Latest news with #Syrian
DW
43 minutes ago
- Politics
- DW
Syrian refugees face tough decision on returning home – DW – 06/20/2025
Sara Hteit 06/20/2025 June 20, 2025 Over 14 million Syrian refugees fled their homeland during the country's civil war. Since the collapse of Bashar al Assad's regime last year, over a million have started to return home. But for many Syrians living abroad it remains a difficult decision.
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Will Trump abandon 'America First' to join Israel's war on Iran?
Two leaders obsessed by their political legacies, and one also by his own cult of personality, are escalating the already highly tense situation in the Middle East to dangerous new peaks. Israel's unprovoked attack on Iran this month marks the riskiest chapter yet of a dream that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been chasing for four decades: regime change in Tehran. Israel seems determined to modify in its favour, once and for all, the overall strategic balance of the Middle East. Its ongoing quest to destroy Hamas and ethnically cleanse Gaza must be framed in this context, alongside the decapitation of Hezbollah's political and military leadership in Lebanon. To a certain extent, the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria fits into the same strategy, even if the final chapter of the Syrian ordeal has not been written yet - and it may not necessarily be positive for Israel. Now Netanyahu has decided to attack Iran - not with a ground invasion, which would be militarily impossible, but through precision air strikes to eliminate the nation's military leadership and the capabilities that Israel deems most dangerous to its own existence, including nuclear and ballistic-missile sites. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Israel's attacks have so far killed more than 600 people in Iran, including more than 250 civilians, according to a US-based human rights group. Tel Aviv's primary stated purpose is to permanently prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon that could be deployed against Israel. Its secondary goal is to create a legitimacy crisis and stir internal dissent within Iran, aiming to bring about the collapse of the Islamic Republic. Its ideal outcome would be the installation of a pro-western regime that would bring Iran, together with Saudi Arabia, into the fold of the Abraham Accords for a period of 'peace and development' according to terms and conditions conceived, imposed and enforced by American and Israeli hegemony. Perception of vulnerability In this context, the future for Palestinians is deeply uncertain. At best, they could continue to be caged in their enclaves in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, constantly harassed (if not killed) by Israeli settlers and soldiers. At worst, they could be forcibly transferred elsewhere. In line with his cult of personality, US President Donald Trump appears tempted to join this master plan, detecting that this time, it could succeed. With its regional allies severely degraded, Iran is perceived in both Washington and Tel Aviv as more vulnerable than ever before. Whether this perception is right or wrong is another matter. Should Netanyahu's dream become reality, Trump wants to be a part of it, and to take a large share of the credit for upending the Middle East's political landscape. Netanyahu, meanwhile, would cement his role in power, skip the Israeli justice system, and potentially go down in history as the man who eliminated the key threats Israel has faced since its creation in 1948. Trump has a problem: his Maga constituency, to whom he promised 'America First' and no more endless wars In previous weeks, the Trump administration had attempted to move ahead with the so-called Libya option, which would entail Iran's voluntary relinquishment of its nuclear enrichment programme through a mediated deal. Of course, the Libya precedent must sound terrible to the Iranian leadership, having watched the fate that western nations ultimately meted out to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The US initially hinted that Iran could keep its nuclear enrichment programme under strict international monitoring, provided that it dispose of its accumulated stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity. Then, as often happens, the White House backtracked and demanded zero enrichment, bending once again to the whims of Netanyahu. At the time of writing, the international community was still waiting for Trump's decision on whether to directly join the war on Iran. This is a crucial decision, because in order to credibly dismantle the Iranian nuclear programme and its alleged military dimensions, it will be necessary to destroy the Fordow facility, buried under a mountain. Only the US owns the 'bunker buster' bombs that could do the job, and the planes to deliver such a high payload on target. Massive deja vu But Trump has a problem: his Maga constituency, to whom he promised 'America First' and no more endless wars. Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon has issued a stern warning about joining the war against Iran - and to get a sense of how much the winds are shifting among the Maga base, just watch conservative commentator Tucker Carlson's excoriating interview with Senator Ted Cruz, one of the more ardent Israel supporters in Congress. The saddest element of all this, however, is the massive sense of deja vu arising from this latest chapter of US involvement in the Middle East. All the issues related to Iran's nuclear programme are purely speculative. This past March, Tulsi Gabbard, the US director of national intelligence, told Congress that the intelligence community 'continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader [Ali] Khamenei has not authorised the nuclear weapons programme he suspended in 2003'. In other words, no imminent threat, contrary to Israel's assertions. Why Netanyahu is frantically trying to pull the US into Israel's war on Iran Read More » In 2003, the Bush administration claimed to have intelligence showing evidence of weapons of mass destruction to justify its invasion of Iraq. Within months, these claims were shown to be false. This time around, US intelligence agencies have reached the conclusion that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon - but apparently ignoring this assessment, the president might be sleepwalking into another war of choice that, in Bannon's own words, could 'tear the country apart'. Trump's support for Israel's latest wave of aggression suggests that the real issue is not Iran's nuclear programme, but Iran itself in the current political configuration. US military assets are being moved into position ahead of a possible attack, although no final decision has been taken. In such cases, it would not be surprising to see a false flag operation, quickly attributed to Iran through clever spinning by complacent media, in order to push inexperienced, ignorant and impulsive leaders to take the 'right' decision. Trump, unfortunately, perfectly fits this description. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
IOL News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
'Peace is a fantasy when faced with a war machine addicted to dominance'
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men inspect the damage at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv, on June 16, 2025. Iran unleashed a barrage of missile strikes on Israeli cities early on June 16, after Israel struck military targets deep inside Iran, with both sides threatening further devastation. Image: JOHN WESSELS / AFP) Dr. Reneva Fourie Israel has gone completely rogue, making it the greatest threat to world peace. Having all but obliterated Gaza, it is now turning its aggression towards the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran is defiantly responding with its Iron Dome penetrating Fattah-1 hypersonic missiles. Defiance is a characteristic of most in West Asia. Its people have paid dearly for daring to assert their political independence, safeguard their resources, and give their support to Palestine. The cost has been staggering: millions of lives lost – victims of Western-instigated wars cloaked in the language of human rights, democracy, and counterterrorism. Over the past few months, that same machinery of destruction has intensified its focus on Gaza. Israel, the United States' key proxy in the region, has unleashed devastation on a shocking scale. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been massacred with impunity. It began when Hamas, the governing party of Gaza and a key component of the Palestinian liberation movement, launched an attack in response to Israel's decades of repression. What followed was not proportional 'defence'. It was genocide. Civilians – mostly women and children – were annihilated or buried under rubble. Survivors were starved and denied clean water. Humanitarian aid was blocked, hospitals were bombed, and neighbourhoods were razed. While the world fixated on hostages taken by Hamas – many of whom were later killed by Israel's indiscriminate bombings – the real humanitarian catastrophe was being ignored. Israel detained thousands, including children, and subjected them to systematic torture and sexual violence as it continued its military rampage, emboldened by unconditional US and European support. International outcry, court rulings by the ICJ, and arrest warrants from the ICC were brushed aside. Nothing could stop the West's killing spree; not law, not diplomacy, not conscience. But Israel's aggression extends beyond Gaza and the West Bank. It has steadily eroded Syrian sovereignty, assassinating Iranian advisors who were legally assisting the Syrian government. Together with the US and Turkey, Israel facilitated regime change in Syria, deposing the elected Ba'ath Party in favour of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an extremist outfit with little public legitimacy. Hezbollah, an unwavering defender of Palestine, saw key members of its leadership wiped out and much of southern Lebanon reduced to rubble under Israeli bombs. And then there is Yemen. When Ansar Allah declared solidarity with the Palestinians, their resistance was met with significant military force. The US, unashamedly, used its might to pummel one of the poorest nations in the world. At the heart of Western aggression lies Iran – a country that has shown enormous restraint in the face of years of provocation, assassination, and sabotage. Its military and political leaders have been murdered, not on battlefields, but in targeted killings. Its scientists – brilliant minds working to advance nuclear energy for peaceful medical and industrial purposes – have been gunned down simply for daring to dream of self-sufficiency. A Palestinian man carries a wounded child in Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip after the area was targeted by an Israeli strike, on June 17, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Image: Eyad BABA / AFP Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology is not a prelude to war. It is an assertion of dignity. Its nuclear programme powers homes, fuels hospitals, and propels research in oncology and aerospace fields. Yet that progress has become a threat to the West, not because of its military potential, but because it symbolises independence, ingenuity, and resilience. Washington cannot tolerate a West Asian power that surpasses it in science or dares to challenge its monopoly on influence. It is conveniently ignoring the reality of Iran's nuclear programme, elevating its military capability above civilian use. Ironically, the US, as well as Israel, apartheid South Africa and others, produced significant nuclear military capability during the Cold War era. Although Israel has not confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that Israel possessed 90 nuclear warheads in 2024. However, some analysts suggest a maximum of 300 warheads using the estimated amounts of fissile material. Furthermore, Israel possesses three types of delivery systems for military use of nuclear weapons: F-15 aircraft, ground-based missile installations, and German Dolphin I and II class submarines. While democratic South Africa willingly signed and complied with treaties containing prohibitions on participating in nuclear weapon activities, Israel and the US are escaping accountability. In 2024, it was estimated that the US had 1,770 active nuclear warheads, 1,938 stored as reserves, and 1,336 that were retired and pending dismantlement. It is the US that reneged on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on nuclear programmes with Iran, and it is the US that betrayed the current nuclear negotiation efforts. History is being repeated. The US plays a double game – stalling negotiations while equipping Israel with the intelligence, weapons, and diplomatic cover to strike Iranian assets. Just as the US and allied forces invaded Iraq in 2003 on the pretext of disarming its non-existing weapons of mass destruction, Israel launched an unprovoked missile attack on Iran on 13 June. International law is failing. It has become a selective tool, weaponised against the weak and ignored by the powerful. The principles of sovereignty, justice, and human rights lie in tatters as the US-Israel-Europe axis champions their compulsive fixation on warfare, dominance, and aggression. Reason no longer applies. Appeals to humanity fall on deaf ears. The corpses of children, the wails of mothers, and the ruins of ancient cities are met with silence, or worse, justification. Iran, like many in the Global South, has drawn its conclusions. Civilians died. Hundreds were wounded. Iran responded with precision – as allowed under international law – but was met with more indiscriminate Israeli bombing. Once again, innocent lives are the collateral damage. As the US-Israel-Europe axis enforces the logic of war, Iran has accepted reality. The only way to avoid destruction and the blatant move towards regime change is to resist. Diplomacy is worthless when the other side bargains in bad faith. Peace is a fantasy when faced with a war machine addicted to dominance. Iran has no choice but to mobilise its full military capacity. The fire that was ignited in Ukraine has now expanded to West Asia. A new front has opened, and Iran will not fight it with half-measures. This moment is a wake-up call for the Muslim world and, indeed, for all oppressed countries and for the anti-imperialist peoples of the world. As Ayatollah Khamenei warned, 'The Zionist regime won't bring security for any government.' Those states collaborating with Israel in hopes of American favour are deluding themselves. The West respects no ally; it respects only obedience. You are discarded or destroyed when you cease serving their interests. The solution lies not in appeasement but in self-reliance. The only protection against bullying is economic, military, and cultural strength. Domestic manufacturing must rise. Regional alliances with proven partners must be deepened. Nations that have weathered sanctions, sabotage, and siege understand the value of loyalty. Those are the partnerships worth investing in. The people of West Asia deserve peace. They deserve to preserve their history, teach their children without fear of bombs, and build a future rooted in dignity and sovereignty. But peace cannot come from pleading with aggressors. Sometimes, unfortunately, it must be sought through force. I share a poem written by Gail Van Breda in honour of my son, Sebastian, who died in a motorbike accident in Simonstown on 4 June. I, in turn, dedicate it to the people of West Asia. Let us not crash, too many deaths. How can we breathe, when breath ended for our loved ones. Let us not crash, too many voices gone silent, all at one time Let us not to crash, because how much more can this body take. We have to absorb so much. Let us not crash, because the living must now adjust to this new reality Let us not crash, let us not fall apart, How do we keep all together to grieve, loud or in silence. Let us not crash, where is our hope, what can we hold on to, what would make this time of mourning better, how are we expected to get through this! Let us not crash, maybe join hands, to keep this life together Let us not crash, let us not fall apart Because this life is teaching us how to die. We have been dying. The walking dead. Let us not crash, because we know, this life is not forever Cry, feel, let us not crash Let us find comfort. But I don't know from where, because nothing makes sense. Death, you remind us of the dualism of life. Death and life. In our lived experiences, we cannot even live. Everyone is in a fight for survival. And when death opens its coffin, we die again. We are always dying. Our children, our parents, our loved ones, dying Let us not crash, because how much more must this body, this physical earth life experience take. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
Arab Times
10 hours ago
- Arab Times
Fraudulent Kuwaiti Identity Exposed: Syrian Uncle Posed As Father
KUWAIT CITY, June 20: Kuwaiti security authorities have uncovered a complex case of dual-level citizenship fraud involving a Syrian national and his biological uncle, both of whom had falsely obtained Kuwaiti nationality. According to informed security sources, the investigation was triggered when the General Department of Nationality Affairs received intelligence suggesting a Kuwaiti citizen may have acquired his nationality through fraudulent means, and that his siblings, still residing in Kuwait, were Syrian nationals. Acting swiftly, authorities apprehended the Syrian siblings, including the main suspect, who was caught at Kuwait International Airport while attempting to flee the country. Upon interrogation, the suspect admitted to being illegally added to the nationality file of a Kuwaiti citizen. Further probing revealed that the person who had enabled the fraud — listed in official records as his father — was his biological uncle, who himself had obtained Kuwaiti citizenship fraudulently years earlier. Investigators are now working to gather complete legal documentation on the uncle's case in preparation for further legal action. Meanwhile, the Syrian national's forged citizenship file was submitted to the Supreme Committee for Nationality Affairs, which issued a formal revocation of his Kuwaiti nationality. It was further revealed that the accused has no children or other registered dependents, and that his Kuwaiti wife had no knowledge of his forged identity. DNA testing was used as part of the evidence in the case, and the man has since been referred to the Public Prosecution, along with his siblings, for legal proceedings. He is currently being held in the central prison as investigations continue.
Shafaq News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
US exits two military sites in Syria as regional conflict escalates
Shafaq News/ The United States conducted a tactical evacuation of troops from two military positions in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province due to escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, a source from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) confirmed on Thursday. The withdrawal affected the Istirahat al-Wazir and Tel Baydar bases, which lack advanced defensive systems, placing US personnel at increased risk as missile exchanges between Tehran and Tel Aviv continue in Syrian airspace, the source told Shafaq News. More than 100 trucks carrying military hardware and logistical supplies crossing from Iraq through the Al-Waleed border point toward US-led Coalition bases in Hasakah. Earlier, Syrian sources indicated that the US military activated defense systems and implemented precautionary measures in coordination with Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. A source close to US forces in Syria revealed to Shafaq News in April that the Pentagon had launched a new military redeployment plan, aimed at reinforcing its presence in Kurdish-controlled parts of Hasakah while reducing its overall footprint in northeast Syria. This marks the first on-the-ground confirmation of the US exit from the Istirahat al-Wazir and Tel Baydar bases, raising to at least four the number of positions vacated by American forces since President Donald Trump took office. The Trump administration announced earlier this month that it would scale down its military presence in Syria from eight bases to just one in areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces. While the SDF did not disclose how many US troops remain or which bases are still active, SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi told Reuters that the presence of only a few hundred troops 'would not be enough' to contain the threat posed by ISIS. 'The threat of Islamic State has significantly increased recently. But this is the US military's plan. We've known about it for a long time ... and we're working with them to make sure there are no gaps and we can maintain pressure on Islamic State,' Abdi said.
