Syria

The Syrian Bogeyman: A Cover for Hezbollah’s Weapons

As part of its ongoing campaign to justify keeping its weapons outside state authority, Hezbollah has been circulating claims of Syrian troop build-ups along Lebanon’s eastern border and alleged infiltrations of extremist fighters into Lebanese territory. On multiple occasions, the Lebanese Army has swiftly and unequivocally denied these reports ...

Syria says Wildfires Contained After 10 Days

Syria's civil defence agency on Sunday said wildfires in the country's west, which have burned vast tracts of forest and farmland and forced evacuations, had been brought under control after 10 days. In a statement on Facebook, the agency said that "with the spread of the fires halted and the fire hotspots brought under control on all fronts" on ...

Barrack Warns Lebanon Faces “Existential Threat” if Hezbollah Issue Left Unresolved

US Special Envoy Tom Barrack warned that Lebanon faces an "existential threat" if it fails to address the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons in an interview with the Emirati media outlet The National published Friday. He called on Lebanese leaders to take urgent action or risk the country falling back under regional influence. After ...

Syrian-Israeli Relations: The Emergence of Complex Dialogue

A significant shift is unfolding in the Middle East's diplomatic landscape as dialogue between Syria and Israel begins to take shape. This budding interaction has garnered substantial international attention, particularly as the United States and the United Arab Emirates assume pivotal roles as facilitators. Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to ...

The Dual Peril Facing Eastern Christians

On June 22, a deadly bombing inside Damascus’s Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Elijah during Mass claimed 25 lives and left around 50 injured. In response, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, Youhanna X, rightly declared that the victims deserve to be honored as martyrs of the faith, just as those who perished in past tragedies in Lebanon, ...

Damascus Denies Threatening Escalation Against Lebanon

Reports that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was preparing a series of diplomatic and economic measures against Lebanon in response to Beirut’s alleged neglect of the file of Syrian detainees were denied, al-Arabiya said, quoting a Syrian government source.    “There is no truth to the reports being circulated about the ...

Hezbollah’s Threats to Israel: Can They Still Deliver?

As tensions persist in southern Lebanon, with Israel carrying out regular targeted strikes, Hezbollah maintains a firm stance toward Tel Aviv. The threats are mounting – yet they never materialize. Now, the group’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, warns that the patience of the pro-Iranian party is wearing thin. But behind the rhetoric lies a ...

How Lebanon Missed Its Future While Syria Negotiates Its Own

I have always believed that geography makes history. But in the Middle East, history tends to repeat itself with a sectarian accent and a militia soundtrack. And this is tragically evident in Lebanon, a country that once had everything, and today, has nothing but memory and myth. While the world watches US envoy Tom Barrack shuttle between ...

Thousands of Syrian Refugees to Return from Lebanon

Thousands of Syrian refugees are set to return from Lebanon this week as part of the first United Nations-backed plan that offers financial incentives for repatriation, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The initiative comes as Syria’s new Islamist-led government, which replaced President Bashar al-Assad in December, says all citizens are welcome ...

Tripoli of the Levant and the Challenges of Regional Maps

Israel is keenly aware that the Middle East’s numerous religious minorities harbor deep-rooted anxieties. As for the religious majority—namely, the Sunni community—its historical perspective is shaped less by the framework of modern nation-states and more through the prism of empire, inherited from the Ottoman era and substantially ...

UAE and Syria Renew Ties as Presidents Meet in Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, welcomed Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to Abu Dhabi on Monday for a working visit. During their meeting at Al Shati Palace, the two leaders discussed the strong ties between their countries and explored ways to enhance cooperation, particularly in economic development, ...

Lebanon–Syria: Borderlines and Broken Promises

When Greater Lebanon was proclaimed on September 1, 1920, by General Henri Gouraud, a new geopolitical reality emerged. The newly formed Lebanese State extended beyond historic Mount Lebanon to include parts of the Sanjaks of Tripoli and Saida, the city of Beirut and 4 districts annexed to Lebanese territory: Baalbeck, the Beqaa, Rashaya and ...