Syria's army Tuesday turned its sights on the town of Yabrud, the last rebel stronghold in the strategic Qalamoun region near Lebanon's border, as it moved to open a key highway to Damascus. The town is believed to be where a group of nuns from the historic Christian hamlet of Maalula...

Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel reaffirmed US military ties with Qatar on Tuesday, during a regional tour aimed at shoring up Gulf alliances amid disagreements over policy on Iran and Syria. Hagel met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and his minister of state for defence, Major...

Lebanese authorities are mobilising to help Syrian refugees living in makeshift camps ahead of a winter storm expected to bring snow and heavy rain, the social affairs minister said Monday. "The ministry, in cooperation with UNHCR and all our partners, has mobilised to do what's...

The Palestinian Hamas movement has "resumed" relations with Iran after a temporary falling out over the Syrian conflict, a senior member of the Islamist movement said Monday. "Relations between Hamas and Iran have resumed," Mahmud al-Zahar told reporters at a news conference in Gaza,...