Syria

Synagogue attack thwarted: Russia's FSB arrests man allegedly planning arson attack on Jewish site

The suspect, a Russian national who was allegedly obeying instructions from a handler in Syria, purchased components and chemicals used to manufacture incendiary devices, according to the FSB. 

|ByDANYA SAPERSTEIN
A synagogue in Yaroslavl, Russia, targeted by an alleged terrorist arson plot, published June 29, 2026.
(L-R) Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the backdrop of Syrian and Israeli flags (illustrative)

US believes Israel-Syria normalization chances before Knesset elections 'very slim,' source to Post

The Syrian government's core demand is for Israel to carry out some form of withdrawal from the buffer zone it entered following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.

|ByAMICHAI STEIN
ABU DHABI’S Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan attends the Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Gulf states' reactions to Lebanon agreement show signs of stability for region - analysis

Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic advisor to the President of the UAE, said he sees the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel as a step to restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
The Iranian delegation led by Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Parliament of Iran (center) arrives to meet with the Pakistani delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (not pictured) on June 21, 2026 in Obbuergen, Switzerland.

Another mechanism stopping Israel from defending against terrorists - opinion

Vance’s proposal isn’t “deconfliction.” Instead, it is a mechanism to limit Israel’s ability to respond while Hezbollah pursues conflict.

|ByMORTON A. KLEIN

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.

MAY 18, 2026ByVEYSI DAG
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.

Netanyahu’s leaks undermined Israel’s ties with Arab leaders - opinion

Secret diplomacy is becoming harder as Netanyahu repeatedly publicizes private meetings.

MAY 18, 2026ByELIE PODEH
Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Sultan Qaboos bin Said in Oman

Syria joins G7 finance sessions in Paris in sign of legitimization

The two-day G7 finance chiefs' meeting is dominated by global economic imbalances, trade tensions, and the fallout from conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

MAY 18, 2026ByREUTERS
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Secretary-General Mathias Cormann and International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol talk on the day of a G7 finance ministers' and central bank governors' meeting in Paris, France, May 18, 2026.

After Assad’s fall, Syrians weigh homecoming against hard reality - analysis

Destroyed homes, weak services, uncertain jobs, and children settled abroad are complicating the return for millions of Syrians displaced by war

MAY 18, 2026ByRIZIK ALABI / THE MEDIA LINE
A Syrian family returns on May 11, 2026 from Turkey.

IDF catches ten Israeli civilians who crossed Israel-Syria border

IDF soldiers operating in the area returned the civilians from Syrian to Israeli territory, before transferring them to the Israel Police.

MAY 18, 2026ByTZVI JASPER
VIEW OF the Israeli border area with Syria, as seen from the northern Golan Heights, April 11, 2026.

World Food Programme slashes Syria aid, affecting 7.2 million as funding crisis deepens

The World Food Programme has halved emergency food aid in Syria due to funding shortages, leaving millions vulnerable despite signs of stabilization.

MAY 13, 2026ByREUTERS
Workers prepare AIS boxes at a World Food Programme (WFP) facility in Damascus countryside, Syria, July 29, 2025.

Who gets to belong? Palestinians in Syria confront old suspicions under new rule

Arrests, media attacks, and changes in official terminology have deepened anxiety among Palestinian refugees over their legal status and place in Syrian society.

MAY 13, 2026ByWASEEM ABU MAHADI/THE MEDIA LINE
PROTESTERS GATHER outside the entrance of Yarmouk refugee camp to condemn the Israeli death penalty law for Palestinians convicted of lethal attacks, in Damascus, Syria, April 1, 2026.

UAE deepens economic ties with Damascus, eyes major investment in Syria's postwar reconstruction

The UAE is looking to increase its role in Syria via investment while taking a cautious approach. Key talks discussed expanding economic and investment cooperation during a two-day forum in Damascus.

MAY 13, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Direction and distance sign for the Syrian capital of Damascus at Mount Bental Israeli military outpost on the Syrian border

Syria appoints new cabinet as government settles into power

The reshuffle, announced by Syrian state media, included the appointment of new governors for several key provinces.

MAY 10, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa looks on as he arrives for a working session of the European Council and regional partners during an informal meeting in Nicosia on April 24, 2026.

Petty clashes over a sign in Syria risk snowballing into real conflict

Protesters in Hasakah and also in Qamishli object to the removal of Kurdish from official signs on government buildings.

MAY 10, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
The debris of a destroyed building and a motorbike litters the ground following a Jordanian strike on reported drugs and weapons storage facilities in the village of Arman, in the southern Druze-majority province of Sweida, of which many parts are outside the control of Damascus on May 3, 2026.