Bewildered, elated prisoners pour out as Assad’s jails flung open
Reuters Bewildered and elated prisoners poured out of Syrian jails on Sunday, shouting with joy as they emerged from one of the world’s most notorious detention systems and walked to freedom following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government. All across Syria, families wept as they were reunited with children, siblings, spouses and parents who vanished […]
Syrian army quits Homs, cutting Assad off from coast
Amman, Jordan/Beirut, Lebanon Reuters Syrian Government forces abandoned the key city of Homs on Saturday after less than a day of fighting, leaving President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule dangling by a thread with insurgents also advancing towards the capital Damascus. Since the rebels’ sweep into Aleppo a week ago, government defences have crumbled at dizzying […]
Lebanese ceasefire efforts inch ahead as Israel keeps up fierce bombardment
Beirut, Lebanon/Jerusalem Reuters Diplomacy aimed at securing a ceasefire in Lebanon showed tentative signs of progress on Thursday as Israel pounded its northern neighbour including heavy airstrikes on the stronghold of armed group Hezbollah near Beirut. Pressing its offensive against the Iran-backed group, Israel hit Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs, carrying out intense attacks there for […]
Essay: Shadow war no more – hostilities between Israel and Iran have strayed into direct warfare. Is there any going back?
In an article first published on The Conversation, JAVED ALI, an expert on national security and the Middle East, looks at the background to the escalating conflict in the Middle East…
Israeli military pledges response to Iran attack amid calls for restraint
Jerusalem Reuters Israel’s military chief said on Monday his country would respond to Iran’s weekend missile and drone attack amid calls for restraint by allies anxious to avoid an escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned his war cabinet for the second time in less than 24 hours to weigh […]
Iran launches retaliatory attack on Israel with hundreds of drones, missiles
Jerusalem/Dubai, United Arab Emirates Reuters Iran launched explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel late on Saturday in its first direct attack on Israeli territory, a retaliatory strike that raised the threat of a wider regional conflict, as the US pledged “ironclad” backing for Israel. Sirens wailed and Reuters journalists in Israel heard distant heavy […]
Iran launches drone attack at Israel, expected to unfold “over hours”
Jerusalem Reuters Iran launched dozens of drones at Israel on Saturday but they will take hours to reach their targets, Israel’s military said, an attack that may trigger a major escalation between the regional archenemies, with the US pledging to back Israel. Two security sources in Iraq said dozens of drones had been spotted flying […]
Netanyahu says Israel preparing for scenarios in other areas than Gaza
Jerusalem/Cairo, Egypt Reuters Israel is keeping up its war in Gaza but is also preparing for scenarios in other areas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, amid concern that Iran was preparing to strike Israel in response for the killing of senior Iranian commanders. “Whoever harms us, we will harm them. We are prepared […]
Netanyahu says Israel acting against Iran, will defend itself
Jerusalem Reuters Israel braced on Thursday for the possibility of a retaliatory attack after its suspected killing of Iranian generals in Damascus this week, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country would harm “whoever harms us or plans to harm us.” His comments came after Israel’s armed forces – stretched by nearly six months […]
Iran vows revenge on Israel after Damascus embassy attack
Dubai, United Arab Emirates/Jerusalem Reuters Iran said on Tuesday it would take revenge on Israel for an airstrike that killed two of its generals and five military advisers at its embassy compound in Damascus, raising the risk of further escalation in conflict in the Middle East. The strike marked one of the most significant attacks […]