In this news roundup on Syria, we explore several significant developments impacting the region. Tensions between Russia and the U.S.-led coalition have escalated, with a Russian military official reporting a “dangerous” close encounter between a coalition jet and a Russian surveillance aircraft over Homs province. Meanwhile, the situation in southern Lebanon intensifies as an Israeli airstrike kills 10 Syrians, raising concerns about further escalation. On the cultural front, satire has emerged as a crucial outlet for Syrians to cope with their harsh realities, particularly in the face of forced deportation and political repression. Additionally, in the village of al-Nayrab, civilians are resorting to shooting down government drones with rifles as drone attacks increase in frequency and intensity. Lastly, Turkey looks to Iran’s constructive role in the ongoing efforts to normalize relations with Syria, emphasizing the complex dynamics between these neighboring countries.
Russia says US-led coalition’s jet came ‘dangerously’ close to its plane in Syria
A fighter-bomber jet of the US-led coalition in Syria came “dangerously” close to a Russian surveillance aircraft over Homs province on Sunday, Russia’s TASS state news agency reported, citing a Russian military official in the Middle Eastern country and quoted by JPost.com.
The US has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in neighbouring Iraq on a mission to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large swaths of both countries but was later pushed back.
“A coalition F/A-18 fighter-bomber came into dangerous contact with an An-30 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, which was carrying out a scheduled flight in Syrian airspace,” TASS quoted Captain Oleg Ignasyuk, deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, as saying.
Lebanon Says 10 Syrians Killed in Israeli Strike on South
The Lebanese health ministry said an Israeli air strike on the south on Saturday killed 10 Syrians, as the Israeli military reported hitting weapons stores of the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, according to TheDefensePost.com.
The death toll from the strike in the Wadi al-Kafur area of Nabatieh is one of the heaviest since Hezbollah began exchanging near-daily cross-border fire with Israeli forces after the Gaza war erupted last October.
Egyptian, Qatari, and US mediators have been trying to broker a ceasefire in the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which diplomats say could help to avert a wider war in which Lebanon would be on the front line.
The dead in the latest strike included “a woman and her two children,” the health ministry said in a statement.
A source close to Hezbollah in the Nabatieh area told AFP they were all civilians.
The Israeli military said the air force had struck a Hezbollah weapons storage facility overnight “in the area of Nabatieh,” some 12 kilometers (seven and a half miles) from the Israeli border.
Satire among Syrians: Escaping an unchangeable reality
Enab Baladi published a study on how satire has become a vital tool for Syrians to navigate an unchangeable reality, especially in the face of forced deportation and political oppression. Initially focused on light social commentary, Syrian satire has shifted to directly criticize political authorities and the challenges of life in exile. While opinions differ on its impact—some view it as resistance, others as a sign of despair—satire continues to serve as a crucial outlet for expression and tension relief in a repressive environment.
Satire has become a significant outlet for Syrians to cope with an unchangeable reality, particularly in the face of forced deportation and other hardships. The use of humor and satire among Syrians has evolved, especially after the 2011 revolution, shifting from light social commentary to bold critiques of political authorities and the challenges faced in exile.
Social media has amplified the reach of this satire, allowing jokes, songs, and trends to quickly circulate and resonate with Syrians globally. Despite differing views on its impact—some see it as a form of resistance, while others view it as reinforcing despair—satire remains a crucial means of expression.
However, former philosophy teacher Ammar Eqtini notes that while satire can alleviate pressure, it has not fully developed into an artistic form in Syria, often lacking the depth and intelligent expression needed to address complex issues humorously. The ongoing conflict and the absence of better tools for change have made satire one of the few ways Syrians can resist and cope with their circumstances, turning pain into laughter to avoid succumbing to sadness.
Syrian villagers take up rifles to shoot down explosive-laden drones
In al-Nayrab village in northwestern Syria, a group of men set out early every morning, around 4am, with their hunting rifles to monitor the sky for explosive-laden drones that have menaced the villagers for almost a year now.
“We used to use these rifles to hunt rabbits and birds, as well as to protect our houses and properties from stray dogs,” said Abdul-Rahman al-Mohammed, a 29-year-old resident of al-Nayrab, which sits on the front line between government militias and opposition forces.
“But now, we use them to protect our properties from drones.”
Since late 2023, the Syrian government has introduced armed drones to the battle in northwestern Syria. Over the past year, drone attacks have repeatedly struck both military and civilian targets, including farmers working the land, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
In the early morning of 9 July, when seven drones attacked al-Nayrab, in Idlib’s eastern countryside, destroying several civilian cars, villagers picked up their rifles and managed to shoot down two of them.
In the first four months of this year, 60 suicide drone attacks were reported across 21 villages, many of which are located in al-Ghab Plain in the Hama countryside and in the Idlib countryside.
At least 11 people were killed and 32 were wounded in the attacks, according to the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets.
“This has been a dangerous escalation,” Hasan al-Hasan, a senior member of the White Helmets, explained.
“Many single attacks are being carried out simultaneously by two to six drones. They have targeted moving vehicles, including ambulances, emergency or civilian cars and even motorcycles.
“There’s no particular reason for this type of attack in these regions.”
Hasan added that drone attacks, which have been mainly concentrated in the areas close to the front line, are putting around 70,000 people in danger, including 22,000 refugees, in the targeted villages.
Al-Mohammed said the government’s objective behind the drone campaign is to force residents to leave the opposition-held region before it invades it.
Turkey looks to Iran for constructive role on Syria normalization
Daily Sabah reported that Turkey’s Tehran ambassador says normalizing ties with Syria depends on a number of factors but Iran has an important, constructive role in assisting them in the progress
Hicabi Kırlangıç, Turkish ambassador to Iran, highlighted the role of his country’s eastern neighbor as Ankara aspires to restore ties with the Assad regime of Syria. The envoy, who was appointed last year, said they were in touch with Tehran on the matter.
Kırlangıç told Tasnim news agency of Iran in a recent interview that Turkey and Syria have been culturally linked neighbors, though their relations deteriorated over Syria’s past stance on terrorism. He was referring to the activities of the terrorist group PKK in Syria long before the beginning of the civil war. Kırlangıç said Iran and Turkey had different perspectives on Syria, adding that it was undeniable that Syria had a human rights issue.
“There is a clear divide between the Syrian (regime) and its people, something evidenced by a large number of Syrians fleeing their country into Turkey,” he said. Kırlangıç stated that Turkey handled this influx well and it also did its best to engage in dialogue with Syria. “However, the influence of major powers, especially emerging regional powers, is at play here. Turkey and Syria need to act cautiously,” he said, without naming the said powers.
The ambassador said Turkey sought to take constructive steps while assessing the Assad regime’s reservations about normalizing relations.
