On eighth visit, Israel’s Netanyahu seeks to repair ties with Trump Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to focus on Iran in his Tuesday meeting with President Donald Trump, while the US leader is more likely to want to discuss Lebanon and Syria. United States
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran says it doesn’t seek to resume negotiations with Washington Sharaa says Syria seeks security deal with Israel; Red Sea shipping slows after Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Syria arrivals surge 111% as government bets on tourism revival The country welcomed 3.52 million visitors during the first half of 2026, more than double the figure recorded a year earlier, as the government pushes to reconnect to the world and promote tourism as a pillar of economic recovery. Syria
Syria seizes arms shipment on Iraq border destined for Hezbollah The operation comes as part of the Syrian authorities' efforts to curb illicit arms smuggling through its territory, namely intended for Hezbollah. Lebanon
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran declares 'existential war' as US strikes reach near Tehran By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Kremlin confirms S-400 talks with Turkey By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
New Syrian Institution Helps US Deliver Humanitarian Aid A senior US aid official tasked with coordinating humanitarian assistance to Syria says he is “all for” prolonging the Syria war if it leads to a “democratic Syria.” Syria
Lebanese Shiites' Divisions Intensify Over Syria The murder of a student leader of an anti-Hezbollah Shiite group has served as a reminder of historical and shifting divisions within Lebanon’s Shiite community. Lebanon
Syria's rebels in rift with Aleppo's civil opposition Aleppo's civil opposition has been swept aside as hard-line armed groups assert their power in the city. Syria
Syrians Add to Yemen Refugee Crisis As with a previous wave of refugees that fled from Syria to Yemen during former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad's reign in the 1980s, Syrian refugees arriving there today find political, economic and security instability. Yemen
Syrian Government Deals With Currency Collapse The Syrian government has increased public sector employees' salaries and has kept its monthly ration coupons to counter the effects of war and sanctions on the economy. Syria
Syria in 'Free Fall' Edward Dark describes the despair in both Aleppo and a Syrian prison; Syria is in “free fall,” according to the chairman of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria. Israel
Geneva II: A Chance to End Syria’s Tragedy There is hope that the Geneva II conference can help stem Syria's bloodshed. Lebanon
Turkey's Sunni Identity Test The Turkish government’s sectarian impulse, resurging whenever foreign policy fails, reverberates in domestic politics and fans social unrest. Iraq
Iraqi Shiite Cleric: Iraqi Extremism A 'Transitory Phase' In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Iraqi Shiite authority Hussein al-Sadr shares his perspective on the state of affairs in Iraq 10 years after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Iraq
Conditions for Takeoff for Geneva II Russia and the United States must reach an understanding to set Geneva II up for success. Lebanon
Syriac Christians, Kurds Boost Cooperation in Syria A shared desire to remain neutral in Syria links the political parties of the Assyrian Christian and Kurdish minorities despite government encouragement of sectarian security branches. Syria
Hezbollah Keen on Hamas Alliance Despite Criticism Hezbollah seeks to repair ties with Hamas which have been strained over Syria. Palestine
