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
Israel-Syria Border Becomes Flashpoint Syria's inability to control its border with Israel has introduced uncertainty and increased chances for the regionalization of Syria's civil war, writes Geoffrey Aronson. Israel
US Locked Into the Middle East While events will not allow the United States to pivot from the Middle East to Asia, the US still needs a coherent strategy for the region, writes Jean-Loup Samaan. Israel
Iran's Man in Iraq and Syria Iranian Quds Forces leader Qasem Soleimani, who played a central role in post-2003 Iraq, has taken a different slant in his approach to the Syrian conflict, writes Mushreq Abbas. Iraq
Davutoglu Should Give Up 'Military Solution' in Syria Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is getting nowhere in his bid to have the European Union lift the arms embargo on Syria, and he should realize his pursuit of a military solution there is only prolonging the conflict, writes Semih Idiz. Syria
Lebanon Foreign Minister Creates Stir Over Syria Lebanon’s foreign minister, Adnan Mansour, draws criticism from both his own government and the Gulf states by calling for the reinstatement of Assad’s Syria in the Arab League, writes Elie Hajj. Lebanon
'Irish Sam' Joins Fight in Syria Housam Najjair, also known as "Irish Sam," discusses his forthcoming book and his experiences waging war against former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, writes Ali Hashem. Syria
Iranian Parliamentarian SaysAssad Could Win Elections In an exclusive interview with Mojtaba Mousavi for Al-Monitor, Iranian parliamentarian Ismaeil Kowsari downplayed hopes for a breakthrough in P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran and suggested that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could win elections in 2014. Syria
No Military Solution for Assad Or the Rebels Secretary of State John Kerry has said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad can't "shoot his way out" of the civil war; but neither can the opposition, writes Geoffrey Aronson. Syria
Davutoglu Invokes Ottomanism As a New Order for Mideast Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's suggestion of an Ottoman model for a new Middle East order is likely a misreading of regional politics that could prove hard for Turkey to back away from, writes Tulin Daloglu. Syria
Israel: Re-thinking Syria's Opposition Shlomi Eldar writes that a film clip showing Syrian rebels shooting into the air along the Golan border offers an ominous signal to the world, and especially to Israel. Israel
The Iraqi and Turkish Fault Lines The Syria war spreads to Iraq; Turkey is increasingly divided over Prime Minister Erdogan’s Syrian policies; and Secretary of State John Kerry’s trip to the region includes progress toward a political solution in Syria. Iraq
