Politics & Security - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Politics & Security

Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr gives a speech in Iraq's central holy shrine city of Najaf on August 30, 2022.

Iraq’s Sadr says 'exclude' armed groups from next government as pressure builds

The cleric's call comes as Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi tries to form a government amid political divisions and US demands to curb the influence of Iran-backed actors.

Traffic passes a billboard depicting Iranian ballistic missiles in service, with text in Arabic reading "the honest [person's] promise" and in Persian "Israel is weaker than a spider's web," Valiasr Square, Tehran, April 15, 2024. ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images.

Analysis

CIA report on Iran missiles undercuts Netanyahu as war euphoria dissipates

The findings cast doubt on Israel’s wartime gains and put pressure on Netanyahu’s campaign strategy ahead of elections.

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

Getty

US strikes Iran tankers as UAE reports fresh missile, drone attacks

Strikes on Iranian tankers and fresh exchanges in the Gulf escalate tensions as Washington awaits Tehran’s response to a deal proposal.

Latest News

US sets expectations for Iraq’s next PM to confront Iranian militias

Popular Mobilization Forces

Iran president says he held official meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei: What to know

An Iranian woman holds up an image of Iran's new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

Turkey, Japan launch defense industry partnership with eye on drones

People look at a drone on display at the Baykar exhibit at the SAHA International Defence and Aerospace Expo on May 06, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.

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

Smoke rises after a strike near a military base in northern Israel by a rocket fired by Hezbollah, July 4, 2024.

More than 200 rockets from Lebanon's Hezbollah rain down on Israel

The escalation comes as Iranian proxies express readiness to join the fighting if war breaks out in Lebanon.

Al-Shifa hospital director Mohammed Abu Salmiya who was detained by Israeli forces since November, is welcomed by relatives after his release alongside other detainees, at Nasser hopsital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip July 1, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group.

Analysis

What released Palestinian detainees say about torture in Israeli jails

A number of recently released Palestinians are saying they were tortured and abused in detention.

Daoud Kuttab

By Daoud Kuttab

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

KAREN MINASYAN/AFP via Getty Images

US push for Azerbaijan, Turkey to make peace with Armenia an uphill battle

Despite some hopeful noises from Washington on a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, most Armenians hold out little hope as Azerbaijan continues to resist approving a draft that Armenian and Western officials are promoting.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana on July 3, 2024.

Erdogan meets 'dear friend' Putin as Russia, Turkey eye cooperation on Syria

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to bilateral ties only days ahead of the NATO summit.

A view of Beita town with smoke from the teargas cannister fired by Israeli soldiers during an intervention in the clashes between Palestinians and Israeli settlers who stormed the top of Mount Al-Arma in Beita town, south of Nablus on Friday, May 03, 2024. The tensions have been rising in the areas of West Bank between the Palestinians and Israelis since October 07, and often the Israeli police intervene by firing teargas, and sending armed forces to disperse the Palestinians gathered to confront the Israe

US slams Israel's 5,300 new settlement units, Biden 'likely' to meet Netanyahu

President Joe Biden is reportedly likely to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when the latter travels to Washington late July to address Congress.

A composite image shows Egypt's new Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty (L) and new Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk (R).

Meet Egypt’s new foreign, defense, finance ministers after cabinet shuffle

Cairo's new government is coming in at a challenging time for Egypt, which is facing a deep economic crisis amid the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

Presidential candidates Masoud Pezeshkian (L) and Saeed Jalili are seen in a screen grab from Monday's debate.

Iran’s Jalili, Pezeshkian spar over sanctions as calls for boycott grow

Iran's supreme leader remained silent on the record-low turnout seen last week, and state media went out of their way to draw in more voters to prevent further embarrassment.

Saudi defense chief Khalid bin Salman in Turkey received by his counterpart Yasar Guler in Ankara on July 2, 2024

Saudi defense chief in Turkey, meets Erdogan as drone sales grow

Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed a major drone deal last year in one of several recent demonstrations of strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries.

Armed men drive in the back of a pick up truck during protests against Turkey in al-Bab, in the northern Syrian opposition held region of Aleppo on July 1, 2024. A man was killed after and Turkish forces clashed in Syria's Ankara-controlled northwest, a war monitor said, in demonstrations sparked by violence against Syrians in Turkey a day earlier. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP) (Photo by BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images)

Erdogan reassures Syrian rebels but says Turkey open to talks with Assad

The Turkish president also ruled out a potential withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria in the near future, citing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

David Ryder/Getty Images

Over 100 victims of Oct. 7 sue Iran, Syria, North Korea in US court

The Anti-Defamation League has filed a lawsuit against Iran, Syria and North Korea, accusing the three nations of supporting Hamas and its Oct. 7 assault against Israel.

Saudis organize medical aid to be loaded into a plane as Saudi Arabia begins sending field hospitals and medical aid to Lebanon.

After Qatar's $20M aid to army, Saudi relief agency grants $10M to Lebanon

Saudi Arabia is opening up to Lebanon following years of tensions over Hezbollah’s growing influence in the country.

An Israeli army main battle tank moves along an area near the border with the Gaza Strip and southern Israel, July 2, 2024.

Analysis

What Israel's winding down of battles in Gaza means for Netanyahu, Lebanon

Israeli leaders are now discussing shifting from high-intensity fighting in Rafah and across the Gaza Strip to low-intensity battle, with targeted operations and much fewer troops on the ground.

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