Defense/Security cooperation

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 7: U.S. President Donald Trump (L)shakes hands with with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Palace during the NATO summit on July 7, 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 Emrah Gurel - Pool/Getty Images)

Analysis

Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them

Israeli officials remain skeptical of Turkish and Syrian denials over Ankara’s military ambitions in Syria, warning that a deeper Turkish foothold could threaten Israel’s security and strain its ties with Washington.

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

LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi crown prince heads to France as ties deepen: What to expect

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will start a visit to Paris this weekend, his fourth to France since his appointment in 2017.

Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, gives a press conference in the autonomous region's capital Arbil on June 25, 2025.

Interview

Barzani calls for enhanced air defense for Kurdistan Region to counter drone attacks

Iraqi Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani backs US-led regional economic integration efforts and lauds US partnership in an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor.

Masrour Barzani

Masrour Barzani

KRG Prime Minister

AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images

Exclusive

Saudi Arabia wants Iran-backed militia 'heads to roll' in Iraq amid talks with Tehran

Riyadh is pressing Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to act against the groups behind attacks on the kingdom as Baghdad struggles to balance ties with Tehran and Washington.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Latest News

Syria announces capture of senior ISIS official near Manbij: What to know

SANA

Jared Szuba

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

Jordan's King Abdullah heads to China in first visit since 2015: What to know

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with King of Jordan Abdullah II during a signing ceremony at The Great Hall Of The People on Sept. 9, 2015, in Beijing, China.

US general meets Lebanon’s army chief as ceasefire with Israel teeters

AFP via Getty Images

Jared Szuba

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

Explainer

Three ways China benefits from Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan pact: What to know

SPA

Russian fighters

Iran is seeking billions in arms deals from Russia, White House says

Moscow may send Iran fighter aircraft as Pentagon officials warn the tactical relationship could evolve into strategic cooperation.

Russia / Mideast

Russia's Rosoboronexport displayed more than 200 combat-tested weapons at an isolated pavilion.

UAE's IDEX weapons fair brings in Russia, China, and billion-dollar deals

The United Arab Emirates’ defense expenditure amounted to $22.5 billion last year and is expected to reach $28.6 billion by 2027.

Israeli Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement to the media on the Iranian nuclear issue at the Foreign Ministry, Jerusalem, Sept. 9, 2019.

Israel steps up military planning against Iran’s nuclear program

Recent reports on Iran accelerating its uranium enrichment are pushing Israeli leaders to inspect concrete plans.

Taiwanese navy launches a US-made Standard missile from a frigate during the annual Han Kuang Drill, on the sea near the Suao navy harbor in Yilan county on July 26, 2022. (Photo by Sam Yeh / AFP) (Photo by SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)

US bolsters human rights criteria for arms sales

The arms transfer policy takes into account how US weapons sales could be used to commit rights abuses.

Washington Pulse

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (R) and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen give a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 16, 2023.

Analysis

Ukraine war at year 1: Israel, Ukraine find common ground on Iran

Sharing concerns over Moscow-Tehran military cooperation, Jerusalem and Kyiv’s interests are now converging.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gives a press conference at the EU headquarters, Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 16, 2023.

Europe to sanction Iran drone companies for arming Russia in Ukraine

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen called on member states to adopt a 10th sanctions package against Russia that also includes a ban on Iranian companies.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Doosan Mobility Innovation's DS30W hydrogen fuel cell drone is displayed at CES 2022 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 6, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

How Israel’s HevenDrones latest hydrogen-powered drone can help UAE

The lightweight aerial vehicle for defense or commercial use is the latest fruit of diplomatic normalization between the two countries, and will be featured at IDEX next week.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) drill held by the Iranian army in Semnan, Iran, on Jan. 5, 2021.

US defense intelligence confirms Iran’s drone use in Ukraine

The Pentagon report comes a day after the UK government turned over weapons and other evidence to the United Nations that Iran had attempted to ship to Yemen's Houthi rebels in violation of international law.

US sailors recover part of a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Feb. 5.

US general reveals Chinese balloons have flown over the Middle East

A senior CENTCOM official said the high-altitude balloons have posed no threat to troops, and he expressed interest in obtaining similar ones to fill gaps in the United States' intelligence collection.

Jared Szuba

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

US special envoy to Iran Robert Malley.

Pentagon, State Department officials in Saudi Arabia to talk Iran strategy

Like its predecessors, the Biden administration wants Gulf Cooperation Council states to share air defense intel to defuse potential attacks by Iran, but will they work together?

Shlomi Amsalem/GPO

Israel, Sudan to normalize ties? Not so fast

The normalization process is allowing the prime minister to flash his diplomatic bona fides at a time of domestic turmoil, but normalization may still take time.

US Central Command supported maritime operations

France's seizure of Iranian weapons to Yemen is a win for Pentagon

French forces seized some 3,000 assault rifles, 23 anti-tank rockets and more than half a million rounds of ammunition bound for Yemen's Houthi rebels.