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Politics & Security

Mazloum Kobane, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks during the pan-Kurdish "Unity and Consensus" conference in Qamishli in northeastern Syria on April 26, 2025.

Interview

Syrian Kurdish commander Kobane says Turkey visit ‘in the making,’ Ocalan meeting possible

The SDF commander-in-chief reflected on a fragile integration deal with Damascus, growing Kurdish backlash and ongoing talks with Turkey as questions mount over Rojava’s political future.

Mazloum Kobane

Mazloum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images

Iran's IRGC holds anti-helicopter drills in Tehran: What to know

Iran said it downed two US helicopters last month as American forces use the aircraft for strikes in the Gulf.

Latest News

Turkey, Armenia to launch direct trade in normalization push: What to know

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shake hands before a meeting at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.

In first, Lebanon files formal UN complaint against Iran: What to know

FADEL Itani / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Ahead of Trump-Xi summit, Iran looks to China as guarantor — but with reservations

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands as they arrive for talks at the Gimhae Air Base in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

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

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Day 2 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Oct. 8

: Israeli security forces stand near a burned car at a scene where a rocket fired from Gaza strip hit a building on October 7, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israel's Defense Forces (IDF) say that Hamas "had begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory" which the Palestinian militant group has taken responsibility for. The IDF also say that militants had entered Israeli territory in "different locations". A counter attack has been launch against Gaza. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty I

Analysis

Echoes of 1973 as Israel’s intelligence failed to detect Hamas attack plans

Israel, considered a regional military superpower, failed to anticipate and stop the deadly Hamas attack.

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

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Day 1 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Saturday, Oct. 7

In our first day of live coverage, Hamas militants invaded southern Israel.

Smoke billows from the Babasi oil facility in the countryside of al-Qahtaniya in Syria's Kurdish-controlled northeastern Hasakeh province on October 6, 2023 following a Turkish strike. (Photo by Delil souleiman / AFP) / "The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Delil souleiman has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [BABASI] instead of [BASBASI]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your serve

Turkey escalates airstrikes in Syria, but will it cross US, Russia red lines?

The likelihood of a fresh Turkish ground offensive in northern Syria appears to weaken after the unprecedented shooting down of a Turkish drone by the United States.

MBZ Bagheri

Iran's parliament speaker visits UAE, meets MBZ as detente continues

The trip was the latest in a flurry of bilateral diplomacy that has seen top Iranian officials in a chain of meetings with the Emirati leadership, though little progress has been reported on core disputes.

- A man prepares to ride a motorcycle close to a fire raging at the Zarba oil facility in al-Qahtaniyah in northeastern Syria close to the Turkish border on October 5, 2023. Turkish strikes on October 5 on the Kurdish-controlled region of Hasakeh in northeastern Syria hit a car, killing two people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, after Ankara had threatened raids in retaliation for a bomb attack. In another strike, "Turkish drones targeted a factory north of Hasakeh, injuring three workers", s

Turkey expands strikes as Fidan, Blinken discuss deconfliction, 'terrorist threats'

The US readout of a call between the top US and Turkish diplomats stressed the two countries share a common objective of defeating terror.

Israel's opposition leader and former defence minister Benny Gantz attends a press conference in Jerusalem on February 13, 2023, against controversial legal reforms being touted by the country's hard-right government. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP) (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Benny Gantz emerges as linchpin for US in bid for Israel-Saudi normalization

The White House is clearly hoping that National Unity party leader Benny Gantz will get Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s back, when a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia arrives at the Knesset for a vote.

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

Media film and photograph the Abdulhamid Han drill ship, the fourth built by Turkey, in Mersin on August 9, 2022 before it leaves for gas exploration to an undisputed area in the Mediterranean Sea, in south of the city of Gazipasa. - Turkey on August 9, 2022 sent its newest drill ship on the first eastern Mediterranean energy exploration mission in nearly two years. The search for natural gas in energy-rich waters around the divided island of Cyprus has turned into an irritant in Turkey's ties with the Euro

Turkey’s energy minister to visit Israel as talks advance on gas transfers to Europe

The Turkish energy minister says his country’s priority is to bring Israeli gas to Turkey.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President of the European Council Charles Michel, and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev.

Citing Turkey’s absence, Azerbaijan skips EU-sponsored talks with Armenia in Spain

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev skipped peace talks between the two countries after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed out due to illness.

Navy gulf Oman

US sends 1.1 million rounds of seized Iranian ammunition to Ukraine

The unprecedented shipment comes as political paralysis in Congress has threatened to interrupt the flow of weapons to Kyiv.

The launch of a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite from an orbiting spacecraft.

Israel, Azerbaijan announce landmark deal for sale of two satellites

Israel Aerospace Industries and Azeri space agency Azercosmos announced the signing of an agreement for the sale of two Israeli-developed satellites.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan looks on during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly at the Lotte Palace Hotel in New York on September 22, 2023. (Photo by BING GUAN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by BING GUAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey's Fidan declares all PKK, YPG facilities in Syria, Iraq 'legitimate targets'

High-level and open threats by Turkey have ramped up fears of a fresh escalation in northern Syria between Turkish forces and Syrian Kurdish groups that Ankara deems terrorists.