Middle Orient

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Amid ambiguity and the absence of a clear institutional framework, implementation of the agreement signed between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is set to begin tomorrow, Monday, February 2. Although the start of procedural steps has been announced, the past hours have seen an escalation in …

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A look at Tehran’s ballistic missile systems and why the Pentagon has cause to be alarmed. Amidst the growing threat of a direct US-Iran confrontation, a stark military reality stares the Pentagon in the face: most American bases in the region sit well within Iran’s missile range. With Tehran openly …

Britain called on Israel to reverse its decision US President Donald Trump opposes Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank, a White House official said, after Israel moved ​to ease settlement expansion and widen its powers in the Palestinian territory. The Israeli measures have drawn international criticism and are being …

Toplines Some Iranian regime elements are signaling that Iran may offer relatively insignificant, nuclear-only concessions, but only if the United States offers complete sanctions relief.[1] The concessions under discussion in the Iranian policy and media space are less significant than the concessions Iran offered in the 2015 nuclear deal, when …

Against the backdrop of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS meeting in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, efforts are accelerating to close the long running file of Islamic State detainees held in detention centers in northeastern Syria, through large scale transfers into Iraqi territory. The move reflects a shift in how …

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Intelligence Chief Hussein al-Salama took part in the political directors meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State group, held today, Monday, 9 February 2026, in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Commenting on Syria’s participation on X, al-Shibani said, “Syria is regaining the …

“[T]he document outlines an operational framework in which the technocratic government appears to function, while the actual management of systems, the flow of information, and control over the civil administration remain in Hamas’s hands.” – Elior Levy, Channel 11 Kan News, February 2, 2026. Hamas wants Trump’s Board of Peace …

The National’s interviews with residents, local officials and commanders reveal a complex picture of a scarred city Entering Sweida, the southern heartland of Syria’s Druze community, feels like crossing into another country. Visitors to the city must pass through a series of checkpoints. The first is run by Damascus-controlled forces, …