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


Syria pushes to gain closer ties with Western powers as it reaches meetings with G7, NATO, and WHO

The concept is to bring Syria into many key international organizations and to increase the country’s stability and investment opportunities.

Syrians gather to mark the anniversary of the 2011 uprising against the ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syria March 15, 2026.

Shavuot in the southern Golan: Springs, wineries, and ancient Jewish heritage

The southern Golan Heights emerges as a living landscape where archaeology, hospitality, and community life meet against dramatic volcanic terrain.

Mitzpe Hashalom: Twilight settles over the entire expanse of the Kinneret as seen from the wooden cabins of Mitzpe Hashalom, where the cliffside horizon softens into a panoramic evening glow.

Australian women linked to ISIS leave Syrian camp - report

The Australian government has previously ruled out providing direct assistance for the return of Australian families linked to ISIS.

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

The Arab Spring is dead, and a new social contract has replaced it - analysis

Across the Arab world in 2026, ideology is giving way to pragmatism, as publics prioritize stability, security, and economic delivery over reform

A demonstrator holds empty tear gas canisters during a protest over the deteriorating economic situation, in Riad al-Solh Square in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2023.
Premium

ISIS escalates rhetoric, seeks ‘new phase of fighting’ in Syria - analysis

Foreign fighters and sleeper cells remain a security concern as the group tries to revive its networks after years of territorial collapse.

A still image taken from an Islamic State (ISIS) video

Syria building US relations while serving pivotal regional role - analysis

Syria knows that working on ties with Israel will be helpful because the US is very close to Israel and focused on Israeli relations currently.

A SYRIAN flag is displayed outside the White House following the meeting of US President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, November 10, 2025.

Turkey’s strategy for long-term dominance in the Middle East - opinion

After Assad’s fall, Turkey is quietly building a new sphere of influence across Syria.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, meets with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Ankara, last April. Ankara is quietly assembling the architecture of permanent regional power, the writer says.

WATCH: Car bomb explodes near Defense Ministry building in Damascus

Syria’s health ministry said emergency and ambulance teams had responded to the explosion, which killed one soldier and wounded around 12 people.

A member of the security personnel arrives at the scene near a burning vehicle following an explosion in Damascus on May 19, 2026.

Kurdish families return to Afrin, Syria after years of displacement

After the invasion, around 150,000 Kurds were forced to flee. The Syrian rebel groups included extremists and they were involved in abuses, including the kidnapping of Kurdish civilians.

A woman with braided hair during a solidarity demonstration in Erbil, Iraq's Kurdish region, on January 23, 2026. The symbolic gesture supports Kurdish female fighters in Syria following a viral video of a Syrian soldier bragging about cutting a fighter's braid.

Kurdish-US partnership under strain amid regional rivalries, accusations - opinion

Kurdish leaders warn of rising mistrust with Washington amid accusations, regional rivalries, and fears of shifting US alliances in the Middle East.

Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq February 12, 2026.