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July 13, 2026

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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.

A man holds a Syrian flag across the street from the White House after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with President Donald Trump at White House in Washington, on Nov. 10, 2025.

Syria, US hold first business forum since sanctions relief: What to know

The one-day forum in Damascus was organized by Syria’s Ministry of Economy and Industry and the US-Syria Business Council, which was established in Washington last June to advance trade and investment between the two nations.

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

Analysis

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

Iraq's new prime minister is in Washington promising business deals and closer ties with the United States, but convincing the Trump administration he can rein in Iran-backed militias may prove his toughest challenge.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Oil climbs after US strikes Iran, Trump vows to control Strait of Hormuz

US Central Command said in a statement early on Monday that it struck dozens of Iranian targets overnight as Iran targeted American bases across the Gulf.

Latest News

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

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

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a chart of military hardware sales as he welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 20, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC1D275A0090

Intel: How White House trumps up US arms sales to Saudi Arabia

With rising US pressure, Iran worries about losing ground in Iraq

Iran is worried about losing influence in Iraq after the reimposition of US sanctions on Iran and because of US pressure on Iraq to distance itself from Iran.

Barham Salih, Iraq's newly elected President greets Iraq's outgoing President Fuad Masum (not pictured) at the end of a handover ceremony at Salam Palace in Baghdad, Iraq October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani - RC1C2A8CDD30

Iran, Iraq look to expand economic ties amid US sanctions

Despite US sanctions, Iranian and Iraqi officials hope to increase economic ties.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani in Doha is seen during his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Doha, Qatar November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Naseem Zeitoon - RC143AB93710

How Qatar is working to boost its influence in Yemen

Doha balances close relations with Houthi and Islah factions in the Yemen war in order to take advantage of political instability in the country and bolster its influence over the country’s internal affairs.

Erdogan vows to crush US allies in Syria

The Turkish president weighs military options to defeat what he calls a “terror outfit” in Syria.

Israeli kids play next to an Israeli flag next to the Israeli Syrian border at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israel July 23, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC179A5708F0

Intel: Why the US is warming to Israel’s hold on the Golan Heights

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., defends Judge Brett Kavanaugh during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on his nomination be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, focusing on allegations of sexual assault by Kavanaugh against Christine Blasey Ford in the early 1980s, in Washington, DC, U.S., September 27, 2018. Picture taken September 27, 2018. Tom Williams/Pool via REUTERS - RC1E5B7EC8E0

Intel: How Congress is trying to hold Saudis accountable for Khashoggi’s murder

Muslim pilgrims walk out after the Friday prayer at the Grand mosque ahead of annual Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia August 17, 2018. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra - RC1615A76DE0

Millions of Palestinians no longer eligible for Saudi visas

A Saudi decision to deny visas to people holding temporary passports but without national identification numbers means that millions of Palestinian Muslims in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon will not be able to perform religious rites at Islamic holy sites in the kingdom.

Is Russia full-on supporting Hamas?

The Russian ambassador to Israel refused to label Hamas as a terrorist organization, calling on Israel to deal with the group to reach a political solution.

Bahrain ducks congressional scrutiny over Yemen war

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., had hoped to send a message to the Saudi coalition in Yemen by holding an arms sale to Bahrain hostage. It didn’t work.

An F18 Hornet fighter jet moves on the deck of the 330 meters navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on May 8, 2018. - The USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group on May 3 began air operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, conducting flight operations against the so called Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria and Iraq. The strike group includes a guided-missile cruiser and four guided-missile destroyers. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP) (Photo credit shou

Intel: Why defense leaders are urging against Middle East budget cuts

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) speaks during a news conference discussing Russian sanctions on Capitol Hill February 15, 2017 in Washington, DC.
A cloud of intrigue over ties with Moscow has hovered over President Donald Trump since US intelligence alleged the Russian government interfered with the presidential election last year against his opponent Hillary Clinton. On Monday, Trump's national security adviser Michael Flynn was forced to resign over his private conversations with a Russian diplomat, and on Wedn

Intel: Why Congress isn’t satisfied with Trump’s latest Saudi sanctions