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Russia Resupplies Military Bases in Syria for First Time Under New Deal
Developing
In Short: Russia has delivered supplies to its military bases in Syria for the first time since a new deal was signed, signaling continued support for President Assad's regime.
Russia has resupplied its military bases in Syria for the first time since a new deal was signed in August, according to reports from Al Jazeera. The convoy, which included four vessels, reached the port of Tartous, indicating Moscow's ongoing commitment to maintaining its presence in the region.
The agreement, reached after 18 months of negotiations, will convert both facilities into 'joint training and capacity-building centres,' with Syria taking control of civilian operations, according to the Syrian foreign ministry.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa have continued discussions on the future of the bases, with Moscow seeking to safeguard its only two military facilities outside the former Soviet Union.
The resupply operation, handled by Sparta, which is under Western sanctions, marks a significant step in Russia's efforts to rebuild ties with the new Syrian administration, even as Damascus demands the extradition of President Assad, who is currently sheltering in Moscow.
What's still developing
- The Russian tanker General Skobelev remained offshore.
- Moscow intervened militarily to prop up former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during Syria’s 13-year civil war.
- Saudi Arabia is urging Washington to take direct military action against Iran-backed Houthis, Fox News Digital learned after the terrorist group seized key positions along Yemen’s Bab al-Mandab Strait on Friday.
- The rapid advance on Friday triggered urgent discussions at the highest levels in Riyadh and Washington, and a source familiar with the matter tells Fox News Digital that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged President Donald Trump to take military action against the Houthis.
- Fox News Digital independently confirmed key elements of an Axios report with a source familiar with the matter, who said the crown prince spoke with Trump a few times over the past 24 hours about the escalating situation in Yemen.
- The U.S. does not want to take direct military action for now, but Trump told bin Salman that Washington would assist Saudi Arabia with intelligence and targeting support, according to the source.
- Former U.S. special envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking said Friday that the Houthis had spent the years since the 2022 U.N.-brokered truce rebuilding their military strength and are now exploiting the broader Iran conflict to increase pressure on Saudi Arabia.
- "They’ve seized this opportunity, bringing these various lines of effort together, to put a great deal of pressure on the Yemen government and the Saudis specifically," he said.
Sources
- The Moscow Timeslink