Explainer SDF chief Kobane’s Damascus visit a high wire act for Syria’s Kurds The SDF says its integration with Damascus is complete, but major questions remain over its fighters, weapons and the future of Kurdish self-rule. Syria
Houthis claim strike on Saudi oil tanker off Yanbu: What to know The incident is the latest in a string of Houthi attacks targeting Saudi oil and military assets. Yemen
Ex-defense minister: Israel in ‘worst possible’ Gaza situation as Hamas gains strength Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant criticized the Israeli government for allowing Hamas to retain control over half of the Gaza Strip. Israel
Wreck of ship sunk by Israeli military in Irgun clash found after 78 years The wreck of the Irgun underground's Altalena ship, bombed by the Israeli military in 1948 and deliberately sunk in 1949, was located off Israel's coast at a depth of 1,650 feet. Israel
Analysis Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Israel cautious on Lebanon withdrawal despite Netanyahu overtures, US push The Trump administration is pressuring Netanyahu to make concessions to the Lebanese government in exchange for its efforts to disarm Hezbollah. Israel
Libya: Tripoli’s fragile peace shaken by renewed fighting, military buildup Recent weeks have seen multiple clashes and security incidents in the Libyan capital, raising concerns from both the United States and the United Nations. Libya
UN Security Council renews Lebanon peacekeeping mission for one year The compromise vote gives Lebanon's army buffer time to meet US demands to fill security vacuum in the country's south before a planned withdrawal of UN peacekeepers in 2027. Lebanon
Lebanon's army receives 8 truckloads of weapons from Palestinian camps The army received weapons from several Palestinian refugee camps in the south, following a similar handover last week from a camp in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Lebanon
Iran says 13 militants in Baluchestan killed as insurgents exploit postwar weakness The large-scale operation in Sistan-Baluchestan underscores persistent instability in the volatile, impoverished province, where Sunni militants have intensified attacks since the Iran-Israel conflict. Iran
Lebanese PM meets Egypt’s Sisi amid Hezbollah disarmament push: What to know Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pledged support for Lebanon’s stability and reconstruction during talks in Cairo with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Lebanon
Sudan cabinet convenes in Khartoum in first since war began: What to know Sudan’s newly formed government met in the capital, Khartoum, for the first time since the war broke out in April 2023, as authorities weigh moving the government’s seat from Port Sudan to the capital. Sudan
Sudan's RSF intensifies attacks on el-Fasher as displaced face starvation Since the weekend, Sudan's Rapid Support Forces militia has stepped up attacks on North Darfur’s besieged capital, el-Fasher. Sudan
Analysis Will Israel’s potential Syria security deal intensify its rivalry with Turkey? Israeli experts warn that a security deal with Syria won’t ease tensions with Turkey or end the ongoing battle for regional influence. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
New Druze militia forms in Syria as Hijri calls for autonomy Tensions are running high in southern Syria, despite government efforts to investigate the recent violence and deliver more aid. Syria
Canada: Montreal port tied to Hezbollah car trade, presence in Americas The Canadian government said Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as Sikh nationalist groups, are receiving financial support originating from Canada. Lebanon
US envoys in Lebanon as Hezbollah balks at disarmament plan Israel said it was “ready to support” Lebanon’s efforts to disarm the militant group by year's end. Lebanon
