The Levant Files

United States President Donald Trump addressed the precarious security situation in the Kurdistan Region on Tuesday, stating that his administration would review a formal request to provide anti-missile defense systems to the semi-autonomous region. The President’s comments were made in direct response to inquiries regarding recent militia attacks targeting the Khor Mor gas field , a critical energy hub that hosts significant international investment, including assets belonging to American companies. During a cabinet meeting held on December 2, 2025, Diyar Kurda , the Washington bureau chief for the media network Rudaw , directly questioned the President regarding the United States' commitment to Kurdish security. According to a report by Rudaw, this interaction marked a historic milestone, as Kurda became the first journalist from the Kurdistan Region and the broader Middle East to participate in such a high-level cabinet gathering. This unique access provided a platform to ele...

Israel's defense establishment has elevated its alert status to the highest level in anticipation of a coordinated multi-front confrontation that could simultaneously involve Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iranian forces, and Houthi militias in Yemen, according to senior security officials speaking on condition of anonymity. The unprecedented coordination among these Iranian-backed groups has prompted Israeli military planners to prepare for scenarios ranging from precision missile barrages to maritime disruptions in vital shipping lanes. According to a detailed report from Yemen Online, Israel's northern border with Lebanon has seen a significant reinforcement of armored divisions and air defense batteries over the past 72 hours. The publication cited military sources confirming that the Israeli army has deployed additional Iron Dome and David's Sling interceptor systems along the frontier, while surveillance flights over southern Lebanon have increased by 40 percent. These measure...

The specter of a renewed regional conflict looms over the Middle East as senior Israeli defense officials explicitly warn about the possibility of war with Iran, following a high-level diplomatic discussion between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the escalating Iranian “threat”. According to reporting by Iran International , Trump and Netanyahu held a phone conversation on Monday addressing regional issues including Iran, as initially revealed by CNN . While Netanyahu's office subsequently confirmed the call and announced that Trump had invited the Israeli leader to a White House meeting in the near future, their official statement conspicuously omitted any mention of Iran-specific discussions. This discrepancy between American media reporting and the Israeli government's official readout highlights the sensitive nature of the current geopolitical moment, coming precisely as Israeli military leadership issues unusually direct war...

The relationship between Turkey and the European Union stands at a critical crossroads, resembling what many observers describe as an "unfinished bridge" — one end anchored in Ankara, the other in Brussels, yet never fully connected. With Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) recently unveiling an ambitious party program emphasizing EU membership, hopes for revitalizing the long-dormant accession process have resurfaced. Writing for T24, veteran journalist Zeynel Lüle, who spent over 30 years reporting from Strasbourg and Brussels, characterized the current impasse as a mutual hesitation that has left both parties "standing motionless in the middle of the bridge." According to Lüle, Europe tends to remember Turkey only during moments of crisis, while Turkey continues to view Europe as a distant horizon. This dynamic, he argues, has benefited neither side, instead empowering anti-democratic forces in Turkey and far-right movements across Eu...

As pressure mounts on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro following a reported ultimatum from Donald Trump, attention is turning to potential escape routes for the embattled leader. Among the countries that could offer refuge, Turkey stands out as a particularly likely destination—a relationship underscored by Ankara's role in brokering the recent Trump-Maduro phone call alongside Brazil and Qatar. The Turkey-Venezuela relationship has deepened significantly over the past decade, built on mutual opposition to Western pressure and shared economic interests: Gold for Survival: When US sanctions crippled Venezuela's economy, Turkey emerged as a crucial lifeline. Between 2018 and 2019, Venezuela exported billions of dollars worth of gold to Turkey, helping Caracas circumvent financial restrictions. Turkish banks and intermediaries facilitated transactions that kept hard currency flowing to the Maduro regime. Personal Bonds: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Maduro have cultivated ...

Georgia's thriving surrogacy industry is facing mounting criticism following a series of scandals that have exposed the vulnerability of surrogate mothers operating within a largely unregulated market. Once celebrated as an accessible destination for international couples seeking fertility treatments, the country now confronts difficult questions about exploitation and oversight in a sector that has grown rapidly over the past decade. According to a report by OC Media, recent controversies have sparked serious concern in Georgia's surrogacy sector, which lacks a proper regulatory framework and leaves surrogates at significant risk. The investigation highlighted how, despite commercial surrogacy being legal since 1997, minimal safeguards exist to protect the women who carry pregnancies for intended parents, many of whom travel from abroad. The troubles came to a head in February 2025 when a baby died at Kinderly, one of Georgia's prominent reproductive medicine agencies. The...

  A disturbing humanitarian scandal has erupted in Turkey following revelations that Ukrainian orphans, evacuated to the Mediterranean province of Antalya to escape the ravages of the Russian invasion, were subjected to systemic sexual abuse, violence, and neglect. What began as a high-profile gesture of international solidarity and protection for vulnerable minors has been marred by an official inspection report exposing that the children faced grave harm within the very facilities meant to keep them safe. According to report published by the Turkish news outlet T24, the full extent of the negligence has been brought to light. The outlet details how an internal investigation by the Ministry of Family and Social Services uncovered that among the evacuated minors, two teenage girls became pregnant while under protection in Antalya. The report indicates that one of the minors underwent an abortion, yet despite these grave findings, no legal punitive action was taken against the perpe...