Mena Today

As the Christmas season approaches, the city of Tel Aviv has ushered in the holiday spirit with a vibrant celebration. 

In a significant development, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) officers were photographed meeting with a Druze dignitary in Syria. This marks a notable moment in the IDF’s ongoing operations near the buffer zone, emphasizing the importance of open communication in a volatile and complex region.

Students returned to classrooms in Syria on Sunday after the country's new rulers ordered schools reopened in a potent sign of some normalcy a week after rebels swept into the capital in the dramatic overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

Pope Francis urged Catholic priests on Sunday to guard against spiritual groups that stoke political divisions, speaking during a one-day visit to Corsica, the first by a pontiff to the French Mediterranean island.

The new administration in Syria should be given a chance to govern following their constructive messages, and Turkey stands ready to provide military training if such help is requested, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said.

Qatari news outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that discussions between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and senior U.S. officials revolved around the future of the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow buffer zone between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Syria's de facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Saturday Israel is using false pretexts to justify its attacks on Syria, but that he is not interested in engaging in new conflicts as the country focuses on rebuilding following the end of Bashar al-Assad's reign.

Hezbollah head Naim Qassem said on Saturday that the Lebanese armed group had lost its supply route through Syria, in his first comments since the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad nearly a week ago by a sweeping rebel offensive.

Israeli airline Air Haifa is set to launch a new route between Haifa and Athens, with flights commencing on Thursday, January 2, 2025. According to the company's website, the airline will operate five weekly flights on this route throughout January.

In the final days leading to his ouster, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad complained to Iran's foreign minister that Turkey was actively supporting Sunni rebels in their offensive to topple him, two Iranian officials told Reuters this week.

Turkey officially reopened its embassy in Syria on Saturday, less than a week after Damascus fell to an armed coalition, marking a significant diplomatic shift.

Russia is pulling back its military from the front lines in northern Syria and from posts in the Alawite Mountains but is not leaving its two main bases in the country after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, four Syrian officials told Reuters.