Battles between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have continued to intensify despite a US-mediated ceasefire agreement. The latest clashes have involved drone strikes, rocket and artillery fire, and suicide bombings.
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.
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.
On December 19, US Central Command announced that US forces conducted “a large-scale strike against ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites in Syria.” Al Arabiya reported that the United States hit “70 ISIS targets in sites in central Syria.”
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.”
On November 29, members of Suwayda’s National Guard, a militia affiliated with Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al Hijri, carried out a series of arrests against political opponents in Syria’s predominantly Druze Suwayda province.
On November 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an operation in the southern Syrian village of Beit Jinn to arrest operatives linked to the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood.
Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported on November 26 that Palestinian Islamic Jihad has been “increasingly strengthening its military wing in Syria in recent weeks,” particularly around Palestinian refugee camps in Damascus.
On November 19, the Syrian Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battled near Maadan, Syria. While the two factions have not entered into full-blown conflict, tensions between them are rising as the end-of-year deadline for an integration agreement signed in March 2025 approaches.
A Reuters report claims that the United States will establish a military presence at an airbase in Damascus, Syria, “to help enable” a security agreement between Syria and Israel.
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.”
On August 23, armed factions in the Suwayda province in Syria announced the formation of a National Guard under the leadership of the Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al Hijri.
Several Sunni Arab tribes in northeast Syria, which encompasses 30 percent of the country and is currently under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), have called for a general mobilization against the SDF.
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.
On August 3, clashes between local Druze militias, Sunni Arab tribal forces, and Syrian government troops reignited in Syria’s Suwayda province after a two-week hiatus following a US-brokered ceasefire.
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.
Clashes between Druze militias and Sunni Arab tribes have continued and grown after Syrian Army forces withdrew from the predominantly Druze governorate of Suwayda on July 16.
Syrian Armed Forces entered the Druze-majority governorate of Suwayda for the first time on July 15, prompting severe clashes with Druze militias that have long resisted state control.
On June 30, US President Donald Trump announced the revocation of numerous sanctions on Syria, as he had promised Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa to do in their May meeting that took place in Riyadh.
The Israel Defense Forces announced that “troops of the 3rd Brigade, under the command of the 210th Division, completed an operation to apprehend Hamas terrorists operating in the Beit Jinn area of Syria.”
Two Syrian groups claimed the first attack against Israel since the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in Syria. A Syrian official told Reuters that the attackers include “remnants of Assad-era militias linked to Iran” who “have a vested interest in provoking Israeli retaliation.”
On May 29, an Israeli security official stated that Israel will not intervene militarily in support of any group in Syria. This stance follows previous Israeli intervention to protect the Syrian Druze amid pressure from Israeli Druze to prevent human rights abuses. Israel’s evolving stance reflects a delicate balancing act between security, humanitarian, and political interests and may mark a turning point in Syria’s sectarian conflict.
President Donald Trump met with Syrian interim President Ahmad al Sharaa, a former Al Qaeda leader, and urged him to expel foreign jihadists from Syria. However, Sharaa has instead promoted several of these fighters to top military positions, including figures tied to Hayat Tahrir al Sham and Al Qaeda. While Damascus has taken limited, symbolic actions, such as suspending promotions and arresting select fighters, it continues to delay meaningful compliance with US conditions for sanctions relief.
Sectarian tensions are flaring again in Syria after a series of clashes first erupted in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, a diverse area home to Druze, Christian, and Muslim communities. Reports indicate that 14 people were killed in fights between armed groups in the town, while at least 16 others were killed in Ashrafiyet Sahnaya.
The “Change Movement” in Egypt called for supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan to resist the Jordanian state after authorities banned the group on April 23.
Sabereen News, a media outlet affiliated with Iran-backed militias in Iraq, released an exposé on Syrian interim President Ahmad al Sharaa that includes documents revealing his identity during his time as a prisoner in US and Iraqi custody.
On April 15, the Jordanian General Intelligence Directorate (GID) announced that it “foiled plans aimed at targeting national security, sowing chaos, and sabotage within Jordan.” The GID detained 16 suspects, stating it had monitored the activity since 2021.
Many Iraqi Shiites have showcased a deep hatred of Syrian interim President Ahmad al Sharaa and his new government following the fall of dictator Bashar al Assad. Sharaa’s unpopularity can be explained by his history as a jihadist, as well as the Iran-led Axis of Resistance’s defeat in Syria.
Turkish plans to establish a presence and air defenses on Syrian soil would hinder Israel’s operational freedom, a situation Israel is unlikely to accept in the post-October 7 Middle East.
Reports that Turkey is attempting to restructure the Syrian army have yet to be verified, but several developments and reported plans highlight Turkey’s growing military support for the new Syrian state.