Latest news with #AxisofResistance
Memri
a day ago
- Politics
- Memri
U.S. Activist Calla Walsh at a Martyr Memorial Ceremony in Tehran: Glory to All the Martyrs! Glory to the Axis of Resistance! Death to America! Death to Israel!"
U.S. activist Calla Walsh attended the 'International Memorial for the Media Martyrs of the Struggle against the Zionist Regime' in Tehran. In her remarks, she expressed gratitude for the hospitality and said: 'We all have a duty, when we go back to the countries we came from, to share the truth we saw here, and to struggle against Zionism and imperialism. Glory to all the martyrs! Glory to the Axis of Resistance!... Death to America! Death to Israel.' The ceremony was aired on IRINN TV (Iran) on July 20, 2025.
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Weaken Israel, Boost Axis Of Resistance, Prevent Normalization: Decoding Iran's Syria Gameplan
The possibility of Iran directly entering the Syria conflict remains a complex but very real possibility. While Iran is deeply entangled in Syrian affair, supporting the previous Assad regime through the IRGC and Hezbollah. Its motivation is not rooted in defending the Druze minority. Iran has no ideological or sectarian affinity with the Druze, a heterodox religious group often viewed with suspicion by both Sunni and Shia hardliners. If Iran intervenes more aggressively, it would be less about protecting minorities and more about undermining Israel and asserting regional power. For Tehran, the strategic calculus is simple: weaken Israel, bolster the "Axis of Resistance," and prevent any normalization between Damascus and Tel Aviv. Syria's quiet overtures toward joining the Abraham Accords, a move encouraged by some Gulf states, are now in jeopardy. Renewed Israeli airstrikes and Syrian missile responses have hardened positions, and if Iran ramps up its own involvement, it could scuttle any backchannel diplomacy aimed at reintegrating Syria into the Arab-Israeli normalization process. n18oc_world n18oc_crux
L'Orient-Le Jour
3 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Massive seizure of weapons bound for the Houthis off Yemen's coast
The information might seem trivial. However, the interception announced on July 16 of a massive shipment of military equipment off Yemen bound for the Houthis speaks volumes about the situation. The seized arsenal, which bears Iran's hallmark, is said to total 750 tons of equipment, ranging from anti-ship cruise missiles to components for anti-aircraft defense, as well as engines for Shahed one-way attack drones. This delivery underscores the close ties between the Islamic Republic and its Yemeni allies, despite the group's relative autonomy, as well as Tehran's strategy following the June war with Israel: its network of regional proxies remains at the core of its defense system. As usual, Tehran denied having sent weapons to the Houthis, who are seen as its main asset within the "Axis of Resistance" after Hezbollah and...
Al-Ahram Weekly
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Peace and moderation in Syria - World - Al-Ahram Weekly
It has not escaped the new Syrian leadership that the confrontation with Israel has entered a new phase. Syrian strength is at its nadir. The country cannot undertake any military confrontation with any party in its vicinity, especially given its complete focus on domestic security and the restoration of peace across the country. The Syrian-Israeli conflict also requires a fresh approach that takes into account recent developments in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, including Israel's destruction of the core of the Axis of Resistance, which comprised the former Syrian regime, Iran, Hizbullah in Lebanon, and Hamas. Since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad regime, the major European powers and the Gulf states have hastened to embrace the new Syria. Particularly remarkable was Washington's 180-degree shift with its blanket lifting of all sanctions on the Syrian opposition. This was accompanied by expressions of hope from the US president and senior officials that Syria would quickly become a strong and effective force in a new and dynamic Middle East, contributing to spreading peace and development in the region. Israel has conducted more than 500 air raids against military targets in Syria since the overthrow of Al-Assad, who was backed by Iran. Israeli forces also swept into and occupied the buffer zone that had been monitored by UN peacekeeping forces since the Syrian-Israeli disengagement treaty of 1974. According to some military observers, Israel has destroyed 70 to 80 per cent of Syria's strategic weapons as well as the entirety of its naval and air forces. This has complicated the process of restructuring the military. Israel claims that the 1974 treaty was no longer valid because one of the signatories to the treaty – i.e., the former Al-Assad regime – was no longer able to implement it. It also claims that it was acting in self-defence against a potential hostile force that might take advantage of the post-Assad security vacuum. However, the situation is different now the US and other major powers have recognised the new regime and begun forging strategic relations with Damascus. The risk of chaos that might affect Syria's neighbours is over. The Syrian political analyst Said Muqbil told Al-Ahram Weekly, 'the former regime drained the national budget for 50 years for 'the confrontation against Israel'. Seventy per cent of the budget went to the army and security apparatus, impoverishing the country. In the name of 'resistance and steadfastness', it monopolised power and spread repression. The result was more economic losses, more military defeats, and more erosion of Syrian territory by Israel. Meanwhile, the fronts remained silent and the border with Israel remained tightly guarded while Iranian penetration nearly destroyed the country. 'The approach to Israel will certainly be totally different now, of that we can be certain,' Muqbil continued. 'Peace is better for Syria – a peace founded on just and firm foundations. Syrians do not want more war. They are exhausted by war, which has deprived them of 50 years of development. In any case, the military balance game is not feasible, not now and not in the long term, because the Syrian regime had used the Syrian military machine to repress and kill its own people.' Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa has stated repeatedly that Syria has no intention to become a threat to its neighbours. In his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron last month, he condemned Israel's 'arbitrary' behaviour and called on it to stop intervening in Syrian affairs and to return to the 1974 disengagement borders. He also suggested that indirect negotiations were in progress with Israel to restore calm and prevent the situation from spiralling out of control. He made no mention of any plan to normalise relations with Isreal. On the other hand, in a statement following a telephone exchange with his American counterpart Marco Rubio, Syrian Foreign Minister Asad Al-Shibani said, 'Syria is looking forward to working with the US to return to the 1974 disengagement line.' The US Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack said peace between Syria and Israel was a 'necessity' and that 'the dialogue between them has begun.' Syrian analysts believe the intensive US-brokered talks underway aim to reach security arrangements that will include Israel's withdrawal from the Syrian territory it has occupied since 8 December in exchange for a Syrian declaration that the two countries are no longer in a state of war. Some sources suggest that this would take the form of a commitment rather than an official declaration. Official Syrian news outlets have described statements regarding a peace treaty between Syria and Israel as 'premature.' Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said it is in Israel's interest to normalise relations with Syria and Lebanon, but he insisted that the Occupied Syrian Golan will be part of Israel under any future peace agreement. Observers believe that President Al-Sharaa would not sign a peace agreement with Isreal unless Isreal withdrew from the Syrian Golan. He will not offer a peace free of charge. That portion of territory that has been severed from Syrian geography remains an obstacle to a durable and lasting peace. 'The talks taking place at the moment between Syria and Israel through regional mediators are being closely monitored and encouraged by the US through diverse channels,' the military analyst Ayad Raji told Al-Ahram Weekly. 'They aim to reach an agreement on the lines of a necessary security truce satisfactory to both sides. This is not about reaching a permanent peace agreement, which is very politically sensitive. Many Syrians still oppose such a peace and going down that path could cause unrest. In any case, a permanent treaty must be ratified by parliament and signed into law by a permanent authority. All that takes consultations and time.' Syria and Isreal have been in a state of war in theory since the Palestinian Nakba in 1948. In 1967, Israel occupied about two-thirds of the Syrian Golan along with the entirety of historic Palestine. It annexed the occupied Syrian territory in 1981. In 1974, a year after the October War, Israel and Syria concluded a disengagement agreement that resulted in an 80 km-long buffer zone overseen by the UN. In addition to the aforementioned political sensitivities regarding a possible peace treaty with Israel, some thorny practical issues must be addressed. Even if the regional and international atmosphere is conducive, the two sides must agree on the status of the Occupied Golan, permanent borders, and security guarantees. What is beyond doubt is that Syria is doing everything in its power to reset its international relations on a sound foundation and, simultaneously, restore domestic stability and forge forward with reconstruction and development. It has no interest in engaging in new wars. This is not to suggest that the question of peace with Israel is not open to discussion. Indeed, everyone is searching for ways to beat the challenges to overcoming differences in order to reach a just formula for a lasting peace satisfactory to all parties. * A version of this article appears in print in the 10 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
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First Post
10-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
What to know as Houthis sink two ships in recent Red Sea escalation
The Houthis have sunk a second cargo ship in the Red Sea this week. Since November 2023, Yemen-based militants have targeted over 100 vessels. Their attacks have severely disrupted a $1 trillion annual trade route through the Red Sea. Despite US airstrikes and Israeli retaliation, the Houthis retain the capacity for complex assaults, exposing vulnerabilities in global maritime security read more In recent days, Yemen's Houthi rebels have escalated their assault on maritime vessels in the Red Sea, sinking two ships and killing several crew members in a dramatic surge of violence. These attacks mark a renewed phase in the rebels' broader offensive against maritime trade amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. They also occur against the backdrop of Yemen's prolonged civil war — now nearly a decade old — with no resolution in sight for the Arab world's poorest nation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's a closer look at the Houthis, Yemen, and their ongoing maritime campaign. Rebels entrenched in a long civil war The Houthis belong to the Zaydi sect of Shiite Islam, which once governed Yemen for a millennium (1,000 years) until 1962. After years of fighting with the Yemeni state, they descended from their northern base in 2014 to capture the capital, Sanaa, sparking a war that continues today. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in 2015, aiming to restore the internationally recognised Yemeni government in exile. What followed was years of relentless and inconclusive fighting, evolving into a proxy conflict between regional powers Saudi Arabia and Iran. The result has been widespread devastation — with over 150,000 people, both civilians and combatants, killed — and one of the globe's worst humanitarian crises, claiming tens of thousands more lives due to famine and disease. Although a truce officially expired in October 2022, it has largely held. There have been prisoner exchanges between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, and in September 2023, Houthi representatives took part in high-level negotiations in Riyadh, part of Saudi Arabia's broader diplomatic thaw with Iran. While those talks yielded 'positive results,' no permanent peace agreement has emerged. Iranian backing and rising influence Iran has been a longstanding supporter of the Houthis. Though Tehran denies supplying them with weapons, mounting physical evidence, intercepted shipments and expert assessments link Iranian arms to the rebels. This is likely due to Iran's attempt to avoid penalties tied to a United Nations arms embargo. Among Iran's allies in its so-called 'Axis of Resistance,' the Houthis have now emerged as the most potent force. Groups like Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Palestinian organisation Hamas have suffered heavy losses at Israel's hands since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack that ignited the ongoing war in Gaza. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iran itself is grappling with the aftermath of a 12-day conflict with Israel and American strikes on its nuclear infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Houthis have gained regional prominence by directly targeting Israel — a stance that resonates with large segments of the Arab world outraged by the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. A maritime offensive tied to Gaza The Houthis have launched waves of drone and missile attacks against both commercial and military vessels, framing their actions as solidarity with Gaza and an effort to halt Israel's campaign against Hamas. Between November 2023 and December 2024, the group targeted over 100 merchant ships using aerial drones and missiles, sinking two and killing four sailors. Their operations have severely disrupted the Red Sea's commercial artery, a route through which approximately $1 trillion in goods travels annually. The most recent attack before this new wave came in early December, aimed at US naval escorts of merchant vessels. When the Israel-Hamas truce began in January and lasted until March, the US retaliated with an extensive military campaign against the Houthis. That offensive ended when US President Donald Trump announced the rebels had promised to cease maritime attacks. Since then, the Houthis had continued sporadic missile launches toward Israel but had not targeted ships — until now. Red Sea shipping traffic, though still below usual levels, had been gradually picking up. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD New assaults show greater sophistication The recent strikes on the Magic Seas and the Eternity C signal a significant escalation in Houthi operations. Analysts have characterised these incidents as coordinated, multi-pronged assaults. In both cases, armed rebels first approached the targeted vessels using small boats, firing small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. Subsequently, they deployed anti-ship missiles along with aerial and seaborne drones laden with explosives. This orchestrated series of attacks resulted in the sinking of two ships in just a few days — doubling the Houthis' record of destroyed vessels. There is growing concern that the strike on the Eternity C could be their deadliest naval attack, as multiple crew members remain unaccounted for. The attacks indicate that neither Israeli nor US airstrikes have succeeded in neutralising the Houthis' capacity for such operations. Vulnerability of commercial vessels Compared to military ships, commercial cargo vessels are significantly more exposed. Most lack air defence systems and carry only small security teams, typically just three guards, to deter piracy rather than missile or drone strikes. These guards may use fire hoses or lay out cyclone wire to repel boarders from small boats. However, they are ill-equipped to counter the kind of complex, multi-directional threats now posed by the Houthis — especially considering the rebels' experience in helicopter insertions and other advanced tactics. Neutralising drones is a major challenge and commercial vessels lack the firepower to intercept incoming missiles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Domestic motives and regional messaging According to the Houthis, their renewed maritime offensive 'represents a qualitative shift in the course of the open battle in support of Gaza.' Their SABA news agency added that Israel conducts 'daily massacres against civilians in Gaza and relies on sea lanes to finance its aggression and maintain its siege.' 'This stance, which is not content with condemnation or statements, is also advancing with direct military action, in a clear effort to support the Palestinians on various fronts,' the group stated. Yet despite their rhetoric, the Houthis suspended maritime strikes in late December after a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas. Though they warned that vessels connected to Israeli ports would remain at risk, their operations largely paused. Following US airstrikes, the rebels may have rebuilt their forces. While they haven't confirmed the extent of their losses, Washington has claimed it used over 2,000 munitions against more than 1,000 targets. Strategically, the renewed attacks may serve both international and domestic goals. Regionally, discussions about a new Israel-Hamas ceasefire and future US-Iran nuclear negotiations are underway. Historically, Iran has used the Houthis as a pressure tool, though analysts remain divided on how much direct control Tehran has over their targeting decisions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Domestically, the Houthis face internal unrest, as Yemen's economic collapse and their detention of UN officials and aid workers have drawn criticism. By resuming military operations, the group may aim to solidify internal support and reassert control in the areas they govern. With inputs from AP
