Middle Orient

Syrian army takes control of western Euphrates

The Syrian army took control of the west of the Euphrates River, after controlling the city of Tabqa and the Euphrates Dam southwest of Raqqa, after several hours of clashes, at dawn on Sunday, January 18. Enab Baladi’s correspondent, who is accompanying the operations in the vicinity of the city …

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Iran Update, January 17, 2026

Note: CTP-ISW has resumed publishing daily Iran Updates to cover the ongoing protests in Iran. CTP-ISW’s weekend updates will only include analysis on the protests, while our weekday updates will also include analysis on Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Key Takeaways The Iranian Regime’s Securitization: The regime’s plan to limit most …

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What is the True Death Toll in Gaza?

According to the latest figures released by the Gaza Ministry of Health (GMoH) on December 23rd 2025, Israel had killed at least 70,937 Palestinians and wounded 171,192; of those identified fatalities, 53% were women, children or elderly. Despite the decimation of Gaza’s healthcare system, the GMoH has demonstrated remarkable resilience …

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Turkey’s Dangerous Defense Pivot

Is the new Turkish-Saudi-Pakistani defense pact an attempt at an Islamic NATO or a strategic self-sabotage? The idea of a budding “Islamic NATO” under Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia might seem bold and fresh in a period of Middle Eastern “realignment.” But don’t dismiss it out of hand as the …

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