Syria

Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, US and Coalition Forces continue to face a spate of drone and rocket attacks in Iraq and Syria, with defense officials suspecting Iranian involvement, prompting the US to enhance its military stance in the region while staunchly supporting Israel against Hamas.

A nightmare scenario has now put the Middle East on edge. Israel and IRGC-backed groups are now at a point of no return, and for the foreseeable future, neither will be able to coexist unless one side is destroyed entirely.

Overall, the shadow war between Israel and Iran has far-reaching consequences for the Middle East and other regions. Now intertwined with the global powers, the shadow war can very much become an open war with hundreds of thousands of casualties in the future.

The Iran-Russia drone alliance raises global security concerns as shared technology deepens, impacting Syria and beyond.

In a chilling assault that underlines the enduring complexities and human toll of the Syrian conflict, jihadists from the Ansar al-Tawhid and Turkestan Islamic Party groups, both affiliated with the larger extremist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), executed a coordinated attack in Syria’s Idlib province, leaving at least 11 soldiers dead, 20 wounded, and revealing a disturbing nexus of extremist affiliations amidst an ongoing international crisis.

It was confirmed that Delta Force Master Sergeant Jonathan Dunbar and SAS commando Sgt. Matt Tonroe were killed by the unintentional explosion of coalition forces’ own explosives, rather than an ISIS-placed IED, during an operation in northern Syria

Standing to the left we see US Army Major General James Jarrard providing assistant gunner support.

The Syrian War, a brutal and protracted conflict that has raged since 2011, has left an indelible mark on the world.

Like a good whisky, Putin is strong, complex and leaves an indelible mark on all who come in contact with him. Too much, however, can result in an intoxication ending in disaster.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the elusive and powerful figure at the helm of the Wagner Group, emerges as a significant player within Russia’s political and military circles, his journey from a troubled past to a key role in Russia’s power dynamics underscoring his resilience and strategic acumen amidst international scrutiny.

The Islamic State group ISIS allegedly killed three troops and hurt four others in an attack in northern Iraq earlier this week. 

Preemptions must be made to contain Wagner and its influence as the PMCs look to further their extreme violence to attract more followers and influence. Like ISIS, ultimately the group will become a major global security problem unless their external operations are kept in check.