Oman's sultan meets Macron in first France visit since 1989: What to know French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing against any form of toll for the Strait of Hormuz. Iran
Analysis Why Turkey and Egypt are deepening military ties amid regional turmoil Turkey and Egypt are expanding military cooperation as overlapping security challenges, from Libya and Sudan to Gaza and the Red Sea, bring the former rivals closer together. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis Vance turning us into 'punching bag': Israel fumes over alleged IRGC-CENTCOM channel in Doha The US-Iran decision to launch direct talks between the IRGC and CENTCOM in Qatar deepens the rift between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while heightening Israeli fears that Washington is shifting toward Doha and Tehran. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Iran attacks cargo ship off Oman, testing Trump’s Hormuz Strait deal The first Iranian attack on a cargo vessel since the ceasefire comes as top US diplomat Marco Rubio huddled with Gulf Cooperation Council ministers in Manama to reject Iran's claims to control the Strait of Hormuz. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
CENTCOM commander heads to Israel, Gulf as Lebanon talks stall By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Analysis As US reshapes Lebanon strategy, Israel finds itself sidelined By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Analysis Why Gulf defense firms are betting on Europe in wake of Iran war By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Iraq’s two leading parliamentary movements amp up coordination The Fatah and Sairoon movements have stepped up their efforts to see that the Cabinet is completed and for the government to properly face the issues ahead. Iraq
Will Iraq ask US troops to leave the country? US President Donald Trump's recent statement about the role of US troops in Iraq — to keep an eye on Iran — has caused a strong backlash among Iraqi politicians who see this statement as an interference in Iraqi matters. Iraq
Pentagon walks back Trump idea of using Iraq base to counter Iran US officials downplayed the role of US bases in Iraq to counter Iran after the president pledged to stay in the country to "watch" Tehran’s activities. Iraq
Trump: Israel’s friend in words, not in deeds US President Donald Trump's isolationist policies in Syria and Afghanistan, coupled with placating gestures toward the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, rather than a push for peace with the Palestinians, are endangering Israel’s security. Israel
In Moscow, Iraqi foreign minister talks 'strategic cooperation' with Russia As more regional and global actors send their emissaries to Baghdad, Russia seeks to capitalize on the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations with Iraq. Legacy: Gulf
Why is Fatah getting cozy with Hezbollah? A senior Fatah official recently met with Hezbollah officials in Beirut to discuss security and other developments in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. Palestine
Mattis departure risks US policy void as Yemen pact falls apart Day-to-day responsibility for managing the Yemen conflict is being passed on to John Rood, the Pentagon’s No. 3 official. Saudi Arabia
Varying head counts of US forces in Iraq stir controversy It's hard to nail down how many US troops are in Iraq, but some Iraqi political factions say any number is too high. Iraq
Congress in no hurry to act as Palestinians reject security aid A new law has unintentionally ended security assistance for the Palestinian Authority, and Congress is in no rush to fix it. Palestine
Ankara set to boost naval posture with major exercise Turkey may be planning an ambitious air-naval military drill that would span three seas. Palestine
Intel: How Trump used his missile defense rollout to take shots at Iran President Trump chastised Iran for attempting to launch a satellite earlier this week and pledged the United States would take a harder line on Iran. Legacy: Gulf
New IDF chief faces multiple challenges Israel’s new IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi faces multiple challenges on nearby fronts, further away and also vis-a-vis his boss, Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestine
