What Happened With Syria?

Every summary we've sent on Syria since January 1, 2025, newest first, each linked to its source. Each brief goes up here 14 days after our readers get it by text the morning it happens. Get today's brief here.

The Latest on Syria

Friday, September 4, 2026

Full Brief
  1. 5

    Syria destroys Assad-era chemical weapons remnants (recovered in May) including 42 aerial bombs, to ensure weapons "will not fall into wrong hands," marking Syria's 1st verified chemical munitions destruction since 2014

Every Summary on Syria

September 20261 Summary

  1. Friday, September 4, 2026Full Brief
    1. 5

      Syria destroys Assad-era chemical weapons remnants (recovered in May) including 42 aerial bombs, to ensure weapons "will not fall into wrong hands," marking Syria's 1st verified chemical munitions destruction since 2014

August 20264 Summaries

  1. Wednesday, August 26, 2026Full Brief
    1. 3

      Kurdish-led SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces, Kurdish militia in Northeast Syria) officially dissolve after completing merger with Syrian army; SDF previously controlled ~25% of Syria & was main US partner against ISIS

  2. Tuesday, August 25, 2026Full Brief
    1. 2

      US formally removes Syria from State Sponsors of Terrorism list after 47yrs; State Dept says move removes "final major barriers to private investment & Syria's economic reintegration into global economy"

  3. Wednesday, August 12, 2026Full Brief
    1. 2

      Syrian court sentences ex-President Bashar Assad to death in absentia over war crimes during Syria's 2011-2024 civil war that killed ~500K people; 1st verdict against Assad family since 2024 ouster

  4. Monday, August 10, 2026Full Brief
    1. 5

      Syria & Russia sign memorandum to reorganize Russia's military presence in Syria within 3mos, handing civilian facilities to Syria & converting bases into joint training centers to "safeguard interests of both countries"

July 20263 Summaries

  1. Wednesday, July 29, 2026Full Brief
    1. 4

      Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 335K Haitians & 6.1K Syrians expires, ending US work authorization & deportation protections after Jun 25 Supreme Court ruling allowing Trump admin to end TPS during litigation

  2. Monday, July 20, 2026Full Brief
    1. 4

      Iraq & Syria sign agreement to restore Kirkuk-Baniyas oil pipeline after 23yr closure, restoring alternative export route to Mediterranean markets amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions

  3. Thursday, July 9, 2026Full Brief
    1. 3

      Trump admin begins process to rescind Syria's "State Sponsor of Terrorism" designation, citing Syria's counterterrorism actions & pledge "not to support acts of international terrorism"; Country has been designated since 1979

June 20261 Summary

  1. Friday, June 26, 2026Full Brief
    1. 5

      Supreme Court allows (6-3) Trump admin to end Temporary Protected Status for 350K Haitians & 6K Syrians after ruling courts "cannot review DHS's process for ending TPS"; Humanitarian program covers 1.3M people from 17 countries

March 20261 Summary

  1. Tuesday, March 10, 2026Full Brief
    1. 2

      UN Refugee Agency: Middle East escalation triggers mass displacement; 100K+ people flee Tehran, 96K displaced in Lebanon shelters & ~37K cross from Lebanon into Syria

February 20261 Summary

  1. Tuesday, February 17, 2026Full Brief
    1. 5

      US military conducts 10 strikes on 30+ ISIS targets in Syria "in response to Dec 13 attack that killed 2 US soldiers & 1 US civilian interpreter"; Military reports 50+ ISIS terrorists killed/captured during 2mo targeted operations

January 20264 Summaries

  1. Monday, January 19, 2026Full Brief
    1. 4

      Syria & Kurdish-led SDF forces agree to 14-point ceasefire agreement ending 2wk conflict; Damascus will integrate SDF personnel into state military & assume control of border crossings, oil & gas fields

  2. Monday, January 12, 2026Full Brief
    1. 4

      US military & "partner forces" launch airstrikes against ISIS targets across Syria under Operation Hawkeye Strike in response to Dec ambush that killed 2 US soldiers & 1 US interpreter

    2. 6

      Kurdish-led SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces, Kurdish militia in Northeast Syria) withdraws from Aleppo under US-mediated ceasefire after week-long clashes with Syrian government over stalled integration deal kill 12 & displace tens of thousands

  3. Wednesday, January 7, 2026Full Brief
    1. 5

      Israel & Syria agree to US-supervised intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic coordination & commercial engagement after Paris talks

December 20251 Summary

  1. Monday, December 22, 2025Full Brief
    1. 3

      US military launches airstrikes against 70+ ISIS targets in Syria following Dec 13 attack that killed 2 US soldiers & 1 US civilian interpreter

November 20252 Summaries

  1. Wednesday, November 12, 2025Full Brief
    1. 1

      US ends comprehensive sanctions (imposed 2011) on Syria & suspends 2019 Caesar Act (targeting business with Syrian government) for 180 days (excluding Russia & Iran-linked dealings) to support economic rebuilding & peace after Assad regime's fall

  2. Monday, November 10, 2025Full Brief
    1. 3

      Syrian President al-Sharaa arrives in US for Trump meeting (1st Syrian presidential visit since 1946) after removal from terrorism blacklist; Al-Sharaa (formerly al-Qaeda affiliated, designated terrorist in 2013) ousted Assad in Dec 2024

September 20253 Summaries

  1. Monday, September 22, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      DHS ends Temporary Protected Status (TPS) with deportations after 60 days for over 6K Syrian immigrants in US, citing improved conditions in Syria

  2. Friday, September 19, 2025Full Brief
    1. 6

      Immigration judge orders Mahmoud Khalil, ex-Columbia student & pro-Palestinian activist, deported to Algeria or Syria over alleged green card omissions after earlier block on Trump admin's national security case

  3. Wednesday, September 3, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      Syria exports 1st crude oil shipment in 14yrs (600K barrels) 9mo after Assad regime fall in Dec; Country exported 380K barrels daily in 2010 before 14yr civil war devastated oil infrastructure

August 20251 Summary

  1. Monday, August 4, 2025Full Brief
    1. 1

      Trump signs order modifying tariff rates for EU & 68 nations with rates ranging from 10% baseline to 41% for select countries including Syria, Myanmar & Laos; Order codifies trade deals with Japan, S Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam & Philippines; Twice-delayed "Liberation Day" tariffs now effective Aug 7

July 20254 Summaries

  1. Tuesday, July 22, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack announces US-mediated Israel-Syria ceasefire (no details shared), following Israel's airstrikes on Syria in intervention over Syria's conflict with Druze minority (Syria-Druze ceasefire reached last week)

  2. Thursday, July 17, 2025Full Brief
    1. 2

      Syrian government & Druze minority leaders announce new ceasefire after 300+ killed in clashes (per Syrian Observatory); Israel strikes Damascus Defense Ministry & near presidential palace

  3. Wednesday, July 16, 2025Full Brief
    1. 2

      Israel airstrikes Syrian forces entering Druze city Suweida after 200+ killed in weekend clashes between Druze militias & Bedouin tribes; Israeli PM Netanyahu: "Israel committed to preventing harm to Druze in Syria"

  4. Tuesday, July 1, 2025Full Brief
    1. 2

      Trump signs executive order lifting most US sanctions on Syria per his May commitment; US 1st sanctioned Syria as "terrorist state" in 1979 & increased sanctions in 2004 under Assad regime

June 20252 Summaries

  1. Thursday, June 12, 2025Full Brief
    1. 1

      LA ICE protests continue into 7th day with 400+ arrests; Mayor Bass declares downtown curfew after 23+ businesses looted on Mon; More US troops now deployed in LA than in Iraq & Syria combined; Protests spread to major cities including NY, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco; Texas governor deploys National Guard to San Antonio

  2. Wednesday, June 4, 2025Full Brief
    1. 4

      Israel strikes Syria's weapon sites after 2 projectiles allegedly launched from its territory strike Israel (no injuries, 1st strike from Syrian land since fall of Bashar al-Assad regime); Syria denies involvement but Israel holds it responsible for any threats from its region

May 20253 Summaries

  1. Wednesday, May 21, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      EU lifts all economic sanctions on Syria to facilitate recovery after lifting some in Feb when Assad regime collapsed; US lifted sanctions last week

  2. Thursday, May 15, 2025Full Brief
    1. 4

      Trump met Syrian interim president al-Sharaa in 1st US-Syria meeting in 25yrs, as countries normalize relations after US lifted sanctions yesterday & removed $10M bounty on al-Sharaa for past al-Qaeda ties in Dec 2024

  3. Wednesday, May 14, 2025Full Brief
    1. 2

      In Trump's visit, Saudi Arabia agrees to invest $600B in US while US sells it $142B arms (claimed by Trump as largest ever) & lifts all sanctions on Syria (sanctioned since 2004)

April 20251 Summary

  1. Tuesday, April 22, 2025Full Brief
    1. 8

      US military withdraws 50%+ of 2K troops deployed in Syria

March 20254 Summaries

  1. Wednesday, March 19, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      EU-led donors (no US participation) pledge $6.5B aid to rebuild Syria while most Western sanctions on the state still persist

  2. Monday, March 17, 2025Full Brief
    1. 6

      Syrian interim President al-Sharaa enacts temporary 5yr constitution as country rebuilds, 3mo after Assad regime overthrow; Declaration includes separation of powers, women's rights guarantees, freedom of expression & foundational role of Islam

  3. Tuesday, March 11, 2025Full Brief
    1. 7

      Syria's transition government unites with Kurdish northeast, preserving Kurdish cultural & linguistic rights suppressed under Assad; Kurds account for 10% of Syrian population

  4. Monday, March 10, 2025Full Brief
    1. 2

      1K+ dead (75%+ civilians) in Syria as Assad loyalists clash with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in worst bloodshed since new regime

February 20251 Summary

  1. Tuesday, February 4, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      Sec of State Rubio named acting director of USAID amid controversial overhaul by Elon Musk-led DOGE; USAID manages $43B budget sending most aid to Ukraine, Ethiopia, Jordan, Congo, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan, & Syria

January 20251 Summary

  1. Friday, January 3, 2025Full Brief
    1. 2

      Syria's new Islamist government changes school curriculum, removing Assad era references & emphasizing Islamic teachings with Evolution & Big Bang dropped from science curriculum; Education Minister al-Qadri said committee will review changes but activists fear precedent of lack of public input

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