Israel steps up military campaign against Iran’s military entrenchment in Syria
Iran continues its support for its proxy militias in Syria, as the Israeli military attempts to counter it.
Tag Archives: Syria
Hezbollah responds to recent warnings from Israel
Israel and Hezbollah attempt to maintain the status quo that has kept them from conflict despite recent military activity between the two.
Israel warns Hezbollah over its recent activity in Syria
A recent series of incidents between Israel and Hezbollah has increased the likelihood of renewed conflict between the two foes.
Islamic State claims first attack in island nation of Maldives
The Islamic State in Syria has drawn on Maldivian jihadists since 2014, now it seems the group’s violence has spread back to the island nation.
Attack on Turkish soldiers spotlights Ankara’s Idlib conundrum
On March 19, Turkey’s defense ministry announced the death of two Turkish soldiers at the hands of “radical elements” in northwest Syria’s Idlib. The attack highlights Ankara’s challenges in the Syrian province.
Jihadists discuss coronavirus, offer advice
As the world continues to deal with the spread of COVID-19, jihadists have taken it upon themselves to exploit the situation for their own political gain and to offer advice to their own members.
Turkey’s Operation “Spring Shield” delivers blow to Hezbollah
Recently, Hezbollah has suffered losses it has not seen in years of fighting in Syria.
IRGC trained militias suffer losses in northwest Syria
Iranian-backed militias are taking part in the battle for northwestern Syria.
Damascus area purportedly hit by Israeli warplanes
Iranian-backed militia sites struck by what is thought to be Israeli warplanes Thursday morning.
HTS utilizes suicide bombings against advancing regime forces
Since the beginning of the year, Hay’at Tahrir al Sham has utilized at least 12 suicide bombers in defense of Idlib from advancing regime forces.
Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias suffer heavy losses fighting in Syria
Heavy losses by Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias fighting in Syria.
‘Incite the Believers’ continues to fight Assad regime in southern Idlib
A coalition of Qaeda-linked jihadist groups in northwestern Syria detail their recent operations.
U.S. kills Iran’s Qods Force commander and Iraq’s deputy PMF leader in strike in Baghdad
Qods Force commander Qassem Soliemani and Popular Mobilization Forces deputy Abu Mahdi al Muhandis were terror and insurgency masterminds who were revered in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and beyond for their support of the Iranian-backed Shia militias and terrorist groups that have destabilized several countries in the Middle East.
Hezbollah Brigades threatens retaliation after U.S. airstrikes
Following a deadly rocket attack on a U.S. base in Iraq and subsequent U.S. airstrikes in response, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah Brigades threatens to further retaliate by continuing to target U.S. troops.
Abdullah Azzam Brigades dissolves itself in Syria
After a long-hiatus, the al Qaeda-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades announces its dissolution inside Syria.
Ansar al Islam claims first attack in Iraq since 2014
For the first time in five years, the jihadist group has claimed an attack in its native Iraq.
Islamic State targets Syria’s Qamishli with car bombing
The bombing came as Turkey also shelled the city. It is likely that as the Turkish advance continues, the Islamic State will further exploit the chaos inside northern Syria to regroup and conduct more attacks.
UN: Islamic Jihad Union operates in Syria
In the UNSC’s new report on the Islamic State, al Qaeda, and affiliated groups, the UN states that the Uzbek jihadist group, the Islamic Jihad Union, operates in Syria. This was not previously known.
Islamic State claims last month’s shootout in Lebanon
The Islamic State retroactively claimed last month’s attack in Tripoli, Lebanon, was perpetrated by one of its soldiers.
Caliphate, interrupted
The defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria was neither final nor decisive, and policymakers should heed the War on Terror’s lessons to ensure the West doesn’t squander this advantage and enable ISIS, or its copycats and successor groups, to rally.
Assad’s forces battle jihadists for key terrain in Latakia
The Turkistan Islamic Party, “Incite the Believers” operations room and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham are all battling Bashar al-Assad’s loyalists in Latakia, Syria.
Examining the Global Terrorism Landscape
Bill Roggio testifies before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa and International Terrorism, and examines the global terrorism landscape.
US-backed forces declare end to Islamic State’s physical caliphate
The US-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF) announced today that Baghouz has been liberated from the Islamic State. The US considers Baghouz to be the last village that was part of the jihadists’ physical caliphate. However, a review of history and current operations shows that the Islamic State has not been entirely defeated.
Russian special forces train Palestinian militia in Syria
Russian special forces are reported to have held a training event for the pro-regime Palestinian militia, Liwa al Quds.
US service members killed by Islamic State suicide bomber in northern Syria
Four Americans, including two service members, were killed when an Islamic State suicide bomber struck in Manbij, Syria earlier today.
Analysis: The Islamic State hasn’t been defeated
President Trump claimed earlier today that the Islamic State has been “defeated” in Syria. But an unknown number of the group’s top leaders, including presumably Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, remain alive. And there are likely thousands of fighters in both Syria and Iraq, where they operate as insurgents.
Islamic State unleashes suicide bombers in Hajin, Syria
In the past 24 hours, the Islamic State has conducted more than one suicide bombing against US-backed forces in Hajin, Syria. One Islamic State “martyr” blew himself up near the Hajin hospital, which became the scene of intense fighting earlier this week.
US-led coalition kills Islamic State leader tied to murder of American
The US-led coalition announced today that Abu al Umarayn and “several” other Islamic State leaders were killed in recent airstrikes in Syria. Umarayn was purportedly involved in the 2014 murder of Peter Kassig, a former US Army Ranger who was working as a humanitarian worker in Syria.
US Treasury adds Qods Force, Hezbollah officials to list of global terrorists
While the Treasury designation focuses on the four Iraqis’ links to Hezbollah, which is described as “a terrorist proxy for the Iranian regime that seeks to undermine Iraqi sovereignty and destabilize the Middle East,” it practically ignores the fact that one of them is the Secretary General of the Imam Ali Battalions, or Kata’ib Imam Ali, a key component of the Popular Mobilization Forces, an official military arm of the Iraqi state that reports directly to the prime minister.
Uighur jihadist group trains with elite unit
Katibat Ghuraba al Turkistan, a smaller predominately Uighur jihadist group in northwestern Syria, recently trained with the elite Malhama Tactical thereby not only raising its credentials, but also its battlefield prowess.