Journalist. Ex-Washington Post Mideast bureau chief. Also based in China, Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq, India, Italy, US.https://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lreqdzbj522yAlso worth noting that Trump’s 60-day deadline for Iran to reach a nuclear deal expired on Wednesday. If there’s no deal by then, “there will be bombing” Trump said back in April. He didn’t say it would be US bombing. [contains quote post or other embedded content]12 Jun 2025 01:09 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lreqdzbj522yhttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lremfn32gs2hThe US has authorized the departure of dependents & non-essential personnel from embassies and bases within striking distance of Iran amid fears that Israel will soon attack Iran. “We think it’s more serious than any time in the past” a diplomat told the Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/06/11/us-israel-iran-attack-fears/11 Jun 2025 23:58 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lremfn32gs2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lpji5misvs2cMy long read on the rise, fall & contested future of Hezbollah, and what it all means for Lebanon. With huge thanks to @abbiefs.bsky.social https://www.economist.com/1843/2025/05/16/the-rise-fall-and-contested-future-of-hizbullah19 May 2025 11:35 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lpji5misvs2chttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lp5pwpyxms2qIncredible scenes in Syria as people celebrate the surprise lifting of US sanctions, the chief impediment to recovery after the fall of Assad. “There were fireworks over Damascus, and people danced in the streets.” Over to the Syrians. By @leloveluck https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/14/trump-sanctions-syria-damascus/14 May 2025 19:22 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lp5pwpyxms2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3ljnijbfbxc2eThree months after Assad’s fall Syrians are still unearthing new horrors. The latest: bodies in the basements of buildings in towns reconquered by the regime. Chilling reporting by @leloveluck & Zakaria Zakaria with amazing photos by @salwangeorges https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/03/04/syria-damascus-graves-bodies-basements/05 Mar 2025 17:21 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljnijbfbxc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lg7fctj6l22tDebra Tice says Trump’s team has already reached out to offer help to find her son Austin, missing in Syria since 2012. “I haven’t experienced that for the last four years” she told journalists in Damascus, a dig at Biden. By @leloveluck https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/20/austin-tice-syria-assad-debra-tice-trump/20 Jan 2025 22:31 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lg7fctj6l22thttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lfscej7xoi27Debra Tice, mother of missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice, has arrived in Beirut en route to Syria to join in the search for him. Let’s hope that he will soon be found now that Assad has gone15 Jan 2025 17:33 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfscej7xoi27https://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lfcgxzzsrb26Danish officials are being warned by Trump advisers & allies that he is “much more serious” about acquiring Greenland than he was in his first term. This time, the threat can’t be dismissed https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/08/politics/danish-officials-trump-greenland/index.html09 Jan 2025 10:13 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfcgxzzsrb26https://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lf7yqsy6j72eIsrael says it needs to prepare for a potential war with Turkey & sees the new Sunni government in Syria as potentially a “greater threat” than Iran. Israel needs a policy of “eliminating threats entirely and maximising response”. Setting up the region for endless wars https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkish-backed-syria-bigger-threat-iran-says-israeli-govt-panel08 Jan 2025 10:53 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lf7yqsy6j72ehttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lcyprgdxb22xMazen al-Hamada told the world about the horrors of Assad’s prisons & the torture he suffered. No one listened & now he is dead, under torture in the last hours of Assad’s regime https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/12/10/syria-mazen-hamada-damascus-prison/?itid=mr_511 Dec 2024 02:34 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcyprgdxb22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lctjlxmef22vAssad’s fall was swift & unexpected, stunning a world that had come to accept his survival. But with hindsight it wasn’t so surprising. He miscalculated, refused to compromise and relied solely on brute force to survive (plus Russia & Iran) https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/12/08/syria-assad-fall-rebels-damascus/09 Dec 2024 01:00 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lctjlxmef22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lcr4a7f2z622There’s only one way to wrap up today’s momentous events: -The rebels have reached Damascus -Government soldiers are abandoning their posts -The Assad regime is effectively gone, it can only be a matter of hours -A new Syria is being born, for better or worse08 Dec 2024 01:55 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcr4a7f2z622https://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lcojhdxiw22qIran has begun evacuating its military personnel from Syria. “We cannot fight as an advisory and support force if Syria’s army itself does not want to fight.” Even Assad’s staunchest ally is giving up on him https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/06/world/middleeast/iran-syria-evacuation.html07 Dec 2024 01:14 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcojhdxiw22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lckpjbuh3c2fThe Syrian rebels have taken Hama. The Syrian army announced its withdrawal. This is momentous. The next city is Homs. After that, Damascus. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-rebels-say-they-have-begun-enter-crucial-city-hama-2024-12-05/05 Dec 2024 12:52 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lckpjbuh3c2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lcbtx2nzys27Syria’s rebels reorganized, rearmed & seized the moment of maximum weakness among Syria’s allies. Iran is “the weakest it’s been in decades.” Hezbollah too. Russia is preoccupied in Ukraine. By @leloveluck @kfahim & @sgreports https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/12/01/syria-rebels-assad-aleppo-russia-iran/02 Dec 2024 00:17 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcbtx2nzys27https://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lc6v3xh55k2sEvents are moving fast in Syria: -The rebels have reached Hama, a day after taking Aleppo -Protests & attacks reported around Syria -Rumors of gunfights in Damascus -Assad surfaces to call Iraq’s PM. Asking for militia help? -Russia has fired the top general in Syria -Iran’s FM due in Damascus Sun30 Nov 2024 20:00 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lc6v3xh55k2shttps://bsky.app/profile/lizsly.bsky.social/post/3lc4tbuqv6k2oSimply astonishing advances by Syrian rebels into Aleppo city. They’ve reached parts of the city they couldn’t take in 4 years of fighting a decade ago. It goes to show how much the Assad regime depended on Hezbollah and Iran for its survival.30 Nov 2024 00:22 +0000at://did:plc:3j4e2fynvxmh6e36s2fgmgfk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lc4tbuqv6k2o