Syria's Sharaa, Saudi crown prince discuss economic ties as SDF clashes flare Syria is facing a number of security challenges amid sectarian tensions as it rebuilds its economy. Syria
Analysis Hezbollah still dominant among Lebanon's Shiite, but ground is shifting Two notable trends are emerging within Lebanon's Shiite community: growing rejection of geopoliticization, alongside continued loyalty to the resistance legacy despite mounting concerns over its consequences. By Karim Safieddine , Izzat Zahreddine
What we know about Ahmed al-Ahmed, bystander who wrestled attacker in Sydney shooting The 43-year-old man, a father of two and the owner of a fruit shop in a Sydney suburb, was shot twice. By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Analysis Militant merger in Iran’s Baluchistan signals new threat to Tehran The group’s outreach to broader ethnic communities reflects a strategic bid for wider legitimacy and a role in the wider struggle against the Islamic Republic. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis Stunt or recalibration? Israel's Raam to break with Muslim Brotherhood By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Syria: Siege persists in Aleppo’s Kurdish enclaves despite SDF-Damascus truce Tensions are rising over plans to integrate the Kurdish-led SDF into the new Syrian military amid clashes between government-affiliated and Kurdish forces in Syria’s largest city. Syria
Grenade attack on IRGC kills 2 in Iran’s Kurdistan province: What to know The deadly assault comes amid recurring tensions and clashes in Iran’s Kurdish-majority western region. Iran
In a first, ICC convicts Sudanese militia leader of Darfur war crimes Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman was found guilty of 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur between 2003 and 2004. Sudan
Syria's parliamentary elections: First Jewish candidate in 58 years enters race Syria is holding its first parliamentary elections since the fall of the Assad regime, with a Jewish candidate running for the first time in decades in a vote conducted largely through indirect selection rather than a direct public ballot. Syria
Pentagon pushes to accelerate ISIS detainee repatriations from Syria Uncertainty about Syria’s long-term stability and the the US military’s future presence in the country have increased urgency among some Pentagon officials to further reduce the population of nearly 30,000 suspected ISIS-associated detainees in the camps. Syria
Syria holds first post‑Assad parliamentary vote: What to know Syria’s first post-Assad parliamentary elections — with seats chosen by local committees rather than a public vote — spark backlash as the government postpones voting in Druze- and Kurdish-majority regions. Syria
New Druze militia forms in Syria as Hijri calls for autonomy Tensions are running high in southern Syria, despite government efforts to investigate the recent violence and deliver more aid. Syria
Israel, US rift with France widens as Paris rebukes US envoy: What to know In a letter to President Emmanuel Macron and published in the Wall Street Journal, US ambassador to France Charles Kushner said recognition of a Palestinian state would "endanger Jewish life in France." Israel
Nine bodies unearthed in Latakia mass grave, one of dozens found in post-Assad Syria As part of the efforts by new Syrian authorities to bring justice to victims of the Assad regime, dozens of mass graves containing thousands of bodies — believed to be victims of former regime forces — have been discovered across Syria. Syria
Iraq begins exhuming ISIS mass grave at Al-Khasfa thought to hold 3,000+ victims In 2024, Human Rights Watch said that hundreds of thousands of victims remain buried in mass graves across Iraq, including those killed under former President Saddam Hussein. Iraq
UN: Syria's March violence saw ‘likely’ war crimes by Damascus, Assad remnants The United Nations noted deliberate targeting of Alawite civilians in its report on the killings along the Syrian coast and called on the government to expand its efforts in taking steps toward accountability. Syria
Iran border clash kills 3 militants, police officer in Baluchistan: What to know Iranian forces have prioritized targeting Jaish al-Adl and other groups in the southeast, and are seeking cooperation with Pakistan on the issue. Iran
