Lebanon authorities release Salafist cleric Khaled Hablas: What to know Hablas was imprisoned for his role in the deadly 2014 clashes with the military and Hezbollah and his release follows Syria lobbying for the return of militants detained in Lebanon. Lebanon
Syria restores Raqqa oil field in former ISIS stronghold: What to know Before Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, national oil production stood at between 400,000 and 500,00 barrels per day before falling to under 100,000 bpd during the conflict. Syria
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran’s Ghalibaf: US must accept Tehran proposal By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria Turkey reopened the Akcakale-Tell Abyad crossing on Monday, ending an 11-year closure along the Syria border. Turkey
Analysis MENA wheat importers face food security risks as Hormuz crisis festers By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis 'Is it worth it?' Syria's Sharaa faces backlash over Missy Elliott performance By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Royce Says US Arms Not Required to Defeat Assad Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, tells Barbara Slavin that the US should encourage Arab allies to provide the weapons needed to help rebels oust the Syrian government. Syria
Israel's Airstrikes on Syria May Prove Costly The attack in Syria may be considered a short term military success, but in the long run it might prove costly, based upon the lessons from previous Israeli military interventions, writes Shlomi Eldar. Israel
Erdogan Considers Israeli Strikes on Syria While the Turkish government keeps silent about the Israeli airstrikes in Syria, which may be the right course, Turkey’s regional policies hang in the balance, writes Tulin Daloglu. Israel
If Turkey Does Not Change Its Syria Policy … If Turkey doesn't change its partisan, sectarian approach to Syria, it will provoke further sectarian tensions among armed groups in Turkey and the region, writes Kadri Gursel. Syria
Is Erdogan Calling for Jihad In Turkey? Prime Minister Erdogan's May 5 speech, with its religious imagery and outrage about events in Syria, could be seen as a rallying cry for a Turkish religious obligation to fight the regime, writes Pinar Tremblay. Syria
Syria’s Music Wars Omar Adam Sayfo describes how both the Syrian government and the rebels have employed music as a weapon in the Syrian conflict. Syria
Israel's Moral Responsibility In Syria Israeli silence on the abduction of the two archbishops in Syria underlines the indifference of the Israeli public toward the fate of the Syrian people, writes Akiva Eldar. Israel
Do Israeli Airstrikes Play Into Assad's Hands? In an interview with Shlomi Eldar, professor Kais Firro, an authority on Syria and Lebanon, claims that the Syrian regime can finally argue that Israel is the puppet master behind the uprising. Israel
Do the US, Iran Agree on Red Line For Syrian Chemical Weapons? The US and Israel escalate the war in Syria; Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, Khaled Meshaal; and Al-Monitor launches Iran Pulse. Israel
Syria Calls Attack by Israel 'Declaration of War' Ali Hashem reports on reactions from Syria and Hezbollah, blaming Israel for the attacks on Damascus that represent an escalation of the Syria war. Israel
Israel Hits Syria, Sends Message to Iran Israel believes that its airstrikes on Damascus are being considered with concern in Iran, writes Ben Caspit. Israel
Saudi Arabia Clamps Down On Dissent Haytham Mouzahem asks whether recent Saudi actions are tied to efforts to quell sectarian dissent and contain any spillover from either the Shiite-based uprising in Bahrain or the Syrian crisis. Saudi Arabia
