Syria

Iran tensions, Syria talks put Iraqi Kurdistan at the center of Middle Eastern diplomacy - analysis

The Kurdistan Region is involved in a variety of discussions, in part due to its geographic position. It sits at the crossroads of major regional policies. 

Nechirvan Barzani, President of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan Region, gives a joint press conference with France's Foreign Minister in Arbil, the regional capital, on February 5, 2026.
Supporters of Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah wave flags of the group during a ceremony held to mark the second anniversary of the killing of leader Hassan Nasrallah in a strike by Israel, in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 27, 2026.

Hezbollah explosive smuggling, illegal finance network leads to calls for probe by Lebanese PMs

Turkish security forces line up in the buffer zone as Turkish police use water cannon to disperse Syrian supporters who gather at the border, across from the northern Syrian town of Qamishli, January 20, 2026

Israel must set red lines on Turkish presence in Syria to avoid confrontation, think tank argues

Inside the Turkish Parliament, Ankara, June 3, 2023; illustrative.

Turkey’s historic bid to end the PKK insurgency hangs in the balance - opinion


Hezbollah withdraws from gov't confidence vote to 'save face' as MPs confront lawmakers over war

An MP accused Hezbollah of bringing the IDF back into the country, an accusation that was interrupted by a Hezbollah MP, who shouted, “Some of our colleagues think Israel is not an enemy!"

Members of Hezbollah's parliamentary block in the Lebanese parliament attend a parliament session in Beirut on March 9, 2026.

Syria parliament votes to abolish Assad-era terrorism court, nullify rulings

Wednesday's vote came during the opening weeks of the first parliament formed since Assad was toppled in December 2024. The chamber convened for the first time in July.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends a meeting with his foreign minister and the leader of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), at the People's Palace in Damascus on August 25, 2026.

Iran holds over nine tons of nuclear material outside of IAEA safeguard, atomic energy head says

The material includes 440 kilograms of enriched uranium, "equivalent to more than 10 nuclear devices," noted Israel Atomic Energy Commission Director-General Moshe Edri. 

Moshe Edri, head of Israel's Atomic Energy Commission, is seen speaking at the 70th annual International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference, on September 15, 2026.

Syria is continuing to strengthen ties with Turkey, causing concern in Israel - analysis

Syria and Turkey have signed 40 agreements and memoranda of understanding, creating links between 22 Syrian ministries and agencies and their Turkish counterparts, SANA reported.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) amd Syrian President Ahmed Shara (L) attend the official opening ceremony of Antalya Diplomacy Forum, held under the theme of 'Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties' in Antalya, Turkey on April 17, 2026.

Syrian authorities arrest Aleppo woman for practicing 'witchcraft and sorcery' in video

The circulating footage showed a woman, allegedly A.Y., burning an unidentified object on a stone before a crowd gathered to question her about what she was doing.

A.Y. was arrested by the Internal Security Forces of Syria following a video circulating where she "engages in witchcraft."

The end of the SDF: What the dissolution means for the Kurds and Sharaa's state - opinion

Following an agreement with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the SDF's mission ended and was being dissolved "as an independent military force" and being integrated into the Syrian army.

 Soldiers from the Syrian Democratic Forces stand in front of the detainees before the first exchange operation between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian government in Aleppo, Syria, April 3, 2025.

Fuel protests reveal the economic risks threatening Syria’s fragile transition - analysis

The protests have affected most of the country. This includes incidents in Aleppo in the north, Dara’a in the south, Deir Ezzor on the Euphrates River, and Hasakah.

A protester in Aleppo burns tyres to protest the increase in fuel prices in Syria on the highway between Aleppo and Turkey, Syria, September 13, 2026.

Syria rocked by largest protests since fall of Assad regime after fuel prices surge

The United Nations Development Program estimates that 90% of Syrians live below the poverty line, compared with about a third before the Syrian civil war began in 2011.

Protesters burn tyres and block the road in protest against rising fuel prices on the highway between Aleppo and Turkey, Syria, September 13, 2026.

Israel would benefit from a stable Syria, but not one under Turkish influence, expert tells ‘Post’

Ankara’s growing influence in Syria, along with the presence of Turkish forces there, poses a significant risk to Israel, JISS President Prof. Efraim Inbar told The Jerusalem Post.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrive for a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, February 4, 2025.

Prisoners protest in Syria's Kobani after Kurdish soldier's murder test al-Sharaa's - analysis

This is the latest in Syria's tensions, while it also reveals the concerns many Kurds have about how the new government resolves crises.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa listens to French President during a joint press conference after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on May 7, 2025.