Netanyahu must push Trump to take real action on Iran
Any resolution must address all three components of Iran’s nuclear program: fissile materials, weaponization, and delivery systems.
Bashar al-Assad
Cracks in the Core? The Meaning Behind Iran’s Assassinations
As Iran’s economic, regional, and domestic standing deteriorates, senior and junior officials alike will begin to realize that the regime cannot ensure their safety.
Op-eds
US airstrike kills Al Qaeda operative in Syria
US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it killed a senior leader of Hurras al Din, Al Qaeda’s branch in Syria, in an airstrike in Syria on January 30. The strike, which took place less...
Op-eds
Syria gets a new autocrat as Sharaa styles himself ‘president’
If the economy tanks, it’s likely Sharaa will return to his Islamic roots and produce a state similar to ISIS
Op-eds
Ahmad al Sharaa’s Victory Conference: Syria’s new era and an exclusive translation of Sharaa’s speech
On January 29, Syria’s new leadership, headed by Ahmad al Sharaa—formerly known as Abu Mohammad al Jolani, the emir of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) and previously the leader of Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate,...
Op-eds
Syria appoints new president amid widespread diplomatic engagement efforts
In a move that will have significant implications for Syria and its international relations, Ahmed Sharaa was named the country’s president on January 29. The appointment is expected to provide...
Op-eds
Continued chaos in Syria: Iraqi militias and an Alawite insurgency
On January 25, a new Iraqi militia, Kataib Awliya’ al Haq (Guardians of Truth Brigades), announced its formation. So far, the group has issued a single statement displaying its full name, logo, and...
Op-eds
Syrian Government Uses Islamic Teaching to Recruit, Train New Security Forces
Syria’s new leaders insist they are committed to religious tolerance, yet they are employing their preferred variant of Sunni Islamic beliefs to recruit and train the country’s new security forces....
Policy Briefs
Uneasy Truce: Israel’s Fragile Ceasefires with Hamas and Hezbollah
For fifteen months, Israel fought a difficult and complex war on multiple fronts. It was the costliest war in Israel’s history in terms of civilians killed and hostages taken, with more...
Op-eds
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq face an uncertain future
Iraq’s pro-Iranian militias face an uncertain future after the December fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in Syria and amid pressure from Iraqi authorities for armed groups to be disbanded or incorporated...
Op-eds
The strategic Tishrin Dam has become a flashpoint in post-Assad Syria
The Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River in Syria has become a key point of conflict in the country’s post-Assad era. Since the fall of dictator Bashar al Assad’s regime on December 8, the dam has been...
Op-eds
Kurdish-Led Syrian Democratic Forces Battle Turkish Proxies Amid Calls for Their Dissolution
Battles Near Tishreen Dam Continue: Heavy fighting between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) around the Tishreen...
Flash Briefs
Iran’s Energy Crisis
Iran is experiencing a systemic energy crisis. While many times in the past, Iran has had gas shortages or refined product shortages, this time Iran is undergoing an energy meltdown, with parallel shortages...
Op-eds
Israel’s Dilemma in Lebanon
The 60-day ceasefire in Lebanon will end on January 26, six days after President Trump takes office. While Hizbullah suffered heavy losses during the two months of fighting from late September to...
Op-eds
Syria’s New Rulers Call for UN Peacekeepers Along Syria-Israel Border
Al-Sharaa Says IDF Presence on Border No Longer Needed: Syria’s de-facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, said on January 16 that the new government would welcome UN peacekeepers in the...
Flash Briefs
Alawite Fears Ignite Syria’s Coastal Chaos
Violence is spreading in Syria’s Mediterranean coastal region, home to the country’s largest concentration of Alawites, the religious minority whose members include the ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad....
Policy Briefs
Turkey and HTS: A New Era of Extremism in Syria?
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2023, Syria is now controlled by an alliance of opposition groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). While there has...
Op-eds
Former HTS fighter Ahmad Hammad al Mansour reportedly detained in Syria after threatening Egyptian president
The hashtag “Your turn, dictator” has been widely shared on Egyptian social media in the past two weeks. Modeled after the 2011 rallying cry “your turn, doctor” used against then-Syrian President...
Op-eds
Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as ceasefire continues
On January 13, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted multiple strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The strikes appear to be some of the most extensive since a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon...
Op-eds
Trump Doctrine 2.0: What It Means for the Middle East
Countries across the Middle East are making moves and preparing for President Donald Trump’s incoming United States administration. Many of the region’s leaders were in power during the first...