Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran warns US against planned Hormuz escort mission By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Under US pressure, will Lebanon repeal Israel Boycott Law? The 1955 law criminalizes all dealings with Israel, raising questions about how far Beirut can even go with its current engagement, currently at the ambassadorial level. Lebanon
Analysis Without exit strategy, Israel faces emboldened Hezbollah, limited options on Iran While President Donald Trump remains undecided on striking Iran again, the Israeli military is sinking deeper into its Lebanon quagmire with a reinforced Hezbollah. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
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 By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Emir Signals Change by Replacing Head of Qatar Investment Authority In the second article of a two-part series, the new Qatari emir seeks to separate politics and business. Qatar
Egyptian Army Enables Democratic Transition It is time to end the debate of whether what took place in Egypt was a coup or revolution. Egypt
Will Offshore Gas Spark New Lebanon-Israel Conflict? As exploration and exploitation of offshore gas fields in Lebanese waters has yet to get going, concerns have been raised that bordering Israeli fields could serve as a pretext for Israel to steal Lebanese gas. Israel
Bomb Shakes Hezbollah Stronghold A first-hand account from the Bir el-Abed neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs, the scene of a bombing today, July 9, which injured 53. Lebanon
The Message Behind The Bomb in South Beirut Given that the recent car bomb in Beirut’s southern suburbs occurred in a location that was part of Hezbollah’s security perimeter prior to the 2006 war, some may be trying to send a message that Hezbollah will pay a price for its involvement in Syria. Lebanon
International Community Reacts To Beirut Bombing In the wake of the car bombing in southern Beirut on July 9, international actors expressed their commitment to Lebanon’s security and stability. Lebanon
Morsi's Ouster Leaves Hezbollah Uncertain About Egypt Ties Hezbollah remains unsure of what to make of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s ouster. Egypt
Five Lessons From Egypt'sSecond Revolution The dynamics of change in Egypt and the direction they will take. Egypt
Abu Mazen: I Will Not Utter The Words ‘Armed Resistance’ Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, while visiting Beirut, said he was ready to reconcile with Hamas and that he unequivocally rejected armed resistance against Israel, stressiong “peaceful” and “diplomatic” resistance. Palestine
A New Era for Egypt Though Mohammed Morsi was the legitimate, elected president of Egypt, he quickly lost actual popular legitimacy by isolating large segments of the Egyptian population. Egypt
Assir Crisis Reflects Deeper Lebanese Divide Although the Lebanese army successfully eliminated Salafist Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir, the societal divide that led to his emergence remains. Lebanon
Would Military Rule Work in Lebanon? The recent clashes with Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir and Egypt's example have renewed Lebanese pride for their military, but it seems unlikely that military rule could be successful in Lebanon. Lebanon