Syria arrivals surge 111% as government bets on tourism revival The country welcomed 3.52 million visitors during the first half of 2026, more than double the figure recorded a year earlier, as the government pushes to reconnect to the world and promote tourism as a pillar of economic recovery. Syria
Syria seizes arms shipment on Iraq border destined for Hezbollah The operation comes as part of the Syrian authorities' efforts to curb illicit arms smuggling through its territory, namely intended for Hezbollah. Lebanon
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran declares 'existential war' as US strikes reach near Tehran By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Syria, US hold first business forum since sanctions relief: What to know The one-day forum in Damascus was organized by Syria’s Ministry of Economy and Industry and the US-Syria Business Council, which was established in Washington last June to advance trade and investment between the two nations. Syria
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Kremlin confirms S-400 talks with Turkey By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran hits Gulf, warns Hormuz will reopen on its terms By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
How much of US Middle East policy does Moscow understand? Poor understanding of US and Russian policies has caused commentators to overlook that some of Moscow's and Washington's disagreements over the Middle East are strategic and tactical, but their ends the same. Iraq
The truth about Turkey and Islamic State oil While oil sales by the Islamic State across the Turkish border are a real problem, the Turkish government does not condone it. Syria
Do Syrians support US airstrikes in Syria? Syrians worry about US airstrikes; Iran could be bridge to Syria in international coalition against the Islamic State (IS); Syrian Revolutionary Forces reject report of pact with IS; Syrian Kurds lose ground to IS; Iran claims leadership in battle against IS terrorists. Syria
US continues to curb its involvement in Middle East US President Barack Obama's speech on attacking the Islamic State reflects the US regional strategy on Iraq, Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: partial engagement only, since radical Islam and conflicts in the Middle East are first and foremost a regional problem. Palestine
Can Turkey set up buffer zone inside Syria? The idea of a buffer zone on the Syrian side of the border has been revived again, but faces serious feasibility questions. Syria
Syrian rebels deny truce deal with Islamic State The Syrian Revolutionary Front has rejected media reports that it signed a nonaggression pact with the Islamic State, but there are efforts being made in south Damascus to reach a local truce. Syria
Is Syrian army US' best option against IS? Too many uncertainties about "moderate" Syrian rebels make them the least effective option for confronting the Islamic State, leaving the Syrian regime the only realistic alternative. Iraq
Political rifts threaten Iraq's anti-IS coalition While a coalition of the willing is being formed to tackle the Islamic State (IS), international and local political divisions still threaten to tear it apart, leaving IS the only winner. Iraq
US strikes in Syria won’t turn locals against Islamic State Contrary to widespread belief, the Islamic State has largely succeeded in winning hearts and minds in the areas it rules by providing services and order. Syria
Clashes escalate around Damascus Syrian rebels took al-Dukhaniyya last week in a bid to open supply routes to the front line in Jobar. Syria
Obama needs peace in Syria to defeat IS Syria’s internal opposition says defeating the Islamic State is impossible without finding a solution to Syria’s civil war. Iraq
Turkish villages smuggle IS oil through makeshift pipelines In the village of Hacipasa, almost every house is connected to an illegal oil pipeline smuggling IS oil into Turkey. Syria
