Report: Civilian killed, six injured in Israeli airstrike on Syria
An Israeli airstrike set off Syrian air defenses early Wednesday, killing one and injuring six, according to Syrian state-run SANA news.
Syria
Zarif Had No Knowledge of Israeli Strikes Until Kerry Told Him, Translation Reveals
Leaked audiotape of Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif indicates he had no knowledge of covert Israeli military strikes before former secretary of state John Kerry provided him with the information, new details that contradict the State Department’s recent defense of Kerry.
Iran still seeks mass destruction weapons – German intelligence report
The German intelligence agency for the state of Bavaria said last week in its new report that the Islamic Republic of Iran has not ceased its drive to obtain weapons of mass destruction during 2020.
Religious Freedom Report: 14 nations are “Countries of Particular Concern”
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) published its 2021 Annual Report earlier this month, redesignating 10 nations as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and recommending to the State Department that India, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam now be given that designation as well.
Kerry Denies Telling Iranians About Covert Israeli Operations; State Dept. Says It Was Public Knowledge
Facing calls for his resignation, President Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry on Monday denied as “unequivocally false” claims that he had informed Iran’s foreign minister about covert Israeli military strikes against Iranian facilities in Syria.
John Kerry told Iranians about secret Israeli operations in Syria: Report
Former Secretary of State John Kerry kept Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif informed about secret Israeli military actions in Syria, the Iranian diplomat said in recently leaked audio, casting new light on communication between the two men after Mr. Kerry returned to life as a private citizen in 2017.
Syria oil tanker catches fire after alleged Israeli attack
Syria’s oil ministry said on Saturday that firefighting teams managed to extinguish a fire in one of the tanks of an oil tanker off the oil terminal of Baniyas after a suspected drone attack from the direction of Lebanese territorial waters, state media reported.
IDF probing why air defenses didn’t intercept Syrian anti-aircraft missile
The Israel Defense Forces launched an investigation to determine why its air defenses failed to intercept an errant surface-to-air missile fired from Syria that landed in southern Israel on Thursday morning.
Israel hits back after Dimona nuclear reactor rocket alert
The Israeli military said early Thursday that a missile was fired from neighboring Syria, and that it had struck Syrian missile batteries in retaliation.
ISIS execute Coptic Christian in Egypt
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has published a video showing their execution of 62-year-old Coptic Christian Nabil Habshi, who was abducted by the terror group in Egypt in November last year, International Christian Concern reports. The video was published on April 17, and the family believes the killing took place in March or early this month.
Syria to hold presidential election next month, second under shadow of civil war
Syria is to hold a presidential election on May 26, the parliament speaker announced Sunday, the country’s second in the shadow of civil war, seen as likely to keep President Bashar Assad in power.
‘Hungary Rescues Syrian Christians’
An archbishop in war-torn Syria has thanked Hungary for enabling hundreds of Christians to return to their homes, Hungary’s government said.
Syria says 4 soldiers wounded in Israeli airstrikes near Damascus
Israel carried out airstrikes in Syria after midnight Wednesday attacking targets near Damascus and wounding four soldiers, Syrian state media reported, in the latest in a series of raids attributed to the Jewish state.
US announces more than $596 million in new humanitarian aid for Syria
The United States will provide more than $596 million in new humanitarian aide to respond to the Syrian crisis, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.
Christian Middle East Broadcaster Awarded
A Christian broadcaster that claims to reach 25 million people in the Middle East and North Africa — has received a prestigious award from National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), the world’s largest association of Christian communicators.
Syrian Christians Confront Growing Hostilities
At least hundreds of thousands of Syrian Christians face growing anti-Christian hostilities in war-ravaged Syria and neighboring Lebanon, aid workers said Friday.
Syria says Israel targeted Damascus area in airstrikes
Syria’s official SANA news agency said Tuesday evening that Israel carried out airstrikes on targets in the Damascus area and southern Syria, Israel National News (INN) reports. In its report, SANA said Syria’s air defense systems had been activated due to “Israeli aggression,” and that several missiles had been intercepted.
US officials say Israel has hit many ships taking Iran oil, arms to Syria: WSJ
Israel has targeted at least 12 ships bound for Syria, most of them transporting Iranian oil, with mines and other weapons, according to a Thursday report.
US designates African ISIS groups as foreign terrorists; freezes assets, prohibits business with them
The US State Department announced Wednesday it has designated two Islamic State (ISIS) affiliates in DR Congo and Mozambique as foreign terrorist organizations: it has frozen all US property and assets in their names, and has prohibited Americans from conducting business with them or providing material support to them, UPI reports.
Israeli jets escort American B-52s during flyby, in show of force to Iran
Israeli F-15 fighter jets escorted two American B-52 bombers through Israeli airspace on Sunday in a new show of force by the United States against Iran — with an Israeli element — amid rising tensions in the region.