Paraguayan President Santiago Peña officially opened his country’s embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, demonstrating strong support for Israel during a time of conflict and international scrutiny. Peña, joined by a delegation, was welcomed by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, marking Paraguay’s inclusion in a select group of nations recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Israel has announced plans to create a “sterile defense zone” in southern Syria following significant military operations and the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
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.
Israel is conducting its most extensive air campaign in decades, targeting remnants of the Syrian military following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad's regime. According to Army Radio, these attacks represent the largest military actions against Syria since the Six-Day War in 1967. Israeli Air Force (IAF) strikes are aimed at completely dismantling Syria's military infrastructure to prevent it from threatening Israel or being seized by rebel forces.
The Biden-Harris administration is reportedly considering removing the terrorist designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Syrian rebel group with ties to Al Qaeda. The move, first reported by Politico, aims to legitimize HTS to provide billions in U.S. humanitarian aid for post-civil war reconstruction in Syria. However, critics warn the decision could backfire, echoing past controversies over similar policy shifts.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., expressed skepticism about U.S. military strikes in Syria during an interview on CNN’s The Source. Responding to the Biden administration's 75 strikes against ISIS targets, Omar argued that U.S. military involvement is counterproductive to Syria’s progress in rebuilding and establishing democratic institutions.
Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., has been chosen by the House GOP Steering Committee to chair the Foreign Affairs Committee in the next Congress. Mast, a vocal supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, was selected over contenders including Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and Ann Wagner, R-Mo., according to Axios.
On Sunday, U.S. forces launched a series of strikes on ISIS locations in Syria, targeting over 75 sites to prevent the resurgence of the terrorist group.
While former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) faced criticism for meeting Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017, prominent Democratic leaders, including then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), had also met with Assad in the past. Pelosi’s 2007 visit to Damascus, where she conveyed a peace message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, drew backlash from the Bush administration.
