Is Israel preparing a war on Hezbollah in Lebanon? Would Russia expand its presence to south Lebanon?

By Elijah J. Magnier – @ejmalrai Tension is silently mounting between Israel and Hezbollah on the Lebanese border, where frenetic preparations are taking place, under the watchful eyes of both belligerents. There is an unusual state of alert, yet hardly visible to the naked eye: Israel is increasing its patrols on the borders, raising the deployment […]

Haidar Abadi chose the US camp, knowing he cannot win a second term. He has shot himself in the foot!

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai It was not difficult to foresee Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Abadi’s decision to abide by the unilateral US decision to impose sanctions on Iran. Nevertheless, as long as it was not official, it was possible to pretend it would not happen. But now Abadi himself is saying it loud and clear: I […]

Saudi Arabia mocks the world with its wealth… and some help from Trump

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai The leaders of Saudi Arabia mock western values with supreme confidence by virtue of their money power. Democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, freedom to protest, freedom of expression, and other freedoms are treated as norms imposed by the West. If you wish to violate these sacred principles, all you have […]

Russia is expanding its control over more Syrian territory and muscling in on Hezbollah on the borders.

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai Russian military police forces have established eight static positions along the 1974 disengagement line and have registered a strong presence with UNDOF observer forces on the occupied Golan Heights line. Moreover, a Russian force headed by a Russian General arrived, for the second time this year, at the Lebanese Hezbollah post […]

Can Oman build a ladder for Trump to come down the Iranian tree he climbed?

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai Published by: https://ahtribune.com/us/trump-at-war/2405-oman-iran.html … The US establishment wrongly believed that it could deal with Iran as with North Korea, using a carrot and stick. Threatening diplomacy has never worked with the “Islamic Republic” since 1979 when the Shah fell and Imam Khomeini seized power. It is true that US pressure on Iran over […]

Why will the US leave Syria soon? The Kurds are waking up.

Published here: https://ahtribune.com/world/north-africa-south-west-asia/syria-crisis/2399-us-leave-syria-kurds.html By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai: The Syrian army is conducting its southern campaign with the pacification of the last two percent of the Qunietra province that remains under the control of the “Islamic State” (ISIS) terrorist group. That will free tens of thousands of troops of the Syrian army and its allies from the […]

The ISIS Suweida attack is a message to its branch in Quneitra, and to Russia and Damascus

Damascus, Daraa, Suweida, by Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai Reading time: 3 min 49 sec In one of the bloodiest massacres after Speicher (Iraq), more than 150 ISIS militants attacked the province and the city of Suweida killing over 220 farmers (men, women, children) and members of the Syrian army and the local National Defence Forces. However, the […]

Assad: Israel has exhausted our patience and Iran will stay in Syria as long as needed. But has Putin saved Netanyahu from his “unsuitable ideas” towards Syria and Iran?

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai The Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has communicated to the Russian leadership that “Israel has exhausted our patience” … “Israeli jets will be a legitimate target for our defence systems if Tel Aviv doesn’t cease its provocation and stop targeting our military positions and jets”. According to decision makers, “Assad has no […]

The last southern battle in Syria: finish off ISIS and then on, towards Idlib

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai Southern Syria is surrendering to the forces of the Syrian army: deals have been concluded between the Syrian government and the militants, including jihadists belonging to Jabhat al-Nusra (aka Hayat Tahrir al-Sham). The main deal, supervised by the Russian forces, allows whoever is willing to go to the northern city of […]

The US forces in al-Tanf are beleaguered on both the Syrian and Iraqi sides: Tehran is challenging Washington in Iraq, Abadi is no longer the agreed favourite candidate

Baghdad by Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai The end of the Islamic State (ISIS) occupation of a third of Iraq and the return to control by Government forces of the entire territory is not giving peace and stability to Mesopotamia. People took to the streets in many southern provinces protesting about the lack of basic services the country has […]

Putin – Netanyahu meeting in Moscow: “Your concern about Iran’s presence in Syria must be postponed until Terrorism is defeated and Syria is liberated”.

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai Much speculation and many “positive outcome” comments were released about a “secret deal” alleged to have taken place during the meeting between the Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week in Moscow. The Israeli media described it as “successful”, like the last visits (three in […]

Putin-Trump meeting in Helsinki: objectives bigger than Syria and the Middle East

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai Both Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are meeting today Monday in Helsinki, Finland to discuss issues much more important than events in the Middle East. Despite its own importance, the situation in Syria is not as urgent as clarifying US intentions towards Russia and the potential will of both […]

US message to Assad: “We will pull out of al-Tanf and the North if Iran withdraws from Syria”

Daraa by Elijah J. Magnier – @ejmalrai A top decision maker in Syria has said “the US has sent a message to the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad that expresses the US establishment’s wishes. Under these wishes there is an Israeli goal compatible with Donald Trump’s objective to pull out its own forces from Syria with as […]

Israel’s last breath in Southern Syria: Hezbollah and Iran confront ISIS in Quneitra.

Daraa, where the slogan “Allawites to the coffin and Christians to Beirut” was first raised in 2011, surrender. Quneitra By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai The Syrian army and the allies of Hezbollah and Iran are preparing to finish off the last pockets of militants and jihadists in the city of Daraa (the western part of it), […]

Us forces leaving al-Tanf…and Syria: Russia remains in the Levant

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai Russian advisors visiting the Syrian capital Damascus are confident that the US forces will pull out of al-Tanf and will also aim to completely withdraw from north of Syria (al-Hasaka and Deir-Ezzour) in the next six months. According to top decision makers based in Damascus, the US President Donald Trump is […]

After Syria, Palestine: The talented Erdogan is the new Sultan of Turkey, dominating the Middle East chessboard (3/3)

By Elijah J. Magnier: From the Syrian dossier that is coming to a relative close, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has another objective to reach in order for him stay on top of the Middle Eastern throne: Palestine. “There is no difference between the atrocities faced by the Jewish people in Europe 75 years […]

The Battle in the South of Syria is coming to an end: Israel bowed to Russia’s will.

By Elijah J. Magnier – @ejmalrai After only two weeks since the beginning of the military operation, jihadists and militants in most of eastern rural Daraa in south Syria have either surrendered or were overwhelmed, the over 70 villages they occupied were liberated by the Syrian Army. Meanwhile, Israel has reduced its requests or conditions pronounced […]

After the south, Fua and Kfarya next: The talented Erdogan is the new Sultan of Turkey, dominating the Middle East chessboard (2/3)

By Elijah J. Magnier – @ejmalrai In spite of Turkey’s many astute manoeuvres, it is too early to say that it is coming out of the Syrian war totally victorious (see part 1). By the end of the ongoing battle in the South of Syria, the war would be almost over- with the exception of the […]

The talented Erdogan is the new Sultan of Turkey, dominating the Middle East chessboard (1)

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai The “Justice and Development Party” (AKP) won the Turkish elections with 52.6 per cent of the vote, securing 293 of out 600 of the seats in the parliament. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruled for 15 years over Turkey and he will rule for the next five years, renewable, and will enjoy […]

The most complicated battle of southern Syria: US forces under threat due to Israeli interference

Daraa (Syria) by Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai The battle for southern Syria is one of the most complicated battles undertaken by the Syrian army and its allies during the seven years of war imposed on the Levant. The beginning of the battle and the decision of Damascus to initiate it, disregarding Israel’s opposition, was largely and […]

After its failure in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, Saudi Arabia is looking for a “victory” in Palestine

By Elijah J. Magnier: @ejmalrai Saudi Arabia is looking for a “victory” following many and repeated defeats of its foreign policy in the Middle East. In Syria, the oil-rich monarchy, despite tens of billions of dollars spent, failed to change the Syrian regime. Instead it released jihadists from jail and facilitated their travel to the Levant […]

The Kurds have lost the chance to decide their fate: only Damascus can save them

By Elijah J. Magnier – @ejmalrai Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of Syria “very soon” and to deliver the city of Manbij to Turkey fell as a shock to the Syrian Kurds gathered in the northern part of the country. These Kurds, who act on a day-to-day basis as a shield for the US forces, have […]

The battle of Daraa is happening: al-Ridwan, Hezbollah’s special forces will participate

Syria by Elijah J. Magnier – @ejmalrai The battle of Daraa against the “Islamic State” (ISIS) group (known under the name of Jaish Khaled Bin al-Waleed), al-Qaeda and the “Free Syrian Army” is happening without doubt. The Syrian government won’t take into consideration the US menace to bomb the Syrian Army, or Israel’s threat – Israel […]

A weak and divided Iraq is stumbling towards an unbalanced future

By Elijah J. Magnier – @ejmalrai The US, Iran and Saudi Arabia have each sent their respective representatives to Iraq to support the re-election of Haidar al-Abadi. This aim, far from achieving a stable Iraq, will rather keep the country weak and politically divided between the biggest dominating groups. Moreover, the parliament’s decision to annul […]

Deal or no deal? US forces to exchange al-Tanaf for Iran and Hezbollah in the south of Syria

Elijah J. Magnier – @ejmalrai Russia and Damascus (and its allies) have agreed on a plan for the Syrian Army to liberate what remained of the south of Syria- Qunietra and Daraa. The deal will be discussed this week between senior members (Vice Ministers) of the Russian, US and Jordanian establishments where Damascus and Tehran […]