Travis Timmerman, an American detained in Syria for seven months, has been freed and flown out of the country by U.S. military forces. His release came after rebels overthrew President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and liberated thousands of prisoners, including Timmerman.
Russia unleashed a large-scale aerial bombardment on Ukraine early Friday, targeting critical energy and transportation infrastructure in what Moscow described as retaliation for Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles on a Russian air base earlier this week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the assault one of the heaviest since the war began nearly three years ago.
The Kremlin commended President-elect Donald Trump for opposing Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied weapons to strike Russian targets, hours after Russia launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The attack, one of the largest of the war, underscores escalating tensions as both sides vie for advantage ahead of potential ceasefire talks.
Ukraine’s intelligence services have claimed responsibility for the assassination of Russian missile scientist Mikhail Shatsky in a Moscow suburb, along with a car bombing in occupied Donetsk that killed Sergei Yevsyukov, a pro-Russian prison governor. These are the latest in a series of high-profile "liquidations" targeting individuals linked to Russian military and political operations.
Hamas, the Sunni jihadist group ruling Gaza, applauded the overthrow of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist organization. In a statement Monday, Hamas hailed the "aspirations for freedom and justice" of the Syrian people and urged national unity. HTS’s November campaign rapidly toppled Assad’s forces, leading to his flight to Moscow over the weekend.
Syrians in Damascus celebrated Monday, flooding Umayyad Square to mark the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The sudden collapse of Assad’s government follows a rapid rebel offensive that ousted the dictator after decades of rule by his family.
Syria is teetering on the edge of collapse as radical Islamic terrorist groups rapidly advance through key regions, taking advantage of years of weak leadership under President Bashar al-Assad.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor government on Friday, accusing its anti-Israel policies of fostering antisemitism after an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue. The Adass Israel synagogue was firebombed during morning prayers, injuring one and causing extensive damage. Worshippers inside reported masked assailants throwing incendiary devices through the windows.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski called for Russia’s suspension from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) during a meeting in Malta on Thursday, accusing Moscow of attempting to rebuild its empire. Sikorski led a walkout of European delegations in protest against Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s presence.
