Baniyas: a Syrian city in Tartous Governorate, known for citrus orchards and its strategic position on the Mediterranean.
Officials say a seized truck carried a weapons cache bound for Hezbollah in Lebanon. The shipment, found at the al-Tanf border crossing, includes long-range missiles, drones and anti-tank weapons. Investigations point to transit through Syria with the aim of arming Hezbollah, while Syria’s new leadership pledges border protection.
Iraq and Syria have signed preliminary deals at a Washington summit to rehabilitate the Kirkuk–Syria pipeline, aiming to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, with Chevron involved and a stated capacity of 2 million barrels per day. The moves include collaborations with SpaceX’s Starlink and broader energy, healthcare, and tech investments worth over $60 billion.
US-backed deals have Iraq seeking long-term investment, with Chevron-backed pipelines and parallel routes to reduce Hormuz dependence. Analysts say regional pipelines could carry a large share of oil by 2028; the question remains when they’ll be viable.