West Asia - Islamic World News

The appointment of Mark Savaya, a Chaldean‑Assyrian Iraqi‑American entrepreneur, as the U.S. President’s Special Envoy for Iraq in November 2025 was seen as more than a routine diplomatic move. It came at a time of rising tensions between Washington and resistance groups, with Iraq approaching parliamentary elections. Analysts view this as part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to redefine Iraq’s role in the regional order and curb Iranian influence. Sawaya, beyond his symbolic position as a representative of Christian minorities, has been tasked with a multi‑faceted mission: rebuilding Baghdad–Washington relations, strengthening U.S. investment and economic presence, and reshaping Iraq’s security structure in line with Western interests.

Anas Khattab, Syria’s Interior Minister, told Al Jazeera of significant advances made by security agencies following the fall of Bashar al‑Assad’s government.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the U.S. military presence in Syria has undergone a series of strategic shifts—particularly after the Trump administration announced its intention to reduce troop levels. While some bases have witnessed withdrawals in recent months, closer examination reveals an opposite trend taking shape: a rapid expansion and intensification of operations at the Qasrak base on the outskirts of Hasakah. The pressing question is what these movements reveal about Washington’s strategy in northeastern Syria—and, more specifically, what is unfolding at Qasrek and other American installations in Deir ez-Zor?

The spokesperson for the U.S. State Department announced Washington’s disappointment over Iraq’s decision to reverse its plan to freeze the assets of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Ansarallah in Yemen.

According to the latest reports on the movements of Southern Transitional Council (STC) fighters in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen, political authority in these regions remains formally under the governors of the ousted government, yet southern forces are seizing key sites including airports and border crossings.

Yasser Abu Shabab, leader of an armed faction opposing the resistance in the Gaza Strip, was killed in an incident in western Rafah. Multiple accounts have emerged regarding the circumstances of his death.

Yemeni officials, responding to a request from Oman, have released 10 crew members of the Eternity C vessel. Following their release, the Filipino crew were flown from Sanaa Airport to Muscat aboard an Omani aircraft.

After a period of tension and power struggles between Southern Transitional Council (STC) fighters, Hadhramaut tribes, and Islah Party elements, the southerners—backed by the UAE—launched an operation yesterday under the name “Promising Future” to seize northern areas of Hadhramaut province. They marched toward Seiyun and swiftly took control of all military bases in Wadi Hadhramaut and key sites including Seiyun, the provincial capital, with minimal resistance.

On December 3, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the creation of a new special unit called the Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS) and the deployment of the first squadron of Low‑Cost Unmanned Combat Aerial Systems (LUCAS) in West Asia.

In a recent meeting of the international coalition—comprising the European Union, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—chaired by Abdu Sharif, the British ambassador to Yemen, the establishment of the Yemen Maritime Security Partnership (YMSP) was announced.

Without doubt, in recent years the United Arab Emirates has become both a security and economic arm for the United States and Israel. Through economic projects, it advances Western‑Israeli security objectives—examples include involvement in Sudan’s conflict, support for the Rapid Support Forces, and exploitation of Sudan’s gold mines. Another example is the UAE’s entry into infrastructure and trade corridor projects in Central Asia. Recently, by signing agreements with countries in this region and the Caucasus, Abu Dhabi has sought access to the Middle Corridor, pursuing geopolitical and geo‑economic goals aligned with Tel Aviv and the West.

Since last night, the southern and central West Bank have witnessed two anti‑Israeli attacks carried out by Palestinians. Several Israeli soldiers were injured, while both attackers were killed by Israeli gunfire.