Syria, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic, is an Arab nation in the Middle East, situated in the Levant region. The country boasts a rich history and some of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.
In 1963, Syria's government was taken over by the Ba'ath Party, led by Hafez al-Assad. For decades, he and his son and successor, Bashar al-Assad, would rule the country in a reign that has been highly criticized for being totalitarian and for carrying out widespread human rights abuses.
In 2011, a major civil war broke out in Syria, leaving governance of the country fractured between the Russia- and Iran-backed Assad regime based in Syria's largest city and capital of Damascus, US-backed rebel groups led by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Turkey-backed forces, and Islamists under the banner of Hay'at Tahir al-Shams (HTS).
However, in December 2024, HTS and its allies carried out a major offensive from their base of operations in the Idlib province, eventually fully ousting the Assad regime and seizing control of Damascus as well as other major cities such as Homs and Aleppo. Currently, HTS has been spearheading the establishment of a new Syrian interim government. However, the country still remains fractured between them, Assad loyalists, Turkey-backed forces, and the SDF and its allies.
Fighting between Druze residents and militias associated with Syrian government forces has intensified in recent days, leading to dozens of deaths and urgent calls for intervention.
Footage filmed by a Syrian Jew showed that the pit was filled with sand and covered with cement.
Turkish F-16s sent warning signals to the Israeli jets using their electronic warfare systems, and a brief radio contact was made between the aircraft.
“The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement considered Israel’s aggression against Syria to be an expression of the regime's expansionist plans,” says IRNA.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently declared that “Turkey ranks among the top three countries in the world in drone technology.”
IDF announces two fallen soldiers • IDF mobilizes thousands of reservists • Military probe reveals failure of Golani troops on Oct. 7 • Netanyahu slams Qatar
MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS: Armed individuals evicted people without a court order, prevented them from taking their belongings, and then moved in.
They were evacuated to the Ziv Medical Center in Safed after sustaining injuries in Syrian territory.
The Druze in Syria are divided between different leaders and voices. It’s likely that many want a middle ground and prefer some kind of autonomy but don’t want a full break with Damascus.
Israel carries out strikes on two Syrian cities • US, Israel near deal on aid delivery to Gaza
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