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Politics & Security

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After gun found in lake, French police probe link to 2012 Iraqi family murder

A recently discovered Luger pistol may have been used in the mysterious 2012 killing of the al-Hilli family near the Alpine town of Chevaline in eastern France.

A women stands overlooking the water as ships are seen anchored in the Strait of Hormuz on Aug. 10, 2026, off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran.

US expands Iran campaign with strikes on oil tankers

Airstrikes on Iranian oil tankers mark a subtle tactical pivot after months of periodic bombardment targeting IRGC military infrastructure failed to shut down the IRGC’s attacks in Hormuz.

In this picture obtained by AFP from the Iranian news agency Tasnim on September 2, 2026 a destroyed vehicle is pictured at the site of an overnight strike in Kuhestak, Sirik County, in Iran's southern Hormozgan province on September 2, 2026. Iranian forces said on September 2 that they launched attacks on US military targets in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and other countries in the region, vowing "severe" consequences for renewed American attacks on the Islamic republic. (Photo by Masoud Moha

Iran vows continued military action amid renewed hostilities with US

Iran responded to US attacks with a wave of drone and missile strikes against countries across the region, raising fears of a return to war.

Vehicles drive beneath a large screen displaying portraits of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Cairo on Aug. 31, 2026.

Xi makes first Egypt visit in decade as Cairo gets caught in US-China AI row

China's Huawei last month submitted a bid to build advanced AI data centers and supply more than 2,000 AI chips for Egyptian government systems.

Latest News

Fresh fighting in Syria's Suwayda leaves one dead: What to know

Tribal and Bedouin fighters deploy in the western neighborhood of southern Syria's predominantly Druze city of Suwayda amid clashes with Druze gunmen on July 19, 2025.

US airstrikes target Iran's Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island

ISNA / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Israel favors status quo as tensions in Iran's leadership fuel escalation risk

missile

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

India, Iran hold sidebar as SCO summit opens amid US strikes

Modi and Pezeshkian

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

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

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

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

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

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

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (L) in Tianjin, China, on Sept. 1, 2025.

Turkey, Armenia leaders eye cooperation as Azerbaijan peace process advances

The meeting came after the Aug. 8 peace summit in Washington, hosted by US President Donald Trump, between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.

The Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun (left), receives Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Baabda Presidential Palace, on Sept. 1, 2025.

Lebanon faces tough test as army pushes plan to seize Hezbollah weapons

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam discussed preparations for a cabinet session due this week that will tackle an army plan to take control of weapons outside of the state’s authority.

Libya

Analysis

Turkey’s power play in Libya tests Greece’s red lines

A naval visit, back-channel diplomacy and a budding Italy-Libya track reveal Ankara’s push to lock in its 2019 maritime deal.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

Israel cautious on Lebanon withdrawal despite Netanyahu overtures, US push

The Trump administration is pressuring Netanyahu to make concessions to the Lebanese government in exchange for its efforts to disarm Hezbollah.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Aug. 19, 2025.

Analysis

How India-China reset could ease competition over Middle East energy, trade

Experts suggest the improved ties could allow both countries to pursue joint projects and strengthen their economic and strategic roles in the Middle East.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem delivers a statement during a ceremony to honor the Shiite cleric Abbas Ali Al-Moussawi, who passed away the week prior, Beirut, Aug. 25, 2025.

Analysis

Attack, concede, stall: Hezbollah’s options as Lebanon advances disarmament plan

Despite mounting US pressure on the government to disarm the Shiite group, its leader, Naim Qassem, says it will not surrender its weapons.

Dario Sabaghi

By Dario Sabaghi

Delegates attend the Defense Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states in Qingdao, in eastern China's Shandong province on June 26, 2025.

At SCO summit in China, Iran seeks support ahead of UN sanctions

China's SCO will bring together major world leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, as Tehran seeks support amid mounting Western pressure.

SDF fighters wave flags and flash victory signs from a vehicle during a convoy procession in Aleppo, Syria, on April 9, 2025.

After weeks of threats, is Turkey softening line on Syrian SDF?

Turkey’s dialing down of rhetoric may be linked to ongoing Israel-Damascus security talks, an expert told Al-Monitor.

Libyan soldiers take part in a military parade marking the 82nd anniversary of the Libyan army, in the capital Tripoli on Aug. 9, 2022.

Libya: Tripoli’s fragile peace shaken by renewed fighting, military buildup

Recent weeks have seen multiple clashes and security incidents in the Libyan capital, raising concerns from both the United States and the United Nations.

A K9A2 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) from Hanwha is seen on day one of the Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) fair at ExCel on Sept. 12, 2023 in London, England.

UK bans Israeli officials from major defense fair: What to know

After suspending trade talks and sanctioning Israeli far-right ministers, the British government barred an official Israeli delegation from a major London defense fair.

DELPHINE TOUITOU/AFP via Getty Images

Over 800 executed in Iran this year as UN warns real situation may be worse

Iranian authorities have executed over 800 people since the start of this year in what the UN said was an alarming increase of executions compared to the same period last year.