US - Islamic World News

Qais al-Muhammadi, deputy commander of Iraq’s Joint Operations Command announced that the Ain al-Asad base will be fully handed over to Iraqi security forces next week, following the withdrawal of coalition troops. He stressed that the agreement ending the coalition’s mission was finalized three months ago, and that no coalition personnel are currently present within Iraq’s Joint Operations Command.

Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. envoy for Afghan peace, has arrived in Kabul on a new visit and met with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister.

The Ansar Allah movement announced the martyrdom of Maj. Gen. Zakaria Hajar, a commander in Yemen’s Armed Forces missile unit, along with several of his companions in recent U.S. airstrikes on Yemen.

Early this morning, a U.S. Army transport plane landed at the Kharab al-Jir base, located on the outskirts of Rmeilan in northern Hasakah province. The aircraft carried air defense systems, heavy weaponry, and logistical equipment, as part of the ongoing effort to reinforce American military bases in areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Abu Ali al‑Askari, security chief of Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, issued a harsh statement warning Iraqi politicians and public figures against any contact with Mark Savaya, Trump’s envoy to Iraq. He declared that anyone engaging with Savaya would be considered a traitor to Iraq.

A British combat drone and a U.S. spy plane were spotted on unusual flights over Syria, in another sign of the emerging partnership between the country’s Islamist-led Interim Government and the United States-led coalition.

During yesterday’s attack on a joint U.S.–Syrian military convoy near Palmyra, two American soldiers and one American interpreter were killed, while several others—including Syrian personnel—were wounded.

Recent developments show that escalating Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, coupled with the ineffectiveness of Lebanon’s change in representation level at the ceasefire committee, have further complicated the political and security landscape.

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.

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.

The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has reported that during America’s 20‑year presence in Afghanistan, more than $148 billion was spent. According to the report, about 60% of this budget went to security programs, including the purchase of military equipment, vehicles, aircraft, and training for Afghanistan’s former security forces.