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
Iraq intel and security officials visit Saudi Arabia after drone attacks Iraqi authorities are cracking down on drone attacks after US and Saudi airstrikes targeted Iran-backed militias in the country. Iraq
Analysis What Qaani's Baghdad visit reveals about Iran's post-war dilemma By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
UN seeks to diffuse tensions on Israel-Lebanon border Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in August, prompting retaliatory strikes by the Israeli military on Lebanon. News Brief
Sudan security forces resist calls for civilian control Civilian leaders are pressuring military and security commanders to surrender their influence in politics and the economy, yet vested interests make them unlikely to oblige. Egypt
CENTCOM commander acknowledges he did not try to stop Taliban from entering Kabul “If someone actually made a decision, that would’ve been me,” Gen. Kenneth 'Frank' McKenzie told House lawmakers during a hearing today. Congress
How an Islamic State suspect lived as a shopkeeper in Turkey The Turkish judiciary’s weakness in dealing with Islamic State suspects comes under the spotlight after a bombshell report on how a Syrian man suspected of ordering the burning to death of two Turkish soldiers in 2016 walked free from court and lived as a shopkeeper in Turkey. Turkey
Sudan fends off military coup, government says Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok said the plotters have been arrested. Sudan
Pentagon says drone strike near Syria's Idlib targeted al-Qaeda official CENTCOM fired a drone missile at at least one jihadi official near Idlib today in the first such strike in recent months. Syria
Turkey's latest attack on PKK militant in Iraqi Kurdistan meant as show of strength In recent months, Turkish drones have picked off a string of mid-level commanders in Iraqi Kurdistan and northeast Syria. Iraq
EU condemns Houthi execution of 9 Yemenis by firing squad The European Union joined the United States and United Nations in condemning the trial and execution of nine Yemenis accused of involvement in the killing of a senior Houthi official. Yemen
Iraqi Sunnis look to KRG for safety as militias concerns fester As attacks believed to be by Iran-linked armed groups continue amid questions over how long US forces will retain a presence in Iraq, Sunni Arabs are again seeking safety in the Kurdistan Region of the country. Iraq
Jailbreak from Israeli prison shakes up Palestinian public The escape of six Palestinians from a maximum security Israeli prison jolted observers. Palestine
US citizens on first Qatar Airways flight from Kabul since pullout Qatar’s special envoy to Afghanistan said the Hamid Karzai International Airport is “fully up and running” and that another passenger flight will depart on Friday. Qatar
