Damascus: An Israeli airstrike that struck Damascus International Airport caused "significant" damage to infrastructure and rendered the main runway unserviceable until further notice, Syria said Saturday. The statement by the Transportation Ministry was the first detailing the extent of damage from Friday's airstrike. Syrian media reported earlier that Syria suspended all flights to and from the airport and the ministry confirmed all flights were suspended because "some technical equipment stopped functioning at the airport.'' Israel's military has declined to comment on the airstrike.Saturday's statement said the runway had been damaged "in several locations" and that the strike also hit the airport's second terminal building. "As a result of these damages, incoming and outgoing flights through the airport were suspended until further notice," it said.The airport is located south of the capital Damascus where Syrian opposition activists say Iran-backed militiamen are active and have arms depots. Israel has for years carried out strikes in the area, including one on May 21 that resulted in a fire near the airport leading to the postponement of two flights. This was the first time an airstrike caused damage leading to the suspension of flights at the airport. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the Friday morning Israeli strike hit three arms depots for Iran-backed militiamen inside the airport, adding that the northern runway at the facility was damaged, as was the observation tower.The Observatory added that the northern runway was the only one functioning after Israeli strikes last year badly damaged the other runway, known as the southern runway. Israel has staged hundreds of strikes on targets in Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations. It says it targets bases of Iran-allied militias, such as Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group. Hezbollah has fighters deployed in Syria fighting on the side of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government forces and ships arms believed to be bound for the militias. The Syrian Transportation Ministry statement said civil aviation cadres and specialised units were working to remove debris and repair damage and that operations will resume as soon as flight safety can be ensured.—PTI

An Israeli airstrike that struck Damascus International Airport caused "significant" damage to infrastructure and rendered the main runway unserviceable until further notice, Syria said Saturday.

Syria: 'significant' damage to airport from Israeli strike

Beirut:&nbsp;Lebanon will carry out its plan to send back 15,000 Syrian refugees every month regardless what the position of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is, a Minister said here.Minister of the Displaced Issam Charafeddine told the National News Agency (NNA) that he has asked Syria authorities to set a date for his visit to discuss the Lebanese plan to return Syrian refugees."Statements by the UN Higher Commissioner for Refugees that object to the Lebanese plan are delaying (the potential) meeting," Xinhua news agency quoted Charafeddine as saying to the NNA. In July, the Minister had announced the Lebanese plan to return Syrian refugees monthly.However, the UNHCR refused to approve the plan on the ground that Syria is not safe for the returning refugees.It added that Syrian refugees who returned between 2017 and 2021 from Lebanon and Jordan faced grave human rights abuses and persecution at the hands of the Syrian government and affiliated militias.Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita in the world, with an estimated 1.5 million Syrians and some 13,715 of other nationalities.—IANS

Lebanon will carry out its plan to send back 15,000 Syrian refugees every month regardless what the position of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is, a Minister said here.

Lebanon to send back Syrian refugess regardless of UN position

Damascus<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">: Israel has hit 64 military targets in Syria by far this year, killing 45 servicemen and pro-government fighters in the bordering country, a war monitor reported.&nbsp;
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, 57 others were injured in the 21 airstrikes and rocket attacks by Israel, Xinhua news agency quoted the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as saying.&nbsp;
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">The Britain-based watchdog group said Israel has intensified its missile strikes on military sites in Syria since 2018 under the pretext of targeting pro-Iran militias.&nbsp;
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">In the latest attack on August 25, one military officer was killed and 14 civilians injured in the attack targeting a weapons depot allegedly operated by pro-Iran militias in the city of Masyaf.&nbsp;
—IANS

Israel has hit 64 military targets in Syria by far this year, killing 45 servicemen and pro-government fighters in the bordering country, a war monitor reported. 

Israel hit 64 targets in Syria in 2022: War monitor

New York: Calling for a long-term solution to the Syrian conflict, India at UNSC said the global fight against terrorism cannot and should not be compromised for narrow political games.
During a UNSC meeting, Ambassador R Ravindra, Deputy Permanent Representative at United Nations Security Council said at UN said, "The global fight against terrorism cannot and should not be compromised for narrow political games. The international community should also display zero tolerance towards terrorism."
The envoy noted that the stalemate in the political process has become unsustainable. "There has been hardly any progress in recent times, particularly regarding the constitutional committee. Since its last meeting in Geneva in June, the small body of the constitutional committee has not met and there is no clarity on the way forward."
"It has been three years since the establishment of the committee. It was expected to build trust and confidence among all three sides through its collaborative action. However, that has not been the case so far," the envoy said expressing concerns expressed disappointment that the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee has not met this month.
In this regard, the Indian representative to the UN said noted the efforts made by the special envoy including its recent meetings in Damascus. "We continued to support this step-by-step approach and call on all sides to engage with the special envoy in a constructive manner."
However, he highlighted the improvement of Syria's relations and engagement with its Arab nations is a positive development. "We hope the upcoming Arab League meeting and deliberations thereby will contribute to the UN-facilitated political process."
Speaking further he said the threat of terrorism in Syria and the region cannot be ignored. "The sanctioned terror outfits such as ISIL have remained active in Syria as is evident from attacks." "On the security front, we remain concerned. There is an urgent need for serious attempts towards a comprehensive ceasefire. Syria does not need more security operations," he said.
India has been consistent, in calling for support to the regional efforts in finding a long-term solution to the conflict. India continues to call for enhanced and effective humanitarian assistance to all Syrians throughout the country without discrimination, politicization and preconditions. Earlier as well, India had urged the international community also need to constructively look at promoting projects, which will bring much-needed jobs and economic opportunities for the Syrian people. —ANI

Calling for a long-term solution to the Syrian conflict, India at UNSC said the global fight against terrorism cannot and should not be compromised for narrow political games.

Global Fight Against Terrorism Can't Be Compromised For Political Games: India At UN Over Syrian Conflict

Washington: After the massive earthquakes that struck southern Turkey and western Syria on February 6 and killed thousands, NASA on Saturday said it is working to share its aerial views and data from space to aid relief and recovery workers, as well as improve its ability to model and predict such events.
Scenes collected before and after the earthquake were used by a team of scientists from the Earth Observatory of Singapore and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to create something called a damage proxy map for Turkey.
These maps compare before and after radar images of a given event to see how the landscape has changed.
"NASA's hearts and minds are with those impacted by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "NASA is our eyes in the sky, and our teams of experts are working hard to provide valuable information from our Earth-observing fleet to first responders on the ground," he added.
One of NASA's key capabilities is an expertise with synthetic aperture radar, or SAR.
Viewing Earth in all weather conditions, day or night, SAR is used to measure how the ground moves and built landscape changes after this type of event. "We don't know everyone who is using this information or how, but we are fortunate to have heard back from a few groups. For instance, the World Central Kitchen - which is providing food to those who've been displaced - have let us know they make use of it," said Lori Schultz, NASA's disaster coordinator for this earthquake. In addition to assessing damage, NASA scientists use space- and ground-based observations to improve the agency's ability to understand related events that cascade from the original natural disaster.
While not in use yet, NASA scientists are hoping to add a new tool to assess the aftermath of the quake.
The Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation, or EMIT, instrument was launched to the International Space Station in July 2022.
As part of its observations of the composition of material in Earth's atmosphere, it can assess methane emissions.
When passing over the earthquake site, measurements of increased or new emissions could point to events not otherwise easily spotted from space.
As search and rescue efforts continued for a sixth straight day on Saturday to find more survivors, the number of people killed following the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6 has reached at least 23,831. —IANS

After the massive earthquakes that struck southern Turkey and western Syria on February 6 and killed thousands, NASA on Saturday said it is working to share its aerial views and data from space to aid relief and recovery workers, as well as improve its ability to model and predict such events.

NASA Satellites Are Helping Turkey, Syria Earthquake Response

New Delhi: On Saturday, India loaded a C-17 military transport aircraft with more shipments of life-saving medicines and relief supplies for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria .
It is the eighth flight to provide aid under India's "Operation Dost," which was initiated to help the two countries following the horrific earthquake on Monday that killed over 20,000 people.
"Flight 7 of Operation Dost leaves towards Syria and Turkey. The plane is loaded with relief supplies, medical help, emergency and critical care medications, medical gear, and consumables "Minister of Foreign Affairs S. Jaishankar made a tweet.—Inputs from Agencies

On Saturday, India loaded a C-17 military transport aircraft with more shipments of life-saving medicines and relief supplies for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria .

India delivers more aid to Turkiye, Syria

Manish Rai*
Kabul (The Hawk): Recently in the last few months there have been a lot of diplomatic initiatives taken up by the gulf states to improve relations with Damascus. Most important of them was Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. This meeting is viewed as the most significant step towards ending Syria’s decade-long regional isolation. Also, in a recent visit to Abu Dhabi in March this year, the UAE gave President Assad the full red-carpet welcome which was a brazen display of defiance against the United States and its European allies who insist on continued isolation of Syria. Oman, another West-friendly Gulf country, also warmly received Syrian President, on his first official trip to the country in more than a decade of civil war. It should be remembered that Syria in the past has long been an important centre for pan-Arab ideas in modern times and has been considered as the heart of Arab-ism. Since the beginning of the Arab nationalist movement in the late 19th and early 20th century, Syria has hoisted the banner of Arab nationalism. But that stature was certainly lost in the last decade or so. Just after the beginning of civil war in 2011, Syria got diplomatically isolated in the Arab world but dynamics are changing now in Syria’s favour. It’s a hard reality that almost everyone agrees to. That the Syrian government has revealed an extraordinary ability to survive. Despite the blows it has suffered in the initial phases of the conflict it has not collapsed or crumbled and has even succeeded in saving the cohesion of its civilian government systems, military forces, and security apparatus. Arab countries are courting the Syrian government as now they believe that civil war is almost over and Assad is here to stay. Arab states after a lot of thinking over the current status quo in Syria and regional power dynamics. Have come to the realization that they will have to cope with the presence of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as he has survived the civil war and controls around 75-80% of Syrian territory. Moreover, Damascus also remains attentive to its changing regional environment and Syrian diplomacy is also eagerly searching for Arab allies. The recent peace talks mediated by China between Iranians and Saudis. Has resulted in re-establishment of diplomatic relations between two regional powerhouses after seven years of blockade. This important geopolitical development is having a domino effect in the whole region. It’s proving to be a catalyst for resolution of other conflicts in the region as well as both Saudis and Iranians are persuading their allies for engaging in the talks rather than fighting. Hence Iranians have also welcomed the Arab initiative for diplomatic reengagement with Syria one of its major allies. The other important thing that should be taken into account regarding this initiative of the Arab world. Is that this time the Saudis have decided to take the lead in reintegrating Syria into regional politics and gaining a new partner in the levant. Above all, it aims to advance Bashar al-Assad's fundamental goal of returning to the Arab League which is still being opposed by some countries like-Qatar. But if things move in the right direction. It seems to be only a matter of time until he returns as a member of good standing to the Arab League. For Syria also having cordial relations with Arab states comes with some important benefits. This normalisation process could bring more humanitarian relief and eventually reconstruction to a country devastated by the civil war where over 90% of the population live under the poverty line. Enormous amounts of funds are required for reconstruction which can neither be provided by Russians nor Iranians. For Assad, the only viable options for getting funds are the wealthy Arab states like Saudi Arabia or UAE. It seems more or less now that the Arab world is reaching a consensus to take Syria into its fold. But for Syria now to be fully integrated into the Arab world and play a dominant role. It has to redefine its political approach on both the fronts i.e. regional and domestically. The Syrian government should hold renewed talks with the Syrian opposition, allow Arab forces to be stationed in Syria to protect returning refugees, and stop captagon smuggling in the region. In the longer term, overall good relations with the Arab world may provide Damascus with maneuvering capabilities among a wider range of actors and therefore reduce his dependence on the Iranians. If this works well Syrians may even demand that Iranian and its proxy forces like- Hezbollah reduce their presence on its soil. Looking ahead, Syria is set to continue its gradual reintegration into the Arab world’s mainstream diplomatic arena. While each member of the Arab League has a unique perspective on the Syrian crisis as well as Assad’s leadership, more Arab governments seek to restore relations with Damascus.
*Author is a political analyst for Middle-East and Af-Pak region and Editor of the geo-political news agency ViewsAround

Recently in the last few months there have been a lot of diplomatic initiatives taken up by the gulf states

Syria All Set To Get Into Arab Fold

Tel Aviv (Israel): Pakistan and Syria both pose a serious risk to international security today and what originally began as a political venture has now given rise to two narco-states that work with terrorist and extremist groups to further their goals, reported The Times of Israel which said that the security of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe is currently under existentialist threat. Iran and Saudi Arabia's historic peace agreement with China had many causes and ramifications. One result was the reinstatement of Bashar al-Assad's Syria into the Arab League following a 12-year suspension. This peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran may mark the end of Yemen and Syria, two significant wars that served as proxy conflicts between Saudi Arabia and Iran, according to Italian political advisor, author and geopolitical expert Sergio Restelli's piece in The Times of Israel. The Times of Israel is an Israeli multi-language online newspaper that was launched in 2012. The Syrian civil war, which attempted to remove Assad, inadvertently served to strengthen him. As a pariah to the majority of the globe, Assad was no longer subject to the obligations and rights of sovereign states and was unable to sell oil to practically anyone anywhere. As a result, Syria is now the world's top producer of Captagon, an amphetamine-like substance that generates three times as much cash for the Syrian government as all of the Mexican cartels put together, wrote Restelli while quoting Al-Jazeera. Another narco state that has been boosted by the Taliban taking control of Kabul is Syria. Pakistan is the main transit nation for the opium-producing hotspots of Helmand and Kandahar in Afghanistan, with whom it shares the longest border. Drugs are transported from the Durand Line to ports and Pakistan's other land and water borders through networks established in Pakistan, where they are then shipped to markets in Asia, the Persian Gulf, Africa, and eastern and western Europe, according to Restelli. There is very little recent research on Pakistan's proportionate position in the southern opium trade routes. There is little doubt that Pakistan is the main transit country for the flow of Afghan opiates along the "southern route" despite data estimates by UNODC suggesting that more than 45 per cent of illegal Afghanistan traffic passes through that country. For the trafficking of opiates through Pakistan, the Gulf region serves as both a significant heroin market and a transhipment hub. The United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands are significant targets for trafficking via the southern route, which has been more prevalent in Europe in recent years. For instance, heroin trafficked from Pakistan accounts for 84 per cent of seizures of 10 kg or more at the borders of the United Kingdom. A number of countries that in the past were mainly served by the Balkan route, including Spain and Italy have recently noted Pakistan as a prominent source of opiates, in transit from Afghanistan, as per The Times of Israel. According to the Italian National Anti-Drug Service DCSA, the "consolidation of the so-called African route" is where the increasing number of heroin seizures linked to Southern Europe are coming from: heroine leaves producing areas, mostly from airports and ports, especially the one in Karachi, Pakistan, and travels to Western markets via the eastern part of the African continent. East and Central European countries have reported seizures of southern-bound heroin traffic, with Slovenia and Ukraine demonstrating the need to constantly watch trends in this area. As the heroine leaves and transits through Pakistan, East Africa turns into a crucial intersection. According to Afghan farmers, opium cultivation has increased since 2021, which will probably result in an increase in heroin trafficking in Pakistan. Despite the Taliban's declaration that all drug manufacture and trafficking in Afghanistan would be prohibited, this story nevertheless surfaced. There was no decrease in heroin seizures in Pakistan and the surrounding area during the COVID-19 pandemic's 2020 timeframe, indicating that heroin manufacturing and trafficking were not hampered by the outbreak. At the same time, although volumes were higher, fewer shipments were routed through Pakistan. Moreover, it is anticipated that similar quantities of chemicals will continue to be smuggled via the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Additionally, there is proof that Pakistani state authorities colluded to knowingly permit this cross-border illicit activity. Pakistan is also a source country for cannabis, and Pakistani cannabis appears to be mostly used to supply local markets in East Europe and the Middle East. Pakistan can also act as a transit country for Afghan cannabis headed towards Iran and further into the Middle East. The majority of cannabis smuggled out of Pakistan into Iran is transported via land routes (see heroin trafficking), but a significant number of cannabis seizures are also made along sea routes, reported The Times of Israel. —ANI

Pakistan and Syria both pose a serious risk to international security today and what originally began as a political 

Syria, Pakistan Becoming Major Threat To Global Security As 'Narco-States'

Manish Rai*
Kabul (The Hawk): ISIS caliphate once had a population of 10 million people within its borders. It stretched across two countries Iraq and Syria contained major towns and cities, oil fields, factories and dams and was roughly the size of Britain. While tactically and strategically, ISIS is a mere shadow of what it was, but it still remains a potent force. There is a growing perception among the Western analysts that Islamic State doesn’t pose any significant threat. While the physical caliphate has extinguished but the extremist group still has thousands of fighters in its ranks in Syria. Since the fall of Raqqa the former de facto capital of the self-proclaimed ISIS caliphate. The group adopted the calculated strategy of withdrawing to conserve manpower and pivot away from holding territory to pursuing an all-out insurgency in the near future. The IS has returned to its roots, conducting an insurgency the same way it did in Iraq in the early 2000s. It's using small groups of well-armed militants driving around on motorcycles or in pickup trucks with machine guns. In some cases, they may have some heavy weaponry, but mostly they are just doing hit and run attacks all the time. Sometimes, it's just shooting from far away at military patrols to scare them away or keep them from patrolling in certain areas.  Despite the end of its territorial caliphate in 2019 and the death of several of its leaders since, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has demonstrated considerable resilience. It continues to operate as a highly active insurgency, particularly in the countryside of Syria. Also the group's top leadership still operates from the Syrian territory. It is evident from the fact that all three caliphs were killed in operations within Syria and were believed to have been moving between the borders of Syria and Turkey in desperate efforts to maintain their anonymity. Presently ISIS leaders appear mostly to be providing broad guidance through online messages rather than overseeing day to day operations of the organisation in Syria. The group now seems to operate on two levels: the first one consists of a core of militants acting on the leadership’s directives and conducting complex attacks. While the second one larger set of decentralised cells carries out smaller, more frequent raids, intimidates the public and collects funds. By following this modus operandi ISIS has ingrained communication and transit networks linking the country’s various regions. And assign its cells specific roles in each place and view its activities in each area as enhancing those in the others. ISIS is preparing itself to pursue the goal of regaining overt territorial control whenever the conditions allow. ISIS has divided Syrian territory in four different zones of influence and uses each zone in a distinct way. In Badia, the rear base for its operations in Syria, it also trains most of its new recruits there. In the northeast, it gathers funds and stores supplies, as it stages attacks on security forces, technocrats and tribal notables to weaken public confidence in local governance. In the north and northwest, it maintains hideouts for mid-level and senior commanders, who enjoy a degree of anonymity among the hundreds of thousands of displaced Syrians living in makeshift settlements. The ISIS insurgencies in central and north-eastern Syria are particularly intertwined. The group moves men and materiel between regime and SDF controlled regions depending on its changing objectives, its logistical needs and its foes' vulnerabilities in each area. These movements appear to be coordinated among central, regional and area commanders. There are around 10,000 fighters and mid-level leaders of Islamic State locked up in prison centres in Syria. Most of them are being held under makeshift prisons manned by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which has limited resources. IS looks at this as a good opportunity to reinforce its depleted ranks by freeing its experienced members from these camps. In January 2022, ISIS fighters launched a bold attack on a prison in Hasakah, northeast Syria, to free their comrades. Hundreds reportedly escaped, and over 500 died, including SDF members who eventually regained control of the facility. The SDF has multiple times sounded an alarm over meagre resources on the ground for keeping thousands of pro-ISIS prisoners in its custody. And adding to these hardships is the looming threat of Turkey invading Northeast Syria. The threat of a Turkish invasion of Kurdish territories in Syria presents a serious risk in terms of the possible escalation of ISIS activities in the region. An invasion would overwhelm Kurdish defences, forcing the SDF which consists mostly of Kurdish forces to divert its attention and resources away from anti-ISIS operations and towards fighting invading Turkish forces. If a Turkish invasion does occur, it will provide ISIS with a golden opportunity to rebuild its strength by staging further prison breaks and taking advantage of the geopolitical chaos to conduct attacks in the region. For fighting highly adaptive adversaries like ISIS, the approach should be a hybrid one. To entirely defeat the Islamic State mainly three things should be focused on. First military defeat that would drive ISIS from its last remaining pockets of territory in Syria's far east. Second, some sort of political settlement which brings stability. And the last most important one is to end the appeal of ISIS's extremist ideology so that it can no longer keep attracting recruits and resources. ISIS toxic ideology can still affect an entire generation so focus should be on ideologically eradicating it. An ideological defeat is a much tougher task because anti-extremism campaigns require patience and resilience but these measures offer long term solutions as they tackle the root causes of the radical ideologies.

*Author is a political analyst for Middle-East and Af-Pak region and Editor of the geo-political news agency ViewsAround

ISIS caliphate once had a population of 10 million people within its borders. It stretched across two countries Iraq and Syria

Islamic State Threat Far From Over In Syria

Damascus (Syria): The death toll has risen to 100 in a drone attack on a Syria military college that took place in Homs province of the country early Friday, Al Jazeera reported. The drone attack took place in Syria's Homs province during a graduation ceremony resulting in 240 injuries as well. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Earlier, the Syrian military said that drones carrying explosives targeted the ceremony on Thursday as it was coming to a close.  The military blamed fighters "backed by known international forces" for the assault in a statement. According to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "expressed deep concern" about the Homs drone strike and "reports of retaliatory shelling" in northwest Syria. Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabash said that civilians, including six children, and military personnel were among those killed. The death toll is expected to rise further, according to Al Jazeera. Syria's defence minister attended the graduation ceremony but left minutes before the attack. "After the ceremony, people went down to the courtyard and the explosives hit. We don't know where it came from, and corpses littered the ground," said a Syrian man who had helped set up decorations at the ceremony. —ANI

The death toll has risen to 100 in a drone attack on a Syria military college that took place in Homs province of the country early Friday, Al Jazeera reported.

At least 100 killed, over 240 injured in drone attack on Syria military college

Tel Aviv: The Hezbollah on Saturday said Hassan Ali Dakdouk, the son of Ali Mussa Dakdouk, who is reportedly in charge of the organisation's operations in southern Syria, was killed, reportedly in Israeli drone attack.  Ali Mussa Dakdouk was responsible for training pro-Iranian militias in Iraq for attacking American forces.  He was detained by US forces in Iraq in 2007, but was later released.  Four people who were killed were from Hezbollah while one was a Syrian. The deaths happened in an alleged Israeli drone strike against a vehicle near the Syrian border in the Golan Heights.  Israel and Hezbollah were engaged in exchange of fire across the Lebanese border in which several Israelis were injured.  —IANS

The Hezbollah on Saturday said Hassan Ali Dakdouk, the son of Ali Mussa Dakdouk, who is reportedly in charge of the organisation's operations

Senior Hezbollah leader's son killed in Israeli drone strike

Dubai: A Syrian military statement said an Israeli air strike early on Tuesday that came from the direction of the Golan Heights targeting positions in the outskirts of Damascus caused some material damage, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.
There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials.
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Since the October 7 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israeli civilians and soldiers, Israel has escalated its strikes on Iranian-backed militia targets in Syria and has also struck Syrian army air defences and some Syrian forces.
—Reuters

A Syrian military statement said an Israeli air strike early on Tuesday that came from the direction of the Golan Heights targeting positions

Israeli attack on Damascus outskirts caused material damage: Syrian army

Tehran (Iran): In response to mounting tensions in the region, Iran's foreign ministry staunchly defended the recent targeted strikes carried out by the Revolutionary Guards in Iraq and Syria. Described as a "precise and targeted" operation, the strikes aimed to deter perceived security threats, according to CNN.  The spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry, Nasser Kanaani, asserted that the strikes specifically targeted a "terrorist headquarters" in Idlib, Syria, and a "Mossad-affiliated center" in Erbil, Iraq. Kanaani underscored the precision of the operation, highlighting the use of ballistic missiles to identify and strike the alleged criminal elements.  "The Islamic Republic identified and targeted the headquarters of criminals using ballistic missiles in a precise and targeted operation," Kanaani stated, emphasizing that the strikes were executed "in defense of (Iranian) sovereignty and security" as a response to terrorism.  Kanaani reiterated Iran's commitment to peace, stability, and security in the region, asserting respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations. Simultaneously, he emphasized Iran's right to employ legitimate and legal measures to counter national security threats.  This recent attack on Idlib marks the first instance of Iran launching strikes in western Syria, representing one of the longest-range ballistic missile attacks in the nation's history. The situation has raised concerns about the potential escalation of Israel's military campaign in Gaza into a broader conflict in the Middle East, with potential humanitarian, political, and economic ramifications.  While this is not the initial occasion that Iran has targeted Syria, the recent developments underscore the escalating volatility in the region. In 2017, Iran carried out a similar strike against ISIS targets in retaliation for an attack on its parliament and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khamenei. Tasnim News, an IRGC-affiliated media outlet, reported that the strikes in Idlib specifically targeted the headquarters of the Turkistan Islamic Party, further highlighting the intricate dynamics at play in the region.
—Input from Agencies

Explore Iran's defense strategy amid rising tensions, precision strikes in Iraq and Syria, and the geopolitical implications in the Middle East.

Under regional tensions, Iran defends "precise and targeted" operations in Iraq, Syria

Beirut: Like many fellow residents of a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, Shady Choucair despaired when he heard last week that countries had halted their funding to the UN agency for Palestinians (UNRWA).
"It's a disaster. We were able to survive off the help we got from UNRWA," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in his small grocery store in the Mar Elias refugee camp in Beirut, where he has lived with his family for over a decade. More than a dozen donor nations including the United States, Germany and Britain have paused their funding to the aid agency following Israeli government allegations that 12 of UNRWA's 13,000 Gaza employees were involved in deadly Oct 7 attacks by Hamas gunmen in southern Israel. UN officials have said UNRWA aid is a lifeline for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as fighting rages between Israel and Hamas militants.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.thehawk.in/posts/india-sends-medical-aid-to-zambia-following-outbreak-of-cholera" target="_self">https://www.thehawk.in/posts/india-sends-medical-aid-to-zambia-following-outbreak-of-cholera</a> For the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees living in crisis-hit Lebanon and Syria, the cuts could also jeopardise the provision of basic services - from schooling to waste management. UNRWA said last week it will most likely be forced to shut down its operations in the Middle East, including in Gaza, by the end of the month if funding does not resume. Choucair, who receives UNRWA cash assistance to boost his tiny income from the grocery shop, said he feared he would be unable to pay the rent and buy his medicine for several medical conditions if the money stops. "You want to do something about it, but you can't. It's out of our hands," said Choucair, who is also worried that the free schooling his nine grandchildren receive could be stopped.
'Catastrophic consequences' UNRWA was set up to help the 700,000 refugees of the war surrounding Israel's founding in 1948 and provides essential services from education and healthcare to microloans and sanitation management to them in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. More than half a million children are enrolled in UNRWA schools and around two million people benefit from its health services, it said on its website. A lapse in funding would come at a dire moment for refugees in Lebanon and Syria, both of which remain mired in deep economic crises, said Riccardo Bocco, an expert on refugees at the Geneva Graduate Institute, a university. "Without the money from UNRWA, who in Lebanon will take care of the health of the Palestinians? Their schools? Nobody," he added. Following the allegations against UNRWA staff in Gaza, the agency opened an investigation and severed ties with members suspected of being involved in the Hamas attacks, and has urged donors to keep supporting it. Aid agencies have joined its calls, with the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that defunding would have "catastrophic consequences" for the people of Gaza. The Israeli offensive launched in the wake of the Oct 7 attacks, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 253 taken hostage, has killed more than 27,000 Palestinians, displaced most of Gaza's population, left many homes and civilian infrastructure in ruins, and caused acute shortages of food, water and medicine. "It's difficult to imagine that Gazans will survive this crisis without UNRWA," Thomas White, director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza, said in a statement on Thursday.
Beyond Gaza But beyond Gaza, the financing pause threatens UNRWA's vital assistance to some six million Palestinian refugees across the Middle East, many of whom are already experiencing economic hardship, said Ayham al-Sahli, a researcher at the Beirut-based Institute for Palestine Studies. Palestinians fled to Lebanon and other Arab states in what they call the "Nakba", or catastrophe, when they were driven from their homes as Israel was created in 1948, although Israel contests the assertion that they were forced to leave. The tents that first sheltered them have given way to camps like Mar Elias, crammed with badly built concrete buildings separated by narrow alleyways. But the status of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, whether survivors from the first days or their descendants, has not changed much over the decades: they remain stateless, cannot own property and are limited in the jobs they are permitted to do. That means they have been particularly hard-hit by the country's four-year economic meltdown, with many still reliant on UNRWA aid, Sahli said. The agency is "involved in every detail of the lives of the Palestinian refugees", he added. In Syria, where civil war has devastated the country for more than a decade and where about 90% of its people live below the poverty line, UNRWA provides more than 400,000 Palestinian refugees with cash assistance and conducts development and environmental health projects in refugee camps, according to the agency's website. 'Out on the street' At a toy shop in the maze of alleys in Mar Elias, Hanadi al-Yusri - a Syrian refugee whose husband is Palestinian - said she was reeling from the news about UNRWA's funding cuts, and worried about how it would affect her two children. "The kids will be left without vaccines," she said. "We never expected this to happen, we are still in shock," said the 27-year-old, who uses cash assistance from the agency to help pay for rent and electricity in her family's one-bedroom apartment. Fearing for his safety due to Israeli fire on southern Lebanon since the Hamas conflict erupted, Hussein Ahmad, 62, left his home in the Rashidieh Palestinian refugee camp and headed to stay with relatives in Mar Elias. He said he was concerned about the potential impact of cuts to UNRWA's support to schools in the camps, where they are taught about their heritage - and the "Nakba" that led to their displacement. "Our children go to UNRWA schools and learn about Palestinian history," he said as he sheltered from the rain in a grocery store in the camp. "Where will they get that now? They will be out on the street."
—Reuters

UNRWA funding crisis endangers essential services for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. Humanitarian aid cuts pose a threat to education, etc.

UNRWA funding cuts put Lebanon's Palestinian refugees on alert

Washington: Iran faces a dilemma following an Israeli attack on its embassy in Syria: how to retaliate without sparking a wider conflict that Middle East analysts said Tehran doesn't appear to want.
Monday's strike, which killed two Iranian generals and five military advisers at Iran's embassy compound in Damascus, comes as Israel accelerates a long-running campaign against Iran and the armed groups it backs. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed revenge.  Tehran has options. It could unleash its proxies on US forces, use them to strike Israel directly or ramp up its nuclear program, which the United States and its allies have long sought to rein in.  Speaking on condition of anonymity, the United States officials said they were watching closely to see if, as in the past, Iran-backed proxies would attack US troops based in Iraq and Syria after Monday's Israeli strike.  Such Iranian attacks ceased in February after Washington retaliated for the killing of three US troops in Jordan with dozens of air strikes on targets in Syria and Iraq linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and militias it backs.  US officials said they had not yet picked up intelligence suggesting Iran-backed groups were looking to attack US troops following Monday's attack, which Iranian media said killed IRGC members including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a brigadier general.
The United States on Tuesday bluntly warned Tehran against attacking its forces.  "We will not hesitate to defend our personnel and repeat our prior warnings to Iran and its proxies not to take advantage of the situation ... to resume their attacks on US personnel," said Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood.  Avoiding all-out war  One source who tracks the issue carefully and who spoke on condition of anonymity said Iran faced the conundrum of wanting to respond to deter further such Israeli strikes while avoiding an all-out war.  "They have faced this real dilemma that if they respond they could be courting a confrontation which they clearly don't want," he said. "They are trying to modulate their actions in a way that shows that they are responsive but not escalatory."  "If they don't respond in this case, it really would be a signal that their deterrence is a paper tiger," he added, saying Iran might attack Israel proper, Israeli embassies or Jewish facilities abroad.  The US official said given the significance of the Israeli strike, Iran may be forced to respond by attacking Israeli interests rather than going after US troops.  Elliott Abrams, a Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations US think tank, also said he believed Iran did not want an all-out war with Israel but could target Israeli interests.  "I think Iran does not want a big Israel-Hezbollah war right now, so any response will not come in the form of a big Hezbollah action," Abrams said, referring to the Lebanese group seen as Tehran's most powerful military proxy.  "They have many other ways to respond ... for example by trying to blow up an Israeli embassy," he added.
Iran could also respond by accelerating its nuclear program, which Tehran has ramped up since former US President Donald Trump in 2018 abandoned the 2015 Iran nuclear deal designed to constrain it in return for economic benefits.  But the two most dramatic steps - increasing the purity of its enriched uranium to 90 per cent, which is considered bomb grade, or reviving work to design an actual weapon - could backfire and invite Israeli or US strikes.  "Either one of those would be viewed by Israel and by the US as a decision to acquire a bomb. So ... they are really taking a big risk. Are they ready to do it? I would not think so," said the source who tracks the issue closely.  Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the CSIS think tank in Washington, said he does not expect a massive Iranian response to the attack on its embassy.  "Iran is less interested in teaching Israel a lesson than (in) showing its allies in the Middle East that it isn’t weak."
—Reuters

In the wake of an Israeli strike on its Syrian embassy, Iran grapples with response options. Tehran aims to retaliate without igniting a broader Middle East conflict.

Many Iranian options to retaliate against Israel, but all carry risk

In the wake of an Israeli strike on its Syrian embassy, Iran grapples with response options. Tehran aims to retaliate without igniting a broader Middle East conflict

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Karan

Tag : Syria

Syria: 'significant' damage to airport from Israeli strike

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