Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham

Hezbollah’s Shadow Economy in Post-Assad Syria

Syria’s military is rebuilding, but foreign influence may slow security progress

Foreign influence in the Syrian military, chiefly Turkish and Russian, combined with the continued presence of extremist elements within its ranks, will constrain Damascus’s ability to take steps consistent...

Syria Is Off the Terror List, but Washington Still Has Leverage

US President Donald Trump has fulfilled the promise he made to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in May 2025, to give Syrians “a chance at greatness.” At the end of August of this year, Trump...

Top Islamic State spokesman killed in Yemen

The internationally recognized government in Yemen based in the southern city of Aden announced today that its troops, alongside Saudi special operations forces, killed Abu Hudhayfah al Ansari,...

5 Things To Know About Turkey’s Relationship with Syria

Turkey has emerged as one of the leading patrons of Syria’s new government under President Ahmad al-Sharaa, following the December 2024 fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Ankara had built ties with...

US rescinds Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism

On August 24, the US rescinded Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. “I congratulate the Syrian people on the official removal of Syria’s name from the list of state sponsors...

Israel strikes military airbase in Syria while warning Turkey

Israel conducted airstrikes on the Abu al Duhur military airport in northern Syria during the evening of August 17–18. Syria condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty,...

US moves to rescind Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism

US President Donald Trump “informed Congress of his administration’s intent to rescind Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST),” the US State Department announced on...

Syria Need Not Enter Lebanon to Help Curb Hezbollah

Syria is not going to undertake a military campaign against Hezbollah that Israel itself has been unable to carry out.

Israel Risks Another “Managed” Conflict in Lebanon

Arecent flurry of diplomatic activity suggests Israel is restricted to a managed conflict, echoing previous inconclusive rounds of fighting. A new or partial ceasefire could give Hezbollah a morale boost...

Can Syria Be Friends with Both Europe and Russia?

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has sought to open up relations with Europe while retaining the country’s longstanding ties with Moscow.

Syria’s Accommodation of Foreign Jihadists Backfires

The Syrian government’s effort to integrate foreign fighters into its armed forces may be unraveling. On May 5, Syrian authorities arrested 16 Uzbek fighters following a standoff with armed members...

Islamist Turkey: A Base for Muslim Brotherhood Jihadism

Russian troops begin evacuating from northern Syria

Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa made his second visit to Moscow in four months on January 28, even as Russia is withdrawing its forces from the city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria. Moscow...

Fate of prisons holding Islamic State fighters uncertain as Syrian government fights Syrian Democratic Forces

Syrian government forces advancing into eastern Syria and combating the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are increasingly taking over areas where Islamic State (IS) members have been held in prisons and...

US airstrike kills Al Qaeda leader in Syria

The US military killed an Al Qaeda leader who was involved in the December 13, 2025, attack that killed two US soldiers and a civilian contractor in Syria. US Central Command (CENTCOM) maintains that the...

US military strikes Islamic State in Syria

The US military launched a series of “large-scale strikes against multiple ISIS [Islamic State] targets across Syria,” on January 10, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced. CENTCOM said...

Israel-Syria Negotiations Show Promise, But Significant Obstacles Remain

After months of rising tensions, Israel and Syria are back at the negotiating table in Paris. Syria’s state news agency reported that Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and intelligence chief Hussein...

Why was Sharaa Invited to Washington, but not Aoun?

For all his efforts, Joseph Aoun deserves Washington’s active support to enable him to accomplish even more. Until late 2024, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was a U.S.-designated terrorist with...

US launches widespread airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria after deadly Palmyra attack

On December 19, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that “U.S. forces have commenced a large-scale strike against  [Islamic State] ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites in Syria.”...