Iran renews attacks on Kurdish Iranian opposition groups in Iraq
Iran increased attacks on the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq in mid-July as the US continued to carry out renewed airstrikes on Iran. By July 2, the US had conducted 10...
The Jerusalem Post
Why Lebanon’s Pilot Zones Matter at the Trump-Aoun Summit
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s meeting this week with U.S. President Donald Trump offers Washington an important opportunity to press Beirut to implement pilot zones in southern Lebanon designed...
Op-eds
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...
Op-eds
Iraqi Prime Minister Zaidi meets President Trump, Secretary Hegseth in Washington
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi met with US President Donald Trump on July 14 as part of his multi-day trip to Washington. It is Zaidi’s first trip to the United States after being sworn...
Op-eds
Syria opens new parliament, hosts Turkish Navy
Syria convened its new parliament on July 12, the first to meet since the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in December 2024. The new parliament, called the People’s Assembly, met after Syrian...
Op-eds
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...
Op-eds
Hamas announces intent to dissolve Gaza government as disarmament questions remain
Hamas claimed on July 6 it was ready to transfer authority and dissolve its government in Gaza. The announcement appeared to be in line with the US-brokered ceasefire that envisions...
Op-eds
Syria appoints new parliament as Israel tensions continue
On July 1, Syria’s government said that the country’s Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections had announced the final list of names for the country’s new parliament. The...
Op-eds
Iraq launches corruption crackdown, sets deadline for militia weapons handover
Iraq launched a series of raids targeting corrupt politicians and officials on June 28. “Elite Counter Terrorism Service units raided homes inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone...
Op-eds
Decision or stagnation in Gaza?
Eight months after the ceasefire, Hamas still controls half of Gaza
Op-eds
US kills Islamic State senior leader in Syria, Damascus rejects Lebanon intervention
On June 19, US Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out an airstrike targeting a senior leader of the Islamic State in Syria as the US maintains its decade-long campaign against the jihadist...
Op-eds
As Kurdistan Region seeks drone defenses, Rubio warns Iraq about Iran proxies
Iraq is working to shore up the economic stability and security of the Kurdistan Region in the wake of months of drone and missile attacks. More than 800 attacks, many assumed to have originated...
Op-eds
Gaza peace plan sees slow progress after Hamas meets in Cairo
The US-backed peace plan for Gaza has continued to progress slowly, though ceasefire talks held in Cairo in the first week and a half of June appeared to stall over the issue of Hamas’s disarmament,...
Op-eds
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.
Op-eds
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi meets US envoy amid militia pressure
US Envoy to Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack met with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi on June 15 to discuss strengthening ties between Baghdad and Washington. The meeting comes as the US continues...
Op-eds
Iraq’s prime minister prepares US visit amid Iran threats and militia focus
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi is preparing for an upcoming trip to Washington, DC, Iraqi media outlets recently reported. The prime minister has been working since his May appointment...
Op-eds
Several Iranian-backed militias in Iraq say they accept state control of weapons
On June 3 in Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi met with delegations from Asaib Ahl al Haq and Kataib Imam Ali, two Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. He thanked the group’s leadership for supporting...
Op-eds
US Syria Envoy Barrack tapped for Syria and Iraq role
On May 31, President Donald Trump said he was naming US Ambassador Tom Barrack as special presidential envoy to Syria and Iraq. The announcement came a day after it had appeared that Barrack’s role as...
Op-eds
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...
Op-eds
Syria holds elections in Kurdish-majority areas, finds Assad-era chemical weapons
Syria held elections in Kurdish-majority areas of the country on May 24, with some politicians and commentators criticizing them for not being representative. Days after the local elections,...