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Politics & Security

People swim next to the Russian-flagged cargo ship OMSKIY-107, which was attacked off the Black Sea coast and eventually ran aground off the shore of the Sile district, Istanbul, Sept. 3, 2026.

Why Turkey has few options to protect Black Sea shipping

The Russia-Ukraine drone war is hitting Turkish commercial interests, exposing the limits of Ankara’s ability to protect shipping while remaining outside the conflict.

Erik Marmor

Analysis

Once Netanyahu’s top challenger, Bennett loses ground to Eisenkot: What to know

Facing the popular Gadi Eisenkot, the Together party of former premiers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid is sinking in Israeli opinion polls.

Mazal Mualem

By Mazal Mualem

In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics

Yemeni separatists

Analysis

What does Houthi advance mean for Yemen’s southern separatists?

The Southern Transitional Council remains somewhat active in southern Yemen after its territorial defeat by the Saudi-backed government, and the Houthis are not interested in fighting the group at present.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

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

boats and a container ship near the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb

Analysis

Houthi gains in Yemen are testing Saudi Arabia’s security strategy

The advance toward Bab al-Mandeb threatens a vital Saudi oil route and risks drawing Riyadh back into a Yemen war it has spent years trying to leave.

Francesco Schiavi

By Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Latest News

Iran, misreading Trump’s resolve, escalates conflict in Yemen ahead of US midterms

Supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement, arrive with their weapons to rally in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon, in Sanaa on April 8, 2026, following the announcement of a ceasefire in the Middle East war.

Analysis

As Houthis seize Bab el-Mandeb, Iran appraises value of new Red Sea card

Fighters loyal to the Houthi authorities gather in Sanaa on Sept. 10, 2026.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Claude AI used for missile, influence projects in UAE, Iran, Yemen: Anthropic

member of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces firing a heavy machine gun

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

US Central Command supported maritime operations

France's seizure of Iranian weapons to Yemen is a win for Pentagon

French forces seized some 3,000 assault rifles, 23 anti-tank rockets and more than half a million rounds of ammunition bound for Yemen's Houthi rebels.

Iran's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami.

Iran rejects latest IAEA report, claims it is 'not up to date'

Despite Tehran's outright rejection, the UN watchdog's report on alleged secrecy at a leading Iranian facility has once again highlighted concerns that the Islamic Republic could be inching closer to developing a nuclear bomb.

Israeli PM Netanyahu and Macron

Netanyahu meets Macron as Iran threatens retaliation against Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Thursday with French President Emmanuel Macron in a bid to bring their positions closer on Iran.

US President Joe Biden meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Jordan's King Abdullah in Washington as Israeli-Palestinian tensions soar

The visit came days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the region and urged both Israelis and Palestinians to de-escalate.

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) leaves her office at the Longworth House Office Building on February 02, 2023 in Washington, DC. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has announced he plans to hold a vote on a resolution to remove Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Muslim congresswoman, Israel critic Ilhan Omar, removed from House committee

The Minnesota congresswoman has received criticism from Republicans and pro-Israel groups over the years for her statements on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but many Democrats and pro-Palestine organizations support her.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

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

Swedish consulate in Istanbul

Turkey denounces 'psychological war' as Western consulates close

Turkey has summoned ambassadors from nine countries after a number of diplomatic missions temporarily shut their doors amid a growing terror threat level.

Photo of Sudan military leader Abdul Fattah al-Burhan from his meeting today in Khartoum with Israeli FM Eli Cohen

Israel's foreign minister flies to Sudan ahead of signing Abraham Accords

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has returned from Sudan's capital Khartoum, ahead of signing the Abraham Accords with the country's military leaders.

Blinken Abbas

The Takeaway: Blinken's call for two-state solution met with Israeli-Palestinian pessimism

Plus, the US denies involvement in the Isfahan drone attack and Jordan's king returns to Washington.

An Israeli Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jet performs during a graduation ceremony of Israeli Air Force pilots, at the Hatzerim base in the Negev desert, near the southern city of Beer Sheva, on December 28, 2022. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

US CENTCOM pulls closer to Israeli military as Mossad tests Iran

Training exercise represents the tightest collaboration ever, but CENTCOM's deputy commander told Al-Monitor the US had no involvement in recent strikes attributed to Israel in Isfahan, Iran and eastern Syria.

Police secure the area in front of the Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen.

Can Turkey's Erdogan decouple Finland's and Sweden’s NATO bids?

Though Erdogan is adopting a more positive attitude toward Finland's NATO bid as he slams the door in Sweden’s face once more, neither Helsinki nor NATO seem keen on leaving Sweden behind just yet. 

Turkish tanks are positioned in the Turkish military base in Bashiqa, several kilometers outside of Mosul, Iraq.

Pro-Iran group claims attack on Turkey's base in northern Iraq

The so-called Bashiqa base, which has long been a source of tension between Ankara and Baghdad, is a frequent target of rocket attacks by pro-Iranian groups in Iraq.

Kobi Gideon/GPO

Chad President to inaugurate new embassy in Israel, as Netanyahu opens to Africa

"Israel’s coming back to Africa and Africa [is] coming back to Israel," Netanyahu told Chadian President Mahamat Deby ahead of opening embassy on Thursday.