All Middle East
With Iran on the decline, a new axis rises in Mideast. Syria is still key.For years Turkey and Qatar backed what had been written off as the losing side in Syria鈥檚 civil war. With the Assad regime鈥檚 fall, they are geopolitical winners. The Mideast axis of power is shifting, but it still runs through Syria.
As a post-Assad Syria reopens, Syrians ask: Can we go home?As the barriers to movement into and inside Syria have come down, Syrians are racing to reunite with loved ones and visit their former homes, or what is left of them. It is an emotional time, and the destruction they are finding is often vast.
Waves of joy flood Damascus. But an undercurrent of distrust lingers.The magnitude of the emotions sweeping Damascus cannot be overstated, as our correspondents are witnessing. Unbridled joy is replacing years of terror and unspeakable loss. But the task of restoring order, and faith in a peaceful future, is enormous.
First LookIran is having rolling blackouts. Some electric companies blame bitcoin mining.Bitcoin mining could be behind rolling blackouts in Iran鈥檚 capital and nearby areas. Iranian media reports daily police raids of these illegal operations, which are often set up in apartments and use virtual private networks to evade authorities.
Assad鈥檚 fall has rewards for Israel. It鈥檚 focused on the risks.Invoking its security, Israel moved quickly to seize border positions and smash Syrian military equipment after the fall of the Assad regime. But can it translate its strategic advantage into diplomatic achievements?
With Assad鈥檚 ouster, Russia鈥檚 Mideast influence collapses. What will Moscow do now?Russia kept Syria鈥檚 Bashar al-Assad in power over the last decade. Now he鈥檚 gone. But setbacks in the Mideast are familiar to the Kremlin.
Cover Story鈥榃e are looking for a good future鈥�: Lebanese life amid the rubbleAmid Israeli airstrikes, tens of thousands of Lebanon鈥檚 Shiites fled their homes. After ceasefire, residents express support and anger for Hezbollah.
Time to go home? Hezbollah ceasefire offers northern Israelis hope.Northern Israel offered residents a relaxed refuge away from the country鈥檚 crowded center. Now a ceasefire with Hezbollah, bolstered by the fall of Syria鈥檚 government, offers northerners displaced by war hope that they can return home.
For Syrians, Assad is in the past: 鈥楾he thing we all have now is hope鈥�After decades of repression, the pace of political change in Syria over the weekend was stunning. But resetting the country鈥檚 institutions and reassuring the public will be painstakingly slow.
What next for leaderless Syria, once the Mideast鈥檚 hub?The civil war in Syria flared into sudden action last week, toppling Bashar al-Assad鈥檚 dictatorship in a matter of days. What comes next?
First LookNetanyahu鈥檚 corruption trial started four years ago. Why is he taking the stand now?Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial for accusations of fraud, breach of trust, and accepting bribes. In a trial that first began in 2020, he will become the country鈥檚 first prime minister to take the witness stand as a defendant on Dec. 10.
First LookOusted Syrian President reportedly in Moscow after rebel takeoverSyrian President Bashar Assad has reportedly arrived in Moscow with his family, granted asylum by Russia after rebel advances. Russian state media says Assad fled Syria following negotiations with rebels, sparking celebrations nationwide.
First LookInsurgents advance in Syria: Army Withdraws, Assad Denies FleeingSyrian insurgents advance near Damascus as the army retreats, seizing key areas. sparking rumors of Assad's flight.聽Rumors of President Bashar Assad聽fleeing the country circulate amid largest opposition gains in years.
As Syrian rebels advance, what can Iran and its tired allies do for Assad?What can Iran do to help Syrian President Bashar al-Assad defeat newly energized rebel forces? Its anti-Israel 鈥淎xis of Resistance鈥� has been overworked and diminished. Yet even as Iran searches for solutions, there are some suggestions it is not panicking.
Syrian civil war: What rebels鈥� lightning gains say about Assad regimeSyria鈥檚 devastating civil war, responsible for more than 300,000 deaths, was never officially resolved. Lightning gains by rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad were opportunistic, but also indicated years of patient preparations.
Trump鈥檚 Mideast team: A familiar look for a transformed regionDonald Trump has put together a Mideast team charged with building on his first term鈥檚 successes. But in a region shaken by the war in Gaza, can the deal-making president achieve a historic peace agreement with a pro-Israel team?
Israel enjoys upper hand as ceasefire signals Hezbollah鈥檚 limitsHezbollah has emerged from its war with Israel leaderless and weak, no longer the force that Iran has depended on. Will Israel seek to take advantage of Tehran鈥檚 vulnerability?
First LookAfter months of war, officials say Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with LebanonIsrael has dealt massive blows against Hezbollah since going on the offensive in September. Now, a ceasefire appears to be on the table, as fighting still rages in Lebanon and Gaza.
Israeli settlers see Trump鈥檚 win as aiding goal of annexing West BankThe pro-settlement movement in Israel is exulting at what it perceives as a possible green light from the incoming Trump Middle East team to pursue annexation of the West Bank.
First LookIsrael-Hezbollah conflict widens after Israeli strike kills Lebanese soldierIsrael's attacks are aimed at Hezbollah militants, but a fatal weekend strike hit Lebanon's army center, igniting a heavy barrage in the ongoing war.
