TimeLine Layout

January, 2026

  • 5 January

    Iran’s Protests Reach Day Four. Washington Should Heed the Streets.

    Swelling waves of dissatisfaction are sweeping the Islamic Republic of Iran into the new year. What began on December 28 as demonstrations in downtown Tehran has crossed the country to Malard, Isfahan, Hamedan, Kerman, Ahvaz, Qeshm, and several other cities. They have been joined by coordinated strikes held by merchants …

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  • 5 January

    Trump bombarde trois pays pour Noël en faveur d’Israël

    Donald Trump, le président soi-disant défenseur de « l’Amérique d’abord », a été élu par des électeurs exaspérés par les guerres absurdes, surtout celles menées par Israël. Cette semaine, il a trahi ces électeurs en offrant à Israël un cadeau de Noël : le bombardement de trois pays qu’Israël souhaitait …

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  • 5 January

    Four major dynamics in Gaza War that will impact 2026

    Netanyahu rings in New Year with a return visit to US and more ‘asks’ for Trump Just ahead of the New Year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit President Donald Trump in Florida today, no doubt with a wish list for 2026. Already there have been reports …

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  • 5 January

    Scenarios for the Middle East to 2026: Worse Before It’s Better

    The Stimson Center recently convened a meeting of U.S. regional experts to discuss three scenarios for the Middle East over the next 18 months: a continuation of low-level fighting in Gaza; an “all-hell-breaks-loose” nightmare of increased war and violence; and a “keep-hope-alive” vision entailing a long-term cease fire in Gaza …

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  • 5 January

    Syrian Army Enters Latakia, Tartus after Attacks by Regime Remnants

    The Syrian Defense Ministry announced on Sunday the deployment of military forces in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartus in wake of an armed attack against security forces and civilians during recent protests. Syrian television said the deployment was happening after “outlawed groups” carried out attacks against security forces …

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  • 5 January

    From Jihadi to Islamist: Ahmad al-Sharaa and His Critics

    On December 8, 2024, Syrian rebels led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized power in Damascus following a ten-day offensive, bringing a swift and unexpected end to the Asad regime’s decades’ long rule. The question now is what comes next. In the past, HTS’s leader, Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, had praised …

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  • 5 January

    The Centrality of Iraq and Syria to the Islamic State’s Caliphate

    Despite reports of the Islamic State’s growing threat in the Horn of Africa and the leadership’s alleged relocation to the Puntland region in Somalia, the central lands of Iraq and Syria, the original area of the group’s territorial caliphate announced in June 2014, continue to occupy a key place in …

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  • 5 January

    Israeli army arrests six young men in southwestern Syria

    An Israeli army unit advanced into the village of Kudna in the southern countryside of Quneitra province (southwestern Syria) and arrested five young men while they were searching for wild mushrooms. The local Facebook page “Quneitra Now”, which operates in the province, reported that the Israeli army smashed a motorcycle …

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  • 5 January

    After deaths and injuries on Syria’s coast, Defense Ministry says army intervenes to maintain security

    The Media and Communications Directorate at the Syrian Ministry of Defense said that Syrian army groups, backed by armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers, entered the centers of Latakia and Tartus after attacks escalated by groups it described as “outlaws,” targeting residents and security forces. In a statement carried by …

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  • 5 January

    Secret Israeli pact ‘lies behind threat to dissidents and Gulf status quo’

    Israel is behind a secret pact with the United Arab Emirates to destroy Saudi Arabia’s role as the Gulf’s regional powerbroker. The astonishing claim is just one of a series of sensational statements made by a senior Arab royal whistle blower to Middle East Monitor on Tuesday evening. The news …

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