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
Syria’s War Impacts Turkish Alevis Syria’s sectarian conflict is spilling over into Turkey’s Alevi community. Syria
Lebanon: Fault Line for Hezbollah's War on 'Takfiris' in Syria Just hours after Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah announced that his party was fighting “takfiris” in Syria, two rockets struck a Shiite neighborhood in Beirut, suggesting that those “takfiris” might have military capabilities in Lebanon. Lebanon
Sectarian War a Two-Way Street For Iraq and Syria What lessons do Syria’s Alawites learn from the experience of the Sunnis in Iraq? Iraq
EU Puts Hezbollah on Notice The European Union moves toward designating Hezbollah a terrorist organization as its arms embargo on Syria is allowed to lapse. Lebanon
The Missing Syrian Peace US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are still working on the invitation list for Geneva II. Qatar
How We Lost The Syrian Revolution A Syrian activist in Aleppo laments the lost revolution as he reveals the sense of betrayal felt after rebels looted and ravaged his city. Syria
Revisiting Davutoglu on Syria Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s first-ever admission of mistakes in Syria policy offers clues to his mindset. Syria
Hezbollah Confesses To Hand in Qusair Battle Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah has explicitly acknowledged his party’s role in Syria, and sources describe the battle for Qusair. Lebanon
Turkey and Syria’s Kurds Edging Toward an Uneasy Peace? Fresh fighting between Syrian Kurdish groups and Arab opposition fighters in Syria's Kurdish region is threatening to spread. Iraq
Davutoglu Cautiously 'Not Pessimistic' On Syria Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says US-Turkish policies on Syria are now synchronized. Syria
Nasrallah on Syria: 'This Battle Is Ours' Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declares war on Salafist groups and calls for "political dialogue" in Syria. Lebanon
Syrian War Overtakes Lebanese Valley Lebanon’s Wadi Khaled faces hardship and divisions as a result of the war in Syria. Lebanon