Syria says it reached deal with Moscow on future of Russian bases

"Syria says it has reached a deal with Moscow on the future of Russia’s two military bases in

the country, which were used to support ousted President Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian war.
Syria’s official SANA news agency quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying on Sunday that the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base would be turned into “joint training and capacity-building centres” under new arrangements aimed at preserving mutual interests.
The two facilities are Russia’s only official military bases outside the former Soviet Union." msn

India Summons Russian Envoy, Furious At Mass Casualty Tanker Strike In Black Sea

"Tit-for-tat attacks on shipping between Ukraine and Russia have ratcheted of late in the Black Sea. At least half a dozen commercial vessels have been attacked in these waters over the past two weeks alone. The situation is almost becoming akin to a Hormuz crisis in its own right, as

oil transit slows.
Tragically, there's a mounting death toll among crew members caught in the crossfire. One of the biggest single casualty events - if not the biggest - was the result of a Russian attack on the Golden Leo, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship, on Sunday. Three cruise missiles reportedly hit the vessel, killing ten people, including four Indian citizens. The other dead were from Syria, and one Ukrainian, and the incident has outraged these countries, especailly India. New Delhi further expressed "grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation" of the attack and told Ladanov to convey to the Kremlin that "the targeting of commercial shipping and the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives are unacceptable and must be avoided."

" ZH

Iran strikes Syria for first time since Middle East war began

"Iran struck Syrian territory for the first time since war erupted in the Middle East in February

2026, Reuters reported, citing a Syrian military source and Iranian state media on July 17.
Iranian media claimed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked the U.S. Special Operations command center at Al-Tanf in eastern Syria, allegedly in retaliation for the deaths of Iranian personnel in a U.S. strike on the city of Iranshahr.
Reuters said it could not independently verify the claim. A Syrian source told the news agency that Iran had carried out a strike near the Al-Tanf base but did not hit the installation itself. The source also said the attack caused neither casualties nor material damage." NV

Multiple Explosions At Macron’s Hotel In Damascus

"Multiple explosions earlier on outside the Four Seasons Hotel in

Damascus where President Emanuel Macron and his delegation were staying before he got himself to anchor.....the terrorist happened by the Sunni jihadis. 
We had, of course, President Emanuel Macron's state visit to Damascus to meet with President well self-appointed interim president Al- Shara or Al Galani. 

The initial wave were two explosions rocking the central part of Damascus and this was shortly after he left to meet with President Al
Shahara to say goodbye before he left. " Tousi

Syria arrests 235 ISIS operatives in three months, foils seven terror plots

"Syria’s Interior Ministry announced that security forces had arrested 235 members of the

Islamic State group (ISIS) over the past three months as part of a broad security campaign aimed at dismantling the group’s active cells and preventing attacks intended to destabilize the country.
The ministry said security and intelligence operations conducted across several Syrian provinces led to the discovery and disruption of seven ISIS operations. Those detained included 198 Syrians and 37 foreign nationals, according to figures released by the ministry." JerusalemPost

NATO Downs Missile Heading to Turkey

"NATO air defenses shot down an Iranian ballistic missile heading toward Turkish airspace, the country said Wednesday.

Launched from Iran, the missile passed through the airspace of Iraq and Syria before it was hit by NATO air defense systems and a fragment fell into the Dörtyol district of Hatay, according to Turkish spokesperson Burhanettin Duran.
No casualties or injuries have been reported.
“All institutions have monitored the process in real time and in full coordination”, Duran said in a statement posted to X. “All necessary steps to defend Turkish territory and airspace will be taken without hesitation. . . . During this process, consultations and cooperation with NATO and other Allies will continue.”
It was unknown whether the missile was specifically aimed at Turkey, a NATO member state bordering Iran." yahoo

US, Partners Launch New Strikes On ISIS Targets In Syria

"U.S. and partner forces conducted a series of airstrikes on terrorist group ISIS targets

throughout Syria on Jan. 10, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced.
“The strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria as part of our ongoing commitment to root out Islamic terrorism against our warfighters, prevent future attacks, and protect American and partner forces in the region,” the press statement added.
U.S. and coalition forces remain resolute in pursuing terrorists who seek to harm the United States.
Footage shared by CENTCOM showed F-15 and A-10 jet aircraft taking off from an unspecified location, along with footage of strikes on purported targets." ZeroHedge

Syrian Mass Anti-Government Protests Result In Several Alawites Gunned Down

"Syrian citizens of the Alawite minority sect took to the streets on Sunday to protest against government violence and sectarian persecution, in line with a call made by the community’s religious leader a day earlier.

Members of the minority sect protested in the Alawite neighborhoods of the central governorate of Homs, and in several towns and cities on the country’s coast, including Tartous, Jableh, and Latakia. Protests also erupted in Hama governorate, including in the city of Masyaf. Alawite Syrians held up banners reading "Federalism is the solution" and "the blood of Alawites is not cheap," among other slogans.
The protesters also expressed anger over the killing of eight Alawite civilians and the injury of over a dozen others in a terror blast at a mosque a few days earlier.
According to local media reports, government forces have attacked protesters in several areas, firing live ammunition to disperse crowds and making arrests at random. Reuters reports that "Three people were killed on Sunday when protests in Syria's Alawite heartland of Latakia spiraled into gunfire and other violence, according to the province's media office." ZH

Syria Launches ‘Large-Scale Anti-ISIS Operation' After Deadly Attack on US Forces

"Security forces launched a major operation targeting ISIS cells in al-Furqlus, al-Quaryataynand the Syrian Desert (Badiya) in Homs Governorate on Sunday, local media have reported.
A commander said the operation was a response to Saturday’s attack in Palmyra on a joint US-Syrian patrol, in which two US troops and an interpreter were killed.
The operation is said to include field raids, searches of suspected terror hideouts, and an effort to dismantle suspected ISIS sleeper cells." Sputnik

Two US Soldiers & A Civilian Killed, Several More Wounded, In Central Syria Ambush

"Two U.S. Army soldiers and an American civilian who was serving as an interpreter were

killed after shots were fired at U.S. and allied Syrian forces during a security meeting near the ancient central Syrian town of Palmyra.
An additional three other American servicemembers were wounded in the attack.
A CENTCOM statement said it was the result of an an "ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria," and that the "gunman was engaged and killed." ZeroHedge

US extends pause on Syria sanctions

"The U.S. has prolonged the suspension of a broad package of sanctions on Syria for another

180 days as President Donald Trump met with the Syrian interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, at the White House.
Washington announced the decision in a tri-seal advisory issued jointly by the Treasury Department and the Departments of State and Commerce. The document listed the restrictions lifted from Syria and provided guidelines for companies seeking to do business with the Middle Eastern state." RT

Syria Puts On Show Of 'Major ISIS Crackdown' As Sharaa Arrives In D.C. For Trump Talks

"Self-appointed Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in Washington on Sunday, following the completion of what Syrian security officials claimed was a large security operation targeting ISIS cells in the country. Sharaa, the former Al-Qaeda and ISIS commander, will meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday for talks regarding a security deal with Israel and the lifting of the Caesar sanctions.
On Saturday, Syria's Interior Ministry claimed it had launched a major operation against ISIS cells, including 61 raids and 71 arrests in Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Homs, and Damascus countryside, as part of "ongoing national efforts to combat terrorism and protect public safety," state media SANA claimed.

However, several photos and videos showed clear signs of staging, indicating the raids are fake and part of a public relations push to improve the image of Syria’s extremist-led government and promote the lifting of sanctions ahead of Sharaa’s visit to the White House.
Photos from the raids published on the SANA website show printed papers showing the ISIS logo carefully placed on top of explosives and weapons allegedly seized in the raids, as well as action shots of security force members running in the street.
State TV Alekhbariah broadcast videos showing journalists casually filming Syrian security forces as they approach the entrance of homes in which members of ISIS the cells are allegedly hiding. In one video, security forces are shown knocking on the front door of a home, as if they are paying a visit to residents.
The faces of the ISIS members allegedly detained in the raids are carefully concealed by pulling their shirts over their heads as they are taken to the security forces' vehicles.
The Syrian government has carried out several fake raids against ISIS cells since coming to power in December, including after allegedly foiling an ISIS attack on the Sayyida Zaynab Shrine in southern Damascus in January, and following a suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Church in Damascus in June.
It was later revealed that it was likely members of Sharaa's General Security Service (GSS) who carried out the suicide attack that killed 25 worshipers and injured 52 more at the church in the Duweila district of Damascus.
The logic behind targeting Christians and blaming the attack on ISIS was explained by a former founder of Al-Qaeda in Syria (Nusra Front), Saleh al‑Hamwi."
ZeroHedge

U.S. To Establish Military Base In Syria's Damascus

"The U.S. is planning to establish a military base in Damascus, Syria, Reuters has reported, as the Trump administration continues to strongly back the new Syrian government that’s led by former al-Qaeda leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The report said that the U.S. will establish a military presence at an airbase on the outskirts of the Syrian capital for the purpose of enabling a security pact that Washington is attempting to broker between Israel and Syria." ZeroHedge

Putin hosts Syrian president in Kremlin

"Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow praising the two countries’ deep historical ties and friendly relations. Al-Sharaa noted that Moscow would play a significant role in his country’s transition to a “new Syria,” and vowed to honor all past commitments." RT

Israel INVADES Syria - IDF Helicopters Land In Damascus

"Israeli army helicopters have now landed out uh out just outside Damascus, the capital of

Syria, but also in Alawa in the southern parts of Syria. Initially, we were going to be talking about what's happened over the last hour or so, which was the Israeli air force air strikes on the Syrian Islamist bases, but that has now escalated. The helicopters have at least four helicopters have now landed in Syrian territories." Tousi

U.S. Military Kills Senior ISIS Leader, Two Sons, in Early-Morning Raid in Syria

"America’s hunt for leaders who hope to revive the Islamic State led to the deaths of three people in Syria on Friday.

“Early this morning in al Bab, Aleppo Governate, Syria, CENTCOM Forces conducted a raid resulting in the death of senior ISIS Leader, Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult ISIS-affiliated sons, Abdallah Dhiya al-Hardani and Abd al-Rahman Dhiya Zawba al-Hardani,” U.S. Central Command posted on social media platform X.
Colin P. Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst at the Soufan Group, said highlighting the raid “makes sense, as the U.S. may be eager to highlight the anti-ISIS fight, in partnership with Turkey and Syria, particularly the latter, in an effort to show the lengths Damascus is going to in order to make tangible changes and accede to U.S. demands.” 

WJ

Turkey Commits Military Support To 'New' Post-Assad Syria With Saudis Pledging $4BN In Investment

"Turkey and Saudi Arabia have indicated this week they are preparing to ramp up their

investment and military support to post-Assad Syria, which is under the new regime of President al-Sharaa and his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (rebranded Syrian al-Qaeda).
Saudi Arabia too is eyeing greater participation in the supposedly 'new Syria' - now that Assad has exited:
Saudi Arabia's investment minister led a business delegation travelling to Syria on Wednesday, where they were expected to sign deals worth around $4 billion as part of Riyadh's efforts to support the country's post-war recovery." ZH

Nearly 1,000 Killed In Clashes In Syria's South, With 80,000 Displaced

"The death toll from a past week of spiraling violence in Syria’s Sweida province, a

stronghold of the Druze minority - which also has a presence of Christians - has climbed to 940 since last weekend, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, despite a recent declared ceasefire.
Among the dead are 326 Druze fighters and 262 Druze civilians, including 182 reportedly executed on the spot by forces from Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham government fighters.
The Observatory also reported the deaths of 312 government security forces and 21 Sunni Bedouins—three of whom were civilians allegedly executed by Druze fighters. Additionally, some 15 Syrian government troops were killed in Israeli airstrikes amid the intermittent intervention by Israeli warplanes." ZH

Chaos in Syria after Israel drops bombs to protect brutally persecuted Druze minority

"Israel launching its most intense airstrikes on Damascus in years amid deadly clashes

between Druze factions and government forces in the south.
The renewed conflict, centred on the province of Suwayda in the south, threatens the country’s fragile post-war political transition and has already left hundreds dead, including civilians and soldiers.
The immediate trigger for the violence was the abduction of a Druze merchant in Suwayda on 13 July, which quickly spiralled into armed confrontations between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin tribes. The situation worsened when government troops attempted to restore order but ended up clashing with local Druze fighters – and in some cases, were accused of targeting civilians." Independent

White House Pressures Syria To Normalize Ties with Israel Amid 'Quiet Talks'

"President Trump believes Syria may soon join the Abraham Accords, based on comments given to reporters by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday. The reasoning seems to be that with Assad out, this provides an opportunity to control the outcome and force Damascus to make peace with Israel.

After all, Syria under the Assad family was the single fiercest, longtime enemy of Israel, with a de facto state of war on for half-a-century, centered on the occupied Golan Heights.
"One of President Trump’s main requests during his meeting with President Sharaa was for Syria to join the Abraham Accords," Leavitt said. "Achieving a lasting peace in the Middle East is a core objective for this administration."
Sharaa had reportedly told US Representative Cory Mills during a visit in April that Syria was open to joining the accords under the "right conditions."
US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack has also been bringing the pressure. He has recently referenced quiet discussions with Damascus underway, amid the reopening of the ambassador's residence in Damascus - a first since 2012.
Barrack encouraged the international community to give Syria's new leadership "an opportunity to prove its new direction." ZeroHedge