Idlib

January 8, 2025 | Mariam Wahba, Ahmad Sharawi

Syria’s new Minister of Justice: A profile of Shadi Mohammed al Waisi

Shadi Mohammed al Waisi is the newly appointed Minister of Justice in the transitional government in Syria. Al Waisi has faced criticism from Syrian activists and international media after videos surfaced...

January 6, 2025 | Ahmad Sharawi |

Profiles of the new Syrian military leadership, part 2

Beginning on Friday, January 3, the newly appointed minister of defense of the Syrian Interim Government, Murhef Abu Qasra, initiated a series of meetings with leaders of armed factions to discuss integrating...

December 31, 2024 | Ahmad Sharawi |

Profiles of new Syrian military leadership

On December 21, Abu Mohammad Jolani, also known as Ahmad al Sharaa, convened a meeting with numerous leaders of Syrian armed factions and local figures to discuss plans for unifying these militias into...

December 20, 2024 | Lewis Libby, Nick Danby

Don’t Fall for the New Syrian Regime’s Claims of Moderation

HTS’s membership rolls and track record do not inspire confidence that the group will lead to a free, inclusive, and prosperous Syria.

December 17, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

New Syrian transitional government meets with European, UN officials

The EU is also moving to reopen its mission in Syria, according to EU Foreign Policy head Kaja Kallas, France 24 reported.

December 16, 2024 | Hussain Abdul-Hussain |

Understanding Syria’s pleasantly surprising new ruler Sharaa

He told journalists the region’s problem is the Iran regime while he chooses diplomacy to settle disputes with Israel

December 14, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Turkey moves to isolate the Kurds in Syria, and prepares a way for new attacks

The main group in Ankara's cross-hairs is the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, which was formed in 2015 with US backing.

December 12, 2024 | Bill Roggio |

Hayat Tahrir al Sham’s terror network in Syria

On December 8, 2024, rebel forces deposed the regime of Syria’s longtime dictator, Bashar al Assad, after the insurgents stormed through much of the country, retaking various regional capitals and culminating...

December 9, 2024 | Bill Roggio |

US launches massive strikes on Islamic State as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham deposes Assad regime

The US Military launched “dozens” of airstrikes against Islamic State targets in central Syria on December 8, the day that President Bashir al-Assad’s regime was overthrown by the terrorist organization...

December 7, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

How does the Syrian revolution impact Israel’s border?

Syrian rebels have reached Damascus, meaning the spillover risks into the Golan have grown.

December 2, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Hezbollah and Israel conduct attacks as ceasefire at risk

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on December 2 that Hezbollah had carried out an attack in the area of Mount Dov in northern Israel. Netanyahu said that Hezbollah’s attack, which consisted...

December 1, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syria shores up support from Iran, Iraq, and UAE as Assad loses Aleppo

Now that Damascus has lost Aleppo, it is clear the regime is not stable. However, the regime will need all the help it can get from Iraq and the Gulf, as well as its allies in Iran and Russia.

December 1, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Are Kurds under threat amid civil war resurgence in Syria?

Many wheels are in motion in Syria, which could leave Kurds and other minorities exposed.

November 30, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syrian regime may lose Aleppo due to Iran’s failures

Up until several days ago, the Syrian regime believed its backers in Moscow and Tehran could keep it safe.

July 8, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syria and Turkey could be headed for new era of ties

It is plausible that Turkey-Syria reconciliation could also come at the expense of Israel, because it could be seen as a way for Iran to use this to unite more arenas against Israel.

January 18, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran attacked Syria with long-range missile in message to Israel

Iran is openly admitting that it used these missiles to send a message to the US and Israel and that it basically targeted northwest Syria just to show off.

January 17, 2024 | |

Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles at Iraq and Syria

Iran fired ballistic missiles at Iraq and Syria on January 15 at what it described as regime opponents. The strike in Iraq, which killed four civilians, hit a residential area near...

November 29, 2023 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Khamenei promises ‘de-Americanization’ of Mideast

All eyes are on Iran in terms of the next moves it may make.

August 4, 2023 | Bill Roggio, Caleb Weiss

Islamic State confirms death of yet another leader, appoints new ‘caliph’

The Islamic State confirmed that its previous leader and self-styled “caliph”, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Quraishi, was killed earlier this year In doing so, it also disputes claims he was killed...

September 2, 2022 | Bill Roggio |

Rare photo surfaces of top Al Qaeda leaders inside Iran

A recently surfaced photograph of three of Al Qaeda’s top leaders, including Saif al Adel – the man many believe to be the successor to emir Ayman al Zawahiri – shows that they were present in the...