Author Archives: Ahmad Sharawi

Ahmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the Levant.

Despite ceasefire, Iran and its militias continue attacking regional states (April 2–8 updates)

| April 8, 2026

Iran and its allied militias launched numerous drones and missiles against regional countries between April 2 and April 8, continuing attacks after a ceasefire between Iran and the United States was announced yesterday. Across this period, the attacks remained concentrated on the Gulf, Jordan, Iraq, and Iraqi Kurdistan, with repeated mass-interception events in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Iranian drones and missile barrages hit energy infrastructure, airports, and residential buildings in the Arab World (March 11-12 updates)

| March 12, 2026

Between March 11 and March 12, Iran and its allied militias continued launching drones and missiles across the Middle East, targeting energy infrastructure, airports, military bases, residential areas, diplomatic facilities, and maritime targets in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Oman.

Iran expands retaliation for US-Israel campaign across Arab states (February 28–March 2)

| March 2, 2026

The Tehran regime responded to the US-Israeli military campaign against it by launching coordinated missile and drone strikes across the Middle East on the first three days of the conflict. The attacks struck multiple Gulf Arab states and targeted civilian infrastructure, airports, ports, and military sites, with notable targets and impacts in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria.

Syrian army besieges Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo following clashes

| January 7, 2026

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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3 Americans killed, 3 injured in Islamic State ambush attack in Palmyra, Syria

| December 13, 2025

US Central Command announced that “two U.S. service members and one U.S. civilian were killed, and three service members were injured, as a result of an ambush by a lone [Islamic State] gunman in Syria.” A Syrian government official confirmed reports that the attacker was a member of the government’s security forces, stating that he had been under investigation and may have had “extremist ideas.”

Israel and Syria close to a security agreement

| September 24, 2025

On September 23, US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack claimed that Syria and Israel “are close to striking a ‘de-escalation’ agreement in which Israel will stop its attacks while Syria will agree not to move any machinery or heavy equipment near the Israeli border.”

Turkey ramps up military support for Syria

| August 13, 2025

The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that Turkish Minister of Defense Yasar Guler and Syrian Minister of Defense Murhaf Abu Qusra signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the training of Syrian troops and a military consultancy after talks in Ankara.

UN report shows Islamic State and Al Qaeda exploiting post-Assad chaos in Syria

| August 1, 2025

On July 29, the United Nations Security Council Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team released its latest report detailing terrorist group activities around the world. The section on Syria discussed the most recent developments related to the resurgence of the Islamic State and Al Qaeda, in addition to the difficulties of integrating various groups into the country’s military.