Abu Mohammad al Jolani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), has announced plans to dissolve existing factions and form a unified national army under centralized control in post-Assad Syria. The question is: who will constitute the core of this new national army?
The Southern Operations Room, a coalition of armed groups active in southern Syria, was the first to enter Damascus, forcing Bashar al-Assad to flee. Although not formally affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the coalition’s shifting allegiances over previous years have heightened uncertainty regarding the situation in post-Assad Syria.
Israel announced that it killed Hashem Safieddine, the likely successor to Hezbollah’s longtime Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Safieddine was a veteran Hezbollah leader, and the group has suffered significant losses to its leadership cadre.
Jordanian authorities announced an investigation that may have successfully thwarted an Iranian-backed attempt to destabilize the Kingdom. The efforts of Iran, its proxies, and allied organizations in Jordan have notably increased since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.
Jordanian authorities thwarted a major drug smuggling operation linked to Hezbollah and Iran-backed militias, seizing 9.5 million Captagon pills and 143 kilograms of hashish, highlighting regional security challenges and straining Jordan’s resources.
Over the past month, there has been an increase in attacks from Iraq against Israel by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, consisting of multiple Iran-backed militias, amid claims of targeting significant Israeli locations and an escalation marked by advanced weaponry use, despite many claims lacking independent confirmation.
Escalating attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi on ships highlights the challenges in deterring their aggression and the need to safeguard maritime security in the Red Sea.
Violent explosions hit the Kalsu base in Iraq, amid speculation of Israeli involvement; no party has claimed responsibility. Recent attacks on US soldiers in Syria and Iraq, after a hiatus, may signal a resurgence of violence against US presence, as Iraqi factions debate approaches towards US withdrawal.