Jonathan Spyer

BEHIND THE LINES: The Turkish foreign minister said, “We see that the SDF has no real intention of making significant progress in the negotiations on integration with the Damascus administration.”

BEHIND THE LINES: Despite setbacks, Iraq’s Iranian-backed militias continue to thrive politically, posing a lasting threat to Israel’s security.

BEHIND THE LINES: IDF warns Hamas is rebuilding control despite the ceasefire, raising doubts over Gaza’s future and the 20-point plan.

BEHIND THE LINES: Although the IDF has greatly weakened Hezbollah, the Iranian terror proxy is replenishing and recruiting to combat disarmament efforts.

BEHIND THE LINES: US special envoy calls for lifting Syria sanctions, but concerns grow over ongoing sectarian violence and the treatment of minority communities under al Sharaa.

BEHIND THE LINES: In the past, far-left political violence in the UK was almost unknown, confined to a tiny lunatic fringe. But the hard core of Palestine Action is backed by a larger hinterland.

BEHIND THE LINES: It remains deeply questionable whether the emergent regime in Damascus will prove able to maintain the quiet and order that the West is seeking.

BEHIND THE LINES: The violence in Sweida may have subsided in recent weeks, but nothing has been resolved. It is almost certainly a matter of time until the next round. 

The struggle for primacy in this remote, long-fought-over corner of the Middle East is far from completed.

BEHIND THE LINES: Lebanon's government faces mounting challenges in its faux attempt to dismantle Hezbollah's weapons, with no signs of real progress on the horizon.