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
Israel's acknowledgment of Syria nuclear strike sparks security debate The story behind Israel's 2007 attack on Syria's nuclear reactor challenges the assumption that Israeli generals are more competent than Israeli politicians at making security decisions. Israel
Syrian opposition forms force to hold its army accountable There's a new sheriff in town, so to speak, now that the Syrian Interim Government has established a military police unit in northern Aleppo. Syria
The story behind Israel's secret strike on Syria's nuclear reactor Israel for the first time acknowledges how nearly a decade ago it located and destroyed a Syrian nuclear reactor built with the assistance of North Korea. Israel
Lebanese army appeals for international assistance The Lebanese Armed Forces are appealing for financial support from international donors to fight extremist groups in the country. Lebanon
Foreign ministers set stage for Putin-Erdogan meeting in April Expect to see an effort to boost Russian-Turkish collaboration when the presidents of both countries meet in two weeks. Turkey
State Department shake-up leaves Qatar hanging President Trump’s ouster of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson knocks out a leading champion for resolving the monthslong Qatar crisis in the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia
Turkish-Arab ties marked by fear and loathing A senior Turkish diplomat says Ankara misread the Middle East and ended up relying on Iran and its backer Russia, the two countries that Arab regimes fear the most. United Arab Emirates
Senate fissure opens up over ending Yemen war Traditional centrists are pushing back against bipartisan efforts to stop US support for the Saudi coalition. Saudi Arabia
Saudi crown prince comes to Washington Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is coming to Washington to shore up support at a time when the situation at home and in the United States is more complicated than ever. Saudi Arabia
The dealmaker: Mueller witness helped broker $4.2 billion Iraq-Russia arms deal Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s latest interest, Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, has a long history of mysterious dealings in the Middle East despite a low profile in Washington. United Arab Emirates
Qatar claims proposed sanctions on Hamas threaten F-15 sales Qatar lobbyists say the pressure on Doha could jeopardize a $6.2 billion deal signed under President Donald Trump. Qatar
Pro-Israel lobby struggles to bring parties together ahead of annual conference The American Israel Public Affairs Committee hasn’t made much headway on key issues such as the Iran nuclear deal and anti-boycott legislation. Israel
