Author: Steven Sahiounie

Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Dr. Bashar Al-Ja’afari, has condemned the U.S.’ interception of the Iranian airliner on Thursday, calling it a “double criminal act.”Al-Jaafari said in statements to Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Friday, that “they not only violated Syrian sovereignty, but also violated the Chicago International Civil Aviation Agreement and international laws.”He noted that “the American military presence in Syria is completely illegal and its violation of international laws.”The Syrian diplomat delved into past events as well, noting the 1988 incident in which the U.S. shot down an Iranian airliner, killing 290 passengers.“Unfortunately, this…

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz stressed that the security services and the army are fully prepared to deal with any scenario and address any threat, warning enemies against testing the strength of the Israeli army.According to the website of the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, Gantz said during his meeting on Friday with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army, General Mark Miley, who is currently visiting Tel Aviv, that “Israel is not concerned with escalating the situation, but it will do everything necessary to protect its citizens.”Gantz pointed out “the importance of continuing to pressure Iran,…

On Friday evening, the Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesperson, Major General Ahmed Al-Mismari, released a video clip that he said documents “new batches of Syrian mercenaries to Libya.”Mismari said that Turkey is transferring new batches of “Syrian mercenaries to the Libyan city of Misrata in a blatant challenge to the international demands for calm and a ceasefire.”He considered that what Ankara is doing is “a violation of Arab and international laws that prevent the transfer of mercenaries and foreign fighters to Libya.”He stated in a post on Facebook that “Turkey supports terrorism and crimes in Libya and works to achieve…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator In scenes resembling a Hollywood action film, masked troops in full tactical gear fired on protesters.  However, this was not a film set; it was the streets of Portland, Oregon. The masked troops were federal agents sent on the order of President Trump, and their unsolicited presence in Portland was condemned by local, state, and Congressional officials. The protests were ignited by the murder of George Floyd and were protesting decades of police brutality against people of color in the US. After about 50 days of protests, the numbers were dwindling, and observers were…

Syrian surface-to-air missile entered Jordanian airspace. The incident happened as the Syrian side was repelling Israeli airstrikes. There were no casualties, injuries or damages. Jordanians published videos on social media of the incident. As a result, a fire broke out in an empty area in the Irbid Governorate of Jordan, after the fragments from a Syrian air defense missile and Israeli projectile fell inside the Hashemite Kingdom. Citing the media spokesman for the Public Security Directorate’s statement, the Jordan Today website reported that the fire resulted from the fall of a shell in the Bani Kenana area, which is in…

On July 21, a supposed drone strike of the US-led coalition destroyed a vehicle near the village of Ahtimat in the Turkish-occupied part of the Syrian province of Aleppo. The village is located near the town of al-Bab, one of the main strongholds of Turkish-backed militants there. The strike killed two persons. One of them was identified as Shuja’a al Muhammad. The identity of the second person remains unknown. In previous months, the US-led coalition conducted several airstrikes killing prominent ISIS and al-Qaeda members hiding in the Turkish-occupied area under fake names. The July 21 strike could be a part…

The Armenian military demonstrated the wreckage of a kamikaze UAV that was used by units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the conflict zone in the Tavush region. The wreckage of drones destroyed by the Armenian Armed Forces during the escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in Tavush region were shown to media representatives. Earlier, on July 18th, the Russian Armed Forces took part in a “sudden readiness” check leading up to the Caucasus-2020 exercises, and categorically rejected that they were in any way connected to the hostilities on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Deputy Defense Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin categorically rejected the…

Troops from the Syrian Arab Army reportedly captured a FLIR Systems Black Hornet 3 drone. These very-small scale spy drones are being increasingly used by various sides, including the US military. It is a way to provide small unites with increased situational awareness. The photograph was first published on July 19th, and pro-Syrian government sources reported that the SAA had captured the small drone near the town of Tal Tamr in the country’s northeastern Al Hasakah Governorate, which borders Turkey to the north and Iraq to the south. The Black Hornet 3, also known as the Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS),…

On Sunday, the state-owned Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that an explosion occurred in an energy facility in the central province of Isfahan, noting that the incident did not result in any injuries. The agency quoted a local official, saying that the explosion occurred at the power station in the city of Islamabad, Isfahan, and was believed to have been caused by the erosion of one of the transformers, stressing that no injuries were reported. During the past few weeks, Iran has witnessed a series of explosions that rocked several military, nuclear and industrial sites, including the Natanz facility.…

On Sunday morning, Syrian state media reported that ballot boxes were opened to voters in all polling stations to elect members of the People’s Assembly for the third legislative round. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) announced that the Supreme Judicial Committee for Elections in Syria that the polls would be opened today, Sunday, all over Syria, to elect members of the People’s Assembly for the third legislative role. According to the General Elections Law No. 5 of 2014, the election begins at 7 A.M. on the day specified for the election and closes at 7 P.M. on the same…