FIRST ON FOX: Expansionist rhetoric has been a major concern in NATO for several years amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but according to Greece’s top defense official, the security alliance should take seriously similar threats from within its own coalition, in particular from Turkey.

A decades-old feud over the island nation of Cyprus between Greece and Turkey, both of which have been members of NATO since 1952, has plagued the alliance for over half a century and spill-over conflicts pushed the two countries nearly to the brink of war in the 1990s. 

Though relations between Greece and Turkey have become less outwardly hostile in recent years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s pursuit of regional natural resources coupled with his controversial geopolitical actions in the Middle East and Aegean Sea have long drawn criticism that he is looking to "recreate" the Ottoman Empire.

TURKEY AND GREECE LEADERS TO MEET, PUT FRIENDSHIP INITIATIVE TO THE TEST AMID GAZA AND UKRAINE WARS

"There's some people in Turkey that go back to the Ottoman times and believe that they could recreate the Ottoman Empire, including parts of Greece, parts of Syria, parts of Iraq, parts of Iran, half of the Caucasus, etc.," Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said during an interview with Fox News Digital. 

"I hope that this is daydream, but it creates a lot of problems in the relations with Greece, a lot of problems within NATO."

Erdoğan, who has been president of Turkey since 2014, has long been criticized for his aggressive approach in dealing with regional nations like Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Israel, but also his oppressive practices at home that have targeted non-Sunni communities, including Shiites and Christians, journalists, women and Kurds. It's an issue that has not only blocked Turkey from joining the European Union, but has increasingly held geopolitical ramifications for the U.S. 

The U.S.’s chief ally in the fight against ISIS in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has found itself in Ankara’s crosshairs as it views the Kurdish-affiliated force as being akin to the terrorist network, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). 

Turkey has routinely targeted the group and prompted international concern over how the SDF will be able to continue to effectively fight ISIS should the Trump administration withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

"ISIS, let us be frank and honest, is down but not out," Dendias said. "The ideology behind ISIS, the ideology behind the Muslim Brotherhood is there, is alive and kicking. 

"And I have to say, the worst thing that you can do in life is forget your allies, forget the people who fought by your side in your hour of need, and turn against them or forget about them," the defense minister continued. "I'm speaking about the Kurds fighting against ISIS for years. They should not be forgotten by the West."

TRUMP SAYS TURKEY ‘DID AN UNFRIENDLY TAKEOVER’ IN SYRIA AS US-BROKERED CEASE-FIRE APPEARS TO FAIL

The fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime has renewed concerns over regional stability, and the close dynamic between Trump and Erdoğan has raised more questions about how the Turkish president will pursue his regional ambitions. 

Dendias argued that the close relationship allegedly shared between the two world leaders will not necessarily embolden Erdoğan and could uniquely position Trump to "whisper" in the ear of the Turkish leader and remind him that "international law, international [rules] of the sea, is a way of life in this modern world."

"I assume that it will not be good at all for NATO and would not be good at all for the United States of America to encourage Turkey to create a huge problem in the eastern front of NATO, taking also into account what's happening in the Middle East and what's happening between Russia and Ukraine," the defense minster added. 

TURKISH LEADER CLAIMS US BASES IN GREECE POSE DIRECT 'THREAT' AMID SPAT WITH ATHENS OVER NATO EXPANSION

Earlier this month, Turkey relaunched military exercises in the Black, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas known as "Blue Homeland," which Greece has long viewed as a show of force and prompted long-held maritime disputes to resurface. 

"This [is a] new Turkish neo-imperialist, neo-Ottoman approach," Dendias said. "It started appearing somewhere in the first decade of the 21st century … which, in essence, claims that half of the Greek islands in the Aegean belong to Turkey. 

"And sometimes they even go further. They claim that Crete, a huge island with very important NATO presence and an American base in Souda – again, should belong to Turkey." 

The defense minster said Greece’s tense relations with Turkey have made its defensive posture in NATO unique because it has forced Athens to be on top of its defense spending, an issue that has once again become a top matter of discussion in the NATO alliance due to Trump’s push to have all nations meet a 5% GDP spending limit, up from 2%. 

The latest NATO spending figures released in June 2024 show Greece was the fifth-highest spender on defense in the alliance, spending more than 3% of its GPD, while Turkey came in 18th and spent just over 2% of its GDP on defense.  

Dendias said European nations need to collectively agree on how they view security threat levels and the importance of defense spending.

"Regardless of President Trump's position on 5%, it's an internal issue and needs to be resolved," Dendias added.

"The biggest threat is countries that do not abide by international law and do not abide by international law of the sea. Countries that believe that borders [are] something that you can disregard, that treaties and international treaties should work only if it's to your advantage," Dendias said. "That is the biggest threat to the whole world, not just Greece."

Additional questions to Dendias about President Trump’s recent comments on his refusal to rule out military intervention in acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal were not answered. 

The Turkish embassy in Washington, D.C. did not respond to Fox News Digital's questions but instead pointed to a statement issued by the Turkish Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler, who ahead of the "Blue Homeland" exercises said, "Our country, located at the very heart of a region surrounded by conflicts and disputes, consistently emphasizes its commitment to international law and peace in preventing tensions and resolving crises.

"We approach the development of our relations with our neighbor Greece within this framework and take significant steps toward resolving problems," he added. "The efforts to portray Turkey's determination to protect its rights and interests in the ‘Blue Homeland’ as ‘historical expansionism and aggression’ are nothing more than a futile attempt to disregard the rights granted to Turkey by international law. 

"However, while striving for a peaceful solution, we strongly emphasize that we will never compromise our national rights and interests," Güler said earlier this month.

Director of national intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard shed further light on her 2017 meeting with then-Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, a trip that has come under the microscope since President Donald Trump nominated the former congresswoman. 

"There is not a great deal in the public record about what you and Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad discussed for so long in January of 2017. And I think there's a great deal of interest from the American people about what was discussed in that meeting. So what did you talk about? And did you press Assad on things like his use of chemical weapons, systematic torture and the killing of so many Syrians?" Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., asked Gabbard on Thursday. 

Gabbard, when she served in the U.S. House, traveled to Syria in 2017, when she met with the dictator, whose government was overthrown years later in 2024. The visit has become a focal point of Democrats' criticism of the DNI nominee, arguing the visit casts doubt on her worldview and judgment. 

'LIES AND SMEARS': TULSI GABBARD RAILS AGAINST DEM NARRATIVE SHE'S TRUMP'S AND PUTIN'S 'PUPPET'

"Yes, senator, I, upon returning from this trip, I met with people like then-Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Steny Hoyer, talked to them and answered their questions about the trip," Gabbard, who served in the U.S. House representing Hawaii from 2013 to 2021, responded. 

TENSION BUILDS AROUND TULSI GABBARD’S CONFIRMATION WITH KEY GOP SENATORS UNDECIDED

"And quite frankly, I was surprised that there was no one from the intelligence community or the State Department who reached out or showed any interest whatsoever in my takeaways from that trip. I would have been very happy to have a conversation and give them a back brief. I went with former Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who had been there many times before and who had met with Assad before. A number of topics were covered and discussed. And to directly answer your question, yes. I asked him tough questions about his own regime's actions. The use of chemical weapons and the brutal tactics that were being used against his own people."

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi also met with Assad in 2007, despite then-President George W. Bush's criticism of the visit at the time. 

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ SPARKS BACKLASH FOR CLAIMING TULSI GABBARD IS A RUSSIAN ASSET

"Were you able to extract any concessions from President Assad?" Heinrich asked Gabbard. 

"No, and I didn't expect to, but I felt these issues were important to address," she continued. 

"Just in complete hindsight, would you, would you view this trip as, good judgment?" the Senate lawmaker continued. 

"Yes, senator. And I believe that leaders, whether you be in Congress or the president of the United States, can benefit greatly by going and engaging boots on the ground, learning and listening and meeting directly with people, whether they be adversaries or friends," Gabbard said. 

Gabbard is appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday as part of her nomination process to serve as director of national intelligence under the second Trump administration.

U.S. and coalition forces over the past week conducted airstrikes in Iraq, including killing Islamic State fighters hiding in a cave and capturing a cell leader in Syria, officials said Monday. 

The strikes occurred in the Hamrin mountains in northeast Iraq from Dec. 30 through Monday, targeting ISIS locations, U.S. Central Command said. 

IRAN REGIME UNDER 'IMMENSE PRESSURE' AMID INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN POLICIES, REGIONAL LOSSES, ECONOMIC WOES

"Partnered operations like these are critical to maintaining pressure on ISIS and preventing the terrorist group from taking advantage of the rapidly changing security environment in the region," said CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla. 

"The enduring defeat of ISIS is a global effort that relies on our Coalition, allies, and partners. U.S. Central Command remains committed to aggressively pursuing these terrorists that threaten the region, our allies, and our citizens," he added. 

In a statement, CENTCOM said the strikes were conducted in an effort to disrupt the terror group's ability to organize and attack civilians, as well as U.S. citizens and allies in the region. 

IRAN TERROR PROXIES AMASS ON ISRAEL’S BORDERS IN 'RING OF FIRE’

"During the operations, ISIS fighters engaged Coalition forces on several occasions, resulting in the employment of Coalition air strikes," CENTCOM said. 

At one point, the jets were used to take out ISIS fighters hiding in a cave, officials said. 

One coalition member was killed and two others from different nations were wounded. No U.S. personnel were injured, and no damage to any U.S. equipment was reported. 

In addition, from Jan. 2-3, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), enabled by CENTCOM forces, captured an ISIS cell leader during an operation near Deir ez-Zor, Syria.

"Syria is a mess, but is not our friend. THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!" This is what President-elect Donald J. Trump posted, in all caps, on X (formerly Twitter) on Dec. 7 as the Assad regime was rapidly collapsing. 

The barbaric despot who ruled Syria for decades was driven out by the rebel forces who had mounted a blitzkrieg-like offensive in which they captured Aleppo, Homs and other key cities and seized control of the capital, Damascus. 

Likely driven by the goal of fulfilling his mandate to stop sending Americans to fight foreign wars, President Trump’s instincts are noble. Let Allah sort this one out seems like a reasonable approach. America has plenty of our own problems at this time, not the least of which are the unknown drone swarms flying over our critical military installations inside the homeland – a mystery that our government seems incapable of solving. But here’s the dilemma that will almost certainly complicate Trump’s "stay out of someone else’s fights" foreign policy approach.

PUTIN'S IRAN-ISRAEL DILEMMA AMID GROWING FEARS OF REGIONAL WAR: 'COMPLEX CONSIDERATIONS'

If left to its own devices, Syria will highly likely turn into a terrorist state. That is a nation state run by terrorists and harboring terrorist groups. Another Afghanistan in other words.

Following the fall of Bashar al Assad, Syria is now run by a de facto terrorist organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). HTS is the dominant rebel force that led the various disparate groups to stage the insurrection. The U.N. Security Council itself considers HTS as a terrorist group, having unanimously adopted in 2015 Resolution 2254, which calls on member states to "to prevent and suppress terrorist acts committed specifically by" HTS’s predecessor, the Al-Nusra Front. Consequently, Member states are now obligated to comply with the sanction regime levied on HTS – asset freeze, a travel ban and an arms embargo. There’s a reason why Syria has been designated a State Sponsor of Terrorism since December 1979.

A former Al Qaeda affiliate with ties to ISIS, HTS adheres to the violent jihadist doctrine. The head of HTS and de facto leader of Syria is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who, after the ouster of Assad started presenting himself by his legal name Ahmad Hussein al-Sharaa.

Al Golani received his marching orders in 2011 to insert a rebel group into the civil war in Syria by none other than Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the founder and leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, also known as Al Qaeda in Iraq. In 2014, ISIS, an outgrowth of al-Qaeda in Iraq, burrowed itself in Syria, taking advantage of the civil war and proclaimed itself a caliphate. Al Bagdadi is the thug who killed himself and three of his young children when he detonated his vest when U.S. commandos and their dogs chased him down in a tunnel in northwestern Syria as part of a special operation authorized by President Trump in October 2019. 

PUTIN'S 'FOG OF WAR' MISSILE CONFUSES EXPERTS, BUT THAT'S HIS PLAN

ISIS and Al Qaeda are a bunch of head choppers who have decapitated Jews and Christians and burned a Jordanian pilot alive in a cage. Al Golani comes from that stock. He is a radical militant, a designated terrorist with a $10 million bounty on his head placed by the U.S. State Department. Just because he scored an exclusive CNN interview, having polished his image, trimmed his beard and donned a Zelenskyy-like olive green uniform doesn’t make him a moderate. 

On Wednesday, he claimed that Syria is not a threat to the world and called for the lifting of sanctions from Syria and for the delisting of HTS as a terrorist organization designated as such by the U.N., U.S., EU and U.K. He claimed that he supports women’s education, noting in an interview with the BBC that when he ruled Idlib some 60% of women attended university there. 

But when asked if alcohol would be allowed in Syria, his response was telling: "There are many things I just don't have the right to talk about because they are legal issues." He added that the "Syrian committee of legal experts [is] to write a constitution. They will decide. And any ruler or president will have to follow the law." The law that he is talking about is highly likely the extremist version of Islamic Law, a repressive form of Sharia law that is typically imposed by Islamist groups, such as the Taliban.

Already there are reports that Christmas decorations are being torn down and women are forced to wear veils. 

President Trump will likely have to deal with Syria for the same reasons that the U.S. military went into Afghanistan in 2001 – to prevent the spread of terrorism. But his options are not limitless. He will likely apply pressure on Turkey’s Erdogan, who is the main backer of HTS and the sponsor of the Syrian National Army, another militia group, that is part of the rebel alliance leading the anti-Assad insurrection.

But as the balance of power is shifting in the Middle East, away from Iran, favoring Turkey, Erdogan’s ambitions will likely grow. Having ruled Turkey for more than 20 years, Erdogan’s mission has been to place Turkey back at the center of the world map, reviving the country’s Ottoman Empire past. He also wants to place religion in the predominantly Muslim Turkey as the centerpiece of the Turkish identity "that will work for the construction of a new civilization."

Eyeing dominance in the region, Turkey, which is already playing both sides, U.S./NATO and Russia, is unlikely to be a cooperative partner for the U.S., whose influence in the region has diminished during the Biden administration.

Doing nothing will lead to the emergence of a terrorist state at the heart of the Middle East on Trump’s watch. Deploying American troops to calm things down in Turkey will violate his no-foreign wars promise. Either way, Trump will be blamed for what happened to Syria on Biden’s watch.

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The fall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad was the crescendo of a remarkably bad year for the Iranian regime. 

The Islamic Republic suffered major blows in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, diminishing the power of its so-called Axis of Resistance. Its currency officially became the lowest valued in the world and when Israel decimated its proxy forces, the U.S. elected a president whom Iran so despises that it spent years trying to assassinate him. 

Here’s a look back at blows suffered by Ayatollah Ali Khameini and his regime over the past year: 

In April, Israel bombed the Iranian embassy in Syria, prompting Iran to strike back with more than 300 drones and missiles aimed into Israel. But Israel worked with the U.S., Jordan and Saudi Arabia to shoot down nearly every missile and drone. 

The late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash while visiting a remote area. Iran has blamed the crash on dense fog. Raisi was a protégé and potential successor of Iran’s supreme leader, Khameini. 

While Iran inaugurated a new president this summer, Israel infiltrated to take out Hamas commander Ismail Haniyeh while he was visiting Tehran for the inauguration. While Haniyeh was staying in a VIP government guest house, Israel detonated a remote-controlled bomb. 

TRUMP TANGLES WITH REPORTER ON IRAN PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE: 'IS THAT A SERIOUS QUESTION?'

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) took out Hamas head Yahya Sinwar after encountering him on a routine patrol in the Gaza city of Rafah. Sinwar was the mastermind behind the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and was one of the most wanted men of the war. 

Hamas has lost thousands of fighters and much of its leadership ranks to Israel’s attacks and is nowhere near the threatening force on Israel’s borders Iran hoped it would be. 

Iran’s currency tanked to an all-time low upon news of the Trump election, and the expectation that he might bring back a "maximum pressure" policy. 

The Iranian rial is down 46% this year, making it officially the least-valuable currency in the world.

Iran has long vowed revenge for Trump approving the 2019 killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani – and U.S. intelligence revealed Tehran plots to kill the president-elect. 

After the Trump administration pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, it imposed harsh sanctions on the regime to stop its funding of proxies abroad, banning U.S. citizens from trading with Iran or handling Iranian money. 

It also punished entities in other countries that did business with Iran, by cutting them off from the dollar. 

TENSIONS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND TURKEY ESCALATE OVER SYRIA: 'IT’S TIME TO PAY ATTENTION'

President Joe Biden often waived enforcement of such sanctions, keen to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons and fearful of driving up global oil prices. 

Iran gained access to more than $10 billion through a State Department sanctions waiver that allowed Iraq to continue buying energy from Iran, which the Biden administration argues is necessary to keep lights on in Baghdad.  

In the fall, Israel reoriented much of its efforts toward pummeling Hezbollah after a series of cross-border attacks from the Lebanese militant group. Israel targeted Hezbollah’s leadership and detonated hundreds of pagers the group had been using to communicate. At the end of November, Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire where it and Israel must both end their armed presences in southern Lebanon. 

Both sides have claimed the other has broken the fragile truce, but it has ostensibly held for weeks.  

Syrian rebels sent Iran's Quds forces, an extension of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, running as they captured Damascus and pushed out President Bashar al-Assad. Iran's forces had been in Syria propping up Assad since civil war broke out in 2011, but had been diminished since the outbreak of war elsewhere in the Middle East. 

Syria's new government is set to be run by Sunni Muslims, hostile to Iran's Shiite government. And Iran lost a key supply line through Syria it had used to arm Hezbollah in its fight against Israel. 

Countries in Europe are slamming the brakes on asylum cases filed by Syrian migrants in the wake of the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad, but it is not yet clear whether the U.S. will take similar action.

The U.K. and Norway, along with E.U. countries of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Finland, Ireland and Sweden, have suspended applications from Syrians after the fall of the Assad regime.

While it does not necessarily mean those people will be returned to Syria, it puts those applications in limbo in a continent that saw a massive surge of Syrian migration during the 2015 European migration crisis.

TRUMP'S PLEDGE AGAINST ‘FOREVER WARS’ COULD BE TESTED WITH SYRIA IN HANDS OF JIHADIST FACTIONS 

The European Union has also said that conditions are not currently in place for the safe return of nationals to Syria.

While Europe has seen a considerably more sizeable influx of migrants from Syria than the U.S., it is not clear how those cases in the U.S. will change, if at all, given the changing political dynamics in the Middle Eastern country.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services handle asylum cases, and asylum officers are instructed to consider changes in circumstances when considering those cases. So, if an applicant’s country becomes more stable, then the consideration of that case changes dynamically. Therefore, if Syria stabilizes, it may make it harder for Syrians to receive a positive ruling on their cases.

US GROUP LOOKS FOR KIDNAPPED AMERICANS IN SYRIA AFTER FALL OF ASSAD REGIME: WON'T ‘LEAVE A STONE UNTURNED' 

But so far, there have been no pauses of Syrian asylum cases announced by the Biden administration. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.

One factor that could change in the next year is Temporary Protected Status, which grants deportation protection and work permits for nationals of countries deemed unsafe. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended and redesignated Syria for TPS in January, and that lasts until September 2025.

Should the Trump administration choose not to extend or redesignate Syria for TPS, it would require those who are no longer protected from deportation and who do not have another legal status to leave the U.S. or face deportation.

However, the number of Syrians protected under TPS is relatively few, compared to other nationalities and the situation in Europe. DHS estimated that around 8,000 Syrians were eligible for TPS in January.

The Center for Immigration Studies cited statistics showing that the number of Syrians granted asylum between 2011 and 2023 was just over 7,000. Meanwhile, data obtained by Fox News Digital this week shows that there are 741 Syrians with deportation orders on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) non-detained docket. In Europe, around 183,000 Syrians applied for asylum in 2023, according to the Associated Press.

The U.N. refugee agency has called for "patience and vigilance" for Syrian migrants, arguing that much will depend on whether Syria's new government is respectful of law and order.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Gen. Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main U.S. ally whose fighters are currently guarding 45,000 ISIS militants and their families at camps and prisons in Eastern Syria, said the Turkish military and its allied forces continue to attack his Kurdish forces, despite a U.S. brokered ceasefire deal Wednesday. 

"We are still under constant attack from the Turkish military and the Turkish-supported opposition which is called SNA," Gen. Mazloum told Fox. "Eighty drone attacks a day we have from the Turkish military. There is intensive artillery shells. This situation has paralyzed our counterterror operation." 

The attacks by the Turkish military on the SDF have increased since Bashar Al Assad’s fall on December 8. Gen. Mazloum warned that if his Kurdish fighters have to flee, ISIS would return.

SYRIA'S LIBERATED POLITICAL PRISONS REVEAL GRIM REALITY OF BASHAR ASSAD'S REGIME OF TORTURE

Gen. Mazloum said half of his fighters guarding the ISIS camps had to withdraw in recent days.

"All of the prisons still are under our control. However, the prisons and camps are in a critical situation because who is guarding them? They are leaving and having to protect their families," said Gen. Mazloum in an interview from his base in Eastern Syria. "I can give you one example like the Raqqa ISIS prison, which contains about 1,000 ISIS ex-fighters. The number of guards there have diminished by half which is putting them in a fragile position." 

A chilling warning from one of America’s staunchest allies. The U.S. has 900 troops in Eastern Syria, and they would likely have to withdraw if the allied Kurdish fighters retreat under attack from Turkey’s military, which views the Kurds as a terrorist threat.

"We don't want to see that happen. So we're in very close touch with our SDF partners to try to maintain that focus on counter-ISIS missions. And we are just as importantly in touch with our Turkish counterparts," said National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby during a White House press briefing Thursday.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is in Turkey today meeting with President Recep Erdogan to discuss how to bring stability to Syria.

Secretary Blinken "reiterated the importance of all actors in Syria respecting human rights, upholding international humanitarian law, and taking all feasible steps to protect civilians, including members of minority groups," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement following the meeting with President Erdogan. "He emphasized the need to ensure the coalition can continue to execute its critical mission to defeat ISIS." 

CENTCOM Commander General Erik Kurilla met with Gen. Mazloum and the SDF in Syria on Tuesday, two days after the U.S. military carried out extensive airstrikes targeting dozens of ISIS positions in Eastern Syria. The operation struck over 75 targets – camps and operatives – using U.S. Air Force B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s, according to a statement released by U.S. Central Command.

"There should be no doubt – we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in Syria," said Kurilla. "All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they partner with or support ISIS in any way."

On Wednesday, the SDF announced a truce with Syria’s Turkey-backed rebels in northern Manbij following U.S. mediation "to ensure the safety and security of civilians," Gen. Mazloum said early on Wednesday.

US GROUP LOOKS FOR KIDNAPPED AMERICANS IN SYRIA AFTER FALL OF ASSAD REGIME

"The fighters of the Manbij Military Council, who have been resisting the attacks since November 27, will withdraw from the area as soon as possible," Gen. Mazloum added. 

And new indications suggest a ceasefire late Thursday has tentatively been agreed to in Aleppo and Deir Ezzor south of Raqqa along the Euphrates River.

Gen. Mazloum worries about what would happen if the U.S. pulled its forces out of Syria right now.

"We saw that the Russians – they have no further leverage in the country – same for the Iranians. So if now U.S. troops withdraw from Syria that will bring a vacuum."

ISRAEL'S UN AMBASSADOR INSISTS NATION IS 'NOT GETTING INVOLVED' IN SYRIAN REGIME CHANGE

He added the following warning: "We expect those Islamists, different factions to unite, to fight with ISIS and that will bring back tougher extremists, terrorist organizations back to the country."

The SDF Commander fears another bloody civil war could start if the new Syrian government in Damascus does not include different minority groups, like the Syrian Kurds.

"So any new government in Syria needs to be representative, needs to be inclusive and contain and include all different parties of Syria. So if not that takes us to a bloody civil war in the country and that will put us in huge stage of escalatory path that no one can predict the fate of that," Gen. Mazloum told Fox.

Facing the Turkish fighter jets, the SDF mistakenly shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone in Syria on Monday, the result of "friendly fire," a U.S. defense official told Fox News. "The U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters who are under attack from the Turkish military misidentified the drone as a threat," the official said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he wants to establish "relations" with the new regime in Syria after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, but he warned Israel will not hesitate to attack the Middle Eastern nation should it pose a threat.

"We want relations with the new regime in Syria," Netanyahu said in a live address. "But if this regime allows Iran to return to establishing itself in Syria or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah or [if it] attack[s] us, we will respond strongly. And we will exact a heavy price.

"What happened to the previous regime will also happen to this regime." 

ISRAEL DEPLOYS PARATROOPERS TO SYRIA IN 'DEFENSE ACTIVITIES' AFTER FALL OF ASSAD

It remains unclear who exactly will take over the leadership of Syria or what that government will look like now that rebel forces control Damascus.

Overnight on Monday, Israel launched massive strikes against Syrian military targets, including two Syrian naval sites, the Al-Bayda port and the Latakia port, where 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Tuesday afternoon. 

"Manned aircraft flew hundreds of hours over Syrian airspace, conducting over 350 aerial strikes together with fighter jets," the IDF reported.

Israel said a "wide range of targets were struck" including anti-aircraft batteries, Syrian Air Force airfields and dozens of weapons depot sites in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia and Palmyr that housed sophisticated weaponry like ballistic and cruise missiles, UAVs, fighter jets, attack helicopters and tanks. 

Netanyahu appeared to claim the strikes were similar to actions taken by Britain during World War II when it bombed a French fleet at the Algerian port of Mers-el-Kébir to prevent the ships from falling into the hands of the Nazis.

NETANYAHU HAILS 'HISTORIC' FALL OF BASHAR ASSAD IN SYRIA, CREDITS ISRAELI ATTACKS ON HEZBOLLAH, IRAN

It is unclear if any casualties were inflicted in Israel’s overnight strikes, though the United Nations on Tuesday condemned the attacks as well as Israel’s military encroachment beyond the Golan Heights and into a demilitarized buffer zone.

"We are continuing to see Israeli movements and bombardments into Syrian territory. This needs to stop," U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said, calling Israel’s developments "troubling."

"This is extremely important," he added. "We need to see a stop to the Israeli attacks, and we need to make sure that the conflict in the northeast stops. And we need to make sure that there are no conflicts developing between the different armed groups."

Israel received some international criticism after it sent a military contingent this week beyond the Golan Heights, a contested area that Jerusalem seized in 1967 and which is still internationally recognized as a part of Syria, though the U.S. recognizes Israeli sovereignty over the area.

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"We're against these types of attacks. I think this is a turning point for Syria. It should not be used by its neighbors to encroach on the territory of Syria," U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reportedly said Tuesday. 

In his address, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s position and said, "We have no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of Syria, but we clearly have the intention of doing what is necessary to ensure our security."

Syria's future remains unclear after Islamist rebels toppled the Assad regime, seizing control of Damascus and driving the Syrian dictator out of the country. 

Foreign policy experts and officials alike reacted to the news on Sunday, speculating about what might be in store for the Middle East nation and the American forces residing there.

"Who knows what's next?" former Deputy National Security Adviser K.T. McFarland asked. 

McFarland joined "Fox & Friends Weekend" to discuss the unrest. Like others, she suggested the change paints an uncertain picture.

NETANYAHU HAILS ‘HISTORIC’ FALL OF BASHAR ASSAD IN SYRIA, CREDITS ISRAELI ATTACKS ON HEZBOLLAH, IRAN

"[Bashar Assad] was weak and incompetent, and he was propped up in governance in Syria by Iran and by Russia, by Russian forces, by Russian military equipment, by, in some sense, Iran's money, but they're preoccupied now… Iran is preoccupied because of what Israel did to Iran and Hezbollah and Russia is preoccupied because of Ukraine and a faltering economy, so those two guys propping up Assad, they're not, they were propping him up as well," she said.

"But the [multiple] rebel groups got together, and they saw a moment of opportunity, and they moved into Syria… and President Trump is so right to say, ‘let it play out. This is not our fight.’ I'm just sorry we have 900 American forces in that country because who knows? Are they sitting targets? Are they potential hostages? What's their role going to be? We don't know."

SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR ASSAD FLEES INTO EXILE AS ISLAMIST REBELS CONQUER COUNTRY

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., also weighed in on Sunday, offering a message of caution and concern.

"We have to realize there are no good guys in this. These rebels are connected to al-Qaeda. We know that Iran is going to lose supply lines to Hezbollah. We know that Russia is losing access to a warm weather port, and we need to make certain that we support Israel," she said.

Dan Hoffman, former CIA station chief, warned that the development poses a "widely complex challenge" to U.S. national security that awaits the Trump administration when the president-elect assumes office next month.

"The concern I think that we would have going forward is the potential for a power vacuum here. We saw this in Iraq and in Libya and terrorists take advantage of that, and the concern I think we have is that potentially terrorists may be flocking to Syria right now, seeking to take advantage of just that," he explained. 

"We also have a real challenge there because state actors like Russia and Iran, formerly allied with Syria. Remember, Russia has a naval base in Tartus. They are not going to be on the side of solving this problem with us. We've got real challenges with them as well, so gaining some kind of international consensus on the way forward is also a major challenge."

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

President-elect Donald Trump also weighed in shortly after the news broke, posting on Truth Social.

"Assad is gone," he wrote. "He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever."

"Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success," h econtinued. "Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin."

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted dozens of airstrikes on known ISIS camps and operatives in central Syria on Sunday to prevent the terrorist organization from taking advantage of the demise of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad’s regime.

After Assad’s family ruled over Syria for more than 50 years, Assad was forced to flee Syria to Russia, where he was granted asylum, when a coalition of largely radical Islamist groups led a sweeping offensive across Syria and captured the country’s capital city.

CENTCOM announced on Sunday that it has conducted strikes against ISIS leaders, operatives and camps as part of an ongoing mission to "disrupt, degrade and defeat ISIS."

Specifically, CENTCOM is working to prevent the terrorist group from conducting operations to ensure ISIS does not seek to take advantage of the current situation to reconstitute in central Syria.

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

During the operation, CENTCOM forces struck over 75 targets using U.S. Air Force assets like B-52s, F-15s and A-10s.

Damage assessments are currently underway, CENTCOM said, and there are no indications any civilians were killed in the operations.

ASSAD ARRIVES IN MOSCOW, IS GRANTED ASYLUM BY RUSSIA

CENTCOM also said it, along with regional allies and partners, will continue to carry out operations to hinder ISIS’s operational capabilities during this "dynamic period in Syria."

"There should be no doubt - we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in Syria," General Michael Erik Kurilla said. "All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they partner with or support ISIS in any way."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Sunday that the people of Syria "finally have reason for hope," adding the U.S. "strongly supports a peaceful transition of power to an accountable Syrian government" through a Syrian-led process that is inclusive.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

"The Assad regime’s refusal since 2011 to engage in a credible political process and its reliance on the brutal support of Russia and Iran led inevitably to its own collapse," Blinken said. "During this transitional period, the Syrian people have every right to demand the preservation of state institutions, the resumption of key services, and the protection of vulnerable communities."

The secretary also said the U.S. would be closely monitoring developments as they unfold in the region and will support international efforts to hold the Assad regime and its backers accountable for "atrocities and abuses" against the people of Syria.

Blinken noted the atrocities included the use of chemical weapons.

"We have taken note of statements made by rebel leaders in recent days, but as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions," Blinken said. "We again call on all actors to respect human rights, take all precautions to protect civilians, and to uphold international humanitarian law."

Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee contributed to this report.

President Biden said during a Sunday afternoon press conference that the U.S. will support Syria's neighboring nations and help bolster stability in the region after dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the country amid an ongoing civil war. 

"At long last, the Assad regime has fallen. This regime brutalized and tortured and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians. A fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice. It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country. It's also a moment of risk and uncertainty," Biden said Sunday during a press conference from the White House.

Biden detailed that following Assad's departure in the face of rebel forces, the U.S. will support Syria's neighboring countries – such as Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel – "should any threat arise from Syria during this period of transition." Biden said this effort will include senior administration officials meeting with world leaders, and the president also speaking directly with leaders in the neighboring nations. 

"Second, we will help stability, ensure stability in eastern Syria. Protecting any personnel, our personnel, against any threats, and will remain our mission against ISIS will be maintained, including security of detention facilities where ISIS fighters are being held as prisoners," Biden continued of the U.S. plan of action after the collapse of the Assad regime. "…. Third, we will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward an independent sovereign" Syria. 

ASSAD ARRIVES IN MOSCOW, IS GRANTED ASYLUM BY RUSSIA

Bashar al-Assad fled Syria after rebels stormed the capital city of Damascus on Saturday. Assad, whose government used chemical weapons repeatedly on its residents, reportedly fled with his wife and children. 

Biden said the U.S. did not have confirmation on Assad's whereabouts, noting that "there's word that he's in Moscow." 

Syria has been in the midst of a nearly 14-year civil war as Islamist rebels attempted to overthrow Assad and his family's dynasty, which had ruled the country for the last 50 years. 

"The United States will do whatever we can to support [Syrians], including through humanitarian relief, to help restore Syria after more than a decade of war and generations of brutality by the Assad family," Biden said. 

"And finally, we will remain vigilant. Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses. We've taken note of statements by the leaders of these rebel groups in recent days. And they're saying the right things now, but as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions," Biden continued Sunday. 

The president noted that the U.S. will also continue efforts to secure American journalist Austin Tice, who has been missing in Syria for more than a decade. 

"We are mindful that there are Americans in Syria, including those who reside there, as well as Austin Tice, who was taken captive more than 12 years ago. We remain committed to returning him to his family," Biden said. 

Ahead of reports of Assad fleeing, President-elect Trump warned that the U.S. should not get involved in the civil war. 

TRUMP RESPONDS AFTER REBELS OVERTAKE SYRIA, OUSTING LONGTIME DICTATOR: ‘ASSAD IS GONE’

"Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!" he wrote.

Trump added on Truth Social early Sunday morning: "Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever."

"Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success," his post continued. "Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin."

SYRIAN INSURGENTS REACH GATES OF DAMASCUS, THREATENING DECADES-LONG ASSAD REGIME

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touted the fall of Assad's regime on Sunday, saying it was a "direct result" of Israel's attacks on Iran and Hezbollah, while noting the situation overall is "fraught with significant dangers." Israel is in the midst of a more than year-long war after Hamas launched attacks on the nation on Oct. 7, 2023. 

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

"This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunity but also is fraught with significant dangers. This collapse is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad's main supporters. It set off a chain reaction of all those who want to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression," Netanyahu said Sunday. 

"We send a hand of peace to all those beyond our border in Syria: to the Druze, to the Kurds, to the Christians, and to the Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel. We're going to follow events very carefully. If we can establish neighborly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces emerging in Syria, that's our desire. But if we do not, we will do whatever it takes to defend the State of Israel and the border of Israel," Netanyahu added. 

Fox News Digital's Michael Lee and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

The fall of Syria’s President Bahsar al-Assad is a blow to Russia, terror-monger Iran, and their Hezbollah cronies in Lebanon. But Syria’s next chapter is starting with uncertainty. President-elect Trump’s goal is restoring peace to the Middle East – and the road now runs through Damascus. 

"Not our fight," Trump stated. Quite canny of him, for in 2019, he wisely left outposts of about 900 U.S. forces both at An Tanf, a junction near Iraq’s border, and along the oil fields at Deir Al Zour, blocking a return of the defeated ISIS caliphate.

ASSAD ARRIVES IN MOSCOW, IS GRANTED ASYLUM BY RUSSIA

Fingers crossed that the end of Assad won’t be the beginning of ISIS 2.0.

Assad was terrible. Remember his use of chemical weapons against his own people? In 2013, the Assad regime launched rockets carrying the deadly nerve agent sarin into the Ghouta district of Damascus, killing more than 1,400 people, according to the U.S. Department of State, and used them again in 2017. Trump ordered airstrikes on Syrian chemical weapons sites with U.S. B-1 bombers, along with France and Britain, in 2018.

"There is not a single household in Syria that the war has not touched. Praise be to God, today Syria is recovering," said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani in his speech at the Umyyad mosque yesterday.

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

What remains to be seen is if these rebels – who took just 11 days to depose Assad – want to launch a recovery in Syria, or return to their al Qaeda roots. Syria’s economy is weak, unemployment is high and Syria is still coping with the 2023 earthquake that killed 5500 and affected many more. This could go either way.

Uncertain as the situation is, for now, the geopolitics are quite satisfying. Russia’s Vladimir Putin takes a big loss. He couldn’t keep his client Assad in power, and with Aleppo, Damascus and Homs in rebel hands, Russia’s air base at the international airport near Latakia and naval base on the Mediterranean coast at Tartus are more or less on lockdown. Syria was a major investment for Putin and, in a way, his training ground for Ukraine.  With Assad gone, it’s all blown up.

As for the Iranians, they’ve lost a member of their so-called axis of resistance. Their supply corridor into Hezbollah in Lebanon is now choked off. Syria was "a playground for Iran’s ambitions," Golani said, but no more. A senior Iranian running terror militias was killed by HTS forces in Aleppo on Nov. 28. Decimated by Israel and pinned down by U.S. deterrent forces, there was not much Iran could do for Assad. 

The bad news? Syria is now in the hands of a UN-designated terrorist group. Golani, age 42, has been a slick operative for years, admiring the 9/11 attacks but carving out his own base in northern Syria after opting not to ally with various al Qaeda leaders. You get the feeling that Golani calculated he’d do better on his own in Syria, instead of paying allegiance to some big-name al Qaeda outsider. It’s a little worrying that he calls himself "Golani" in reference to Israel’s takeover of the Golan Heights in 1967, when his grandfather fled before Israel’s armies. 

For now, much depends on how Golani handles his victorious forces. If prudent, he will keep them behaving as liberators. And he will stay away from the Golan Heights, newly reoccupied by Israel Defense Force troops.

Of course, the big concern is keeping a lid on ISIS. In the west, the Syrian Defense Forces, allied with the U.S., are "sitting on top of a prison system with approximately 10,000 ISIS fighters incarcerated in it," retired Gen. Frank McKenzie told ABC News on Mar. 31. U.S. commanders have warned for years that the camps seethe with resentment. If released, the ISIS detainees and their kin could filter out to strengthen other ISIS groups, potentially increasing the risks of terror attacks in the U.S. and Europe – a "whole new chapter of ISIS violence," in McKenzie’s words.

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My mind is on the U.S. forces in Syria. Although small, they are very capable forces, and closely monitored by U.S. Central Command airpower as part of the enduring "defeat ISIS" mission. U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthogs carried out a low "show of force" flight in Syria on Dec. 3, to shoo enemies away, while others – probably Special Forces – were destroying mortars and armored personnel carriers after a rocket and mortar attack near Military Support Site Euphrates. All year, U.S. air forces have consistently launched airstrikes against both Iran-backed militia teams and at ISIS clusters in Syria. 

Hopefully, the departure of Assad is a new beginning. But Syria has a long way to go, and Trump’s team just got yet another crisis to resolve.

The passion of U.S. presidents across party lines is peace in the Middle East. There hasn’t been a single one since Nixon who didn’t strive to his utmost, from Carter’s Camp David Accords through Biden’s frantic attempts at a ceasefire in Gaza. Trump wants peace in the Middle East, too, but the difference is that, given his first term success with the Abraham Accords, he can get it. But that road now runs through Damascus.

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Islamist leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who led a lightning offensive through Syria, has a long history of extremism despite a recent appeal to moderate policies.

"Golani is a specially designated global terrorist," Bill Roggio, managing editor of Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital. "He was a member of al Qaeda… the U.S. keeps him on the list for a reason."

Roggio’s comments come after Islamist rebels led by Golani’s organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led an offensive throughout Syria that resulted in the capture of the country’s capital, Damascus, and the overthrow of the regime of Bashar Assad, who fled the country Saturday as rebels closed in on the city.

SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR ASSAD FLEES INTO EXILE AS ISLAMIST REBELS CONQUER COUNTRY

Golani was first drawn to jihadi thinking following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S., according to a report from the Guardian.

He left Syria and joined al Qaeda in Iraq, only to return to his home country in 2011 during a revolt against Assad’s regime, eventually joining the side of al Qaeda’s Ayman al-Zawahiri in 2013.

Golani would cut ties with al Qaeda in 2016 and lead a merger between HTS and other Islamist groups in northwest Syria in 2017, bringing him control of territory that had fallen out of government hands during the country’s long civil war.

The U.S. Department of State designated Geolani as a specially designated global terrorist in May 2013, citing his leadership in multiple terrorist attacks throughout Syria that often targeted civilians.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

But the terrorist leader has attempted to strike a more moderate tone in recent years, a trend that continued as rebels began their sweeping offensive across Syria.

"No one has the right to erase another group. These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and no one has the right to eliminate them," Golani said in regard to Syria’s religious minority groups in an interview with CNN Friday.

But Roggio said there is little evidence that moderate tone would continue as rebels take charge of Syria, arguing Golani plays a good political game.

"He plays the moderate game very well, but he’s a global jihadist. He’s an expert at manipulating," Roggio said.

While Roggio acknowledged there is legitimate justification for Syrians to cheer for the fall of Assad, the worry now turns to what comes next for the long-suffering population.

"It’s understandable that many Syrians are ecstatic over the fall of Assad’s regime, he was a monster," Roggio said. "But I think they’re going to find that what replaces him isn’t going to be much better."

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, who fled the country Saturday as rebels closed in on the capital of Damascus, has arrived in Moscow and has been granted asylum by the Russian government, according to Russian News Agency Tass.

Speculation about where Assad might land has been widespread since the longtime dictator fled the country, with allies such as Iran and Russia being at the top of the list.

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

Assad was forced to flee the country after a coalition of largely radical Islamist groups led a sweeping offensive across Syria, culminating in the capture of the country's capital city and the fall of Assad's regime, which had seen his family rule Syria for over 50 years.

The offensive was the latest development in a bloody civil war that has ravaged Syria for almost 14 years, a war that also led to the rise of the Islamic State terrorist organization and yearslong interventions by countries such as the United States, Russia, Iran and Turkey.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

Assad has been a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had for more than a decade dedicated military resources to the defense of Assad's regime and its government forces.

Assad now arrives in Russia with his family, according to an Interfax news agency report, citing a Kremlin source.

"President Assad of Syria has arrived in Moscow. Russia has granted them (him and his family) asylum on humanitarian grounds," the source told the outlet.

President Biden said during a Sunday afternoon press conference that the U.S. will support Syria's neighboring nations and help bolster stability in the region after dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the country amid an ongoing civil war. 

"At long last, the Assad regime has fallen. This regime brutalized and tortured and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians. A fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice. It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country. It's also a moment of risk and uncertainty," Biden said Sunday during a press conference from the White House.

Biden detailed that following Assad's departure in the face of rebel forces, the U.S. will support Syria's neighboring countries – such as Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel – "should any threat arise from Syria during this period of transition." Biden said this effort will include senior administration officials meeting with world leaders, and the president also speaking directly with leaders in the neighboring nations. 

"Second, we will help stability, ensure stability in eastern Syria. Protecting any personnel, our personnel, against any threats, and will remain our mission against ISIS will be maintained, including security of detention facilities where ISIS fighters are being held as prisoners," Biden continued of the U.S. plan of action after the collapse of the Assad regime. "…. Third, we will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward an independent sovereign" Syria. 

ASSAD ARRIVES IN MOSCOW, IS GRANTED ASYLUM BY RUSSIA

Bashar al-Assad fled Syria after rebels stormed the capital city of Damascus on Saturday. Assad, whose government used chemical weapons repeatedly on its residents, reportedly fled with his wife and children. 

Biden said the U.S. did not have confirmation on Assad's whereabouts, noting that "there's word that he's in Moscow." 

Syria has been in the midst of a nearly 14-year civil war as Islamist rebels attempted to overthrow Assad and his family's dynasty, which had ruled the country for the last 50 years. 

"The United States will do whatever we can to support [Syrians], including through humanitarian relief, to help restore Syria after more than a decade of war and generations of brutality by the Assad family," Biden said. 

"And finally, we will remain vigilant. Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses. We've taken note of statements by the leaders of these rebel groups in recent days. And they're saying the right things now, but as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions," Biden continued Sunday. 

The president noted that the U.S. will also continue efforts to secure American journalist Austin Tice, who has been missing in Syria for more than a decade. 

"We are mindful that there are Americans in Syria, including those who reside there, as well as Austin Tice, who was taken captive more than 12 years ago. We remain committed to returning him to his family," Biden said. 

Ahead of reports of Assad fleeing, President-elect Trump warned that the U.S. should not get involved in the civil war. 

TRUMP RESPONDS AFTER REBELS OVERTAKE SYRIA, OUSTING LONGTIME DICTATOR: ‘ASSAD IS GONE’

"Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!" he wrote.

Trump added on Truth Social early Sunday morning: "Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever."

"Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success," his post continued. "Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin."

SYRIAN INSURGENTS REACH GATES OF DAMASCUS, THREATENING DECADES-LONG ASSAD REGIME

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touted the fall of Assad's regime on Sunday, saying it was a "direct result" of Israel's attacks on Iran and Hezbollah, while noting the situation overall is "fraught with significant dangers." Israel is in the midst of a more than year-long war after Hamas launched attacks on the nation on Oct. 7, 2023. 

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

"This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunity but also is fraught with significant dangers. This collapse is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad's main supporters. It set off a chain reaction of all those who want to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression," Netanyahu said Sunday. 

"We send a hand of peace to all those beyond our border in Syria: to the Druze, to the Kurds, to the Christians, and to the Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel. We're going to follow events very carefully. If we can establish neighborly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces emerging in Syria, that's our desire. But if we do not, we will do whatever it takes to defend the State of Israel and the border of Israel," Netanyahu added. 

Fox News Digital's Michael Lee and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

Islamist leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who led a lightning offensive through Syria, has a long history of extremism despite a recent appeal to moderate policies.

"Golani is a specially designated global terrorist," Bill Roggio, managing editor of Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital. "He was a member of al Qaeda… the U.S. keeps him on the list for a reason."

Roggio’s comments come after Islamist rebels led by Golani’s organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led an offensive throughout Syria that resulted in the capture of the country’s capital, Damascus, and the overthrow of the regime of Bashar Assad, who fled the country Saturday as rebels closed in on the city.

SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR ASSAD FLEES INTO EXILE AS ISLAMIST REBELS CONQUER COUNTRY

Golani was first drawn to jihadi thinking following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S., according to a report from the Guardian.

He left Syria and joined al Qaeda in Iraq, only to return to his home country in 2011 during a revolt against Assad’s regime, eventually joining the side of al Qaeda’s Ayman al-Zawahiri in 2013.

Golani would cut ties with al Qaeda in 2016 and lead a merger between HTS and other Islamist groups in northwest Syria in 2017, bringing him control of territory that had fallen out of government hands during the country’s long civil war.

The U.S. Department of State designated Geolani as a specially designated global terrorist in May 2013, citing his leadership in multiple terrorist attacks throughout Syria that often targeted civilians.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

But the terrorist leader has attempted to strike a more moderate tone in recent years, a trend that continued as rebels began their sweeping offensive across Syria.

"No one has the right to erase another group. These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and no one has the right to eliminate them," Golani said in regard to Syria’s religious minority groups in an interview with CNN Friday.

But Roggio said there is little evidence that moderate tone would continue as rebels take charge of Syria, arguing Golani plays a good political game.

"He plays the moderate game very well, but he’s a global jihadist. He’s an expert at manipulating," Roggio said.

While Roggio acknowledged there is legitimate justification for Syrians to cheer for the fall of Assad, the worry now turns to what comes next for the long-suffering population.

"It’s understandable that many Syrians are ecstatic over the fall of Assad’s regime, he was a monster," Roggio said. "But I think they’re going to find that what replaces him isn’t going to be much better."

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, who fled the country Saturday as rebels closed in on the capital of Damascus, has arrived in Moscow and has been granted asylum by the Russian government, according to Russian News Agency Tass.

Speculation about where Assad might land has been widespread since the longtime dictator fled the country, with allies such as Iran and Russia being at the top of the list.

TRUMP URGES US TO STAY OUT OF SYRIAN CIVIL WAR, BLAMING OBAMA FOR FAILURE AS ISLAMISTS CLOSE IN ON CAPITAL

Assad was forced to flee the country after a coalition of largely radical Islamist groups led a sweeping offensive across Syria, culminating in the capture of the country's capital city and the fall of Assad's regime, which had seen his family rule Syria for over 50 years.

The offensive was the latest development in a bloody civil war that has ravaged Syria for almost 14 years, a war that also led to the rise of the Islamic State terrorist organization and yearslong interventions by countries such as the United States, Russia, Iran and Turkey.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

Assad has been a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had for more than a decade dedicated military resources to the defense of Assad's regime and its government forces.

Assad now arrives in Russia with his family, according to an Interfax news agency report, citing a Kremlin source.

"President Assad of Syria has arrived in Moscow. Russia has granted them (him and his family) asylum on humanitarian grounds," the source told the outlet.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the fall of Bashar Assad's regime in Syria on Sunday and argued that it was a "direct result" of Israeli attacks on Iran and Hezbollah.

Netanyahu made the remarks in a public address shortly after news broke that Assad had fled Damascus on Saturday night with his family. Islamist rebels took over the city on Sunday. Netanyahu cautioned that the fall of the Assad regime is nevertheless "fraught with significant dangers."

"This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunity but also is fraught with significant dangers. This collapse is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad's main supporters. It set off a chain reaction of all those who want to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression," Netanyahu said.

SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR ASSAD FLEES INTO EXILE AS ISLAMIST REBELS CONQUER COUNTRY

The Israeli leader also noted that the fall of the Syrian regime also prompted action by the Israel Defense Forces, who were forced to take positions abandoned by the Syrian Army near the border with Israel.

"But it also means that we have to take action against possible threats. One of them is the collapse of the Separation of Forces Agreement from 1974 between Israel and Syria. This agreement held for 50 years. Last night, it collapsed," he continued. "The Syrian army abandoned its positions. We gave the Israeli army the order to take over these positions to ensure that no hostile force embeds itself right next to the border of Israel. This is a temporary defensive position until a suitable arrangement is found."

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

Netanyahu closed by offering a "hand of peace" to people in Syria, including to "Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel."

"Equally, we send a hand of peace to all those beyond our border in Syria: to the Druze, to the Kurds, to the Christians, and to the Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel. We're going to follow events very carefully. If we can establish neighborly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces emerging in Syria, that's our desire. But if we do not, we will do whatever it takes to defend the State of Israel and the border of Israel," Netanyahu finished.

President-elect Trump reacted Sunday morning to the news that Syrian dictator Bashar Assad had fled Syria after rebels stormed the capital city of Damascus.

"Assad is gone," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. "He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever."

"Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success," his post continued. "Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin."

SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR ASSAD FLEES INTO EXILE AS ISLAMIST REBELS CONQUER COUNTRY

Trump added: "Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse. I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!"

Assad, who used chemical weapons multiple times on his population, and his British-born wife, Asma al-Assad, fled with their three children, according to Syrian television reports, although it was not known where they were headed.

A video statement from a group of men on Syrian state TV said that Assad had been overthrown and that all prisoners had been released.

The man who read a statement said the Operations Room to Conquer Damascus is calling on all opposition fighters and citizens to preserve state institutions of "the free Syrian state."

"Long live the free Syrian state that is to all Syrians and all" their sects and ethnic groups, the statement said.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said early Sunday he did not know where Assad was.

ISLAMIST REBELS IN SYRIA CATCH ASSAD, PUTIN, IRAN REGIMES OFF GUARD GIVING US NEW MIDEAST HEADACHE

Crowds of Syrians gathered in the central squares of Damascus to celebrate Assad's departure.

Syria has been embroiled in a bloody, nearly 14-year civil war as Islamist rebels sought to overthrow Assad and end more than 50 years of Assad family rule over the Syrian Arabian Republic.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.