JERUSALEM — For the past three years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has bet heavily on President Donald Trump and been rewarded with major diplomatic gains in exchange for his warm embrace of the U.S. leader. But the U.S. pullback from northeastern Syria, essentially abandoning its Kurdish allies, has called that strategy —...
US to Hand Over to Iraq IS Members Evacuated From Syria
BAGHDAD — Two Iraqi intelligence officials say the U.S. is planning to hand over to Iraqi authorities dozens of members of the Islamic State group recently transferred from Syria. The officials said the nearly 50 militants are expected to be handed over in the coming hours. They spoke on condition...
Fresno State Professor Emeritus Weaves Swashbuckling Tale of Iran Tanker Conflict
U.S. officials were determined to keep a tanker that they thought was full of Iranian oil from reaching war-torn Syria, putting cash into the hands of Iran's government and fuel into Syria's, and violating European Union sanctions on Syria. What transpired was a story of modern-day attempted piracy, author and...
Turkey Launches Offensive Against Kurdish Fighters in Syria
AKCAKALE, Turkey — Turkey launched a military operation Wednesday against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria after U.S. forces pulled back from the area, with a series of airstrikes hitting a town on Syria's northern border. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the campaign, which followed an abrupt...
Trump Defends Syria Move, Doesn't Want US Troops in Mideast
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday over sharp criticism of his decision to pull back U.S. troops from northeastern Syria, insisting he is focused on the "BIG PICTURE" that doesn't include American involvement in "stupid endless wars" in the Middle East. "Fighting between various groups that has been...
Rep. Costa Blasts Trump's Decision to Abandon Kurds
Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno said Monday morning that President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria "is disgraceful and deeply harmful to our national security." Said Costa in a news release: “Not only does this open the door to ISIS regrouping and resuming its horrendous acts...
Trump's Syria Withdrawal Announcement Draws GOP Condemnation
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's sudden decision to pull back U.S. troops from northern Syria drew quick, strong criticism Monday from some of his closest allies in Congress. It was condemned, too, by Kurdish fighters who would be abandoned to face a likely Turkish assault after fighting alongside Americans for...
Bomb-Carrying Drone From Yemen Rebels Targets Saudi Airport
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Yemen's Iranian-allied Houthi rebels said Tuesday they attacked a Saudi airport and military base with a bomb-laden drone, an assault acknowledged by the kingdom as Mideast tensions remain high between Tehran and the United States. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The...
Documents Shine Rare Light on Syrian Government Crackdown
BEIRUT — Thousands of documents purportedly collected from abandoned Syrian government offices during the country's civil war reveal the reach of President Bashar Assad's shadowy, labyrinthine security agencies as they spied on the population at large, sought to eliminate dissidents at all cost and systematically persecuted the Kurdish minority even...
Putin Hosts Turkey's Leader to Discuss Syria, Weapons Deals
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday hosted Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks focusing on the situation in Syria, the sale of advanced Russian missiles to Turkey and other economic deals. Erdogan's visit to Russia, his third this year, underlined increasingly close ties between the two countries...