15 said killed in mystery airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias in Syria
At least 15 people were killed in a mystery air attack on a base used by Iranian forces and Iranian-backed militias, a war monitor group focused on Syria said Tuesday.
Syria
IDF strikes Syrian military targets in response to attempted border attack
The Israeli military conducted a series of airstrikes on Syrian military targets late Monday night in response to an attempted attack on the border in the Golan Heights the night before, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Israel sends reinforcements to north, bracing for imminent attack
The Israel Defense Forces deployed additional reinforcements to the country’s Lebanese and Syrian borders on Tuesday, indicating it was bracing for more violence along the frontiers after an alleged attempted attack by the Hezbollah terror group the day before.
IDF strikes Syrian army targets near border after munitions fired at Israel
Israeli attack helicopters on Friday night struck several military targets in southern Syria belonging to the Syrian military, in response to munitions fired at Israel earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Israel Sends Troops to Lebanon Border Amid Threat of Hezbollah Attack
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday beefed up defenses on the country’s northern border with Lebanon in anticipation of a potential attack after Hezbollah accused Israel of killing one of its fighters during an alleged air raid in Syria on Monday.
Erdogan: Turkey to remain in Syria ‘until Syrian people are free’
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Turkish forces, which have carried out several incursions into northern Syria since 2016, would remain in the country until Syrians can live in freedom and safety.
Airstrikes on Syria which kill at least 5 militants are attributed to Israel
Airstrikes that killed at least five Iranian-backed militiamen in Syria on Monday have been attributed to Israel, Ynet News reports. Israel has not confirmed it was behind the strikes, which reportedly hit targets near Damascus airport and the southern city of Daraa.
Iran-linked sites around Damascus said hit in Israeli strike
Military sites linked to Syrian regime forces and Iranian militias were targeted Monday in Israeli strikes near Damascus, according to a monitoring group.
Erdogan Defies the West to Make Turkey a Regional Power
When President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reopens Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia for prayers next week, it will be the crowning symbol of his mission to reassert Turkey’s role as a Muslim power on the global stage. Yet Turkey’s rarely seemed more alone.
US, Gulf Nations Issue Sanctions on 6 Targets for Ties to Islamic State
The United States and six Gulf countries on Wednesday imposed sanctions on six targets Washington has accused of supporting Islamic State operations, including by funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to leaders of the group in Iraq and Syria.
Turkey Court: ‘Istanbul’s Main Former Cathedral Turned Into Mosque’
Turkey’s top administrative court decided Friday that the Byzantine Empire’s main cathedral, which eventually became a museum, can be converted back into a mosque. Christian leaders condemned Friday’s ruling.
Iranian and Syrian regimes sign military agreement
Syria’s dictator Bashar Assad has signed a military cooperation agreement with Iran’s Islamic extremist regime, Algemeiner reports. The deal was concluded Wednesday, reportedly as part of an effort to increase Syria’s air defenses against “pressures by America.”
Russia says Turkey tested its S-400s on US F-16 jets
Turkey, a member of NATO, tested the Russian-made S-400 air defense system on US-made F-16 jets during a drill in November 2019, Russia’s state media TASS has reported. The use of the S-400 against the F-16s was already reported last year, but the new details from Russian media appear to cement the claim and infer that something more was going on in those tests.
Doubts Over Hungary‘s Support For Persecuted Christians
Hungary’s right-wing government has come under pressure amid reports that it spends more on anti-migration propaganda than on support for persecuted Christians.
9 Iran-backed fighters killed in 2nd raid in Syria in 24 hours — monitor
Airstrikes targeting positions of Iran-backed militias in eastern Syria killed nine fighters on Sunday in the second such raid in 24 hours, a war monitor said.
Yazidis and Christians face existential threat in northeast Syria following Turkish intervention and US pull back of troops
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) heard last week that President Donald Trump’s partial withdrawal of American troops from northeast Syria in 2019 created a vacuum in which Turkey and Turkish-backed militia have been able to threaten local vulnerable civilian populations including Christians and Yazidis. Condemning Turkey’s latest airstrikes and ground operations in the region, the USCIRF called for the US government to “utilize all diplomatic and economic leverage to protect vulnerable religious minorities in northern Iraq — as well as neighboring northeastern Syria — from Turkey’s indiscriminate military operations,” the Christian Post reported.
Former head of Military Intelligence: Iran could respond to Syria strikes
The former head of the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin warned on Wednesday that Iran could respond to overnight airstrikes in Syria that the Syrian regime has attributed to Israel.
IDF chief warns Iran now the ‘most dangerous country’ in Middle East
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi on Sunday said Iran is now the most dangerous country in the Middle East, not just because of its nuclear program, but also through its conventional weapons and support for terror activities against Israel.
US Announces New Sanctions Against Syria
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Wednesday the latest round of U.S. sanctions against Syria, tightening pressure on President Bashar al-Assad and his government, amid concerns the war-torn country’s population will suffer.
Turkey Eyes Libyan Bases for Lasting Military Foothold, Source Says
Turkey and Libya’s internationally recognized government are discussing possible Turkish use of two military bases in the North African country, a Turkish source said on June 15, with a view to a lasting Turkish presence in the south Mediterranean.