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Hamas Revives Ties with Syria

General view of Gaza city May 29, 2022. (Reuters)
General view of Gaza city May 29, 2022. (Reuters)
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Hamas Revives Ties with Syria

General view of Gaza city May 29, 2022. (Reuters)
General view of Gaza city May 29, 2022. (Reuters)

The Palestinian Hamas movement that rules Gaza is reviving relations with the Iran-backed regime in Damascus after a decade-long rupture sparked by the outbreak of Syria's bloody war.

Analysts say the shift pushes Hamas deeper into the fold of the Iran-led "axis of resistance" against Israel that includes Syria as well as Lebanon's Hezbollah movement and Yemen's Houthi militias.

Hamas' move comes amid fundamental changes in Middle East relationships that saw the movement's long-time ally Türkiye restore full diplomatic ties in August with Israel, the Gaza group's arch-enemy.

A delegation led by Hamas officials is expected in the Syrian capital next week, following a series of preparatory meetings.

Hamas sees itself as leading the armed resistance against Israel and its blockade of Gaza, but it is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the United States and the European Union.

The group last month hailed its newly warming ties with the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad as "a service to the (Palestinian) nation" whose people also live under Israeli occupation in the West Bank.

Hamas cited the "rapid regional and international developments surrounding our cause and our nation" -- without directly referring to Israel's restored ties with Türkiye and relations with several Arab nations.

The shift comes as Syria's ally Iran, now hit by a wave of protests, is sharply at odds with Western and some regional powers, especially over its nuclear program, which Israel sees as an existential threat.

‘Resistance axis’

The leadership of Hamas, which has ruled the poverty-stricken enclave of Gaza since 2007, has long been based abroad as Israel's military has repeatedly struck militant targets in the territory.

Hamas had its headquarters in Damascus but closed them in 2012 after the group, which emerged from the Muslim Brotherhood movement, sided with the opposition against Assad.

Its leaders then moved to the Gulf state of Qatar and to Türkiye, which had cut ties with Israel over a deadly Israeli commando raid on a Turkish aid ship that had tried to breach the Gaza sea blockade.

The Hamas delegation expected in Damascus next week is to be headed by Khalil al-Hayya, its head of Arab relations, said Khaled Abdel Majid, head of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, a group close to the Syrian regime.

Hamas' decision to ally again with Damascus follows numerous visits by its officials to Syria, both "secret and public", a senior Hamas source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Those meetings were mediated by Iran and Hezbollah, which have both fought on Assad's side in the war, the source said.

All this reflects Iran's wish to bolster the "axis of resistance" which also includes Palestinian group Islamic Jihad, said Mukhaimer Abu Saada, a political science professor at Gaza's Al-Azhar University.

As Iran's talks to restore its frayed 2015 nuclear deal with major powers have faltered, it has turned closer to Russia, which is also facing deepening international isolation over its war in Ukraine.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, based in Qatar, last month travelled to Moscow and met Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

As the group returns to Syria, the senior Hamas source told AFP, it plans to "open a representative office in Damascus soon, as a first step towards the return of normal relations".

The former political chief of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, once enjoyed rare privileges in Damascus and had a personal relationship with Assad.

Wary Hamas

However, it remains unlikely the Syrian regime will allow Hamas to rebuild a foothold that has "the weight it had a decade ago", said Jamal al-Fadi, also a politics professor at Al-Azhar.

The Hamas leadership may also be wary of spending too much time in Syria, given that Israel regularly launches air strikes on the country, mainly targeting pro-Iranian fighters.

"Hamas' relationship with Syria at the moment will be subject to difficult security considerations," said Fadi. "It exposes its leaders and its activists to the dangers of being easily targeted by Israel."

The budding Hamas-Syrian ties have exposed rifts within the movement.

Saleh al-Naami, a politics professor at the Islamic University of Gaza who is close to Hamas, described the deal with Damascus as a "moral sin".

"It also does not reflect the base of the movement and of the vast majority of its (political) elite," he wrote on Twitter.

However, the head of Hamas' political committee, Bassem Naim, said the decision followed years of regional and international discussions.

"In the end, Hamas went with the majority opinion on the resumption of the relationship with Syria," said Naim. "There is no choice but for Hamas to be at the center of the resistance axis."

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Arab World

Syria: Former Assad Intelligence Deputy Arrested

Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab (SANA) 
Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab (SANA) 
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Syria: Former Assad Intelligence Deputy Arrested

Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab (SANA) 
Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab (SANA) 

Syria’s Counterterrorism Directorate has arrested Major General Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab, the former deputy director of the General Intelligence Directorate (State Security) under the government of Bashar al-Assad, state news agency SANA reported.

According to a statement posted Friday by the Interior Ministry on Telegram, al-Abd al-Rajab is considered “one of the most prominent officials involved in committing serious violations” against residents of the Hajar al-Aswad district, the cities of Daraya and Moadamiyat al-Sham, and a number of towns and villages in Daraa province.

The ministry said the arrest followed “continuous security monitoring” of his movements and efforts to evade detection and legal prosecution.

Interior Minister Anas Khattab said the Counterterrorism Directorate, working in coordination with provincial internal security authorities, would continue pursuing suspects and bringing them before the courts.

The effort involves search, surveillance and investigative operations aimed at gathering information, he said, “in fulfillment of a promise we made to our patient people that there will be no leniency toward those whose hands are stained with blood.”

SANA said the arrest forms part of broader efforts by the Interior Ministry and other authorities to pursue and hold accountable those implicated in crimes and violations against Syrians, in line with the principles of ending impunity, advancing transitional justice and protecting the rights of victims’ families.

In a related development, 18 Syrian organizations and associations representing victims of abuses said in a position paper issued Thursday that the collapse of the Assad regime presents “a historic opportunity” to dismantle the legacy of torture and grave violations and to lay the foundations for justice and accountability.

The statement marked the third anniversary of the Dutch-Canadian case against Syria before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The organizations, including the Sednaya Prison Detainees Association, the Syrian Center for Justice and Accountability, and Huquqyat, praised the governments of the Netherlands and Canada for bringing the case before the court.

They said the lawsuit filed in 2023, along with the provisional measures ordered by the ICJ, represented “an important milestone” in efforts to secure justice for Syrian victims.

The groups also welcomed a June 2025 declaration by the Syrian government committing to address the legacy of torture and abuses, saying the current period offers a genuine opportunity to launch meaningful reforms. These include closing secret detention facilities, dismantling structures linked to torture and strengthening cooperation with international judicial and human rights mechanisms.

The organizations called for a comprehensive approach based on holding all perpetrators accountable without exception, arguing that such a process is essential to safeguarding victims’ rights and restoring confidence in justice institutions.

They concluded that the ICJ proceedings remain a key pillar in building a new Syria based on the rule of law, preventing future abuses and protecting human dignity.

 

 

Arab World

Egypt Banks on Domestic Defense Manufacturing to Curb Military Spending

A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)
A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)
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Egypt Banks on Domestic Defense Manufacturing to Curb Military Spending

A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)
A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)

Egypt is increasingly relying on domestic defense manufacturing to curb military spending, expanding local production of armored vehicles, drones and air defense systems while continuing to diversify its foreign arms suppliers and pursue joint-production partnerships with other countries.

The strategy comes as the country posted the lowest military spending among Arab states last year, with defense expenditure accounting for 0.61% of gross domestic product, according to figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Military experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that local arms production helps ease pressure on foreign-currency reserves required for imports while ensuring a more secure supply chain. They explained that modern warfare is characterized by the heavy consumption of weapons and ammunition, making uninterrupted access to military supplies a strategic necessity.

Egypt’s armed forces have pursued a comprehensive modernization program in recent years, including diversifying sources of weaponry and forging partnerships with major defense-producing countries, according to Egypt’s State Information Service.

The government is also pushing to expand reliance on locally manufactured defense products.

Minister of State for Military Production Salah Mostafa Gomblat said the current phase focuses on localizing advanced industrial technologies to improve production efficiency and enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian-made products.

He added that the strategy includes forging new partnerships with the private sector to reduce import costs and support the national economy.

According to SIPRI, Egypt recorded the lowest military spending among Arab countries in 2025 even as global military expenditure rose 2.9% from the previous year to $2.887 trillion. Algeria recorded the highest military-spending among Arab countries, at 8.83% of GDP.

Egypt has recently showcased a range of domestically produced defense systems, including armored vehicles, drones and air defense platforms displayed at the EDEX 2025 defense exhibition held in Cairo last December.

Among the systems highlighted were the Raad 300, a multiple-caliber guided rocket launcher capable of striking targets at ranges of up to 300 kilometers, and the Jabbar 150 unmanned aerial vehicle, which Egyptian officials describe as possessing advanced offensive capabilities.

The unveiling of the Jabbar 150 attracted attention in Israel. In a report published on June 8, Israeli website Natziv.net said Israeli security agencies were monitoring advances in Egyptian military technology and assessing their strategic implications.

Major General Nasr Salem, a military analyst, noted that Egypt’s drive to deepen domestic weapons production is intended both to secure military supply lines and reduce the cost of importing arms.

“Part of Egypt’s strategy to diversify its sources of armaments is based on localizing military industries,” Salem told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He stressed that the prolonged nature of modern conflicts requires armies to maintain a continuous flow of weapons and ammunition, adding that some military estimates suggest the cost of a single day of combat can equal a year’s defense procurement budget for some armed forces.

“For that reason, the best option for countries is to manufacture their own weapons,” he said.

Salem cautioned, however, that building a domestic defense industry is itself costly and requires access to advanced technologies capable of competing with foreign systems.

He added that local production offers another advantage: the ability to design weapons tailored to a country’s operational environment and the needs of its armed forces.

Major General Samir Ragab said expanding local defense production also helps reduce pressure on foreign-currency resources.

“No country in the world can achieve complete self-sufficiency in armaments,” Ragab told Asharq Al-Awsat, noting that certain categories of advanced weapons will continue to be imported from countries with more sophisticated defense-industrial capabilities.

Nevertheless, he said, a strong domestic defense-industrial base enhances the Egyptian military’s capabilities and provides Cairo with greater flexibility to develop weapons systems suited to its own requirements.

Arab World

Lebanon Reports Israeli Strikes in South after Evacuation Warning

Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
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Lebanon Reports Israeli Strikes in South after Evacuation Warning

Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Lebanon reported Israeli strikes on the country's south on Saturday shortly after the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning for 20 locations including the city of Nabatieh ahead of raids there, said AFP.

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) said Israeli airstrikes hit several areas covered by the warning, including the villages of Rihan and Sujud, located not far from Nabatieh. 

The Israeli army warning urged residents to "evacuate your homes immediately and move to the north of the Zahrani River", around 45 kilometers (28 miles) from the southern border with Israel. 

The Israeli army last month declared all areas south of the river "combat zones", and has since been striking the area. 

The NNA late Friday reported explosions and artillery shelling near the Ali Taher hills overlooking Nabatieh. 

On Friday Hezbollah, which has kept up attacks on Israeli troops who have invaded south Lebanon, said its fighters had confronted Israeli forces advancing towards the town of Majdal Zoun. 

Israel and Hezbollah have been at war since early March when the Iran-backed group drew Lebanon into the Middle East conflict with rocket fire at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes. 

Israel launched a massive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion, killing more than 3,700 people in Lebanon, authorities say. 

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah have respected an April ceasefire, and a conditional truce deal announced this month after the fourth round of direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations in Washington has also failed to halt the fighting. 

Hezbollah has rejected the direct talks and the conditional agreement, which requires it to cease attacks but makes no mention of Israel doing so or withdrawing troops from Lebanon. 

Iran insists that Lebanon must be part of any agreement to end the wider Middle East war, and a senior US official said Friday that a peace deal with Iran "includes Lebanon". 

But Lebanon's leaders have accused Tehran of treating Lebanon as a "bargaining chip". 

Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad on Saturday urged Lebanon to take advantage of any deal to end the Iran war that includes the country. 

"We want the Lebanese state to negotiate for itself, and nobody is suggesting forfeiting this role," Fayyad said, "however, the state must abandon the policy of being crushed in the face of the Israelis and submission to the Americans." 

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in a statement on X on Saturday that Lebanon faces "a fateful test". 

"Either its people unite around a sovereign state that monopolizes weapons, upholds the law and protects citizens irrespective of their affiliation or position, or it remains hostage to the logic of militias," the statement said.