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
Defense budget to provide broader Iraq security support A Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act, set to be released next week, will provide greater leeway for support for Iraqi homeland security. Iraq
Congress threatens to cut payments to Iraqi Kurds if they break with Baghdad The House defense bill makes continued peshmerga funding contingent on participation in a “unified Iraq.” Iraq
Russia’s Syria strategy hinges on Jordan Russia’s relationship with Jordan has shifted as Moscow looks to Amman as its mediator with the Sunni world and the United States in the Syrian crisis. Jordan
How lucrative is Turkey’s defense industry? A permanent agenda item of Erdogan’s foreign travels is military cooperation and finding markets for Turkey’s defense industry products, but it's sometimes difficult to tell how much of the achievement touted in this area is real. Turkey
US continues buildup of Iraqi Kurdish forces The United States is supporting the Kurdistan Region by developing its military forces, but the support is a balancing act with Baghdad as they oppose building an independent Kurdish army. Iraq
Is Iraq poised for large-scale military involvement in Syria? As the battle against IS approaches its end in Iraq, Syria and Iraq have stepped up their security and military cooperation with the aim of preserving Iraqi territories against the activities of terrorist groups operating from the Iraq-Syria border area. Iraq
Why Qatar and Turkey are becoming an item Turkey and Qatar are working to extend their relations beyond the friendship of the countries' leaders to address their shared uncertainties about the new US administration, security threats and the growing regional influence of Iran and Russia. Qatar
