Trump

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to speak to journalists during a joint press conference at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 29, 2025. US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida on December 29 for crucial talks on moving to the next stage of the fragile Gaza truce plan.The two leaders also discussed Iran, with Trump saying that if Tehran rebuilt its nuclear facilities the United States wo

Analysis

'We are already hearing the bus': Israeli insiders fear Netanyahu is losing Trump’s backing on Iran

“He couldn’t afford a confrontation with Trump, who was the last asset he had left,” a Netanyahu associate told Al-Monitor, describing the prime minister’s struggle to balance pressure for retaliation against Iran with the need to preserve his alliance with the US president.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Smoke rises following Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon close to the Beaufort Castle as seen from a position across the border in the Upper Galilee, in northern Israel on June 4, 2026.

Analysis

Israel’s Lebanon endgame remains elusive despite ceasefire deal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was compelled by President Donald Trump to accept a new ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, but without a clear long-term strategy, he may be inclined to resume hostilities at the first opportunity.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

In this picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency, a katyusha rocket is fired from a speed boat during a military drill near the port of Bandar Jask in the Sear of Oman on May 10, 2010.

Iran unveils new missile-armed fast attack boat: What to know

The boats are the latest addition to Iran’s "mosquito fleet," a fleet of high-speed attack craft operated by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

A portrait of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is visible in heavily damaged building in the border town of Ayta al-Chaab, southern Lebanon, Feb. 21, 2026.

Analysis

Why Israel sees Lebanon’s 'pilot zones' as path to containing Hezbollah

Israel views the proposed pilot security zones in southern Lebanon as a pragmatic way to gradually expand Lebanese state control, push Hezbollah away from the border and preserve a fragile ceasefire while the Trump administration pursues broader negotiations with Iran.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Latest News

Explainer

How Iran war created unexpected economic beneficiaries

Amjad Kurdo / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Feature

Backed by Trump and Turkey, Armenia's Pashinyan eyes third term in pivotal poll

US President Donald Trump (L) welcomes Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, on Aug. 8, 2025.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Iran's covert nuclear risk higher after war as IAEA access constrained: Report

A general view shows the reactor building at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran on Aug. 20, 2010.

Who is Bill Pulte, Trump loyalist tapped as intelligence director?

Dr. Stephen Miran, nominee for Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, Jeffrey Kessler, nominee for Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, William Pulte, nominee for Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Jonathan McKernan, nominee for Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection testify at a hearing of the Senate Banking Committee on Feb. 27, 2025, at the Dirksen Senate Building in Washington.

Jared Szuba

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Pentagon insists US troops have the ability to defend themselves amid pullout

Top military officials say US troops departing northern Syria have the ability to defend themselves and adjust to a fluid situation.

US announces full withdrawal from northern Syria as Turkish forces advance

Defense Secretary Mark Esper says the United States will be withdrawing all troops from northeastern Syria and that he expects Syrian Kurds to seek aid from Russia and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

SANLIURFA, TURKEY - OCTOBER 10: A photo taken from Turkey's Sanliurfa province, on October 10, 2019 shows dark smoke rises at the site of Tell Abyad city of Syria after terrorists burnt tires to avoid being photographed by Turkish National Army's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as Turkish troops along with the Syrian National Army begin Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria against PKK/YPG, Daesh terrorists. (Photo by Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Pentagon blames Turkey for strikes near US troops in Syria

The Pentagon held Turkey responsible for shelling American units in the Syrian city of Kobani on Friday, in spite of denials from Ankara.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaks about sanctions against Turkey at a news briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 11, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas - RC15A861E750

Intel: How Trump is trying to get ahead of Congress on Turkey sanctions

How does Washington see Russia's Gulf security concept?

Washington ignores Moscow's initiative for the Gulf security architecture and there are some good reasons why.

Kurds protest the Turkish offensive against Syria during a demonstration in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq October 10, 2019. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed - RC194B74F820

How will US troop withdrawal from northern Syria affect Iraq?

The US troop withdrawal from northeastern Syria could lead to catastrophic consequences for Syrian Kurds while strengthening the Islamic State and destabilizing Iraq.

Syrians brace as Turkey begins operation against Kurds

After the United States withdrew troops from the Syrian-Turkish border this week, Turkey pulled the trigger on its offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a bilateral meeting with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan during the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC18733A6450

Erdogan’s friendship with Trump has extra benefits

The friendship between the Turkish and American presidents thrives despite all ideological differences, so much so that elites of Turkey's ruling party view the impeachment inquiry as an act of the "deep state" or even a "coup" against Trump.

A Turkish soldier walks next to a Turkish military vehicle during a joint U.S.-Turkey patrol, near Tel Abyad, Syria September 8, 2019. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RC1CFC59FD70

Confusion reigns as Trump authorizes troop withdrawal from Turkish-Syrian border towns

US President Donald Trump's announcement catches Pentagon, State Department and Syrian Kurds off guard as Turkey assumes a primacy of sorts in the president's thinking despite the S-400 fiasco.

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) holds a news conference to discuss immigration legislation and the U.S.-Mexico border on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 15, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC14E481C700

Trump allies in Congress assail decision to let Turkey attack Syrian Kurds

Lawmakers and presidential candidates are lambasting President Donald Trump for greenlighting Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish-held areas in northeastern Syria.

Turkish soldiers stand guard in a border village on the Turkish-Syrian border near Akcakale in Sanliurfa province, Turkey, September 8, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC17F8587730

Pentagon pushes back on Turkish incursion in Syria

The Pentagon opposed the Donald Trump administration’s decision to allow a Turkish operation in Syria, a senior administration official told Al-Monitor.

U.S. and Turkish military forces conduct a joint ground patrol inside the security mechanism area in northeast, Syria, October 4, 2019. Picture taken October 4, 2019. U.S. Army/Staff Sgt. Andrew Goedl/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC11BB335F30

Turkish incursion threatens to unleash Islamic State in Syria, US officials warn

The Donald Trump administration’s decision Sunday to allow a Turkish incursion into northeast Syria threatens to let loose thousands of Islamic State prisoners onto the battlefield, US officials are warning.