Syria

Reporter’s Notebook: The threat along Syrian buffer zone is far from over for Israel

For now, there appears to be little appetite to withdraw from the buffer zone, largely because of lingering questions over whether Syria’s new president is truly capable of controlling the country.

The Israel Ministry of Defense’s National Mine Action Authority (INMAA) clears minefields with the assistance of sappers from 4M Defense Mine Solutions in the northern Golan Heights near the Syrian border, April 28, 2026.
A boy holds a yellow Hezbollah flag while walking among a crowd during a mourning ceremony in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, June 26, 2026

Why Israeli officials fear Iran-backed Hezbollah could still rearm despite Lebanon deal - exclusive

Members of the media and other people gather near the site of what Syrian state media reported was a blast at a cafe in central Damascus, Syria, July 2, 2026

Explosion in crowded Damascus cafe leaves nine people dead, 22 injured

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani in Beirut, Lebanon, July 2, 2026.

Syrian FM visits Beirut after Trump suggests Damascus should fight Hezbollah


ISIS disrupts Damascus calm, says it assassinated Shi'ite figure

The attack, which took place on May 1, 2026, revived memories of the group’s past hit-and-run operations targeting carefully selected religious and military figures.

FARHAN Hassan al-Mansour.

Australian women linked to ISIS arrested, accused of slavery after Syrian return

The Australian government said on Wednesday that four women and nine children who had been detained in northeast Syria planned to return to Australia, but would receive no government assistance.

MEMBERS OF Australian families believed to be linked to the Islamic State militants wait to leave Roj camp near Derik, Syria April 24, 2026.

Syria’s crackdown on Hezbollah shows Damascus's commitment to security - analysis

Hezbollah entered Syria in large numbers around 2012-2013 via the city of Qusayr, with its role in Syria diminishing since the fall of the Assad regime.

A Syrian army soldier stands guard next to an armoured vehicle positioned along the SyrianLebanese border in the rural area of Al Qusayr on April 1, 2026.

Syria thwarts Hezbollah-affiliated plot to assassinate gov’t officials, Interior Ministry announces

Hezbollah put out a statement denying the “false accusations” that it was behind the cell, asserting it had no presence on Syrian territory.

Syrian police vehicles drive along a road in the town of Dayr Hafir east of Aleppo, Syria, on January 17, 2026.

Does Syria’s rise in the Press Freedom Index reflect reality? - analysis

Syria climbed 36 places in the 2026 Reporters Without Borders ranking, but deep constraints on independent journalism remain.

A journalist wearing a press vest holds his camera during a protest in Idlib, Syria on August 11, 2025.

Australia says Islamic State-linked citizens in Syria camp plan to return home

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said any returnee suspected of criminal activity would "face the full force of the law without exception," though he did not specify potential charges.

Members of Australian families believed to be linked to the Islamic State militants wait to leave Roj camp near Derik, Syria April 24, 2026.

Sykes-Picot should be replaced by a new Trump-Netanyahu regional order - opinion

Sykes-Picot was never a peace settlement. It was a colonial carve-up that fathered every subsequent conflict in the region. For the first time since 1916, a new order can be established.

Colonel Sir Tatton Benvenuto Mark Sykes (left) and François Marie Denis Georges-Picot (Illustrative).

Jordan is enforcing a red line in Syria via airstrikes - analysis

The Kingdom of Jordan has carried out airstrikes in Syria targeting drug smugglers near Sweida.

A view of a Royal Jordanian Air Force aircraft before the airdrop operation of aid over Gaza on August 14, 2025.

IDF launches recruitment push for ultra-Orthodox combat units active across war fronts

The units being recruited for, Hetz Company, Netzah Yehuda Battalion, and Hasmonaim Brigade, have all operated across multiple fronts throughout the ongoing war.

 An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man is seen exiting an IDF recruiting office in Jerusalem, June 25, 2024

Jordan strikes Sweida, claims it carried out ‘deterrent operation’ against drugs, arms trafficking

The series of airstrikes targeted at least five locations, including warehouses in the Syrian town of Arman, sources told a reporter for Agence France-Presse.

Soldier from the Jordanian Armed Forces standing next to a helicopter, May 3, 2026.