Beyond the Headlines

After days of fighting, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and government troops under President Ahmad Al Shara agreed to a fragile ceasefire. But in that short time – and with each side still accusing the other of attacks – the landscape has already changed. Areas that were under SDF control, mostly in the north-east, are now in possession of the government. The Kurdish-led group was previously backed by the US in the fight against ISIS during the Syrian civil war, but that support had been fading as Washington gravitated closer to Mr Al Shara, even before the latest developments. Now many questions remain about what happens to resources in north-eastern Syria, how the new power dynamics will shape regional geopolitics, and what happens to ISIS members who had been detained in SDF facilities. Host Nada AlTaher speaks to The National’s deputy foreign editor Aveen Karim to break down what led to the clashes and what comes next.

Two weeks of protests in Iran have been met with a regime crackdown that threatens to provoke foreign intervention. What started as demonstrations over worsening economic conditions has spiralled into an uprising across the country, putting the government under immense pressure. US President Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran if more protesters were killed, and reassured Iranians that help was “on its way”. Days later he softened his tone, saying that the killing had stopped, leaving plenty of room for doubt over what he does next. Amid the tensions, there have been attempts by the Iranian regime to downplay the protests as riots orchestrated by America and Israel. On the other hand, there have also been efforts to use the unrest as a reason for US military action. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher follows the latest developments in the demonstrations and the arguably opportunistic moves to exploit them. She speaks to The National’s correspondent Lizzie Porter and to Sanam Vakil, Mena director at Chatham House, and asks, what options lie ahead for an Iranian government on the brink?

Even though Caracas sits across the ocean, thousands of kilometres from the Middle East, the US attack on Venezuela and capture of its leader Nicolas Maduro has been unsettling. For Venezuelans who felt oppressed by Maduro’s regime, the raid brought the prospect of hope for a better future. But for others, it was a worrying signal of American interventionism and a breach of sovereignty. In the region, this all feels eerily familiar. It is difficult to shake off the memories of the Iraq invasion in 2003, or the military intervention in Libya in 2011. The aftermath in each case led to years of instability and violence that are still taking their toll today. But beyond the trauma, there is a real sense that the events of the past week could have a ripple effect, as Trump indicates Iran could be next. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to Brian Katulis, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and host of Taking the Edge Off the Middle East podcast.

After the US struck ISIS targets in Syria in late December, President Ahmad Al Shara’s government stepped up its own operations, carrying out weapons raids and arrests across the country. It came after two American soldiers and an interpreter were killed in Palmyra by a member of the Syrian security forces who may have had links with ISIS. At the time, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said the retaliatory attack was not the start of war but rather “a declaration of vengeance”. But why is violent extremism resurfacing again? And why now? ISIS was defeated in Syria in 2019, but a volatile security situation following the downfall of former president Bashar Al Assad has presented challenges to the government in Damascus. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher examines the renewed militant threat in the country and asks whether the US could escalate its campaign. We hear from Aymenn Al-Tamimi, a researcher and historian in Syria, and William Roebuck, executive vice president of the Arab Gulf States Institute and former deputy special envoy to the global coalition to defeat ISIS.

The profound transformations in the Middle East this past year have rippled far beyond the region, reshaping politics and alliances around the world. The US has taken a new interest in Syria. Lebanon is discussing the logistics of disarming Hezbollah. Europe has overwhelmingly recognised Palestinian statehood. But behind the news there is always the fine print: Why now, who stands to benefit and at whose expense? Throughout the year on Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher has tackled the most powerful stories from the region in an effort to examine what lies behind them. In the last episode of 2025, she looks back at some of the most significant insights and conversations she has hosted on the podcast and reflects on how matters might evolve in the new year.

Political power in Yemen is shifting once again, reigniting questions about who truly holds authority in the country and whether it is heading towards another fundamental rupture. The Southern Transitional Council (STC), which holds three seats in the eight-member Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), has long pushed for southern independence. In recent days, its forces have fought battles in Al Mahra and Hadramawt and now claim control over the entire south. STC leaders are also openly suggesting that Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital, could be the next target. But the PLC has warned that the STC’s actions undermine security and stability at a time when the country remains deeply fractured. In this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher is joined by The National's Foreign Editor Mohamad Ali Harisi to examine the current power struggle in Yemen, what’s driven these developments and where the country may be heading next.

Two months have passed since a ceasefire was announced in Gaza, but the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan has yet to materialise. The uncertainty has left Gazans anxious that the ceasefire could collapse – as the last truce did in March. The initial part of the agreement included the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees and a stop to the fighting. Now these terms have mostly been met, Israel, Hamas and the mediators cannot seem to agree on how to tackle the next steps. Phase two is supposed to focus on a peacekeeping force and a governing committee, as well as reconstruction in the enclave. But so far there has been much disagreement over which countries will take part in the force and what their mandate will be. Meanwhile, an impasse remains over Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the obstacles that must be overcome to reach the second stage of the ceasefire and what it would take to move the process forward. She speaks to Max Rodenbeck, Israel-Palestine director at International Crisis Group, and to The National’s UK bureau chief Damien McElroy.

A year has passed since Bashar Al Assad’s government fell in Syria, marking the end of a brutal civil war that lasted for almost 14 years. In the end, it took less than two weeks last December for an insurgency of rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham to take control of Damascus. It was a euphoric moment for Syrians opposed to the Assad regime. The HTS leader quickly traded his fatigues for a suit, and his nom de guerre for his new title as President Ahmad Al Shara. He was widely accepted by the international community, most notably the US. But even as sanctions were eased and reconstruction pledges rolled in, the honeymoon phase was ending. Sectarian violence, revenge killings, economic despair and devastated infrastructure posed challenges for the transitional government. As Mr Al Shara looks to the West for legitimacy and the region for economic support, the pressure is also mounting on him internally to reunite the fragmented country. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher is joined by Rahaf Aldoughli, assistant professor at Lancaster University, and Charles Lister, director of the Syria Programme at the Middle East Institute. They discuss how Mr Al Shara has fared over the past year and whether Syria is better off today.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a cabinet meeting this month to discuss settler violence, but this sudden interest stands in stark contrast to years of inaction by the state. Settler attacks in the occupied West Bank hit a record high in October, the worst monthly toll since record-keeping began almost two decades ago.  The violence is happening with impunity and under the protection of the army, according to evidence collected by rights groups and testimonies from Palestinians. The question is: why are authorities only now taking an interest? Is new pressure from Washington pushing them to take a stronger stand against settler attacks? In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher examines Israel’s reaction to settler violence. She speaks to Kobi Michael from the Misgav Institute and to political analyst Ori Goldberg.

Israel has bombed Lebanon on an almost daily basis over the past year, despite a ceasefire being in place. Its army claims to be attacking Hezbollah, accusing the group of re-arming. But civilian infrastructure, agricultural land and even construction equipment in southern border towns have been destroyed in the attacks. At least 100 civilians have been killed over the past year. Just this week, 13 people died in an attack on Ain Al Hilweh, Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp. Residents have been unable to rebuild their lives. Their homes lie in rubble. Their means of income have dried up. And any hope of reconstruction comes at a huge risk: more Israeli strikes. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to urban planner Isabela Serhan from The Beirut Urban Lab, senior Lebanon analyst at Crisis Group David Wood and The National’s Beirut correspondent Nada Maucourant Atallah. They discuss the heavy price paid by Lebanese communities in the south and the pressure mounting on the government to respond to the Israeli aggression.