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July 9, 2026

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Why US strikes on Iran rail bridge signal shift in Hormuz conflict

A US missile strike on the railway bridge linking Iran to Central and East Asia suggests the White House is once again flirting with politically coercive tactics after the June agreement failed to halt Iran's attacks on Hormuz shipping.

Andreas SOLARO / AFP via Getty Images

Lebanon's Aoun to meet Trump in first presidential summit in US since 2009

The visit by the Lebanese head of state will coincide with ongoing US-sponsored Lebanon-Israel talks.

A cargo ship is pictured off coast of the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in Sharjah Emirate, along the Gulf of Oman on June 28, 2026.

Oil soars more than 6% as Trump rules out Iran deal, threatens more strikes

Oil prices had been recovering following a memorandum of understanding signed last month to end the war, but they rose by more than 6% early on Wednesday.

Latest News

Trump declares MoU with Iran 'over' as Hegseth cancels trip to Israel

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not shown) for bilateral talks at Beştepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 08, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

US revokes Iran oil waiver after Hormuz attacks

A picture taken on March 12, 2017, shows an Iranian tanker docking at the platform of the oil facility in the Khark Island, on the shore of the Gulf.

Analysis

Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes US President Donald Trump (R) upon his arrival on Air Force One at Etimesgut Air Base near Ankara, on July 7, 2026, before attending the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

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

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

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

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

Joyce Karam

Editor-in-Chief

Rosaleen Carroll

News Reporter and Supporting Editor

In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East

Paul J. Saunders

In Washington, DC, reporting on Russia in the Middle East

Netanyahu to pass Ben-Gurion in time served, but not in stature

Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, and its incumbent prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who will soon break the record set by the former as the country's longest-serving premier, represent opposing worldviews and aspirations.

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) speaks about Trump administration policies towards Muslim immigrants and her own immigrant background at a news conference by members of the U.S. Congress "to announce legislation to repeal President Trumpís existing executive order blocking travel from majority Muslim countries" outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Bourg - RC1BC6C8A7F0

Ilhan Omar seizes spotlight to push pro-BDS resolution

Rep. Ilhan Omar plans to introduce a pro-BDS resolution days after President Donald Trump invoked Israel to defend his racist tweets that put her in the national spotlight.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini speaks to the media at the European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman - RC1220B3F080

EU says Iran deal parties trying to salvage deal, not ready to trigger dispute mechanism

The remaining parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are not yet prepared to trigger the accord’s dispute-resolution mechanism over Iran’s decision to reduce its compliance to protest crippling US economic sanctions.

Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, gives a press conference in the capital Tehran on May 28, 2019. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)

Iran calls for concrete steps from Europe to save nuclear deal

In response to European statements regarding keeping the nuclear deal alive, Iran says it wants to see operational steps rather than statements.

Militants from the band organization Baloch Liberation Army and United Baloch Army, sit before hand over their weapons to Chieftain of Marri tribe and Pakistan's provincial minister Nawab Changaiz Marri during a surrender ceremony in Quetta on October 29, 2015. A total of 23 militants belonging to Marri tribe have surrendered to authorities with weapons in Quetta the capital of Pakistans restive southwestern province of Balochistan. AFP PHOTO/Banaras KHAN (Photo credit should read BANARAS KHAN/AFP/Ge

US ban on anti-Iran militant group could have wide-ranging impact

By expanding its terrorist watchlist, Washington is potentially making Iran, Pakistan and China happy.

Russia eyes big picture with S-400 sale to Turkey

Russia's controversial S-400 deal with Turkey is more about constructing a Middle East less dependent on the United States than direct competition.

How Turkey is planning to handle US blowback over S-400s

Some parts of the Russian made S-400 missile system arrived in Ankara in the last several days, but none of the shipment included missiles.

How this Ramallah shop teaches women to fight against harassment

Palestinian-American Yasmeen Mjalli created BabyFist to speak out against street harassment in Ramallah, but the shop quickly turned into a safe space for women to share their stories and seek legal advice.

A view shows a new S-400 "Triumph" surface-to-air missile system after its deployment at a military base outside the town of Gvardeysk near Kaliningrad, Russia March 11, 2019. Picture taken March 11, 2019. REUTERS/Vitaly Nevar - RC1425F0B450

US forced to mull sanctions against Turkey after S-400 purchase

The delivery of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system to Ankara has forced a new US sanctions regime into effect.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) poses with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres after the two attended a High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., April 24, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Segar - RC1BAECA4150

Updated: Iran's foreign minister receives visa, to arrive in NY Sunday

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was expected to arrive in New York on Sunday after uncertainty over whether he would receive a US visa amid tensions between Tehran and Washington.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: The President of Iraq, Barham Salih meets with UK Prime Minister, Theresa May (unseen) at 10 Downing Street on June 25, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Traps abound as Iraq charts independent course based on ‘national vision’

Iraq's new foreign policy vision promotes noninterference and economic integration; Turkey's bombing of PKK sites in Iraq's Qandil Mountains tests Baghdad's resolve.

Kurdish fighters from the People's Protection Units (YPG) take part in a military parade as they celebrate victory over the Islamic state, in Qamishli, Syria March 28, 2019. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RC1E6CB8BBB0

US wants Kurdish groups to reconcile in eastern Syria

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Abdul Karim Mohammed of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Syria talked about the US initiative to bring disputing Kurdish parties in eastern Syria closer together, with the ultimate goal of preventing the return of the Islamic State.