With Turkey focused on long-term goals in Syria that involve continuing to oppose Kurdish autonomy in the northeast, there are growing numbers of reports from Turkish officials that plans are being considered to establish new military bases inside Syrian territory....
Syrian Army Invades Lebanese Border Town, Major Clashes Reported
Violence in Syria’s Homs and Hama Governorates have now spread across the border into neighboring Lebanon, and Syria’s new Islamist government has reportedly sent ground troops into the Lebanese border town of Hermel, sparking massive clashes. Both Lebanese clans and...
Israeli Defense Minister Orders Military To Prepare for ‘Departure’ of Palestinians From Gaza
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday ordered the military to prepare for the "voluntary departure" of Palestinians from Gaza as Israeli officials are hoping to pursue ethnic cleansing following Trump's proposals for the enclave. "I have instructed the IDF...
Trump Says Israel Will Hand Gaza to US at the ‘Conclusion of Fighting’
President Trump on Thursday continued to push his idea of a US takeover of Gaza, claiming Israel would hand over the territory to the US at the "conclusion of fighting" and insisting the occupation wouldn't require US troops. "The Gaza Strip would be turned over to...
Israeli Settler Leaders Welcome Trump’s Call for Ethnic Cleansing in Gaza
Israeli settler leaders have welcomed President Trump's call for Palestinians to be removed from the Gaza Strip, which would amount to ethnic cleansing, and are calling for his plans to be implemented. On Tuesday, Trump had called for Palestinians to be removed from...
Trump Officials Defend Call To ‘Take Over’ Gaza But Soften Some Aspects
On Wednesday, Trump administration officials defended the president's surprise announcement on Tuesday night that he wants the US to "take over" and "own" the Gaza Strip but appeared to walk back some aspects of the plan. Trump made the announcement after calling for...
Several Palestinians Killed By Israeli Forces in Gaza Despite Ceasefire
At least two Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Wednesday despite the ceasefire, Al Jazeera has reported. An Al Jazeera correspondent said a child was killed by an Israeli sniper, which came a few hours after a...
Trump Dismisses Idea That the US and Israel Will Bomb Iran, Says He Wants Deal
On Wednesday, President Trump said reports about the US and Israel planning an attack on Iran were "greatly exaggerated" and insisted that he wanted a deal with the Islamic Republic instead. "I want Iran to be a great and successful Country, but one that cannot have a...
CENTCOM Says Five ISIS Members Killed in US-Backed Airstrikes in Iraq
US Central Command said in a press release on Tuesday that its forces supported airstrikes near Kirkuk, Iraq, on January 31 that it claimed killed five ISIS operatives. The command said the airstrikes were carried out by Iraqi government security forces and "enabled"...
Report: Pentagon Drafting Plans To Pull All Troops From Syria
The Pentagon is drafting plans to withdraw all US troops from Syria after President Trump and officials close to him expressed interest in the idea, NBC News reported on Wednesday. Israeli media recently reported that the US informed Israel it planned to pull out of...