Analysis Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them Israeli officials remain skeptical of Turkish and Syrian denials over Ankara’s military ambitions in Syria, warning that a deeper Turkish foothold could threaten Israel’s security and strain its ties with Washington. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Turkey signals restraint as war of words with Israel escalates over Syria The Turkish president’s top communications aide says Ankara will not be drawn into the Israeli government's “games” as Washington pushes a Turkey-Israel-Syria deconfliction mechanism. Turkey
Syria’s FM pays Pakistan first visit in 19 years amid new regional alignments Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani is paying his office's first visit to Pakistan in nearly two decades after Islamabad, Ankara and Riyadh signed a joint defense pact. Syria
Turkey looks to expand Syria energy footprint into oil, gas Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said state oil giant TPAO and private companies are ready to explore for oil and gas onshore and offshore in Syria. Turkey
Syria announces capture of senior ISIS official near Manbij: What to know By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
What we know about Israeli strikes on Syrian air base tied to Turkey By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Few signs of progress at Turkey-Syria normalization talks in Astana Syrian president sees no need to compromise, while UN representative admits 'comprehensive solution is not doable.' Turkey
Turkey appoints Tanju Bilgic as new ambassador to Russia The appointment of Ankara's new envoy to Moscow coincided with the Kremlin’s announcement that the Russian president will soon visit Turkey. Turkey
Interview US, Syria exchange messages on journalist Austin Tice, Oman’s FM says Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi also discussed Syria's re-integration, prospects for normalization with Israel and talks to end Yemen's war in an interview with Al-Monitor. Sayyid Badr Albusaidi Foreign Minister of Oman
In first for Turkey, National Security Council addresses Syrian refugee return Turkey’s National Security Council has openly expressed the need for international support for Syrian refugees to return home. Turkey
Blinken urges coalition partners to repatriate Islamic State fighters in Syria At a gathering in Riyadh of the global alliance to defeat IS, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked partners to repatriate their detained citizens and announced new funding for stabilization work in Iraq and Syria. Syria
France arrests 'Syrian asylum seeker' in Annecy stabbing attack French authorities are still investigating whether the attack this morning at a park in the southeastern French town was a terror act or not. Syria
CENTCOM commander visits Israel, observes multifront war exercise Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla is on a wider tour of the Middle East as the Pentagon aims to build regional military capabilities to better deter attacks by Iran and its proxies. Israel
US unveils Caesar sanctions on Syrian money service businesses The sanctions targeting a pair of money service businesses are the administration’s second use of the bipartisan Caesar Act. Syria
US readies strategy to target Syria’s Captagon trade In the coming weeks, the Biden administration will submit to Congress an interagency plan to tackle the Syrian regime's multi-billion-dollar drug business. Syria
Syria's Assad accuses France of 'hysteria' for calling to put him on trial Damascus is furious after French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said she thinks Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should stand trial for his role in the Syrian war. Syria
Syrian girls play soccer among ghosts of Islamic State Raqqa's first-ever girls' soccer team is blooming where Islamic State once terrorized the society. Syria
Intra-Kurdish tensions paralyze northeast Syria’s main border crossing Northeast Syria’s only external border crossing closed abruptly May 17 for an unknown period, disrupting trade, medical corridors and humanitarian access to the area. Syria
