Analysis Why Kuwait is turning to Ukraine for its next air-defense lessons The activation of a long-pending defense agreement reflects Kuwait's search for new operational expertise after months of Iranian missile and drone attacks while highlighting Ukraine's growing role in Gulf security. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Analysis As US-Iran talks falter, Israel views war outcome as 'total strategic failure’ Israeli officials believe the US failure to attain the kind of agreement with Iran that it originally sought stems from the strategic mistakes made during and after the recent war. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Oman's sultan meets Macron in first France visit since 1989: What to know French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing against any form of toll for the Strait of Hormuz. Iran
Analysis Why Turkey and Egypt are deepening military ties amid regional turmoil Turkey and Egypt are expanding military cooperation as overlapping security challenges, from Libya and Sudan to Gaza and the Red Sea, bring the former rivals closer together. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis Vance turning us into 'punching bag': Israel fumes over alleged IRGC-CENTCOM channel in Doha By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Iran attacks cargo ship off Oman, testing Trump’s Hormuz Strait deal By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
CENTCOM commander heads to Israel, Gulf as Lebanon talks stall By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Hamas’ dangerous gamble on Iran The decision by the Hamas leadership to renew its alliance with Iran seals the already miserable fate of Gaza's people and ensures permanent control of the territory by the movement's military wing. Palestine
F-35 offers Israel 'entire Middle East' from the cockpit The acquisition of F-35 stealth jets guarantees Israel unprecedented aerial superiority. Israel
Russia weighs in on Bannon-free White House Analysts examine what foreign policy changes Washington might make concerning the Mideast now that Steve Bannon is gone, and what that could mean for Moscow. Syria
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
Will Zarif, Tillerson meet for session on nuclear deal? A possible Iranian request for a meeting about the nuclear deal would set up the first talk between the Iranian and American foreign ministers since the election of President Donald Trump. United States
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
Reality disrupts Turkey's dream-team triad Iran and Iraq show no inclination to join Turkey's potential operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party. 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
Turkish military upheaval continues at top levels Recent shake-ups at senior levels of the Turkish military indicate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is placing his trust squarely with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar. Syria
Netanyahu raising alarm on Iran, again Israel has told US and Russian officials that Iran’s long-term strategies and its missile capabilities endanger the region. Saudi Arabia