Politics & Security - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Politics & Security

Ahmed al-Alwani in an undated photo

Ex-Iraqi MP Ahmed Alwani found dead in Lebanon: What to know

Ahmed al-Alwani was a prominent leader of anti-government protests by Iraqi Sunnis in 2013, and was released from prison last year.

Iranian-made Zolfaghar missiles

Iran unveils new underground 'missile city': What to know

Iran has moved much of its missile stockpile underground as the threat of a new war looms.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey bars MP’s wife from travel after his fund scandal criticism: What to know

Opposition politicians and rights advocates described Yonca Verdioglu Sik’s brief detention as an attempt to intimidate her husband, opposition lawmaker Ahmet Sik, over his criticism of the government.

ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images

GCC to build military command center in Kuwait as region simmers: What to know

GCC countries have stepped up their joint defense efforts with the announcement of a new forward command center to be headquartered in Kuwait, as tensions between Iran and the US continue to escalate.

Latest News

Hegseth strikes defiant tone, calls House impeachment process 'farce'

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Jared Szuba

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

Explainer

From Oct. 7 inquiry to blocking Netanyahu: Eisenkot's bloc maps out Knesset agenda

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) casts his ballot, next to his wife Sara

Slotkin, Van Hollen emerge as potential challengers to Schumer’s Senate leadership

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 23: U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) speaks at a press conference on China AI export controls at the U.S. Capitol on September 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. Slotkin, joined by fellow Senate Democrats, urged Senate Republican's and the Trump administration to enact stronger export controls on AI technology and computer chips to China. The Democrats also call for a vote on bipartisan export control legislation, including the AI OVERWATCH Act, the MATCH Act, and the Chip Security Act. (

Massie introduces impeachment articles against Hegseth over Iran war

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

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

Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel's Ultra-Orthodox warn Netanyahu not to take them for granted

Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties have followed opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu through four failed election rounds, but will they continue to support him?

Navy red sea

Iran navy expanding its presence in Red Sea, Israel says

Israel's defense chief said Iran's navy is "methodically basing itself in the Red Sea," posing risks to international shipping.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

A portrait of slain Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh.

Palestinians furious at tepid US findings on journalist's killing

Reactions from the ground are coming in following the results of the ballistic test performed by the United States on the bullet that killed Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

Israel economy

Lapid’s greatest election challenge will be skyrocketing cost of living

Prime Minister Yair Lapid has only four months to show Israelis he can do something about the continuously-increasing cost of living and high housing prices.

JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli court rejects cap on Ukrainian refugees

This week, Israel’s Supreme Court struck down the cap imposed by the Interior Ministry on the number of Ukrainian refugees allowed into the country.

INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey blocks VOA, Deutsche Welle in pre-election media clampdown

The ban came after the websites failed to apply for licenses that would allow government to oversee their content.

JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images

Iran's chief negotiator warns Israel against war preparations

The raging war of words coincided with protracted diplomacy over the revival of the Iran nuclear deal, which Israel has relentlessly criticized.

Women and a child queue to receive humanitarian aid packages at the Kurdish-run al-Hol camp.

Iraq’s northwest wary as IS executions, cross-border movement continue

The Islamic State continues to target local tribes and others in desert areas of Iraq and across the border in Syria, as more Iraqi nationals with alleged IS links are moved to an IDP camp in northwestern Iraq.

Amos Ben Gershom/GPO

Lapid, Macron discuss Hezbollah, Iranian nuclear deal in Paris

On his first trip abroad as prime minister, Yair Lapid met at the Elysée Palace in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss Lebanon, Hezbollah and Iran.

Sudanese demonstrators perform the Friday noon prayers in the southern area of Khartoum on July 1, 2022.

Sudan-Ethiopia conflict escalates over disputed border

The killing of seven Sudanese soldiers and one civilian in Ethiopian territory and an attack in the disputed Al Fashaga also takes place as the third filling of the giant Nile dam nears.

MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images

Hamas heads multi-faction effort to challenge Palestinian Authority

Various major Palestinian factions are working together on a new platform to challenge Fatah's dominance of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair Lapid (L) speaks to head of Israel's conservative Islamic Raam party Mansour Abbas.

Israeli Arab Muslim party aspires to be part of the next new coalition

Having made history as the first Arab party to be part of the coalition, Muslim Ra’am says it hopes to be part of whatever coalition will be established after the Nov. 1 elections.