After meeting Netanyahu, Kushner agrees Hamas disarmament precedes Israel's withdrawal Israel and the Gaza Board of Peace have agreed that the Israeli military will begin withdrawing from the Gaza Strip after Hamas disarms. Israel
Analysis RSF turns to drones, new fronts as Sudan battlefield pressure grows A wave of RSF drone attacks reflects the group fighting back, but it also points to limited supply lines and difficulty mounting ground offensives beyond its territorial strongholds. By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Analysis Israel defies Trump on Lebanon as Netanyahu, Katz prioritize elections Both Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump face fateful elections this fall, but one needs progress in Lebanon while the other wants more of the same. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Yemen’s Houthis claim new attack on Aramco refinery in Saudi Arabia: What to know The strike follows a deadly Houthi attack on a ship in the Red Sea as the renewed conflict take its toll on shipping. Yemen
Analysis What Qaani's Baghdad visit reveals about Iran's post-war dilemma By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Following US warning, Iraq steps up pressure on outlawed militias A warning from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has spurred Popular Mobilization Units factions to take actions against outlawed militias that are attacking foreign missions and troops. Originals
US shakes up Iraqi factions with reported warning on militias The Trump administration has warned Iraqi President Barham Salih that it could close its US Embassy in Baghdad if the militias' attacks against its bases and convoys continue. Iraq
Iraq cracks down on illegal arms flow to militias, armed groups Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s government has launched a campaign in southern provinces to get illegal arms out of the hands of militias and tribal groups. Iraq
Muslim Brotherhood appoints acting guide after arrest of leader The recent arrest of acting Muslim Brotherhood leader Mahmoud Ezzat raises many questions, especially among younger members, about his potential successor and the fate of the organization in Egypt. Egypt
Sistani backs Iraqi government crackdown on outlawed militias Top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani backs early elections and calls on the Iraqi government to take action against the outlawed militias and mafia active in the country. Iraq
Army operations in Sinai continue unabated The Egyptian armed forces said they had launched successful military attacks on terrorist hideouts and arms warehouses in the Sinai, inflicting heavy losses on the Islamic State-affiliated Wilayat Sinai. Egypt
Russia increased Wagner deployments as Hifter’s offensive faltered, UN report says A new UN report backs US claims that Russia sent more fighters to Libya as Turkey intervened against Hifter. Libya
Intel: US plans to reduce troops in Iraq The Pentagon plans to reduce its current troop presence in Iraq by about one-third as President Donald Trump heads for November's vote on his reelection amid a campaign promise to end US military involvement in conflicts abroad. Iraq
As Iraqi PM balances ties with US, Iran and Arab states, Tehran weighs next move Although Iran supports Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, there are signs it has concerns about his rapprochement with the United States and the Arab world. Iraq
UN convoy hit by explosion in northern Iraq The convoy was being operated by the World Food Program. Iraq
Israel retaliates after Hezbollah shoots at IDF from Lebanon Israel is worried that a security incident late Aug. 25 on the border fence with Lebanon means that Hezbollah intends to escalate tensions. Israel
Al-Qaeda executes dentist in Yemen Al-Qaeda in Yemen killed a dentist in Yemen on spying charges and then tied his body on a makeshift cross as the country slides deeper into lawlessness and chaos. Yemen
