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Khaled Mashal, Hamas’ “external” leader, is a controversial figure, as documented in documents found by the IDF in the Gaza Strip

Khaled Mashal, who has headed the Hamas “external” leadership since April 2021, is one of the founders of the movement, was head of its political bureau for 21 years. Nevertheless, he is considered a controversial figure who symbolizes the tension between the “external” leadership and the “internal” leadership in the Gaza Strip; Hamas documents found by the IDF during the war in the Gaza Strip provided evidence of power struggles in the movement’s upper echelons. The documents described how the “internal” leadership, led by Yahya al-Sinwar, sought to weaken Mashal’s influence in the Hamas decision-making centers; The documents also showed Mashal was perceived as an obstacle to strategic relations with Iran, by both al-Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, and by Mohammad Saeed Izadi, head of the "Palestine branch" of Iran’s Qods Force; The documents showed that the “internal” leadership and Iran worked to isolate Mashal during the reconciliation process with Syria as part of strengthening the “resistance axis"; Hamas is now led by a temporary committee of five senior figures, including Mashal. Elections for the senior positions in the movement’s leadership are expected to take place only after the end of the war in the Gaza Strip. However, in light of the eliminations of many members of the “internal” civilian and military leadership, the importance of the “external” leadership is expected to increase, particularly that of Mashal, who has lost his main rivals in the movement’s upper echelons. In addition, Iran’s regional weakening and the downfall of the Assad regime in Syria may also reduce opposition to Mashal’s power.
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The Armed Palestinian Terrorist Organizations in Lebanon

 The Palestinian terrorist organizations have maintained an armed presence in the Lebanese refugee camps for decades without intervention by the authorities. Because of the Palestinians' involvement in the Lebanese civil war in the 1970s and reluctance to take action against the Palestinian "struggle," the authorities did nothing about the Palestinian weapons in Lebanon.
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Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis (May 21-28, 2025)

The Supreme Leader of Iran reiterated his call for the Muslim world to mobilize to stop “Israel’s crimes in the Gaza Strip” and declared that the Palestinian issue is the most important in the Islamic world; The Iranian foreign minister noted that, at this stage, there are no relations between Iran and Syria, and stressed that his country has no urgency to establish such ties. A former Iranian diplomat acknowledged that the era of Iranian influence in Syria is over; The Iranian media praised the achievements of the joint lists of Hezbollah and the Amal movement in southern Lebanon in the fourth and final round of the country’s municipal elections; The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council met with Iraq’s national security advisor and discussed the implementation of the security agreement between the two countries. The Iraqi official stressed that Iran is a strategic partner of his country; The Houthis claimed responsibility for six missile attacks against Israel, most of them at Ben Gurion Airport, and two drone attacks. The IDF Spokesperson reported six incidents of intercepting a ballistic missile launched from Yemen. In response, the IDF attacked Sana’a International Airport and destroyed the last Houthi airliner’s plane.
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (May 19-26, 2025)

IDF forces continued operations against Hezbollah’s presence in south Lebanon, which violates the understandings of the ceasefire agreement, and against the organization’s attempts to renew its military-terrorist capabilities. A specialist in constructing facilities for the production of precision surface-to-surface missiles and operatives from the organization’s elite Radwan Force were eliminated; Hezbollah used the events marking the 25th anniversary of the IDF’s withdrawal from Lebanon to emphasize the role of the “resistance” and to pressure Lebanese state institutions to take action to end the Israeli “violations.” Hezbollah’s secretary general, Na’im Qassem, warned that if the state did not act, there were “other options,” but added that the use of weapons was based "solely on the interests of the people."; Lebanese officials said they were continuing efforts with the international community to exert pressure on Israel to implement the agreements and withdraw from the five disputed points in south Lebanon; Hezbollah continues to face challenges in its military reconstruction in the wake of the fighting with Israel; The joint Hezbollah-Amal list won the overwhelming majority of municipalities in south Lebanon in the local elections; Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas visited Lebanon and met with the Lebanese leadership and representatives of Palestinian "factions." They reached an agreement to disarm Palestinian "groups" in refugee camps beginning in June 2025. Hamas demanded to be consulted regarding the issue of weapons.
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Spotlight on Syria (May 14-21, 2025)

Israeli security officials reportedly held direct talks with representatives of the Syrian government in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan; the IDF denied the meeting. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa reportedly approved the transfer of the Syrian archive on the late Mossad agent Eli Cohen to Israel as a goodwill gesture; Syrian President al-Sharaa welcomed American President Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria and pledged that the country would no longer serve as a battleground for external power struggles. Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shibani met with United States Secretary of State Rubio, who praised the regime in Damascus for its calls for peace with Israel; Syrian security forces prevented the smuggling of weapons, some of which were reportedly intended for Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis (May 14-21, 2025)

Iran’s Supreme Leader called Israel “a dangerous and deadly cancerous tumor that must be uprooted”; Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon met with the commander of the Lebanese army and discussed developments in the country; The commander of the Qods Force visited Iraq and met with Iraq’s national security advisor and senior members of the pro-Iranian Shiite militias; The Houthis claimed responsibility for four attacks on Ben Gurion Airport using ballistic missiles and drones. The IDF Spokesperson reported two cases of intercepting a ballistic missile and another interception of a drone. In response, the IDF attacked two Houthi seaports. The Houthis, in response, threatened to continue the attacks and also announced the imposition of a “siege” on the Israeli port of Haifa. 
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