Interview Olmert: Only Israel-Lebanon deal can curb Hezbollah, occupation 'unviable' Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Al-Monitor that Israel will only be able to defang Hezbollah if it reaches an agreement with the Lebanese government.
Interview Minister warns aid cuts to Lebanon risk empowering Hezbollah Lebanese Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed warns of resurgent sectarian tensions as Israeli strikes drive mass displacement into overcrowded Beirut. Haneen Sayyed Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs
Iran war deepens Gaza crisis as prices soar, aid falters Gazans fear that Israel could exploit the wider regional war to reenter Gaza, especially as buffer zones along the border continue to expand and civilians are targeted to keep them away. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Analysis Why Germany may struggle to meet Merz’s 80% Syria repatriation goal Germany, which hosts the EU’s largest Syrian refugee population, is pushing to repatriate Syrians, but Syria’s domestic issues and legal protections for asylum seekers complicate those efforts. By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
US outsources Syria aid to Gulf In an apparent win for the Donald Trump administration, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to pick up the tab to stabilize Syria. Saudi Arabia
Humanitarian disaster looms over Idlib as raids escalate Rights and aid organizations in the Syrian province of Idlib are warning of the humanitarian disaster that could follow an imminent regime offensive on the last rebel-held territory. Syria
US hopes for a quick Syria exit run into a minefield in Raqqa The Donald Trump administration faces significant hurdles getting the centerpiece of its reconstruction efforts back on track. Syria
Besieged Syrians, with reasons to stay and reasons to leave The most recent massive displacements and a new property law in Syria are making it even less likely that many refugees and internally displaced persons will ever be able to go back to their hometowns. Syria
Will Russia provide the 'new Kissinger' for Iran-Israel diplomacy? Moscow works back channels between Tehran and Jerusalem; hard-line Saudi stance toward Iran adheres to Wahhabi line favored by conservative clerics. Saudi Arabia
Assad's forces expected to move on to Idlib The Syrian regime appears ready to target militants in Idlib, but the area is also filled with civilians who have fled there to escape the violence in so many other parts of the country. Syria
Egypt struggles to edge Qatar out of Palestine Egypt is trying to block Qatar from the Palestinian scene, but Israel is unlikely to be moved by its efforts, counting on the Qatari assistance that has helped avoid a humanitarian crisis. Qatar
As Egypt tightens grip on IS, it's also strangling Sinai residents The Egyptian army has laid siege to the Sinai Peninsula in an effort to combat terrorism, but its actions are disrupting the lives of more than 250,000 residents. Egypt
Iran looms large as Congress casts Yemen war vote The Senate voted on US support for the Saudi-led war against the Houthis for the first time since the war began three years ago. Saudi Arabia
Um Sameh, the wonder woman of eastern Ghouta With famine gripping the besieged enclave of eastern Ghouta, Um Sameh stepped in with One Hand, an organization she founded, to fill the gap left by international organizations unable to deliver aid to starving residents. Culture & Society
No end to Yemen war in sight as Saudi Arabia, Iran lock horns The war in Yemen drags on even as it continues to bleed Saudi Arabia while increasing international pressure on Iran. Saudi Arabia
Casualties continue to mount in Syria's eastern Ghouta The situation in the besieged eastern Ghouta area continues to deteriorate with shortages of medical supplies, the regime shelling on medical facilities and use of low concentration doses of chlorine. Syria
