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Politics & Security

US President Donald Trump gestures as he steps off Air Force One to board the new Qatari-gifted Boeing plane, en route to the United States following his participation in the NATO Summit at Royal Air Force Mildenhall on July 8, 2026, in Mildenhall, England.

Trump says US to strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site

Satellite imagery has detected recent construction at the underground facility.

Israelis turn out to cast their ballots on election day for the 20th Knesset on March 17, 2015 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Explainer

Israel's next election: Who's leading in polls and what's at stake?

After months of negotiations and speculations, the coalition announced that general elections will take place on Oct. 27.

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his Egyptian counterpart, Lt. Gen. Ashraf Salem Zaher, met at the Turkey’s Defense Ministry in Ankara, July 13, 2026.

Turkey, Egypt expand military ties with cooperation frameworks: What to know

Increasing defense cooperation between Ankara and Cairo comes as Turkey seeks to offset the expanding Greek-Cypriot-Israeli alignment in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP via Getty Images

Yemen’s Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa airport: What to know

The Yemeni government claimed that its armed forces struck the Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing, while the Houthis accused the government's ally, Saudi Arabia, of carrying out the strikes.

Latest News

Analysis

On first foreign trip, Iraqi PM Zaidi woos Trump but Iran casts long shadow

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at a Council of Ministers meeting in Baghdad on July 11, 2026.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Trump says US to resume naval blockade of Iran's ports

U.S. President Donald Trump returns to Joint Base Andrews on July 09, 2026 in Washington, DC. Trump, switched from the old Air Force One to the new Air Force One while stopping in the U.K. at RAF Mildenhall Air Force Base was returning from his visit to Ankara, Turkey where he attended the NATO summit. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Analysis

From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose after signing a defense partnership agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

LAURENS VAN PUTTEN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

Netherlands court orders halt to transfers of F-35 parts to Israel

A Dutch appeals court ordered the government to block the transfer of jet parts to Israel over concerns the deliveries contribute to violations of international law in Gaza.

CIA Director William Burns arrives for a briefing on Ukraine at the US Capitol, Washington, Sept. 20, 2023.

CIA chief heads to Cairo for Mossad-Egypt-Qatar talks amid Rafah fears

CIA Director Bill Burns will discuss a new hostage deal with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo as Israel prepares to invade Rafah despite international and regional warnings.

his combination of pictures created on April 18, 2023 shows Sudan's army chief, Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (L), in Juba on October, 14, 2019 and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (R) known as Hemedti, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), addressing the media upon his return from Russia at Khartoum airport on March 2, 2022. - AKUOT CHOL,ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP via Getty Images

How Sudan could become an Iran-UAE proxy war

Iran’s efforts to establish a foothold in Sudan threatens its fragile ties with the UAE, which has its own interests in the war-torn country.

United Arab Emirates

People look at portraits of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the October 7 attacks by Palestinian Hamas militants, as relatives and supporters rally calling for their release in Tel Aviv on February 3, 2024.

Two hostages rescued during Israeli operation in Gaza's Rafah

After postponing the operation several times, Israeli security forces entered early Monday morning the city of Rafah, rescuing two hostages.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, shakes hands with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as they are welcomed by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Doha, Qatar on November 20, 2022 [Handout/Press Office of the Presidency of Turkey

From East Med to Ethiopia, can Turkey's Erdogan, Egypt's Sisi form regional axis?

Following a thaw in relations and a drone sales package, Turkish-Egyptian defense cooperation and the Turkish president's upcoming visit to Egypt could generate new momentum in the region.

Ebrahim Raisi waves after casting his ballot for presidential election, in Tehran, on June 18, 2021.

Iran officials scramble to reverse voter apathy ahead of key elections

Anxious about anticipated record lows in voter turnout, the Islamic Republic is widely campaigning to get the nation to ballot boxes amid pent-up grievances and growing discontent.

The Kurdish-run al-Hol camp in Syria holds relatives of suspected Islamic State (ISIS) fighters and others, Hasakeh governorate, Aug. 26, 2022.

Life after al-Hol: Iraqi women’s uneasy return from ranks of ISIS

Iraq has repatriated thousands of women with suspected ties to ISIS, but reintegration is difficult as many face legal discrimination and social stigma.

lestinian Red Crescent volunteers and UN staff prepare to assist a Palestinian man reportedly shot by Israeli forces, Zeitoun district, outskirts of Gaza City, Nov. 25, 2023.

eSIMs offer connectivity lifeline for Gaza medics, journalists and residents

Emergency workers in Gaza have struggled through communications blackouts, but Egyptian activists have provided temporary connectivity for some in need with thousands of eSIMs.

Harbor security stands guard during an inauguration ceremony of new equipment and infrastructure at Shahid Beheshti Port.

Can India use new Iran port deal to counter growing China-Pakistan ties?

The long-term deal to develop Chabahar Port signed between India and Iran in mid-January is a critical component of New Delhi's strategy to bypass Pakistan for access to Central Asian markets and counterbalance the growing cooperation between China and Pakistan.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) meets with former Israeli army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot (R) and former Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz in Tel Aviv on Feb. 8, 2024.

Blinken’s cease-fire shuttle diplomacy crashes in Israel

ICYMI, Netanyahu has no interest in pausing war.

MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Israel weighs bad options in Rafah as hunt for Sinwar continues

The Israeli military is still focused on fighting in Khan Younis but could shift into an operation in Rafah, and international observers are panicked.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Smoke billows from an Israeli airstrike as flares fall on the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, near the border with Israel, Jan. 19, 2024.

Suspected Israeli strikes in Syria amid escalation with Hezbollah in Lebanon

A Hezbollah commander in Lebanon was injured in an Israeli strike as foreign diplomats worked to de-escalate tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border.