Middle East Experience

Authorities in Lebanon and Syria have stepped up their fight against the Captagon trade following the fall of the Assad regime, which heavily relied on the industry as one of its major sources of income.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Lebanon army, Syrian traffickers clash as anti-smuggling efforts ramp up

For the first time in more than a year, war-displaced Gazan Ammar Barbakh awoke on Monday feeling refreshed after a night spent in a tent, but free of Israeli attacks."This is the first time I sleep comfortably and I'm not afraid," Barbakh, 35, told AFP a day after a fragile truce in the Israel-Hamas war took hold."We didn't hear any shelling, and we weren't afraid," he said.Barbakh, from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, pitched a tent on the rubble of his former home.Despite the destruction, he was thrilled to have had a peaceful sleep.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: 'We slept in peace': War-weary Gazans savour truce's first night

Syrian phone shop owner Abdel Razzaq Hamra was thrilled to finally be working in peace after years of being harassed and detained by security personnel enforcing an Assad-linked company's monopoly.Before president Bashar al-Assad was ousted last month, his security forces would raid the central Damascus district where dozens of mobile stores operate in search of phones without the Emmatel company logo."If they would find one device without an Emmatel sticker, they would confiscate everything," said Hamra, 33.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Syria phone shops free from Assad-linked monopoly

While many celebrities celebrated the release of Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, Israel's critics were silent on the women's plight and newly returned freedom.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Gal Gadot, Gwyneth Paltrow and other celebs salute the hostage release

Netanyahu will hope that, as with the Iranian issue, Trump's personal anger will be set aside.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Will Trump see eye-to-eye with Netanyahu as he returns to the White House?

October 2025 – when the global sanctions snapback threat and limits from the 2015 nuclear deal on Tehran’s centrifuges expire – is just over the horizon.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Is this the last Iran nuke negotiation before judgment day?

"Israel has been very successful during this war," said Evans, the founder of the Friends of Zion and the Jerusalem Prayer Team.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Trump ally Mike Evans: Ceasefire deal an opportunity to stop Iran

Just as Israel will not allow Hezbollah to reestablish itself along its northern border, it will not allow Hamas to rebuild its murderous capabilities along its border in the south.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Two ceasefires, one challenge: Keeping terrorists off Israel’s borders

The operation follows Israeli concerns about the presence of Iran-backed groups in the Palestinian territory as well as a crackdown by the Palestinian Authority's security services.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Israeli raid in West Bank kills 8 in Jenin as tensions soar

Donald Trump's inauguration sparked a mix of optimism and cautious reactions across the Middle East, with US allies expressing hope for continued collaboration, while Iran, Palestine and regional proxies voiced concerns about his policies and their impact on regional stability.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: From Syria to Yemen: Middle East reacts to Donald Trump’s inauguration