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Politics & Security

Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) Navy Adm. Brad Cooper testifies during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 14, 2026, in Washington.

CENTCOM commander heads to Israel, Gulf as Lebanon talks stall

Israel's top defense official said his country would not withdraw from Lebanon despite diplomatic pressure from Washington as it seeks rapprochement with Iran.

Jared Szuba

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

Congressional candidate Claire Valdez, Congressional candidate Brad Lander, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier raise their hands during a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) rally at King's Theater on June 18, 2026 in New York City.

Explainer

Pro-Palestine Democrats win in NYC elections: What it means

According to a recent survey, 80% of Democrats expressed an unfavorable view of Israel, yet party leadership in the House and Senate has remained largely aligned with longstanding US support for Israel.

Defendant Wassim al-Assad appears before the Fourth Criminal Court during the opening session of his trial in Damascus on June 24, 2026.

Syria opens trial of Wassim al-Assad, cousin of ousted president: What we know

The trial follows another session in the case against Atef Najib, also a cousin of former President Bashar al-Assad, as Syrian authorities continue prosecuting figures linked to the former regime and its remnants.

Latest News

Trump insists no Hormuz tolls as Iran, US make conflicting claims

Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Why Iran's generals are intensifying anti-US rhetoric amid negotiations

An Iranian man rides his motorbike past a billboard on May 28, 2026.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Turkey detains 233 ahead of NATO summit, including LGBTQ+ activist Yildiz Tar

Demonstrators take part in a rally against the upcoming NATO Summit early July in Ankara, on June 13, 2026.

Iran's Ghalibaf holds talks in Oman on Strait of Hormuz: What to know

Speaker of the parliament of Iran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (R), arrives at the Burgenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026.

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

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a protest against the Israeli government, Jerusalem, April 6, 2022.

Netanyahu senses opportunity in Israel's political chaos

In his decision to dissolve parliament, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett prefers his legacy as the prime minister who took on Iran with unprecedented intensity, rather than the one who succumbed to backbenchers in his own party.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Prime Minister Nafrali Bennet and Knesset member Abir Kara attend a weekly Cabinet meeting, Jerusalem, May 29, 2022.

Israel's Arab Ra’am party rocked by decision to disperse Knesset

The Arab Ra’am party said clearly last night that they will try to be part of the next Israeli coalition, putting them at odds with the rival Arab Joint List.

Ethiopian Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity Seleshi Bekele.

Egypt skeptical of Ethiopia's call to resume Nile Dam talks

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said "no one will touch Egypt's water" as Ethiopia prepares for the third filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Algerian anti-government protesters take to the streets of Algiers as the Hirak pro-democracy movement keeps up its weekly demonstrations despite a ban on gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic, Algeria, March 26, 2021.

Algerian government shuts down leading pro-reform group

Human rights groups say the situation in Algeria has been deterioriating, including the recent arrest of three lawyers for representing Hirak protesters.

Iran foreign ministry

Iran says Biden still following Trump’s policies

Iran’s foreign ministry says that the Trump administration's policies toward Iran have only continued under Biden.

Israel Turkey

Israel still on alert over Iranian threats to tourists in Turkey

Israel and Turkey deepen securty cooperation as Israel calls out IRGC security head as part of psychological warfare campaign.

Gantz

Israel says Middle East air defense partnership already in action

Israel's defense minister said he hopes US President Joe Biden's trip to the region will further the joint defense cooperation.

Aryeh Deri

Ultra-Orthodox instrumental in dissolution of Israel's government

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's decision to dissolve the Israeli Knesset and go for new elections could have perhaps been avoided, had he made more efforts to include the ultra-Orthodox in his coalition.

Stoltenberg

No breakthrough in Turkey’s talks with Sweden, Finland over joining NATO

Discussions between Turkey, Finland and Sweden about the Nordic countries' proposed NATO membership have ended inconclusively as Ankara showed no signs of abandoning its hardline position.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (R) and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

Israel dissolves parliament, declares new elections in October

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will take over as prime minister.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (2nd-L).

Analysis

US, Iran still trying to close gap on nuclear deal

The Biden administration may be considering options for a Plan B if nuclear talks fail, but backchannel diplomacy is continuing.

Ali Hashem

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Ali Hashem , Elizabeth Hagedorn

Mansour Abbas, head of Israel's conservative Islamic Ra'am party, speaks in his capacity as Knesset deputy speaker during a plenum session on the state budget, Jerusalem, Sept. 2, 2021.

Israel Ra'am leader tries to keep party together as coalition collapses

Faced with rebel legislator Mazen Ghnaim, Muslim party Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas opted for dialogue instead of confrontation.