Iran-linked group claims stabbing in Jewish area in London: What to know Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya has been linked to a number of attacks on Jewish targets in Europe, as well as an anti-regime Iranian news outlet. Iran
Meet Ali al-Zaidi, businessman and Iraq's new prime minister-designate Legal sources familiar with the nominee told Al-Monitor that there are no US sanctions on Zaidi or financial institutions affiliated with him. Iraq
US seeks to train Lebanon army units to disarm Hezbollah: What to know Funding for such a program remains unclear, though the Pentagon has requested $36 million for fiscal year 2027 to support Lebanon’s army. Lebanon
Analysis Despite Trump pressure to limit Israel's Lebanon attacks, Aoun-Netanyahu meeting still unlikely As President Donald Trump pressures Israel to limit its strikes in Lebanon, Hezbollah is taking advantage of the situation. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
US targets Islamic State fighters leaving Lebanon after cease-fire US airstrikes blocked the militants’ route to the Syrian war zone of Deir ez-Zor near the border with Iraq. Lebanon
Why did Turkey expel Iraqi Kurdish leader? Turkey abruptly shut down the office of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which had been in Ankara since the 1990s, following the PKK's reported abduction of Turkish intelligence agents in an area under PUK control. Originals
How AKP supporters learned to live with Assad Having vilified President Bashar al-Assad for years, President Erdogan and his supporters are backing off their previous threats against the Syrian president with the growth of Kurdish groups in Syria. Syria
Israel takes stock of Putin’s pull with Iran There’s a flurry of positioning as Iran, Russia, the United States and Israel all want assurances about the future balance of power in Syria. Israel
Moscow, Cairo discuss boosting ties Representatives of Russia and Egypt seemed pleased with the outcome of their meetings this week, as they touched base on current regional developments and talked through their perspectives. Qatar
What Iran-Qatar reset means for Syria Iran adds another “Sunni” power to its regional network; Turkey ponders next moves in Idlib; Israel presents the “big picture” on Iran in Washington and Sochi, Russia; Akiva Eldar on Israel’s silence over Charlottesville. Saudi Arabia
Local Iraqi forces testing IS defenses in Anbar US-trained, local tribal fighters are preparing to cleanse Iraq's Anbar province of the Islamic State. Iraq
US, UK join Lebanon's strange military bedfellows The Lebanese army has been under-equipped for decades, so it must now coordinate with Hezbollah and the Syrian army in its offensive against Islamic militants on the border and with assistance from the United States and the United Kingdom. Lebanon
Moscow looking beyond Hifter in Libya Russia has an opportunity to play a significant role in achieving peace and political progress in Libya. North Africa
Tensions flare between US, Shiite factions in Iraq The recent escalation by Iran-affiliated Iraqi Shiite militias against US forces on the Iraqi-Syrian border may offer an early indication of the coming confrontation between the two sides after the Islamic State is eliminated from Iraq. Iraq
Why did tribes take up arms in Egypt's Sinai? Sheikh Issa al-Kharafin, the sheikh of the Rumailat tribe and the head of the North Sinai Sheikhdom, speaks to Al-Monitor about the pros and cons of the tribal decision to take up arms to help the army fight extremists. Egypt
South Yemen leader vows to continue fight against 'rebels' in north After his return from a tour that included Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the head of Yemen's South Transitional Council, talks to Al-Monitor about pressing local and regional issues. Legacy: Gulf
