The Levant Files

Iraq has been placed on high alert amid startling reports that thousands of terrorist fighters amassed in Syria are planning to 'storm' the border, creating a potential security crisis just as the American military footprint in the country nears its end. The imminent threat has triggered alarms across Baghdad, raising fears of a dangerous new wave of extremist violence and drawing chilling echoes of the territorial gains made by ISIS a decade ago. In response, the nation's security apparatus is racing against time, rushing to fortify the vast, desolate borderlands against a potential large-scale incursion. Despite the high-stakes threat, Iraqi officials are publicly attempting to project an image of strength and control. According to the news platform AlJeebal , Yasser Watout, a member of the Iraqi Parliament's Security and Defense Committee, confirmed awareness of "media reports talking about the intention of some terrorist groups present inside Syrian territory t...

Israeli forces have raised an Israeli flag in the symbolic central roundabout of Quneitra, a key city in southern Syria. Video footage circulating online shows Israeli soldiers hoisting the flag at what is known as the "Flag Roundabout," reportedly accompanied by chants, deepening tensions as Syria's transitional government attempts to negotiate a security agreement with Tel Aviv. According to a report by Enab Baladi, a local Syrian official confirmed the event. Mohammed al-Saeed, the director of media at the Quneitra Governorate, verified that the video was recent and that the Israeli flag was indeed raised at the roundabout. He explained that the Israeli army seized control of the location, which lies near the border with the occupied Golan Heights, immediately after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government on December 8, 2024, and has since closed it off. The act is laden with historical symbolism. The location, formerly known as "Assad Square," is the v...

In a recent insightful discussion as part of Nournews' "Gozargah" series, Brigadi er General Dr. Hossein Alaee, a prominent expert in defense, strategic, military, and political affairs, delved into the evolving regional landscape and Iran's position within it. His analysis, particularly concerning the potential for a renewed conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran, underscores a persistent undercurrent of vigilance in Tehran. Alaee's remarks, coming after the "12-day war" and ongoing nuclear negotiations, highlight several critical factors that prevent Iran from dismissing the possibility of future military confrontation. Unchanged Adversarial Posture Alaee asserts that figures like Trump and Netanyahu have not removed the option of war with Iran from their agendas. This perception is rooted in historical actions and rhetoric, suggesting a consistent, aggressive stance from these leaders. Lessons from the "12-Day War" The recent ...

Millions of Turkish households are trapped in a punishing economic cycle, where the minimum wage provides only a brief, two- to three-month window of relief before falling below the critical poverty line for the remainder of the year. A recurring pattern of wage increases being swiftly eroded by rampant inflation has created a predictable crisis, leaving a significant portion of the population unable to afford even a basic, healthy diet for nine to ten months annually. This stark reality was detailed in an analysis by journalist İbrahim Ekinci for the news outlet Kısa Dalga. Ekinci highlights a metaphor from Professor Dr. Hakan Kara to describe the situation: citizens are not merely being "crushed" by inflation, but rather "sawn apart as if by a sawtooth." This analogy captures the sharp, repetitive nature of the hardship, where wages are periodically raised just enough to meet subsistence levels, only to be sliced down again by rising costs in a relentless up-and-...

In a landmark move fundamentally altering the security architecture of the Middle East, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order providing Qatar with an unprecedented security guarantee, treating any attack on the Gulf nation as a direct threat to the United States. The decision, detailed in ten key points, follows a diplomatic crisis sparked by a recent Israeli airstrike on Doha. Here are the 10 key points of the historic US-Qatar security agreement: 1. The Landmark Executive Order On September 29, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a formal security guarantee for the State of Qatar. The order declares that the United States will officially regard any armed attack against Qatar's territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure as a direct threat to its own national security. 2. A 'NATO-Style' Commitment The agreement's language deliberately mirrors NATO's Article 5 collective defense clause, marking the most significa...

Η κουρδική πλευρά έχει προχωρήσει σε αφοπλισμό, αλλά η Άγκυρα καθυστερεί το νομοθετικό πλαίσιο. Ένας χρόνος συμπληρώνεται από τη χειρονομία-ορόσημο που αναζωπύρωσε τις ελπίδες για μια ειρηνική επίλυση του μακροχρόνιου Κουρδικού ζητήματος στην Τουρκία, όμως η απογοήτευση στο κουρδικό κίνημα μεγαλώνει. Αιτία είναι η αποτυχία της κυβέρνησης να θεσπίσει τους νόμους εκδημοκρατισμού που είχε υποσχεθεί. Ενώ το κουρδικό κίνημα έχει κάνει σημαντικά βήματα, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του καλέσματος για αφοπλισμό και τη διάλυση του Εργατικού Κόμματος του Κουρδιστάν (PKK), η τουρκική κυβέρνηση δεν έχει ακόμη ανταποκριθεί με το νομοθετικό πλαίσιο που θεωρείται απαραίτητο για μια διαρκή διευθέτηση. Η τρέχουσα διαδικασία ξεκίνησε την 1η Οκτωβρίου 2024, με μια απρόσμενη χειραψία στο κοινοβούλιο μεταξύ του Ντεβλέτ Μπαχτσελί, ηγέτη του ακροδεξιού Κόμματος Εθνικιστικής Δράσης (MHP), και βουλευτών του φιλοκουρδικού Κόμματος DEM. Σύμφωνα με το κουρδικό πρακτορείο ειδήσεων ANF, παρόλο που η νέα αυτή διαδικασία «έχ...