US State Department Reveals Assad Family’s Net Worth

US Department of State (Asharq Al-Awsat)
US Department of State (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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US State Department Reveals Assad Family’s Net Worth

US Department of State (Asharq Al-Awsat)
US Department of State (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The US Department of State issued a highly anticipated report to Congress on the estimated net worth and known sources of income of Syrian President Bashar Assad and his family, estimated at between $1-2 billion.

The report examines the finances of Bashar Assad and his wife Asma, Bashar’s brother Maher and sister Bushra, Bashar’s cousins Rami and Ihab Makhlouf, and Bashar’s uncle Rifaat Assad.

The State Department did not have sufficient information on the net worth of Bashar Assad’s three children, Hafez, Zayn, and Karim, which could generate criticism in Congress.

The report is binding to the administration after Congress passed a law asking it to be submitted periodically.

“Estimates based on open-source information generally put the Assad family net worth at between $1-2 billion, but this is an inexact estimate which the Department is unable to independently corroborate,” read the report.

The Department claimed that it was difficult to accurately estimate the net worth of Assad and his extended family members because family assets are believed to “be spread out and concealed in numerous accounts, real estate portfolios, corporations, and offshore tax havens.”

The report argues that “any assets located outside of Syria and not seized or blocked are likely held under false names or by other individuals, to obscure ownership and evade sanctions.”

Meanwhile, the Syrian President appointed Major General Ali Abbas as the new Defense Minister, succeeding General Ali Ayoub, in the fifth change to this position since 2011.

Ayoub, former army chief of staff, was appointed by Assad in 2018.

It is not unusual to change senior officials in high ministerial positions in Syria.



Israel Expands Syria Intervention Under ‘Druze Protection’ Pretext

Syrian Druze fighters participate in the funeral of those killed in clashes with Syrian government forces in Sweida on Saturday (AFP)
Syrian Druze fighters participate in the funeral of those killed in clashes with Syrian government forces in Sweida on Saturday (AFP)
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Israel Expands Syria Intervention Under ‘Druze Protection’ Pretext

Syrian Druze fighters participate in the funeral of those killed in clashes with Syrian government forces in Sweida on Saturday (AFP)
Syrian Druze fighters participate in the funeral of those killed in clashes with Syrian government forces in Sweida on Saturday (AFP)

Israel expanded its involvement in Syria, launching one of its most intense airstrikes in years on Friday night and into Saturday morning.
The broad operation included what Israeli media described as “covert operations,” which ranged from air drops of humanitarian aid to evacuating wounded individuals to Israel, along with other undisclosed activities.
The Israeli military carried out an extensive offensive across Syria between Friday and Saturday, targeting military sites, air defense systems, and ground-to-air missile infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the army distributed aid to the Druze community in the southwestern city of Sweida and evacuated five wounded individuals to Israel.
Reports in Israel indicated that a helicopter landed in Sweida, dropped off the aid, evacuated the wounded, and then took off shortly after.
These reports are often used by Israeli media when military censorship prevents the release of details from within the country.
The Israeli military announced that its fighter jets launched a series of airstrikes in Syria, less than 24 hours after targeting a site near the presidential palace in Damascus.
The strikes came amid Israeli warnings to Syria’s new rulers not to harm the country's Druze minority, following sectarian clashes. The military said the raids targeted a military facility, anti-aircraft artillery, and ground-to-air missile infrastructure.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that Israel is preparing a list of additional military and government targets for future strikes inside Syria.
The announcement from the Israeli military came about two hours after Syria's state news agency, SANA, reported that Israeli airstrikes had targeted areas near Damascus, as well as locations in Latakia, Hama, and Daraa in the south.
In addition to the airstrikes, the Israeli military confirmed that five Syrian Druze were evacuated to Ziv Hospital in Safed. The army also stated that “Israeli forces are deployed in the southern Syrian region, prepared to prevent hostile forces from entering the area and Druze villages.”
This development marked a significant escalation in Israel's involvement in Syria.
A military analyst writing for Maariv noted that the Israeli military has expanded its intervention in the conflict between Syrian government forces and the Druze, confirming that helicopters transported aid to the Druze forces and evacuated the wounded to Israel.
They mentioned that the Israeli side has refrained from providing further details about the operation.
According to the analyst, there are several reasons for Israel’s intervention in Syria, one of which is the belief that the Syrian Druze could help stabilize the northern Golan Heights.
According to Israeli strategy, the area between the border and 80 kilometers deep inside Syrian territory should remain demilitarized, which is why Israel has a vested interest in supporting the Druze living in this buffer zone.