Alawites

Syria’s leader charms the world, crushes the Druze. Israel should be wary

Sharaa seems to be a pragmatic diplomat, but before pursuing warmer ties, Jerusalem needs guarantees that he will stop repressing his minority citizens

Washington Is Starting to Treat Syria and Iraq as One Policy

In recent weeks, Syria and Iraq have positioned themselves to be key players in a new Middle Eastern order. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was in Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump...

The Illusion of Representation in Syria’s New Parliament

Outside Syria’s parliament building in Damascus, lawmakers filed past the stone façade for the chamber’s first session since Bashar al-Assad’s fall. Inside, the freshly minted lawmakers stood to...

Trump Shouldn’t Delist Syria Without Conditions

The inclusion of Syria on the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism list is important leverage the U.S. should not give up easily.

Deploying Syrian Troops in Lebanon Would Help, Not Hurt, Hezbollah

“I told Israel it should let Syria handle Hezbollah because, frankly, I think Syria would do a better job,” President Donald Trump said during the G7 summit in Paris. Trump’s comment was the second...

Don’t Invite Syria Back Into Lebanon

Washington is contemplating the one thing that could rally Lebanese around Hezbollah.

Syria’s First Trial of Assad-Era Figure Signals Progress, but Accountability Still Falls Short

The first public trial of officials associated with former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime opened in Damascus on April 26. The defendant is Atef Najib, Assad’s cousin and former head of the intelligence...

Islamist Turkey: A Base for Muslim Brotherhood Jihadism

Blacklisting the Brotherhood

The Trump administration made history on November 24, 2025, when it issued an executive order calling for the U.S. government to designate “certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters as Foreign Terrorist...

Is the Islamic Republic Down and Out in the Levant and Beyond?

Since October 7, 2023, Iran’s theocracy has watched its entire westward foreign policy crash, disabled by an Israeli counterattack and its shockwaves.

ISIS Reconstitutes as the U.S. Walks Away From Syria

After surviving numerous Islamic State (ISIS)-linked assassination plots, Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa — himself a former jihadi — governs with a target on his back. Moreover, ISIS is resurging...

Third Time Lucky? Syrian Government and Kurdish-Led SDF Announce Latest Agreement

An escalation of conflict in northeastern Syria has been averted, at least for now. But questions persist over whether the disputes that sparked the recent offensive by Syrian government troops against...

The US’ Syria Bet Just Turned Deadly

Despite lifting sanctions, Washington has failed to arrest radicalization within the Syrian government.

Sectarian Fires Return to Syria’s Coast 

Sectarian tensions appear to be resurfacing in Syria’s Mediterranean coastal region, the home to the country’s largest concentration of the Alawite religious minority. The group held a privileged position...

Lebanon Must Answer the Pope’s Call for Peace

Lebanon, and the world, must heed the Pope of Peace over the so-called “Party of God,” Hezbollah. From the heart of Lebanon—a biblical land living under Hezbollah’s shadow—Pope Leo XIV issued...

Unsolved Murder of Bedouin Couple Fans Sectarian Flames in Syria

Syria seems to be inching back towards fracturing. On November 23, unknown individuals killed a husband and wife from a Sunni Arab Bedouin tribe in Homs Province. Authorities found slogans written at the...

Syrian Government Condemns Israeli Prime Minister’s Visit to Troops in Southern Syria

Latest Developments ‘Violation of Sovereignty and Unity’: The Syrian government strongly condemned a November 19 visit to Israeli-controlled Syrian territory by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin...

Sharaa To Be First-Ever Syrian Leader To Visit White House

In a meeting no one could have predicted just a year ago, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is scheduled to visit U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on November 10. It will be the first time a Syrian...

After Gaza’s Deal, A Momentum in the Region for More Peace Stability in Syria, Lebanon?

U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for a peace deal to end the Gaza war has proven to be initially successful. He was able to bring together delegations from Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, and Hamas in...

Erdogan Demands SDF Complete Integration With Syrian Government

Erdogan Demanding Full Kurdish Integration: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Syrian Kurds to integrate with the Syrian government following a ceasefire between the Kurdish-led...