Donald Trump’s Middle East is NOT listening to him….
Stalmate in Gaza…..
The current fragile pause in hostilities in Gaza has come under further threat with Hamas hardening its negotiating positions amid new Israeli airstrikes in the devastated territory.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement ended two weeks ago but Israel is refusing to implement the scheduled second phase, which is supposed to end with its withdrawal from Gaza, the freedom of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, and a definitive end to the conflict.
Currently, both sides have refrained from returning to war, though Israel has conducted an intensifying series of airstrikes in Gaza that have killed dozens of Palestinians.
Israeli military officials say the victims are legitimate targets who had entered unauthorised areas, engaged in militant activities or otherwise violated the truce.
On Saturday, two airstrikes targeted northern Gaza killing nine people, according to unconfirmed local reports.
Initial reports said a first strike took place as a Palestinian journalist Mahmoud Aslim was using a drone in the ruined town of Beit Lahiya to survey potential sites for tented camps on behalf of a local charitable organisation. A second strike targeted a car as it evacuated those injured by the first attack….
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Hamas accused Israel of “deliberate killings” that aimed “to undermine the ceasefire agreement and deliberately destroy any chance of completing the agreement and exchanging prisoners, in a blatant challenge to the mediators and the international community”.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that Israeli fire had killed 19 people in the past 48 hours. The death toll in the 15-month Israeli offensive in Gaza now totals more than 48,500, mostly civilians. Hamas still has 59 hostages, of whom 35 are believed to be dead.
In a statement, Hamas clarified an offer to release a living American-Israeli hostage, saying it would only hand over 21-year-old Edan Alexander if Israel implements the ceasefire agreement which came into effect in January.
The US has already rebuffed the offer, made on Friday, and accused the Islamist militant organisation of “stalling” by making “impractical” demands.
Hamas however said on Saturday that it would only release hostages if Israel lifted its blockade, withdrew from a strategic corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt and freed more Palestinian prisoners.
The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced most of the population.
The ceasefire’s first phase included the release of 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces pulled back to a buffer zone along Gaza’s border and allowed a surge of humanitarian aid….
The massacres brought into question the ability of Syria’s government to control its ranks and the challenges of reining in the patchwork of militias that currently control the country.
Fighting started when fighters loyal to ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad launched a coordinated attack on Syrian government forces across the country’s coast on 6 March, prompting the government to call for help. Thousands of armed individuals and several rebel groups answered the call. The incensed militias and crowds carried out a wave of revenge attacks against members of Syria’s Alawite community, the same sect from which Assad hailed, though most had nothing to do with the former regime. Massacres in most Alawite villages ensued.
In total, the four days of fighting left more than 1,000 people dead, including 745 civilians, many of whom were killed in revenge attacks targeting the sect. In addition, Assad loyalists killed 211 members of the Syrian security forces and 228 civilians…..
Trump attacks the Houthi’s as a message to Iran….
The United States carried out large-scale military strikes on Saturday against dozens of targets in Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, President Trump announced.
It was the opening salvo in what senior American officials said was a new offensive against the militants and a strong message to Iran, as Mr. Trump seeks a nuclear deal with its government.
Air and naval strikes ordered by Mr. Trump hit radars, air defenses, and missile and drone systems in an effort to open international shipping lanes in the Red Sea that the Houthis have disrupted for months with their own attacks. At least one senior Houthi commander was targeted. The Biden administration conducted several strikes against the Houthis but largely failed to restore stability to the region.
U.S. officials said the bombardment, the most significant military action of Mr. Trump’s second term so far, was also meant to send a warning signal to Iran. Mr. Trump wants to broker a deal with Iranto prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, but has left open the possibility of military action if the Iranians rebuff negotiations….
ISW….Iran Update, March 14, 2025
- Iran: Iran, China, and Russia issued a joint statement effectively condemning the US “maximum pressure” strategy vis-a-vis Iran. The statement reaffirms that Russia is unlikely to play a constructive role in mediating between the United States and Iran.
- Syria: The Kurdish-majority SDC rejected the draft constitution that Syrian President Ahmed al Shara approved. It is unclear what effect this rejection will have on ongoing efforts to integrate the SDF into the interim Syrian government armed forces.
- Syria: Russia is using diplomatic and economic incentives to develop and maintain a working relationship with the interim Syrian government, likely in order to maintain Russian military basing there.
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