According to @axios.com and @barakravid.bsky.social, the anticipated Hormuz deal will mostly just reset the MoU’s 60-day clock after clarifying that Iran controls the strait while it ticks. Poor results for Trump’s escalation, which explicitly sought an Iran-free route. www.axios.com/2026/08/05/u...

IMF release 🖼️ on July 19-23 staff visit to Syria: www.imf.org/en/news/arti... SCPR has argued convincingly (I think) against this type of praise from IMF for Syrian government's conservative fiscal policy, given the country's present fragility: bsky.app/profile/abuj...

Sam Heller | سام هيلر@abujamajem.com · 2mo ago

SCPR's Rabie Nasr warns that IMF, by signaling approval of new Syrian government's fiscal tightness, risks repeating pre-2011 mistakes by again supporting socially destructive and destabilizing policy choices: syriauntold.com/2026/06/01/w...

@thenationalnews.com's Nada Homsi and Nada Maucourant Atallah on Lebanese leaders' pretty silly bet that, by securing direct access to Trump, they could convince him to take Lebanon's side against Israel: www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20...

The battle for Donald Trump's ear: Lebanon’s big gamble on Israel talks | The National

Vague promises, few guarantees: Lebanese officials bank on winning over US President, a risk that could prove costly

thenationalnews.com

Seems like in a primary election, AIPAC's incentives are not aligned with the Democratic Party's, no? Because even if AIPAC's disfavored candidate wins, the lobby has maybe still done lasting damage to the Dem nom and can then just support a pro-Israel Republican in the general.

Thrilled to welcome @jwrchappell.bsky.social as Senior Fellow at @cipolicy.bsky.social on nuclear policy, arms control & other crucial issues as we expand our capacity to build a foreign policy that prioritizes diplomacy over militarism Read his full profile: internationalpolicy.org/about/#john-...

About those bases and what keeps them in place despite Assad’s removal, see: sceeus.se/en/publicati...

Five Wars and a Funeral: How the conflicts in Ukraine, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran broke Russia’s Middle East Policy - Sceeus

SCEEUS Guest Report | Five Wars and a Funeral | By Aron Lund

sceeus.se

Aron Lund@aronlund.bsky.social · yesterday

If Syria’s lingering economic and political dependence on Russia—in the form of oil and wheat import, UN votes vs. Israeli encroachment, system repairs and technology, etc.—were to diminish, Russia would presumably find it harder to retain the Hmeymim and Tartous bases.

Think it's worth thinking for a second – that is, one second more than the Americans who've advocated this – about what Syrian intervention against Hizbullah would actually entail. Because what is "Hizbullah," in this case? Are we talking about Syrian forces trying to overrun Hermel? 1/2

Sam Heller | سام هيلر@abujamajem.com · yesterday

At @syriatransition.bsky.social, @natachadanon.bsky.social argues Syria should resist U.S. pressure to intervene in Lebanon: www.syriaintransition.com/en/home/opin...

At @syriatransition.bsky.social, @natachadanon.bsky.social argues Syria should resist U.S. pressure to intervene in Lebanon: www.syriaintransition.com/en/home/opin...

Syria in Transition – Syria should not intervene in Lebanon. Here’s why

Intervening against Hezbollah would drag Syria into a bloody war while doing little to contain Israel.

syriaintransition.com

For Syria Untold, Salam Said warns of consequences of Syria's uncontrolled economic liberalization: syriauntold.com/2026/07/31/h...

How to kill an economy without firing a single shot | SyriaUntold | حكاية ما انحكت

Can a country destroy its own economy without firing a single shot? The answer is yes – and one of the fastest ways is through misleading economic liberalization and the naïve belief that a “free mark...

syriauntold.com

Finally got to Caroline Hayek-Cyrille Nême LOLJ series on Antoun Sehnaoui, which is indeed worth reading. In particular, on his media and political networks: today.lorientlejour.com/article/1543... And Washington influence: today.lorientlejour.com/article/1543... Corroborates him boosting Moawad:

“Last year’s ceasefire allowed Israeli forces to retain control of 53% of Gaza initially, before eventually withdrawing. But Israel has instead expanded its control. Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Sunday that the Israeli-held area had reached 60% to 70%” www.reuters.com/world/middle...

After deadly day, Gazans say Trump's touting of plan jars with grim reality

Palestinians in Gaza said on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump's touting of a deal aimed at disarming Hamas and ending the war was out of touch with their worsening ​reality, after Israel killed...

reuters.com

Israeli forces have captured dozens of Syrians in areas occupied since 2024, with 46 people currently detained, reports al-Sharq al-Awsat’s Mowaffaq Mohammed. aawsat.com/%D8%A7%D9%84... ‬

46 معتقلاً سورياً في السجون الإسرائيلية منذ سقوط نظام الأسد

بعد إفراج إسرائيل عن 4 معتقلين سوريين على دفعتين في يوليو (تموز) المنصرم، يتبقى 46 معتقلاً سورياً في سجون الاحتلال احتجز أغلبيتهم خلال عمليات توغل للجيش.

aawsat.com

When you are defeated in the sense of “unable to achieve your goals” but not defeated in the sense of “unable to continue military operations” then you are perpetually “headed for defeat” until you decide to end it. That’s how you get forever wars.

“Hitting Iranians harder unlikely to change their calculus, but what if we (did magic)” DC is a mess

*insanely* THE PHILIPPINES COMES TO ME IN MY DREAMS I REVERE THE PHILLIPINES THE PHILIPPINES TODAY, THE PHILIPPINES TOMORROW, THE PHILIPPINES FOREVER MY JOB IS TO KEEP THE LEFT PRO THE PHILIPPINES please elect me to represent Louisiana

Stupid empire x.com/reutersafric...

An important emerging dynamic is that the U.S. is not the sole actor capable of determining when and if fighting continues. Iran can keep the war going in the event they aren’t satisfied with the terms governing any ceasefire.

Sentinel-2 imagery taken over the past 10 days in southern Lebanon shows continued mass demolitions in villages in IDF-occupied territory. Haddatha, Beit Yahoun & Kounine, north of Bint Jbeil, all show signs of large-scale demolitions between July 18 & July 28 (in addition to previous demolitions).

Jake Godin@godin.bsky.social · 3w ago

This is the area around Baraachit as seen in June 25 and July 15 Sentinel-2 imagery. Both of the villages of Haddatha and Beit Yahoun show signs of heavy demolition/destruction. They were both previously outside the Yellow Line before it was extended last month.

Israel keeps moving the ‘yellow line’ deeper into Gaza, forcing more civilians out each time. Palestinian territory has shrunk by more than a quarter since Trump’s pseudo-ceasefire came into effect last year. Nidal al-Mughrabi & Ebrahim Hajjaj, @reuters.com: www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Israel's yellow line, a shifting edge of war pushing Gazans from home

On a road in Gaza City's Zeitoun district, Palestinian resident Assem Dawla loaded mattresses and bags onto a truck as concrete yellow blocks marking the edge of Israel's expanding military zone ​stoo...

reuters.com

Wouldn’t assume that Trump administration policy will now somehow become good, minus Graham; still, likely positive that Graham no longer a power center under Trump, advocating bad policy and elevating personnel like Ortagus.

Nanar Hawach on the function of Syria's new parliament: www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menaso...

Syria’s new parliament can build institutions and trust

The People's Assembly is not designed to check the presidency’s power, but it could help democratize the new political order.

atlanticcouncil.org

In April 2011, I wrote a survey of the pre-uprising opposition in Syria. I thought it was long lost, but apparently the research division of Sweden’s Migration Board kept a PDF copy online all these years. So for the history buffs, here it is: lifos.migrationsverket.se/dokument?doc...

AI has really given Iranian propaganda that little extra je ne sais quoi

Aron Lund@aronlund.bsky.social · last wk.

US-Iran ceasefire, but still: Saudi energy target are attacked by drones, reportedly from Iraq and Yemen, while mystery drones attack sites in Jordan and Iraq. www.reuters.com/world/middle...

In al-Akhbar, Lina Fakhriddine account of evolving Lebanese-Syrian security cooperation: www.al-akhbar.com/NewspaperArt...

لبنان وسوريا: تنسيق أمني أساسه ضبط الحدود ومحاربة «داعش»

تسلك العلاقات الأمنية بين لبنان وسوريا مساراً تصاعدياً، مدفوعة برغبة عربية ودولية في إعادة تنظيم قنوات التواصل بين البلدين، وإرساء آلية تنسيق منتظمة لمعالجة الملفات الأمنية المشتركة.

al-akhbar.com

Mounir Younes talks to former DPM Saade Chami about his new book and how his efforts to secure an IMF were undone by an unsupportive Lebanese government and by opposition from parliament and powerful moneyed interests: today.lorientlejour.com/article/1541...

Former deputy PM Saade Chami: Banks are the most powerful lobbying group in Lebanon

Former Deputy Prime Minister in Najib Mikati’s government from 2021 to 2022, Saade Chami reflects in his book,

today.lorientlejour.com

Board of Peace moving forward with "pilot" concentration camp in Gaza, apparently www.ft.com/content/2b6b...

Donald Trump’s Board of Peace to set up Gaza ‘pilot’ city

Controversial plan comes after months of fruitless attempts to advance US peace deal for the enclave

ft.com

Berri remarks to Asharq al-Awsat on Aoun-Trump meeting: aawsat.com/%D8%A7%D9%84...

بري معلقاً على قمة واشنطن: العبرة في وقف النار والانسحابات

أكَّد رئيس البرلمان اللبناني نبيه بري أن المهم الآن بعد قمة الرئيسين الأميركي دونالد ترمب واللبناني جوزيف عون في واشنطن هو «النتائج على أرض الواقع وليس الشكل»

aawsat.com

Congratulations to these people, on managing some very, very minimal degree of introspection Now they can all go right into the 🗑️

#StupidSuez@diplomatofnight.com · 2w ago

This long-form article paints an extremely damning picture of Biden, but also Blinken, Sullivan, Austin, and Finer who all seem to be trying to place the blame solely on their boss.

This looks like you asked an AI to make a trailer for an Endgame-style MCU movie: www.youtube.com/watch?v=irVN...

Avengers: Doomsday | Official Trailer | In Theaters December 18

YouTube video by Marvel Entertainment

youtube.com

Would be understandable if Lebanon's foreign supporters were by now fed up with Lebanese officials and Lebanon's advocates abroad advancing proposals that mostly amount to more foreign money for Lebanon, and for the Lebanese army in particular. 1/3