Exclusive Senior Houthi official says Bab el Mandab closure an option if any Gulf states join war Houthi Deputy Information Minister Mohammed Mansour also said the strait could be closed “should the aggression against Iran and Lebanon escalate.” By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Analysis Israel urges US escalation against Iran, possible ground invasion Israel has made clear it will not deploy ground forces to Iran, but would strongly support US military action if the Trump administration chooses to proceed. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Dermer’s return puts Netanyahu’s 'brain' at center of US-Israel calculus Dermer, former Israeli strategic affairs minister, is considered one of Netanyahu’s closest associates, having worked together for over two decades. Israel
Settler violence spike exposes Israeli government rift with military Knesset member Ram Ben-Barak of centrist Yesh Atid told Al-Monitor that the government must permit the use of administrative detention for extremist settlers to curb the violence. Israel
Exclusive Israel suspects Trump betting on 3 Iran officials, including Ghalibaf, to end war By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Meet Bagher Zolghadr, a hard-line IRGC veteran now Iran's security chief By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Iran hard-liners warn Rouhani, Zarif to avoid Trump in New York Iran's conservatives are keeping a close eye on President Hassan Rouhani's UN General Assembly visit, warning him not to engage with American officials. United States
Intel: Why Trump is putting OPEC on notice In a speech at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, US President Donald Trump assailed OPEC for "ripping off the rest of the world" — seeking lower oil prices before the crucial 2018 mid-term elections. Saudi Arabia
Israeli Cabinet cheers Trump, ignores IDF warnings While IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot warns of a new wave of terrorism in the West Bank, the Security Cabinet prefers to cheer President Donald Trump on his decisions against the Palestinians. Palestine
Iranians divided on whether their leaders should talk to Trump Iranians are divided in their view of how to respond to President Donald Trump’s offer of direct talks. While many see it as insincere, they nonetheless welcome it as an opportunity to beat the United States at its own game. United States
Palestinians ponder reasons for punishing US measures Washington keeps heaping injuries and insults onto Palestinians, who have various theories about the motivation behind the measures. Palestine
Turkey chides US for failing to honor Manbij accord Ankara is caught between two superpowers that are pursuing their own agendas in Syria, while its efforts to implement its own agenda there only seem to be growing more difficult with time. Originals
Trump's punishment of Palestinians boomerangs at Israel Instead of distancing himself from decisions that will cause a backlash at Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed US President Donald Trump’s decisions to cut UNRWA funds and close the PLO office in Washington. Palestine
Pressure mounts on Iran's president to skip the UN General Assembly The Iranian president’s planned trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly is sparking divisions among his political backers and opponents. United States
US-PLO row jeopardizes consular services for Palestinians Visas and other services may be collateral damage as the Donald Trump administration closes the Palestine Liberation Organization’s mission office in Washington. Palestine
Church groups outraged as US denies critical support to Jerusalem hospitals US President Donald Trump's decision to redirect $25 million earmarked for Palestinians in East Jerusalem hospitals to "high-priority projects elsewhere" leaves seriously ill patients caught in the middle of "political blackmail." Palestine
US friends in the Middle East lose a champion in John McCain The late senator from Arizona leaves behind a legacy as one of the Senate’s last prominent proponents of US interventionism. Iraq
Trump touts Mideast moves as Washington reels from 'Crazytown' accounts As accounts emerge of White House aides' internal resistance to some of Trump's controversial policy decisions, the president boasts of his decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem, cut off Palestinian aid and pull the plug on the Iran nuclear deal. Palestine
