Syria

Syria, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic, is an Arab nation in the Middle East, situated in the Levant region. The country boasts a rich history and some of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.

In 1963, Syria's government was taken over by the Ba'ath Party, led by Hafez al-Assad. For decades, he and his son and successor, Bashar al-Assad, would rule the country in a reign that has been highly criticized for being totalitarian and for carrying out widespread human rights abuses.

In 2011, a major civil war broke out in Syria, leaving governance of the country fractured between the Russia- and Iran-backed Assad regime based in Syria's largest city and capital of Damascus, US-backed rebel groups led by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Turkey-backed forces, and Islamists under the banner of Hay'at Tahir al-Shams (HTS).

However, in December 2024, HTS and its allies carried out a major offensive from their base of operations in the Idlib province, eventually fully ousting the Assad regime and seizing control of Damascus as well as other major cities such as Homs and Aleppo. Currently, HTS has been spearheading the establishment of a new Syrian interim government. However, the country still remains fractured between them, Assad loyalists, Turkey-backed forces, and the SDF and its allies.

Syrian army soldiers filmed chanting death threats against Jews in Damascus

The demonstration came after Israel rejected the Board of Peace's 15-point proposal for Gaza, reiterating that Hamas must first be disarmed.

AUGUST 17, 2026|ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD

Syrian Arab Army soldiers pose for a photograph near Aleppo, January 17, 2026; illustrative.

A banner for journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared while reporting in Syria in 2012, hangs outside the National Press Club building in Washington, US, May 2, 2023.

Austin Tice’s fate remains a mystery fourteen years following his disappearance in Syria

The longest-held US journalist in history disappeared near Damascus in 2012, and his family still believes he may be alive and may have been transferred to Iran after the fall of the Assad regime.

AUGUST 16, 2026|ByRIZIK ALABI / THE MEDIA LINE

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa shake hands during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on January 28, 2026.

Renewed Moscow-Damascus flights signal revival of ties after Assad's fall - analysis

Syria is expanding its airline network, adding flights from numerous countries over the past year as Damascus seeks to reconnect with the region and Europe.

AUGUST 16, 2026|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

Daily life is gradually returning to parts of Homs as Syria begins to emerge from years of war, with easing US restrictions raising hopes for renewed investment and economic recovery.

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'People are now happy': Syria emerges from isolation on the road to recovery

With US restrictions easing and economic activity returning, Syria is beginning to look beyond the Assad era

AUGUST 13, 2026|ByDANA BEN-SHIMON

Colombia sees criticism from Arab states after recognizing Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights

Spanish media have already described the move as a "diplomatic crisis with Arab countries," while Colombian media have reported extensively on the wave of condemnations.

AUGUST 13, 2026ByELI LEON

Colombia's President Abelardo De La Espriella speaks before visiting sites damaged by Monday's earthquake, in Manizales, Colombia, August 11, 2026.

Reservists grow frustrated with chasing civilians over Syrian border, using up time, resources

"It's absurd that we're stopping our lives for this," one reserve soldier serving in the Syria sector said.

AUGUST 12, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Israeli soldiers at a staging area near the Israeli border with Syria in northern Israel, February 28, 2026.

US may model Iran uranium extraction on recent Syrian nuclear operation, Israeli officials assess

Israeli defense officials believe that, despite the slim chances, the White House is seeking to signal to Israel that a similar model could be applied in Iran, subject to an agreement with Tehran.

AUGUST 12, 2026ByAMIR BOHBOT

This undated image released by the US Government shows a Syrian nuclear reactor under construction in Syria.

Israel must ‘trust, but verify’ while expanding regional relations, Middle East expert warns

A Middle East expert gave The Jerusalem Post an optimistic assessment of Israel's diplomatic prospects.

AUGUST 11, 2026ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Eyal Zamir meets with soldiers in southern Lebanon, July 4, 2026.

Syria says IAEA will announce 'significant progress' on nuclear file

A Syrian official told Reuters that Syria was consulting with the IAEA to fulfill its own obligations and that "there is no Israeli role in this process."

AUGUST 11, 2026ByREUTERS

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrives to sign the country's constitutional declaration, which will be enforced throughout a five-year transitional period, at the presidential palace in Damascus on March 13, 2025; Illustrative.

Syria's nuclear handover report shows Israel must shift to diplomatic action, expert tells ‘Post’

Beyond Damascus, there are a number of potential international partners who would be interested in ensuring nonproliferation in Syria.

AUGUST 11, 2026ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD

US President Donald Trump meets Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa in the White House, Washington, DC, November 10, 2025

Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death for murder, torture, crimes against humanity

Former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was convicted of premeditated murder of multiple people, including children, torture, arbitrary detention, and crimes against humanity.

AUGUST 11, 2026ByDANYA SAPERSTEIN

A worker tears down the pictures of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, Lebanon's late Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a gas station in Nubl, in rural Aleppo, Syria, December 11, 2024.

NYPD says will not provide Mamdani's wife with taxpayer-funded security detail on trip to Mideast

Both countries are on the United States' "Level 4: Do not Travel" list for citizens. Lebanon's Level 4 status was issued on June 5, while Syria's was issued on July 8.

AUGUST 11, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji react as confetti falls during his inauguration ceremony in New York City, US, January 1, 2026.

Turkey’s rise increases risk of confrontation with Israel, former national security chief warns

Meir Ben-Shabbat to Maariv: Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa 'came from the heart of jihadist darkness, do not assume he abandoned his path' • Erdogan's ambitions 'increase the potential for confrontation'

AUGUST 11, 2026ByMAARIV

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of male and female dormitories at Bogazici University, in Istanbul, Turkey, February 13, 2026.

IDF locates three Israelis who crossed border into Syria, transfers them to police for questioning

The IDF condemned the crossing as a criminal act that disrupted operations and endangered troops.

AUGUST 11, 2026ByARIELLA ROITMAN