, stated that it is "looking into the reports." Since the ...

UK in ‘Diplomatic Contact’ with Syrian Rebels Says Foreign Secretary
UK in ‘Diplomatic Contact’ with Syrian Rebels Says Foreign Secretary

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed that the British government has had “diplomatic contact” with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Syrian rebel group that played a key role in toppling the Assad regime. While Lammy emphasized that HTS remains a proscribed terrorist organization, he noted that diplomatic contact is still possible. ...

Israeli Army Releases Lebanese Soldier, Continues Operations in Southern Lebanon
Israeli Army Releases Lebanese Soldier, Continues Operations in Southern Lebanon

The Israeli Army has released Lebanese soldier Abdo Mohammed Abdel-Al, who was detained after crossing into Israeli territory on Saturday while helping his brother herd livestock in the al-Majidiye plain, located in southern Lebanon. A military source in the Lebanese Army confirmed to a foreign media outlet that "Israeli forces arrested a ...

Israel Says to Close Embassy in Ireland Over ‘Extreme Anti-israeli Policies’
Israel Says to Close Embassy in Ireland Over ‘Extreme Anti-israeli Policies’

Israel's Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that it would be closing its embassy in Ireland, citing the Dublin government's "extreme anti-Israeli policies," further straining already tense relations between the two nations. Diplomatic ties between Ireland and Israel have deteriorated following a series of actions, including Ireland's ...

Iran Closes Offices, Schools Over Cold, Energy Shortage
Iran Closes Offices, Schools Over Cold, Energy Shortage

Iran announced the closure of offices and schools in many provinces across the country on Sunday due to a cold snap and energy shortages, according to state media. Iran is an energy giant, with the world's second-largest reserves of natural gas, according to the US Energy Information Administration. However, the country has been forced to ration ...

Un Envoy Urges Justice, Not Revenge in Syria
Un Envoy Urges Justice, Not Revenge in Syria

"We need to see justice and accountability for crimes, and it must go through a credible justice system. We must ensure that no acts of revenge take place," Geir Pedersen said upon his arrival in Damascus. Assad fled Syria last weekend following an 11-day rebel offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), marking the ...

Syria: From Euphoria to Growing Concern
WindowSyria: From Euphoria to Growing Concern

The fall of Bashar al-Assad took everyone by surprise, almost no one saw it coming. Yet, it was met with joy. Scenes of celebration across Syria, as well as in countries hosting millions of Syrian nationals and refugees, along with the shared joy of other populations — notably in Lebanon — reflect the harsh rule that the Assad dynasty had ...

Syrian Christians Who Took on the Challenge of Trust
TestimoniesSyrian Christians Who Took on the Challenge of Trust

Introduced by Vincent Gelot, L'Œuvre d'Orient's representative in Syria and Lebanon, the conference featured addresses by Archbishop Jacques Mourad, the Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Homs, Hama and Debek, Sister Jihane, a member of the Soeurs de Besançon (Sisters of Besançon) and director of Damascus' largest Christian school, and Salim Safir, ...

Naim Qassem After Fall of Assad Regime: 'Hezbollah Lost Its Supply Lines Through Syria'
Naim Qassem After Fall of Assad Regime: 'Hezbollah Lost Its Supply Lines Through Syria'

In a televised speech on Friday, his first since the fall of the Assad regime in Damascus, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem acknowledged that “Hezbollah has lost its military supply route through Syria,” but emphasized that this loss was merely a minor detail and that a new supply route would be established. Qassem further ...

US Says in Contact With New Syria Rulers
US Says in Contact With New Syria Rulers

The United States has made contact with Syria's victorious Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday, despite previously designating the group as terrorists. Blinken's comments, after talks on Syria in Jordan, came as Turkey reopened its embassy in Damascus, nearly a week after the Islamist-led rebels toppled ...