As Turkey’s Fidan visits Saudi Arabia, defense ties and Syria to top agenda

A blast in Latakia, Syria killed four people when a scrap dealer mishandled unexploded ordnance in a hardware store, injuring nine others, including four children. The explosion was described as an "accident" by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, resulting from an attempt to dismantle the munition. The incident highlighted the ongoing danger posed by unexploded munitions in Syria from the civil war that began in 2011, with estimates suggesting that hundreds of thousands of...

Israeli forces killed at least nine Palestinians in Gaza in strikes on Saturday, despite a two-month-old truce with Hamas. The military has conducted constant strikes accusing militants of threats, while Hamas claims violations of the agreement. Mediators are struggling to negotiate a permanent end to the conflict, with Israeli forces remaining deployed in Gaza and along the Philadelphi Corridor. Full Article

A delegation of Syrian Druse recently visited Israel for a pilgrimage to a shrine, marking a rare interaction between the two countries as Israel seeks to expand its influence in post-Assad Syria. The visit, organized by Druse leader Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, was a significant moment for the community, many of whom live in southern Syria. Israel has indicated readiness to defend the Druse population in Syria and may allow some to work in the Golan...

An airstrike conducted by joint Iraqi and U.S. forces killed a senior Islamic State leader, Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rufay’i, in Iraq, who was considered one of the most dangerous terrorists in the world. The Islamic State has been reconstituting in Syria, carrying out numerous attacks, with affiliates in over a dozen countries across three continents, evolving its organization structure. The most deadly attacks in 2024 were linked to the IS-Khorasan affiliate based in Afghanistan, showing...

Syria's new temporary constitution concentrates power in interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's hands, establishing a presidential-type regime without a prime minister, and granting him the authority to appoint key officials and influence the judiciary. The declaration, following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, lacks protections for minorities, leading to concerns from experts about the potential for a shift towards an Islamic Republic and the exclusion of minority rights. Kurds have protested against the document, advocating for fair...

Iran is utilizing digital and surveillance technology, along with "state-sponsored vigilantism", to suppress dissent following the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests in 2022, according to a UN investigation. The report reveals Tehran's efforts to stifle dissent through increased surveillance and technology, following widespread protests after the death of Mahsa Amini. The state's use of technology, including facial recognition and drone surveillance, to monitor women's compliance with hijab laws is highlighted, as well as the lack of...