(August 7, 2021)
Because they want to.
Archiv: West Asia War / Syria war and decay after invasion / 2025 / 2026
As US and Iran talk truce, Israel digs in for a ‚forever war‘
Even as the U.S. and Iran seek to cement a ceasefire, Israel is seizing more territory from its neighbours in preparation for a long, drawn-out conflict across the Middle East.
Israel‘s creation of „buffer zones“ in Gaza, Syria and now Lebanon reflects a strategic shift after the attacks of October 7, 2023, one that puts the country in a semi-permanent state of war, six Israeli military and defence officials told Reuters.
16. Tag im Angriffskrieg Israels und der USA gegen den Iran (Ticker 19:45 Uhr)
Weiter kein Lebenszeichen von Netanjahu, Tel Aviv leidet wie Teheran unter Raketeneinschlägen, USA bereiten Bodenoffensive vor, Bodenkämpfe deuten sich im Irak an, und die Hisbollah wehrt sich gegen eine Besatzung des Südlibanons, während die libanesische Armee sich noch weigert, einen Bürgerkrieg zur Unterstützung Israels zu beginnen und die Terrorgruppe HTS ebenfalls noch nicht versucht in den Libanon einzumarschieren.
Will the war with Iran boost Netanyahu’s prospects at the ballot box?
An Israeli victory in the war against Iran would likely give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a bump in the polls but may not guarantee him a win in the upcoming national elections, in the assessment of several veteran political analysts. But were the regime to fall, it would significantly boost his prospects.
Since the outbreak of the war over the weekend, the opposition has set aside its criticisms and rallied behind the government, which a majority of Israeli Jews have told pollsters they believe can handle the conflict effectively.
Will Turkey Invade Iran?
(March 3, 2026)
Independent Turkish press described two possible scenarios for Turkish military action: an early-stage push to establish border shelters for a refugee crisis, and later incursions into Iran to secure a buffer zone if the Iranian state fails. Turkey’s intervention in northern Iraq—combining extensive airstrikes with a network of ground outposts in a mountainous, insurgent-sheltering hinterland—holds clues as to what such a buffer zone might look like in Iran. Nevertheless, the magnitude of PJAK or Kurdish coalition activity in a collapsing Iran would be the final determinant.
Türkiye refutes claims of illegal crossings from Iranian border
Türkiye on Saturday refuted social media claims alleging illegal crossings from the Iranian border amid Israeli, U.S. attacks on Iran.
„The images are old footage of unknown time and place; it has been determined that they were deliberately circulated again following recent regional developments,“ Türkiye‘s Center for Combating Disinformation said on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
Türkiye may carry out cross-border action in Iran to prevent refugee influx: Report
(February 24, 2026)
Türkiye has updated its contingency plans for a possible US-led military campaign against Iran, with options that include entering Iranian territory to prevent a mass refugee influx, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The preparations come as NATO has redirected its aerial surveillance operations based in Türkiye away from Russia and toward Iran.
Turkey plans buffer zone inside Iran if Tehran gov’t collapses: report
(January 27, 2026)
Turkey is drawing up plans to keep people from crossing its border from Iran if the government in Tehran collapses after possible US military action, the Middle East Eye news website reported on Tuesday.
The report said senior officials from the Turkish Foreign Ministry briefed lawmakers in a closed-door meeting at parliament on Thursday about potential scenarios involving Iran. The outlet cited two participants in the briefing.
Warum halten sich die Staatsführungen von China und Russland an die U.S.-Sanktionen gegen Iran, Venezuela, Syrien und Kuba?
(August 7, 2021)
Weil sie es wollen.
Why are the state leaders of China and Russia complying with U.S. sanctions against Iran, Venezuela, Syria, and Cuba?
(August 7, 2021)
Because they want to.
Secretary of State Calls on European Leaders to Defend Western Civilization in Munich Security Conference Speech
“In a perfect world, all of these problems and more would be solved by diplomats and strongly worded resolutions. But we do not live in a perfect world, and we cannot continue to allow those who blatantly and openly threaten our citizens and endanger our global stability to shield themselves behind abstractions of international law which they themselves routinely violate. This is the path that President Trump and the United States has embarked upon. It is the path we ask you here in Europe to join us on.”
“The United Nations still has tremendous potential to be a tool for good in the world. But we cannot ignore that today, on the most pressing matters before us, it has no answers and has played virtually no role. It could not solve the war in Gaza. Instead, it was American leadership that freed captives from barbarians and brought about a fragile truce. It had not solved the war in Ukraine. It took American leadership and partnership with many of the countries here today just to bring the two sides to the table in search of a still-elusive peace. It was powerless to constrain the nuclear program of radical Shia clerics in Tehran. That required 14 bombs dropped with precision from American B-2 bombers. And it was unable to address the threat to our security from a narcoterrorist dictator in Venezuela. Instead, it took American Special Forces to bring this fugitive to justice.”
Marco Rubio‘s shocking MSC remark: „The UN has no answers — bombers deliver results“
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a stark message at the Munich Security Conference, dismissing the United Nations as having „no answers“ for today‘s most urgent crises. Citing Gaza, Ukraine and Iran, Rubio argued that real outcomes come not through international institutions, but through American leadership — and even precision strikes by B-2 bombers.
Rubio says UN has ‘no role’ in solving wars, like Gaza; seeks to reassure Europe on Trump
He acknowledged that “we have bled and died side-by-side on battlefields from Kapyong to Kandahar,” a contrast with disparaging remarks by Trump about NATO allies’ troops in Afghanistan that drew an outcry. “And I’m here today to make it clear that America is charting the path for a new century of prosperity. and that once again, we want to do it together with you, our cherished allies and our oldest friends.”
Syria‘s Sharaa turns to Russia amid SDF clashes, Israeli incursions
(January 29, 2026)
Sharaa told Putin that Russia „plays an important role in stabilising“ both Syria and the region as a whole.
Earlier this week, the Reuters news agency reported that Russia was withdrawing forces from Qamishli airport in northeast Syria, although it was expected to maintain its larger Hmeimim air base and Tartous naval facility on Syria‘s Mediterranean coast.
An unnamed Syrian source told Reuters that the withdrawal is likely a gesture of goodwill, and a way of signalling that Moscow does not wish to be dragged into the fighting between Syrian forces and the SDF.
However, it‘s no secret that Putin wishes to preserve Russian influence over Syria and its neighbours.
CIA-Mossad footprint turned Iran’s peaceful protests into ‘full-scale street war’: Analyst
In a statement issued after the foreign-engineered unrest, Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs said 3,117 people were killed during the riots, including 2,427 civilians and security personnel.
Many were bystanders or protesters shot by organized terrorist elements. Yet, even amid those casualties, Ghaderi pointed to a detail he considers critical to understanding the government’s approach during the riots.
“Until the end of Thursday, January 8,” he remarked, “despite the killing of a significant number of police officers, members of the popular Basij forces, and ordinary civilians by terrorists, no one was killed by police firearms.” Only later, when violence intensified further, did the posture change.
“Of course, on Friday, given the high level of violence carried out by the terrorists, the police, following orders from senior authorities, engaged in armed confrontation with them,” Ghaderi said.
Tötungen in Iran: EU stuft Revolutionsgarde als Terrororganisation ein
Weiter nannte Wadephul die destabilisierende Rolle des Iran in der Region, die von der Revolutionsgarde verantwortet werde. Zudem stecke sie hinter Anschlagsversuchen in Deutschland und Europa. Sie habe Blut an ihren Händen, so der Bundesaußenminister.
Turkey plans buffer zone inside Iran if Tehran gov’t collapses: report
Turkey is drawing up plans to keep people from crossing its border from Iran if the government in Tehran collapses after possible US military action, the Middle East Eye news website reported on Tuesday.
The report said senior officials from the Turkish Foreign Ministry briefed lawmakers in a closed-door meeting at parliament on Thursday about potential scenarios involving Iran. The outlet cited two participants in the briefing.
Syrian government announces ceasefire with SDF: State media
The Syrian government and SDF have agreed to an immediate ceasefire on all fronts, with SDF forces to withdraw to east of Euphrates, state media outlet SANA is reporting.
Syrian army gains ground as Kurdish forces withdraw from key oil field
Government troops drove Kurdish forces from two Aleppo neighbourhoods following clashes last week, and on Saturday announced they had captured an area east of the city, as well as Tabqa, in Raqqa province, on the southwestern bank of the Euphrates.
At dawn on Sunday, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew „from all areas under its control in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside, including the al-Omar and Tanak oil fields“, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
Al-Omar is the country‘s largest oil field, and was home to the biggest US base in Syria.
Britain says it and France bombed suspected Islamic State arms dump in Syria
Western aircraft have been conducting patrols to stop a resurgence of the Islamist militant group that ruled parts of Syria until 2019.
Israel, Russia, and the United States Are Testing the Boundaries of Global Order
(September 12, 2025)
As I’ve discussed at length recently, we have already witnessed the death of the global trading system as we have known it. But this slide away from the rules-based system isn’t limited to trade. It is evident in the use of military force as well.
Three examples of unilateral military action over the past couple weeks are particularly instructive:
(…)
That is the real Hobbesian peril. Each of these actions can be seen as an isolated instance, but if one or two or three countries take kinetic action unilaterally, it risks creating a permission structure where others feel there are no guardrails to constrain them.
Israeli forces advance into Syrian village in northern Quneitra
The incursion coincided with the presence of a drone flying over the area, before the force later moved towards the village of Ufania in the province’s northern countryside.
A day earlier, Israeli occupation forces shelled the eastern Tel al-Ahmar area in southern Quneitra, firing three rounds and opening machine gun and medium weapons fire, according to the report
Israel’s defense minister vows continued offensives in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, Yemen
Addressing its conflict with Tehran, Katz claimed that Israel had inflicted “significant damage on Iran’s nuclear and strategic capabilities.”
“I am following reports regarding Iran, which we struck strongly in cooperation with our American partners, and the security establishment is closely monitoring developments. Naturally, I cannot provide further details,” he added.
The Israeli army has launched a brutal offensive in Gaza, killing more than 71,000 people, mostly women and children, and injuring over 171,000 others since October 2023.
US launches widespread airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria after deadly Palmyra attack
The Syrian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement extending “its condolences to the families of the Syrian and American security personnel who were killed in the terrorist attacks that took place in Palmyra and northern Syria.” The statement reiterated Syria’s “firm commitment to fighting the Islamic State.” A US official told CNN that since the December 13 attack, US forces and partner forces have carried out 10 operations that resulted in the killing or arrest of approximately 23 individuals. On December 14, Syria’s Ministry of Interior said that its units carried out an operation in Palmyra to arrest five suspects accused of involvement in the killing of US service members in “coordination with the General Intelligence Directorate and the International Coalition forces.”
US launches retaliatory strikes in Syria on dozens of ISIS targets
Hegseth said „Operation Hawkeye Strike“ was carried out in Syria „to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on Dec. 13 in Palmyra, Syria.
U.S. Central Command also confirmed in a statement that Jordanian fighter aircraft also participated in Friday’s strikes.
„This is not the beginning of a war — It is a declaration of vengeance,“ said Hegseth.
US War Department Says ‘No Force Posture Changes’ in Syria After Three Americans Killed
(December 15, 2025)
“Currently, we have no force posture changes to announce,” a War Department official told Antiwar.com when asked if the Trump administration was planning to withdraw from Syria.
The US withdrew a few hundred soldiers from Syria earlier this year, but the comment signals a full withdrawal isn’t on the table. There are currently around 1,000 US troops in the country, a Pentagon official told The New York Times.
We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter.
Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well. This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them. The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
DONALD J. TRUMP
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA