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Politics & Security

Milak border crossing near the town of Zabol, Iran

Third Sunni cleric killed in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan Province: What to know

Iran says it is stepping up its crackdown on armed groups in the impoverished province as Sunni clerics have been reported killed there and in the predominantly Kurdish northwest.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

CENTCOM chief meets Saudi Arabia's MBS amid Houthi gains in Yemen

The low-profile meeting between the Pentagon's commander in the Middle East and Saudi crown prince comes as Yemen's Houthis seized the high ground overlooking a vital economic waterway.

People swim next to the Russian-flagged cargo ship OMSKIY-107, which was attacked off the Black Sea coast and eventually ran aground off the shore of the Sile district, Istanbul, Sept. 3, 2026.

Why Turkey has few options to protect Black Sea shipping

The Russia-Ukraine drone war is hitting Turkish commercial interests, exposing the limits of Ankara’s ability to protect shipping while remaining outside the conflict.

Erik Marmor

Analysis

Once Netanyahu’s top challenger, Bennett loses ground to Eisenkot: What to know

Facing the popular Gadi Eisenkot, the Together party of former premiers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid is sinking in Israeli opinion polls.

Mazal Mualem

By Mazal Mualem

In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics

Latest News

Analysis

What does Houthi advance mean for Yemen’s southern separatists?

Yemeni separatists

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Analysis

Houthi gains in Yemen are testing Saudi Arabia’s security strategy

boats and a container ship near the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb

Francesco Schiavi

By Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Iran, misreading Trump’s resolve, escalates conflict in Yemen ahead of US midterms

Supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement, arrive with their weapons to rally in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon, in Sanaa on April 8, 2026, following the announcement of a ceasefire in the Middle East war.

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 during clashes between an extremist group and the Palestinian security forces in Ain al-Hilweh camp, near the southern coastal city of Sidon, Lebanon, April 8, 2017.

Clashes in Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camp as security void looms

The UN recently warned that poverty and crime is on the rise in the camp due to the Lebanese economic crisis.

Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli far-right lawmaker and leader of the Religious Zionist party, speaks during a rally with supporters, Sderot, Israel, Oct. 26, 2022.

Jewish groups: Israel's Smotrich 'not welcome' in US after bigoted comments

Liberal Jewish organizations condemned the statement made Wednesday by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich about "wiping out" the Palestinian village of Huwara.

Libya

The Takeaway: Can Libya pull off elections in 2023?

Plus, the US condemns an Israeli minister's call to "wipe out" a Palestinian town, and concerns grow over Iran's nuclear activity.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks to the press during his visit to the hard-hit southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir.

Erdogan rules out postponing Turkey's elections after earthquakes

Analysts maintain that postposing elections would have higher costs for Erdogan at the ballot box as rage grows.

Iranian school-girls attend President Rouhani's presentation of the for 2018-2019 budget to the parliament on December 10, 2017, in Tehran. / AFP PHOTO / ATTA KENARE (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

With over 100 victims, who is poisoning Iran's schoolgirls?

Hundreds of Iranian schoolgirls have been mysteriously poisoned over the past few months and the government was forced to open an investigation when the problem reached Tehran on Wednesday.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R) visits the area of a crushed wagon.

Turkey and Greece maintain post-disaster diplomacy after train crash

As Ankara condoles Athens over the fatal train crash, Turks praise the Greek transport minister's resignation and lament at Turkish government officials for not taking responsibility over quake failures.

JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images

Israel should 'wipe out' Palestinian village of Huwara, says far-right minister Smotrich

After inflammatory comments by far-right legislator Zvika Fogel last Monday, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he'd like to see the Palestinian village of Huwara "wiped out."

Iran German

Iran expels German diplomats as row continues over death sentence

Iran has sentenced another dual European citizen, a German-Iranian man, to death in relation to a 2008 attack on a mosque.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkey arrests senior Islamic State figure, police say

The arrest came after a series of security warnings by several foreign diplomatic missions in Turkey about potential attacks on Westerners last month.

Iran nuclear

Iran enriched uranium at 83.7%, close to weapons grade: UN watchdog

The news is alarming for Israel, but Iran denied other recent reports that asserted they enriched uranium close to the 90% threshold for a nuclear weapon.

Austin

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to visit Middle East as Iran threat builds

Lloyd Austin's visit to the region as Biden's defense secretary is intended as a signal of reassurance as Iran continues to arm and fund proxy militias throughout the region.

Jared Szuba

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

Undated photo of Afghanistan Embassy in Tehran.

Taliban releases Iran border guard, moves into Afghanistan's Embassy in Tehran

Iran has had a complicated relationship with the Taliban since the group resumed control over Afghanistan.