ISIS

Amid fighting there are concerns ISIS detainees held in Syria could escape, while a deal foresees them being handed over to Damascus

The attack shocked the nation and led to calls for tougher action on antisemitism and gun control, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledging tougher action on both.

Syrian state media reported that Damascus and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces reached an immediate ceasefire after days of clashes in Kurdish-held areas of the northeast.

For some commentators, the current conflict in Syria boils down to the new Syrian government attacking Kurdish forces. While this is correct in some ways, it is also very simplistic.

Overnight on January 17 and 18, there were major changes on the ground as Arab tribal fighters claimed to seize control of a number of villages and two oil fields on the East side of the Euphrates.

While Aleppo’s Kurds endure siege, shelling, and mass displacement, Israel’s Gideon Sa’ar emerges as one of the few leaders openly condemning the atrocities.

Clashes grew in the first days of January 2026, and now Syrian security forces have taken over most of the Kurdish neighborhoods, causing many Kurds to flee and also leading to abuses against Kurds.

The US strikes were conducted on Christmas night, December 25, 2025. US President Donald Trump declared the attack a "Christmas present" for ISIS, claiming that they were persecuting Christians.

In an interview with the Post and remarks to Fort Worth Jews, Ambassador Yeichel Leiter discusses Syria, the Trump administration, and how Jews can combat rising antisemitism.

The terrorists don't need to show up again. The inhibition is already installed, running quietly in the background like software that updates itself.

“What we are seeing in Iran is not simply an economic crisis. These are primarily symptoms of a deep political crisis,” said Yazdanpana. “The state, the political system, is in crisis."