Analysis Saudi pipeline shutdown exposes shrinking global oil-supply buffers Oil prices have climbed to their highest since May as disruptions to flows through the Strait of Hormuz and the temporary shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline tighten global supply. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Oil tops $109 after Houthi strikes, Saudi pipeline shutdown The Houthi militia said on Monday that it fired dozens of drones and ballistic missiles at military targets in Saudi Arabia in retaliation for airstrikes by Riyadh in Yemen. Iran
Analysis As Houthis seize Bab el-Mandeb, Iran appraises value of new Red Sea card Iran is celebrating the Houthis' rapid advance toward Bab el-Mandeb, but appears reluctant to act on the win. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Claude AI used for missile, influence projects in UAE, Iran, Yemen: Anthropic Military and government actors across the Middle East — from Iran to Yemen to the United Arab Emirates — have used Anthropic's Claude AI model for war planning and influence campaigns. Yemen
Analysis Could Iran’s nuclear ambitions harden as war escalates? By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Analysis Iran’s Pickaxe mountain tests limits of Trump’s military options By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Democrats slam ‘massive failure’ of Trump policy after Iran restarts nuclear activity Democrats are blaming the Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign for Tehran’s decision to resume some enrichment activity constrained by the 2015 nuclear deal. Congress
Intel: How Trump's 'maximum pressure' campaign is bringing Iran and Russia closer together Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif's long-planned visit to Moscow today quickly turned into a grievance-sharing session with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the Donald Trump administration. Russia
Trump admin vows US won’t be 'hostage' to 'nuclear blackmail' from Iran The United States says won’t give in to Iranian threats as Iran is set to end compliance with the two conditions the US administration recently made impossible to meet. United States
Iran seeks broader defense cooperation with Russia amid US pressure As part of a long-term military strategy to fortify its defenses against US threats, Iran is moving closer to Russia — with a vision entailing broader defense cooperation. Russia
After 'year of patience' Iran suspends some nuclear commitments Iran will suspend two voluntary commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, giving European signatories to the deal 60 days' notice to deliver the promised economic dividends or face further action. Iran
Saudis’ troubled ties in region threaten Trump's anti-Iran agenda The Trump administration is tightening the screws on Iran, but Saudi Arabia, Iran's archnemesis, may not be of help drumming up support for the US policy given the state of its current relations in the Arab world. Legacy: Gulf
Israel looks to Trump to halt Iranian nuke Iran's announcement that it will resume uranium enrichment is causing great concern in Israel. Israel
Interview Yemen war 'does not serve any party' says Oman’s ambassador to US Omani ambassador to Washington Hunaina Al-Mughairy spoke to Al-Monitor about US-Omani ties, her country's stance on Yemen, Mideast peace and the latest Washington-Tehran tensions.
How US sanctions facilitate Turkish-Iranian understanding on Syria Faced with US pressures on multiple fronts, Iran and Turkey are likely to step up cooperation — including in Syria, where the two neighbors remain at odds over multiple issues. Turkey
'Time to set it on fire': Iranian hard-liners want nuclear deal scrapped Ahead of a planned announcement by Iran's president on reciprocal measures against the United States' withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, some of the country's hard-liners are pressing him to fully withdraw from the nuclear deal. Iran
Netanyahu’s separation policy feeds Hamas violence Israel's longtime policy of separation between the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as punishment measures against the Palestinian Authority could help actually Hamas take over the West Bank. Palestine