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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

A displaced family sits next to their tent during a dust storm over the town of Zardana in the countryside of the northwestern Idlib province, Syria, June 2, 2022.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham holds massive military maneuvers in Idlib

The Syrian jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is boosting readiness in anticipation of new government offensive.

SPA

Saudi Arabia, Egypt lead regional naval drills in Red Sea

Military analysts say the naval military exercise held off the Jeddah coast show regional dedication the Red Sea's security.

MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP via Getty Images

Rights groups say Iranian prisoners face finger amputations

The eight men are expected to have their fingers amputated using a guillotine machine soon, Amnesty International reports.

YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images

After Turkey, Venezuela’s Maduro heads to Iran

The South American leader said one goal of the visit is to boost tourism between Venezuela and Iran.

African Union Chief and President of Senegal Macky Sall (2-R) participates at the OECD Africa Forum in France, on June 10, 2022.

African Union chief says Israel has role to play in Africa

Participating at the OECD Africa Forum, African Union Chief and President of Senegal Macky Sall acknowledged Israel’s engagement in Africa, especially on the backdrop of the crisis generated by the Ukraine war.

BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images

Iran, Turkey brace for face-off in Syria

Iran has been trying to dissuade Turkey from a fresh intervention in Syria while making military preparations on the ground to protect its interests amid a growing rift between the two neighbors.

Mansour Abbas, head of Israel's conservative Islamic Raam party.

Israel’s Muslim party split on toeing coalition line

Muslim Ra’am party leader Mansour Abbas is committed to supporting the coalition, but he's not sure his party members will follow him.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrives for a Cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office, Jerusalem, March 27, 2022.

Israel’s Bennett advances 'regional architecture' in Abu Dhabi

The quick visit of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett June 9 to Abu Dhabi clearly demonstrates the Israeli-American strategy of creating a large regional alliance that would face the Iranian threat.

HASSAN AMMAR/AFP via Getty Images

Researchers say Iran's doing nothing to protect young people from addiction

Addiction among young Iranians is worrying experts who say that as confusion and inconsistency characterize the country's handling of the malady.

Third Legion.

Turkish-backed forces step up military drills ahead of potential operation in northern Syria

Free Syrian Army factions are holding major military drills and parades to beef up their combat readiness to take part in the Turkish military operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr delivers a speech in the central Iraqi city of Najaf on June 3, 2022.

Muqtada al-Sadr threatens to withdraw from parliament

After failing to form a national majority government, Iraqi populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr asked his party members in parliament to prepare to resign.

Yemen

Yemen truce brings relief but no path to lasting peace

Yemen's UN-sponsored truce is a priceless relief for civilians and a diplomatic success for the UN envoy for Yemen. But because the root causes remain unsolved, a permanent peace is still doubtful.