Syria: Islamic State set off a car bomb in attempted prison break in al-Hasakah Governorate

Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria on Thursday said they thwarted a prison break at a detention center holding Islamic State (IS) militants. A spokesperson for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said a car bomb was set off near Geweran Read More …

‘Everything Living Is Dying’: Environmental Ruin in Modern Iraq

As far back as 2005, the United Nations had estimated that Iraq was already littered with several thousand contaminated sites. Five years later, an investigation by The Times, a London-based newspaper, suggested that the U.S. military had generated some 11 Read More …

Qatar reinforces its position on the Houthi side of the Yemen war

The inclemency that pervades the atmosphere of Yemen’s war is doubly cruel. Not only is it the most serious humanitarian catastrophe since the end of World War II, which led to the creation of the United Nations. It is also Read More …

New analysis puts more accurate figure on size of last year’s Beirut blast

New light has been shed on the size of the explosion in Beirut, Lebanon in August 2020 that killed more than 200 people and injured thousands more. Estimate of the explosive yield of the blast, which resulted from the detonation Read More …

What do we know about Hamas’ drones?

In the recent round of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, Israel had to contend with a growing drone threat from the Gaza Strip – not only detecting and mitigating the threats in the field, but on social media, where Hamas Read More …

Drones add little to rocket-filled Israel-Palestine skies, but represent growing global threat

Beneath the ongoing collision of Israel’s cutting-edge and costly missile defense systems and imprecise but inexpensive Palestinian-built rockets, Hamas has begun using so-called “kamikaze drones” to try penetrating Israeli defenses another way. The Israeli government has claimed that its Iron Read More …

Canada extends anti-ISIS mission in Middle East by one year

The Liberal government has approved a slimmed-down extension of the Canadian military’s contribution to the ongoing fight against the remnants of ISIS. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan issued a statement Tuesday announcing an extension of the seven-year-old campaign, known as Operation Read More …

New York Army National Guard bomb disposal experts heading for Middle East

Glenville, NY — Eighteen New York Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1108th Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) said goodbye to their families during a ceremony held at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Glenville on February 13. The Soldiers Read More …

OPCW probes couldn’t prove chemical use in 2 Syria attacks

The global chemical weapons watchdog said Friday that two investigations into alleged attacks in Syria in 2016 and 2018 couldn’t establish that chemicals were used as weapons in either case. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons issued two Read More …

New IRA links confirm Hezbollah’s growing terror threat in Europe

The latest allegations that senior representatives of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia met with members of a breakaway Irish terrorist group have highlighted the growing extent of the Iranian-backed organisation’s operations in Europe. For decades, Hezbollah’s primary focus has been the Middle Read More …

Hurras al-Din poses a security challenge in Syria

HaD is avowedly loyal to Al-Qaeda and its leadership is dominated by non-Syrian Al-Qaeda veterans. Hurras al-Din (HaD), Arabic for “Guardians of Religion”, are hardcore Al-Qaeda elements who broke away from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the strongest insurgent group in Read More …

ISIS Drone Dropping Bomblet On Abrams Tank Is A Sign Of What’s To Come

One of the major tactical developments during the war against ISIS in Syria and Iraq has been the deployment of hobbyist and even homemade remote controlled aircraft—often referred to as “drones”—armed with small explosive charges. During the Battle of Mosul Read More …

Israel: Islamic Jihad’s killer drones bomb IDF tank

Did an Islamic Jihad drone drop a bomb an Israeli tank outside Gaza last year? Islamic Jihad, a violent group based in Hamas-controlled Gaza, claims it does. Others aren’t so sure. The Youtube video shows what appears to be an Read More …

Disguised Explosive Boat May Be New Threat To Tankers Off Yemen

Dramatic photos shared by the Saudi government Wednesday may show a new form of explosive boat developed by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The pictured boat was one of four involved in an attempted attack on an oil tanker 90 Read More …

Neo-Nazi Terror Group The Base Linked to the War in Ukraine

After a string of sweeping indictments and arrests, court documents have illustrated how the neo-Nazi terror group The Base discussed derailing trains and plotted the assassinations of anti-fascist activists in the U.S. But the group also had international ambitions. The Read More …

Japan’s commitment to Mideast remains vital

Japan has earned the well-deserved respect of the world, emerging from conflict to become an economic success at home and a strong proponent of socially responsible policies and actions both at home and abroad. I am a beneficiary of both Read More …