U.S. Sends a Top General to Israel Amid Fears of Iranian Strikes

Abu Fares, a 77-year-old, waits exhausted outside a bank in Damascus for his pension amid a liquidity crisis following the overthrow of President Assad, which has left 90% of Syrians in poverty. Long queues, under-stocked ATMs, and strict withdrawal limits of about 200,000 Syrian pounds, equivalent to $20, force many to spend days just to access meager sums, complicating daily life for civil servants. The local currency has plummeted since the civil war, and cash...

US airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels reportedly killed 33 and injured 80, marking one of the deadliest days since the campaign's initiation under President Trump. Targeting the Ras Isa oil port, the strikes aimed to disrupt Houthi funding, though the US Central Command stated they were not intended to harm Yemeni civilians. Following threats from the Houthis against ships linked to Israel, the US campaign has intensified, with strikes now focusing on leadership and urban...

Hamas is prepared to negotiate a comprehensive deal aimed at achieving a permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, reopening of crossings, and reconstruction, in exchange for a serious prisoner exchange, according to Basem Naim from its political bureau. He criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for stalling negotiations due to personal and partisan interests, asserting that any deceptive partial agreements will no longer be acceptable. Naim emphasized that the...

Illegal Israeli settlers shot and wounded 60-year-old Sheikh Saeed Amour in the al-Rakiz area of Yatta, Hebron governorate, while he was tending his land, according to activists from the Al-Baidar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights. Amour, a prominent advocate for land rights who has faced previous settler attacks, sustained moderate injuries and was hospitalized, while Israeli forces at the scene did not intervene. Tensions remain high in the West Bank, where over 950...

Lina SinjabMiddle East CorrespondentBBCOn the morning of 8 December 2024, I waited anxiously at the Lebanese border, hoping to get into Syria as soon as the crossing opened, not knowing what to expect.Bashar al-Assad, the president of 24 years, was gone. Opposition fighters had advanced towards Damascus, taking major cities including Aleppo. I couldn't believe what I was seeing: Syria was free.Like many Syrians, I'd only ever known the country under the rule of Assad...

The leak and subsequent report by The New York Times is considered "one of the most dangerous leaks in Israel's history," according to an Israeli official. The report revealed that Israel contemplated attacking Iran's nuclear program with US support after Iran's missile attack on October 1, though officials were hesitant to proceed without US approval. Critics, including former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of leaking the story to deflect criticism for his...