WAR

Tensions remain high all over the Middle East, mainly as a result of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and the conflict in Syria.

In Syria, more than one hundred fighters from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in the eastern Aleppo countryside between January 3 and 5.

The clashes took place in the eastern Aleppo countryside, mainly close to the towns of Hajj Hussein, al-Sa’ideen, Atshana, Aloush, al-Mustaha, in addition to the Tishreen Dam and the Qara Qozak Bridge. The SNA lost 85 of its fighters, while the SDF lost 16.

Meanwhile in the countryside of the southern governorate of al-Quneitra, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) continue to expand their control.

On January 5, Israeli troops entered the town of Kwdanah. Two days later, they stormed the towns of al-Asha and Abu Ghara as well as the al-Hiran farm and nearby tank base. During its advance, the IDF destroyed many bases of the now dissolved Syrian Arab Army and they collected weapons from locals.

In addition to its operations in Syria, the IDF does not appear to be planning to leave southern Lebanon in line with the ceasefire with Hezbollah which was brokered by the United States.

The agreement, which entered into effect on November 27, is supposed to last for just 60 days, and ends with a permanent ceasefire.

The last few days saw rapid deployment of the Lebanese military in southern Lebanon. On January 6, Lebanese troops entered the areas surrounding the border town of Naqoura. Still, it remains unclear if the IDF is planning to withdraw from southern Lebanon before the end of the ceasefire. This could renew fighting with Hezbollah.

Meanwhile in Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthis (Ansar Allah) continue to launch attacks against Israel and U.S. forces in the region.

Late on January 5, the Houthis launched a Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile at the Orot Rabin power plant near the town of Hadera. The IDF said that the missile was successfully intercepted before crossing the country’s borders.

n January 6, Yemeni media reported a series of “American-British strikes” on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.

According to the reports, three rounds of strikes were carried out in Saada, a city in Yemen’s mountainous northwest controlled by the Houthi rebel group.

All in all, with no end to the Israeli war on Gaza and no clear solution to the conflict in Syria the situation in the Middle East will remain unstable. International efforts are being made to end these conflicts. However, no progress is likely to happen before the U.S. President-elect Donlad Trump assumes office in the coming weeks.

Over a month after the fall of the Assad regime, the war in Syria is still far from being over mainly due to foreign interventions.

In the north of the country, the Turkish conflict with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continues to heat up.

The focal point of the conflict is the eastern Aleppo countryside. On January 8, Turkish drone strikes hit a convoy including first responders and civilian pro-SDF protesters that was heading towards the Tishreen Dam. The strikes killed five people and left at least 14 others wounded.

On the same day, the SDF targeted a Turkish military base near the town of al-Araishah in the northern al-Hasakah countryside, killing a soldier and wounding another.

The next day, January 9, fighters from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) launched an attack in the direction of Tishreen Dam under the cover of Turkish airstrikes. However, the attack was repelled by the SDF.

The conflict moved to the northern Raqqa countryside later on the same day, with at least four Turkish airstrikes hitting the al-Khatuniya silos, the power station in the town of al-Jarnia and a vehicle that was passing nearby. No casualties were reported however.

Preparing for a possible surprise attack by the SNA, the SDF deployed on January 10 large reinforcements in the northern al-Hasakah countryside, including special forces, drone operators and anti-aircraft weapons.

In eastern Syria, the United States-led coalition, which backs the SDF, continues to expand its presence.

On January 5, a large U.S. military supply convoy entered a key base near the town of Qasrak in the eastern al-Hasakah countryside. On January 7, four helicopters carrying supplies landed in the Khrab al-Jir airstrip in the eastern countryside of the province. A supply convoy also entered the base on the same day. The next day, January 8, a military cargo plane also landed there.

On January 9, U.S. forces based in the Green Village base within the al-Omar oil fields in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside fired flares and fighter jets were spotted flying over the area.

Meanwhile in southern Syria, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) continues to expand its military operations with no reaction from the country’s new government.

Between January 5 and 8, Israeli troops stormed multiple towns in the southern countryside of al-Qunitra, including al-Asha, Abu Ghara, Kudna, al-Hadar and al-Hamidiya. The troops destroyed several bases of the now-dissolved Syrian Arab Army, inspected houses, displaced some of the locals and collected weapons from them.

The war in Syria is not over yet. There could be a new round of fighting, particularly in the north and south.