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Politics & Security

The Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC Tasman VI and the Singapore-flagged container vessel Wan Hai 353 are docked along a pier at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in Sharjah Emirate, along the Gulf of Oman on June 19, 2026.

Iran attacks cargo ship off Oman, testing Trump’s Hormuz Strait deal

The first Iranian attack on a cargo vessel since the ceasefire comes as top US diplomat Marco Rubio huddled with Gulf Cooperation Council ministers in Manama to reject Iran's claims to control the Strait of Hormuz.

Jared Szuba

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

One of the first three US-made F-35 aircraft in Polish Air Force colors taxis along the runway at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Lask, central Poland, while fire-fighting vehicles perform a water salute on May 22, 2026.

Trump hints at F-35 breakthrough with Turkey ahead of NATO summit

The administration is moving ahead with planned jet engine sales to Ankara ahead of next month’s NATO summit despite congressionally mandated sanctions on Turkey's defense industry.

Responders arrive to a demolished building at San Bernardino after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and other regions in the Caribbean on June 24, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela.

Israel, Turkey, Iran offer aid as Venezuela’s 2 quakes kill at least 188

Iran, Turkey and Israel were among the first countries to offer assistance to earthquake-hit Venezuela despite their varying diplomatic relationships with Caracas.

Latest News

Explainer

Bombed sites, missing uranium: How Trump’s Iran deal hinges on inspector access

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Iran rejects Trump's claim frozen funds will buy US soybeans: What to know

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

Lebanon cancels national high school exams due to war: What to know

ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

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

Turkey's President and leader of the Justice and Development Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey not backing down from threats to block Sweden, Finland from NATO

Following a call with NATO's chief, Erdogan is showing no signs of backing off in the standoff over Sweden and Finland’s bids to join the alliance.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (C-L) and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visit the Greek Naval frigate Salamis.

Aegean waters heat up as Turkey, Greece exchange barbs over islands

With rhetoric and naval drills heating up in the Aegean Sea, even NATO is calling on the two allies to deescalate recent tensions.

Journalists at Gardenya FM radio return after a report to the station's studio in Arbat refugee camp, east of Sulaimaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan, Nov. 3, 2020.

PKK threatens journalists, lawmakers in Kurdistan as regional tensions rise

The media and a member of the Kurdistan Region parliament have spoken out against threats and pressure from the PKK, as tensions and drone attacks increase.

This picture taken on March 7, 2021, shows a view of Egypt's new parliament headquarters being built.

Egypt ready to begin national dialogue with opposition parties

Egyptian authorities and political parties are putting the final touches on a national dialogue scheduled for early July, despite criticism from some opposition groups.

Golan Heights

Israel puts Syria on notice over Iran

According to foreign reports, Israel is increasing its offensive activities in Syria against Iran-related targets.

Turkish-backed Syrian rebel fighters are pictured in the border town of Azaz in the rebel-held northern part of the Aleppo province, as they head toward an area facing the Kurdish-controlled town of Tal Rifaat, Syria, June 9, 2022.

Turkish-backed factions form military councils in north Syria ahead of possible Turkish operation

The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army factions are getting ready to manage Tal Rifaat and Manbij in the countryside of Aleppo after expelling the Kurdish forces following an expected Turkish military operation.

Signature ceremony of the memorandum of understanding between Israel, Egypt and the European Union for the export on natural gas to Europe, EMGF 7th ministerial meeting, Cairo, Egypt, June 15, 2022.

Israeli energy minister inks deal to export gas to Europe via Egypt

Energy Minister Karine Elharrar hailed the signature this morning of a trilateral memorandum of understanding between Israel, Egypt and the European Union on the export of natural gas as a historic event.

Yair Lapid hosts hosting EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on June 13, 2022.

European Commission head in Israel for talks on energy, natural gas

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Energy Minister Karin Elharar discussed with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen possibilities for cooperation on exporting Israeli natural gas via Egypt to Europe.

Iran’s Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Hojatollah Abdolmaleki.

Iran's labor minister resigns as economic protests grow

The first high-profile resignation in President Ebrahim Raisi's government comes as he scrambles to soothe public fury over unprecedented rising living costs.

Diyarbakir Kurds

Kurdish journalists in southeast Turkey still uncharged after week in jail

Colleagues of 20 detained journalists say they believe their arrests are tied to Turkey’s planned military operation against Syrian Kurdish militants.

ARIEL SCHALIT/AFP via Getty Images

As Israeli coalition falters, former IDF chief mulls politics

Rumors are flying about former IDF chief Gadi Eizenkot entering politics.

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli security whisks nationals out of Turkey over Iranian plot

Several Israeli tourists have been taken out of Turkey amid warnings of planned Iranian attacks.