Tehran’s increasingly vulnerable position in the region has energized opposition activists and spurred hardliners to endorse the pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Each of these operations was highly significant, but the fact they all occurred within a mere three months is without precedent in a region that endured decades of war.

Syria's former leader Bashar al-Assad has apparently issued his first statement since being ousted from power. He says he never intended to leave Syria as rebel forces were closing in but Russia decided to evacuate him.

Iran is still grappling with the fallout from the fall of the Assad regime. It invested heavily in Assad’s rule in Damascus and likely expected that it would continue for many years. However, Assad fell from power on December 8.