Orientul Mijlociu

A military commander close to HTS told Syria TV that preparations are underway, including planting defensive mines and cancelling leave for its members.

A military source in northwestern Syria reported on Sunday to North Press that Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly known as al-Nusra Front) is preparing for a military operation against government forces in the Aleppo countryside. This comes in light of recent Israeli escalations in southern Lebanon and against Iranian sites in Syria.

Both Haitham Ali al-Tabtabai and Munir Ali Naim Shaito (Hajj Hashem) are integral figures within Hezbollah’s military leadership.

Over the years, Hezbollah has deployed many of its top military leaders to Syria to spearhead operations and manage sensitive missions. These figures are not only military commanders but also play key roles in regional planning and coordination with various forces. Two of the most prominent among them are Haitham Ali al-Tabtabai, the field commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, and Munir Ali Naim Shaito, also known as Hajj Hashem, who commands the Golan Front. These leaders have become prime targets for Hezbollah’s adversaries due to their influential roles in the ongoing conflict in the region.

Assad’s debt to Iran is substantial, both financially and politically, Omar Kaddour writes in al-Modon.

Recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria, including a rumoured strike on a villa linked to Hezbollah and Maher al-Assad, signal a heightened warning to the Assad regime. Israel has reportedly conveyed messages through Arab intermediaries, urging Assad not to intervene in the current conflict. While Assad’s military strength is insufficient to support Iran or Hezbollah directly, it’s clear that Tehran exercises significant influence over Syria, often acting independently of Assad’s authority.

Syria TV reported the incursion of Israeli tanks and vehicles that have started constructing a military dirt road in the Golan region of Syrian territory.

Syria TV reported the incursion of Israeli tanks and vehicles that have started constructing a military dirt road in the Golan region of Syrian territory. Images show land levelling operations and trench digging near the border fence, coinciding with escalating Israeli actions against Lebanon.

After Yahya Sinwar, the man responsible for launching the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, took full control of Hamas over the summer, Arab intelligence officials say he sent a directive to a senior operative: Now is the time to revive suicide bombings.

A few days later, a bespectacled Palestinian entered Tel Aviv with a blue backpack loaded with explosives. Although the bomb exploded before the man reached his target, killing only him, the attack sent an unmistakable message.

• As Israel continues to prepare its response to Iran’s missile barrage, one of the target sets could include Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, including striking weaponization facilities, fuel enrichment plants, and/or research and development laboratories.
• In the event of a significant strike on Iran, the Supreme Leader may opt to pursue nuclear deterrence by developing a bomb.
• CIA Director William Burns recently reaffirmed that, while Iran has so far adhered to the Supreme Leader’s policy against pursuing a nuclear bomb, they are only about a week away from reaching the breakout time required to produce weapons-grade material for a single nuclear weapon.
• If Iran pursues a nuclear weapon, it could trigger an arms race in the Middle East, prompting other nations to follow suit in a bid to maintain regional balance.

After leaving his war-torn homeland of Yemen, “Hamza” was working for subsistence wages in neighboring Oman when he heard about an attractive opportunity: sign up for a non-combat role with the Russian military for about $3,000 a month.

A system set up to channel dollars from Iraqi oil sales to importers has been exploited by money launderers and militant groups for years. An OCCRP investigation shows how the fraud works in practice.

Key Findings

• Al-Huda, an Iraqi bank whose owner was sanctioned after a drone attack on U.S. forces, allegedly exploited the dollar auction to obtain billions of dollars.
• Files from an Iraqi parliamentary investigation show how Al-Huda and two other banks used apparently fake documents to manipulate the process.
• Over 99 percent of the money obtained by one bank in a single month in 2012 was cleared based on documents that appeared fraudulent.
• The dollar auction has been used to fund U.S. adversaries including Iran-backed militias, the Islamic State, and Syria’s Assad regime, experts say.
• At least $28 million was sent to a company the U.S. says handled funds for a Revolutionary Guard member later sanctioned for financing Yemen’s Houthi rebels.