Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Recent escalations in Idlib present Russia with tall order

If you have trouble reading this email, [view it in a browser](. [logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Thursday, February 6 | Daily Briefing [By: Kirill Semenov on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020]( 1 [Recent escalations in Idlib present Russia with tall order]( As the situation in Idlib heats up, Russian-Turkish "marriage of convenience" gets tested, but it may be too early to call for the divorce. Turkey 2 [Turkey’s AKP stumbles in efforts to restore economic confidence]( Turkey’s economic confidence indicators show the government has a long way to go in overcoming the credibility erosion it has suffered over the past two years. Iran 3 [Iran’s Khamenei defends pre-election purge of Reformists]( Iran’s supreme leader called for high turnout in the country’s upcoming parliamentary vote despite wide public discontent with the candidate-vetting process. Syria 4 [US envoy presses Russia to halt Syrian offensive on Idlib]( A top US envoy today pressed Russia to get the Syrian regime to halt a military offensive into the northwestern Syrian enclave of Idlib that has driven some half a million people to flee their homes since December. Israel 5 [Israel's Gantz choosing wrong battles against Netanyahu]( Blue and White leader Benny Gantz should continue focusing his campaign on the charges against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, instead of falling into the trap of a diplomatic battle. Turkey 6 [Intel: Pentagon pauses program that helps Turkey target PKK]( The United States has suspended providing real-time intelligence to Ankara that helped it target militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. 7 [Iranian Kurdish rebels hire law firm to lobby Trump administration]( The Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan now has lobbyists covering both the executive and legislative branches. Turkey 8 [Will developments in Idlib force Ankara to turn to the West again?]( Analysts say Turkey and Russia were always on a collision course in Syria due to their radically differing positions. Iran 9 [How Iranian hard-liners helped Reformists ahead of elections]( Hard-liners are finding ways to ban Reformist candidates from elections, but this may play into the Reformists' hands. Washington 10 [Intel: Space Force tracked Iranian missile strikes]( Members of the Space Force helped track and detect the Iranian ballistic missiles that struck an Iraqi air base last month. Gulf 11 [A united response to Trump’s Mideast deal in a divided Yemen]( Yemen’s Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government have both rejected the US Middle East peace plan. Lebanon 12 [Why protesters want Lebanon’s new government to pass a new electoral law]( Protesters in Lebanon are demanding the new government to formulate a new electoral law they hope will bring independents to power and eliminate the sectarian-based system that has governed the country for decades. Iraq 13 [Iraq's Shiite factions avoid direct engagement with Washington]( Following the assassinations of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Shiite armed factions are reluctant to engage in direct war with the United States due to the lack of military balance between them and their fear of US reactions. STAY CONNECTED [fb_icon_footer]( [twitter_icon_footer]( [instagram_icon_footer]( [rss_icon_footer]( CONTACT US [Support & Contact]( [Advertise](mailto:advertise@al-monitor.com) NEWSLETTERS [Subscribe]( TERMS OF USE [Visitor Agreement]( [Privacy Policy]( © 2020 Al-Monitor. All Rights Reserved. If you no longer wish to receive these emails you may [unsubscribe or manage your preferences]( at any time. Al-Monitor · 1850 K St NW · Suite 1225 · Washington, DC 20006 · USA