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Syria’s counterterrorism dilemma: Who can Washington trust?
A deadly attack on a Christian funeral in Jordan and subsequent Jordanian airstrikes in Syria have sparked a diplomatic dispute between Amman and Damascus. Bill Roggio is joined by FDD Senior Research Analyst Ahmad Sharawi to discuss the Islamic State’s possible involvement, the deteriorating security situation in southern Syria, and the implications for US counterterrorism policy in the region.
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Syria hosts Iraqi PM for visit amid security challenges in north and south
Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa hosted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi in Damascus on October 28 for talks aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade, and reviving energy cooperation. The historic visit came as Syria faces continuing security challenges, including a deadly Jordanian airstrike in the south, clashes with foreign jihadists in Idlib, and tensions surrounding the return of displaced Kurds in northern Syria.
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Florida teenager arrested in an Islamic State-linked bomb plot
A 15-year-old student in Gainesville, Florida, allegedly sought guidance from Islamic State members and supporters on building drones and explosives to attack people at an unidentified indoor location.
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One war, many fronts: Iran and its proxies
The war with Iran is far from over, and the fight extends well beyond the Strait of Hormuz. Bill Roggio is joined by FDD Senior Fellow and former British Ambassador to Yemen Edmund Fitton-Brown to assess the status of the US-Iran conflict, Tehran’s efforts to break the American naval blockade, and the growing role of…
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Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes continue amid reported Pakistani outreach to anti-Taliban groups
Taliban and Pakistani forces have clashed at least three times since October 19, amid reports that Pakistani military and intelligence officials have met with members of Afghanistan’s anti-Taliban resistance to discuss possible support.
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Poland selected to host Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile maintenance facility
Poland will host Europe’s first dedicated maintenance facility for the Patriot air defense system’s PAC-3 missiles, reducing repair and servicing times while strengthening regional air defense readiness. The initiative comes amid growing shortages of critical munitions and Poland’s broader efforts to expand its role in US weapons production and maintenance.
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Jordanian Air Force strikes targets in Syria in retaliation for deadly church attack
On October 26, the Jordanian Air Force conducted multiple strikes against suspected Islamic State positions in southern Syria, targeting militants Jordan linked to an October 23 attack on a church in Karak that killed nine people and wounded dozens. Jordan said the strikes killed more than 20 militants, while Syrian authorities reported seven civilian deaths.
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Iraq juggles border security and ties with Iran, Syria, and Jordan
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi is seeking to strengthen border security and regional cooperation amid tensions with Iran over the closure of a key crossing in Iraq’s Maysan province, while also pursuing closer ties with Jordan and Syria. The developments come as Baghdad continues to face threats from Iranian-backed militias, concerns over instability along…
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Pakistani outreach presents a dilemma for Afghanistan’s anti-Taliban resistance
Pakistan’s reported outreach to anti-Taliban resistance groups reflects deteriorating ties with its longtime ally. But accepting Pakistani support could deepen divisions in the resistance and undermine its standing among Afghans who blame Islamabad for decades of bloodshed.
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Iraqi parliament approves most remaining cabinet appointments, including Iran-backed militia figures
After five months of negotiations, almost all remaining spots in Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi’s cabinet were approved by the parliament on October 15. Among the three deputy prime ministers is Laith al Khazali, whom the US State Department designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2020.
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The Houthis’ Red Sea power play
The Houthis are on the offensive in Yemen, threatening one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints and bringing the war back to Saudi Arabia’s doorstep. Bill Roggio is joined by FDD research analyst and Long War Journal contributor Bridget Toomey to discuss the Iranian-backed group’s renewed campaign to conquer Yemen, its advances along the…
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US Treasury sanctions entities for supporting Hamas
The United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned seven entities linked to Hamas’s covert support network. The sanctions add to a lengthy history of the group leveraging nongovernmental organizations and sham charities to raise funds for terrorism.
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US withdraws from Iraqi airbase, transfers Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq
US forces completed their withdrawal from Ain al Assad Airbase, the Iraqi government said on January 18, fulfilling a US agreement with Iraqi authorities going back to 2024. The withdrawal took place as Syrian government forces pushed back the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria. On January 21, US Central Command said it would transfer up to 7,000 Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq.
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Israeli operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah: January 12–18, 2026
Israel continued military operations in Lebanon between January 12 and January 18, 2026. Israeli activities were largely concentrated north of the Litani River, with mainly policing activities occurring south of the waterway.
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IDF reports significant drop in West Bank terrorism in 2025
An assessment published by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) this week points to a sharp reduction in Palestinian-perpetrated terrorist activity across the West Bank in 2025. The IDF attributed the decline to sustained counterterrorism operations in the territory throughout last year. However, despite the figures, there are signs that West Bank terrorist organizations are attempting to renew their efforts.
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Fate of prisons holding Islamic State fighters uncertain as Syrian government fights Syrian Democratic Forces
Syrian government forces advancing into eastern Syria are increasingly taking over areas where Islamic State members have been held in prisons and detention facilities by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF said it lost control of Al Shaddadi prison, and the Syrian government asserted that it would secure the facility and round up prisoners who may have fled. Clashes also occurred near Aqtan prison north of Raqqa.
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Kataib Hezbollah threatens US bases in the Middle East if US strikes Iran
Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi Shiite militia, warned the United States that if Washington launched a war with Iran, the group would attack American bases in the region. The threat comes amid rising tension between Washington and Tehran as the Islamic Republic continues a brutal crackdown on demonstrations that began nearly three weeks ago.
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US airstrike kills Al Qaeda leader in Syria
The US military killed Al Qaeda leader Bilal Hasan al Jasim in an airstrike in Syria on January 16. US Central Command (CENTCOM) directly linked Jasim to the December 13, 2025, attack that killed two US soldiers and a civilian contractor in Syria. CENTCOM and the Al Qaeda-linked Syrian government have maintained that the December attack was carried out by the Islamic State, despite stating Jasim’s role in the operation, and the fact that Al Qaeda and the Islamic State are enemies.
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US-backed Gaza plan moves to second phase as NCAG and Board of Peace unveiled
On January 16, the White House announced a number of appointments to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) and the Board of Peace, which will support the stabilization and demilitarization of Gaza, after the Gaza ceasefire, which began in October, moved into its second phase on January 14. The Israel Defense Forces clashed with gunmen in the territory on January 14 and responded with airstrikes.
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Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces withdraw from Aleppo province after clashes with Syrian government
Following intense fighting between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian government forces, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi ordered the withdrawal of his personnel from contested areas of Aleppo province.
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Kurdish opposition groups in Iran support protests, claim attacks on Tehran regime
Kurdish opposition groups in northwestern Iran have actively supported protests against the Iranian regime during the first two weeks of January. Amid the Iranian government’s crackdown, seven Kurdish parties have called for unity and supported a general strike. One group, the Kurdistan Freedom Party, has claimed several attacks on the regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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Generation Jihad | Mark Dubowitz: The regime clings to its ninth life
After military defeat abroad and at home, where the economy also has collapsed, the Islamic Republic is weaker than ever, and the Iranian people know it. The regime is facing a nationwide uprising unlike anything seen in decades, with Iranians across class, age, and ideology back in the streets. And they’re no longer asking for reform—they’re demanding an end to the Islamic Republic itself. Meanwhile, President Trump warned that US military action is on the table if the regime slaughters protesters. As we record, a brutal crackdown is underway with reports of hundreds of Iranians killed and tens of thousands…
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Israeli operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah: January 5–11, 2026
Israel continued military operations in Lebanon between January 5 and January 11. Israel Defense Forces activities included strikes on Hezbollah assets and personnel, including targets involved in the group’s regeneration efforts south of the Litani River after the Lebanese Armed Forces had certified taking control of the area.
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US seizes more tankers, courts oil companies as post-Maduro Venezuela takes shape
In the week following Washington’s arrest of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, regime figures like interim President Delcy Rodriguez, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello are jockeying for position and deciding how to move forward. Rodriguez and US President Donald Trump have offered conflicting views on who holds true authority, while the US has provided no established plans for a transition or elections. Simultaneously, the US blockade on sanctioned oil tankers remains in force, and Trump is making efforts to secure 30-50 million barrels of Venezuela’s crude oil while trying to convince US oil companies to…
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Tehran regime fears defections as Iran’s nationwide movement defies containment
Iran’s protest movement has now entered its third week, and the regime is struggling to contain the unrest. Islamic Republic authorities fear disobedience within the ranks, and reports of potential defections point to growing anxiety inside the security apparatus. Washington is assessing options to strike regime sites.
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US military strikes Islamic State in Syria
US Central Command stated that the strikes were in “direct response to the deadly ISIS [Islamic State] attack on U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria, on Dec. 13, 2025.” However, the Islamic State has not claimed credit for that attack, which was carried out by a member of the Syrian security forces that are largely comprised of Al Qaeda’s former branch in Syria and Al Qaeda-allied groups.
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Gaza militia claims to have killed 2 members of Hamas
The Popular Forces militia claimed that it eliminated two members of Hamas. The group and its anti-Hamas allies continue to operate in Gaza despite threats by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist factions to dismantle the organizations.
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Russia uses new Oreshnik missile for second time in Ukraine
Russia reportedly used its new “Oreshnik” intermediate-range ballistic missile for the second time in Ukraine. Russia’s employment of the missile, which can deliver nuclear or conventional payloads, may be aimed at intimidating the West.
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Hamas, Red Cross search for last Gaza hostage’s body, IDF reports 14 ceasefire violations from December 19 to January 8
The search resumed this week for the body of Ran Gvili, a police officer killed on October 7, 2023, during the Hamas invasion of southern Israel. Despite being given only 72 hours to return all hostages, both living and deceased, on October 10, Hamas has yet to do so.
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Syrian army besieges Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo following clashes
Syrian army units have surrounded the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo, both of which are controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The siege, which followed clashes, is the latest escalation after the two sides failed to move forward on a March 2025 agreement to integrate the SDF into the government.
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Israeli operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah: December 29, 2025–January 4, 2026
Israel continued military operations in Lebanon between December 29, 2025, and January 4, 2026. Israeli activities included strikes on Hezbollah assets and personnel north and south of the Litani River.
