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. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
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. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
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. Iran
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. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Feature Backed by Trump and Turkey, Armenia's Pashinyan eyes third term in pivotal poll By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Who is Bill Pulte, Trump loyalist tapped as intelligence director? By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Ilhan Omar seizes spotlight to push pro-BDS resolution Rep. Ilhan Omar plans to introduce a pro-BDS resolution days after President Donald Trump invoked Israel to defend his racist tweets that put her in the national spotlight. Israel
EU says Iran deal parties trying to salvage deal, not ready to trigger dispute mechanism The remaining parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are not yet prepared to trigger the accord’s dispute-resolution mechanism over Iran’s decision to reduce its compliance to protest crippling US economic sanctions. United States
How Turkey is planning to handle US blowback over S-400s Some parts of the Russian made S-400 missile system arrived in Ankara in the last several days, but none of the shipment included missiles. Turkey
Are Trump team’s overtures to Palestinians serious? After the failure of the Bahraini workhop, the Trump team is making overtures to the Palestinian president and suggesting the reopening of the Palestinian mission in Washington — but can this be taken serious? Palestine
Rouhani out of time, support for revised nuclear deal US sanctions and Europe's failure to come up with a satisfactory substitute for the nuclear deal are weakening the moderates in Iran's government while inflaming the hawks. United States
Turkish-US talks on northern Syria stall as S-400 crisis peaks US envoy for Syria Jim Jeffrey tells the German Marshall Fund that a residual force of US troops will be staying in northeastern Syria for an "indeterminate time"; this decision appears to have been made in part to protect the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units from Turkey. Syria
Intel: Why Washington still hasn’t sanctioned Turkey over Russian missile purchase President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed that Turkey will receive the first shipment of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia next week. Turkey
US envoy to Israel demolishes American Bahrain conference achievements The participation of American Ambassador David Friedman in the tunnel-opening ceremony in Jerusalem undermines all his country's efforts at the Bahrain economic workshop. Palestine
House panel advances bipartisan Saudi sanctions bill over Khashoggi murder The House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously advances a bill that would sanction Saudis involved in the Jamal Khashoggi slaying. Saudi Arabia
2020 Democrats bash Trump for Iran crisis While one Democratic presidential candidate calls Trump's Iran policy reckless and another says the only reason there is a crisis is because of Trump, there are questions as to whether the issue will resonate with voters if no war takes place. United States
Palestinians expect little from Bahrain summit Many analysts are skeptical about the economic plan for the West Bank and Gaza that the US administration has prepared for this week's workshop in Bahrain. Bahrain