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Politics & Security

US President Donald Trump walks to board Marine One on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2026. President Trump is traveling to Camp David in Maryland to hold a cabinet meeting and later to Bedminster, New Jersey to spend the weekend at his golf club. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

No Iran commitment, no Trump endorsement: Netanyahu leaves US empty-handed

The Israeli prime minister described Tuesday's meeting with US President Donald Trump was the "best ever," but diplomatic sources say he left the Washington with little tangibles.

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

Patriot

Exclusive

US nears full withdrawal from Iraq as bases in Kurdistan Region face attacks from Iran, proxies

Patriot air-defense systems that detect and shoot down incoming missiles and drones have already been removed, sources told Al-Monitor.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

A demonstrator carries a CHP flag during a protest in Izmir, Turkey, on May 24, 2026.

Explainer

What’s behind Turkey’s latest wave of arrests against opposition mayors?

The operations come as Ozgur Ozel’s newly formed party gains momentum.

Latest News

Iran’s new calculus: Strike first, talk later

A woman stands next to Iranian-made Zolfaghar missiles displayed at Azadi Square in Tehran on July 24, 2026.

Turkey, Pakistan among 14 countries backing Saudi Arabia's anti-Houthi Red Sea alliance

A Saudi navy ship is pictured docked at King Faisal navy base in Jeddah before the departure of a team to Port Sudan to help with the evacuation efforts of people fleeing Sudan, on April 29, 2023.

Turkey ready to participate in post-UNIFIL force in Lebanon, Erdogan tells Aoun

Erdogan and Aoun

Houthis deny responsibility for drone attack hitting Egypt's Damietta Port

A ship transits the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea on Jan. 10, 2024 in Ismailia, Egypt.

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

A picture taken on April 19, 2022 shows smoke billowing from behind the mountains of Matin (Jabal Matin) in the town of Chiladze following a Turkish offensive targeting rebels in the northern Iraqi Kurdish autonomous region.

Turkey steps up attacks on Syria’s Kurds amid Iraq operation

Ankara is using the cover of Ukraine’s war to weaken the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and associated groups in the region.

Officers of the Directorate of Narcotics Control of Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry sort through tablets of captagon.

Another Captagon bust in Saudi Arabia as drug war continues

The discovery of more than 3 million pills of the drug in Dammam on the Persian Gulf is at least the fourth bust in Saudi Arabia this year.

Iraq politics

US urges Iraqi government formation as stalemate drags on

The deadlock has left Iraq without a new budget amid the economic uncertainty stemming from Russia's war in Ukraine.

Erdogan

Will Erdogan sustain balance between West, Russia as Ukraine war drags on?

If the West and NATO remain united during the long war in Ukraine, Turkey’s policy of straddling between Kyiv and Moscow would be unsustainable.

This aerial view shows supporters of the Palestinian Hamas movement rallying after Friday prayers, in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, to show solidarity with Palestinians confronting Israeli forces at the AL-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, on April 22, 2022.

Hamas makes demands of Israel to prevent escalation in Gaza

Hamas has made four demands of Israel in an effort to contain the violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque and in the West Bank.

Palestinian children burn tyres following an earler an Israeli military raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank on April 12, 2022.

Is Israel ready to invade Jenin camp?

Residents of the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank fear yet another invasion by the Israeli army, 20 years after the Battle of Jenin.

Pro-Russian supporters wave flags as they welcome missile cruiser Moskva.

How Russia losing its Black Sea flagship Moskva could reverberate in Syria

This photo shows the security fence near Ibthan (in the Zemer local council) in central Israel separating it from the West Bank, April 13, 2022.

Israel forced to rethink lax approach on security fence

IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi would have probably preferred dedicating all his attention and efforts to Iran, and not be bothered with the breaches in the security fence.

Al Aqsa

Hamas weighs restraint, escalation with Israel as violence intensifies

The Israeli air force bombed Gaza in response to rocket fire, the worst violence in a year, as confrontations continue in Jerusalem.

The Hilton Taba Resort is seen on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, July 10, 2013.

Egyptians outraged over Israeli festivals in Sinai

Two music festivals organized by Israel in the Sinai Peninsula have raised the ire of Egyptians as they coincided with the anniversary of the liberation of Sinai.

Iranian conservative presidential candidate and Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Iran parliament speaker in hot water over family's trip to Turkey

Under tightening livelihood strains and constantly being told to pursue modesty and exercise austerity, the Iranian public saw the trip as a sign of brazen hypocrisy among some senior officials whose private lives are characterized by extravagance.

This photograph taken on March 23, 2022, shows an emergency room at an Israeli field hospital, in Lviv.

In policy shift, Israel will send Ukraine defensive equipment

After unsuccessful attempts at mediation between Russia and Ukraine, Jerusalem tilts toward Kyiv.