BEIRUT  – A bomb attack claimed by Islamic State killed U.S. troops in northern Syria on Wednesday, weeks after President Donald Trump said the group had been defeated there and that he would pull out all American forces. A U.S. official who declined to be named said four U.S. troops had been killed and three […]

The US will work with allies to “expel every last Iranian boot” from Syria, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says. Mr Pompeo warned there would be no US reconstruction aid for areas controlled by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad until Iran and its proxies had left. He also criticised ex-President Barack Obama’s Middle East policy, saying […]

A top Republican has said US President Donald Trump remains committed to defeating Islamic State (IS) in Syria, despite his plan to withdraw US troops. Senator Lindsey Graham suggested the withdrawal had been slowed and he was now reassured of the president’s commitment after meeting him on Sunday. Mr Trump’s troop pullout plan met strong […]

The Trump administration says US troops are being withdrawn from Syria, after the president said the Islamic State (IS) group had been “defeated”. The Pentagon said it was transitioning to the “next phase of the campaign” but did not give details. Some 2,000 troops have helped rid much of north-eastern Syria of IS, but pockets […]

“There are multiple theaters where escalations could result, and something bigger than anybody really wants to see,” one expert warned. TEHRAN, Iran — When Iran launched ballistic missiles into Syria Monday, its message was aimed more at the Islamic Republic’s powerful foes: the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it had […]

Russia is to send new anti-aircraft missiles to Syria, a week after Syrian forces accidentally shot down a Russian aircraft during an Israeli air strike. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the S-300 surface-to-air missile defence system would be delivered within two weeks. Fifteen Russian military personnel were killed when the reconnaissance aeroplane was […]

“We regard the provocative actions of Israel as hostile,” Moscow’s Defense Ministry said. LONDON — Moscow accused Israel of “hostile” behavior and threatened retaliation Tuesday after Syria shot down a Russian military aircraft with 15 people on board over the Mediterranean Sea. Russia is an ally of both Syria and Israel. The TASS news agency reported that […]

At least 39 people – including 12 children – have been killed in a blast that brought down a building in Syria’s mainly rebel-held north-western province of Idlib, reports say. The building in the Sarmada town is said to have contained munitions belonging to an arms trafficker. Dozens of people are still missing, a monitor […]

AMMAN  – Russian and Syrian jets stepped up their bombing of an Islamic State bastion along the Jordan-Israel border in southwestern Syria, as the militants pushed into areas abandoned by other rebel groups, diplomatic and opposition sources said. Islamic State-affiliated forces entrenched in the Yarmouk Basin, which borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Jordan, also […]

Israel says it has carried out an evacuation of members of Syria’s White Helmets civil defence group from a war zone in south-western Syria. Some 422 volunteers and family members were taken to Jordan via the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights overnight. The UK, one of the nations requesting Israel’s help, hailed the operation and will assist […]