Israeli Reports Claim Assad is Restricting Movement of Iranian Militias

Israeli soldiers stand atop tanks in the Golan Heights near Israel's border with Syria (File Photo: Reuters)
Israeli soldiers stand atop tanks in the Golan Heights near Israel's border with Syria (File Photo: Reuters)
TT
20

Israeli Reports Claim Assad is Restricting Movement of Iranian Militias

Israeli soldiers stand atop tanks in the Golan Heights near Israel's border with Syria (File Photo: Reuters)
Israeli soldiers stand atop tanks in the Golan Heights near Israel's border with Syria (File Photo: Reuters)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is redeploying military forces in Syria and restricting the movement of Iranian forces, Walla news reported, citing a top security official.

The Iranians no longer have access to anywhere they want in Syria, the official added, indicating that Assad aims to limit any issues between the forces and Syrians to establish stability.

Assad is aware that stabilizing the country is crucial for rebuilding and attracting foreign investments, he added.

Iran continues to smuggle weapons to Syria, however, it is in a more limited manner now due to fears of Israeli strikes and the targeting of Iranian officers.

He added that they "think twice before transferring people or weapons.”

Meanwhile, Walla reported that the Israeli army does not rule out the possibility of a security incident from the Syrian or Israeli side or on the border between the two countries.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, said when he was defense minister that Iran began withdrawing its forces from Syria without providing any evidence to support his assertion.

“Iran is significantly reducing the scope of its forces in Syria and even evacuating several bases,” said Bennett, adding that although Iran has begun the withdrawal process from Syria, “we need to complete the work. It’s in reach.”

Bennett also urged his successor, Benny Gantz, to maintain pressure on Iran, adding that the trend might otherwise reverse.

In May, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that Israeli tanks destroyed a Syrian army post near the border with Israel in the first operation since Bennett became prime minister.

It stated that the Israeli army suspected that Hezbollah operatives recently used the site.

The Israeli air force launched raids on several areas in and around Damascus and Homs, Hama, and Latakia governorates, killing members of the regime forces and groups loyal to them.



US Revokes Foreign Terrorist Designation for Syria's HTS

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a Ministerial formation of the government of the Syrian Arab Republic, in Damascus, Syria March 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a Ministerial formation of the government of the Syrian Arab Republic, in Damascus, Syria March 29, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
20

US Revokes Foreign Terrorist Designation for Syria's HTS

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a Ministerial formation of the government of the Syrian Arab Republic, in Damascus, Syria March 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a Ministerial formation of the government of the Syrian Arab Republic, in Damascus, Syria March 29, 2025. (Reuters)

President Donald Trump's administration on Monday revoked the foreign terrorist organization designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, as Washington moves to remove US sanctions on Syria to help the country rebuild following years of a civil war.

In December, opposition factions led by HTS ousted Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad in a lightning offensive. Then-HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa became Syria's president and said he wanted to build an inclusive and democratic Syria.

HTS was previously known as al-Nusra Front when it was al-Qaeda's Syria branch. It broke off ties with al-Qaeda in 2016.

In May, Sharaa met with Trump in Riyadh where, in a major policy shift, the Republican president unexpectedly announced he would lift US sanctions on Syria, prompting Washington to significantly ease its measures.

"This FTO revocation is an important step in fulfilling President Trump’s vision of a stable, unified, and peaceful Syria," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement, adding that the revocation will come into effect on Tuesday.

Last week, Trump signed an executive order terminating US sanctions program on Syria, a move that aims to end the country's isolation from the international financial system.

Syria's foreign ministry told Reuters that the lifting of sanctions on HTS was a "positive step toward correcting a course that previously hindered constructive engagement."

The written statement said Syria hoped the move would "contribute to the removal of remaining restrictions that continue to impact Syrian institutions and officials, and open the door to a rational, sovereign-based approach to international cooperation."

The ministry also said that Sharaa was planning to attend the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September. The UN Security Council still has sanctions on both HTS and Sharaa himself, which require a Council decision to remove.