This is Beirut 2024-12-07 11:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad failed to engage with his people and address issues like the return of refugees during a period of calm in the country's war, Qatar's prime minister said Saturday. "Assad didn't seize these opportunities to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people, and we didn't see any serious movement, ...
This is Beirut 2024-12-07 11:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Syria war minorities HTS religious
Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani sought to reassure religious minorities on Saturday, after Islamist-led fighters snatched key cities and swathes of territory from government control. His comments come as rebels sought to advance into Syria's third city of Homs, after their alliance led by the Islamist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ...
This is Beirut 2024-12-07 10:50 - Reading : less than a minute
On Friday night, several houses and buildings were destroyed in the village of Khiam, which was rocked by violent explosions. On Saturday morning, columns of smoke continued to rise near a mosque in the heart of the village. In the southern suburb of Beirut, a low-flying Israeli drone was reported overhead. Shortly afterward, a thud sounded, ...
This is Beirut 2024-12-07 09:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Syria's army said it was redeploying in two southern provinces on Saturday, after a war monitor reported government forces had lost control of most of Daraa province, the cradle of the country's 2011 uprising. "Our forces operating in Daraa and Sweida are redeploying and repositioning, and establishing a... security cordon in that direction after ...
This is Beirut 2024-12-07 09:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Iran and Iraq issued a joint statement with Syria on Friday warning that sweeping rebel gains at the expense of President Bashar al-Assad's forces posed a danger to the whole region. "Threats against Syria's security constitute a danger for the stability of the region," said the statement issued after a meeting of the three countries' foreign ...
This is Beirut 2024-12-07 09:15 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the Islamist rebel alliance that has captured swathes of Syria in a lightning offensive, is an extremist who has adopted a more moderate posture to try to achieve his goals. At the head of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is rooted in Syria's branch of Al-Qaeda, Jolani says the goal of his offensive is to ...
Amal Chmouny 2024-12-07 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Iran Russia USA Middle East Washington
The relationship between Russia and Iran has always piqued interest, often characterized as a unique alliance shaped by the complex geopolitics of the Middle East. This partnership has been notably reinforced through their mutual support for the Assad regime in Syria, enabling both nations to strengthen their military and economic connections. ...
This is Beirut 2024-12-06 18:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The image is particularly symbolic: A statue of former President Hafez al-Assad, the father of Syria's current ruler Bashar, was toppled in Hama after Islamist-led rebels overran the country's fourth-largest city, a video authenticated by AFP showed. A machine's long mechanical arm tipped the towering statue over to cheers and cries of "Allahu ...
This is Beirut 2024-12-06 18:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Hezbollah Syria Iran war Russia Bashar al-Assad
As Islamist rebel forces from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) approach the city of Homs, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad desperately needs the help of his Russian and Iranian allies. However, Moscow and Tehran's military resources are already stretched thin due to the war in Ukraine and numerous conflicts in the Middle East. According to experts ...
This is Beirut 2024-12-06 16:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Gaza's civil defense agency said 29 people were killed on Friday by Israeli strikes around a major hospital in the northern city of Beit Lahia. Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of northern Gaza's last functioning health centers, was hit by several strikes in the morning, the agency and the hospital director said. "There was a series of air strikes on ...
This is Beirut 2024-12-06 15:48 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Rebel forces pressing a lightning offensive in Syria aim to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's rule, their Islamist leader said in an interview published on Friday. "When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal," Abu ...
Chelsea Al Arif 2024-12-06 12:15 - Reading : less than a minute
The governor of Baalbeck-Hermel, Bashir Khodr, answers our questions about the protection of historic sites in wartime, after an Israeli strike hit the outskirts of the ancient city of Baalbeck in early November.