Politics & Security - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Politics & Security

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey bars MP’s wife from travel after his fund scandal criticism: What to know

Opposition politicians and rights advocates described Yonca Verdioglu Sik’s brief detention as an attempt to intimidate her husband, opposition lawmaker Ahmet Sik, over his criticism of the government.

ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images

GCC to build military command center in Kuwait as region simmers: What to know

GCC countries have stepped up their joint defense efforts with the announcement of a new forward command center to be headquartered in Kuwait, as tensions between Iran and the US continue to escalate.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Hegseth strikes defiant tone, calls House impeachment process 'farce'

Pentagon's top official called Rep. Thomas Massie's charges a 'farce,' arguing other defense secretaries trespassed on the War Powers Act without being impeached.

Jared Szuba

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

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) casts his ballot, next to his wife Sara

Explainer

From Oct. 7 inquiry to blocking Netanyahu: Eisenkot's bloc maps out Knesset agenda

Israel's opposition to advance anti-Netanyahu government measures as soon as Knesset convenes Tuesday, without waiting for a new cabinet to take shape.

Latest News

Slotkin, Van Hollen emerge as potential challengers to Schumer’s Senate leadership

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 23: U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) speaks at a press conference on China AI export controls at the U.S. Capitol on September 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. Slotkin, joined by fellow Senate Democrats, urged Senate Republican's and the Trump administration to enact stronger export controls on AI technology and computer chips to China. The Democrats also call for a vote on bipartisan export control legislation, including the AI OVERWATCH Act, the MATCH Act, and the Chip Security Act. (

Massie introduces impeachment articles against Hegseth over Iran war

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

France blames Iran for supermarket fridge hack, seeks EU sanctions

This photograph shows empty fresh-food refrigerators at an Intermarche supermarket in Nevez, France, on Oct. 12, 2026, following a cyberattack that caused its refrigerators to defrost.

Explainer

Iraqi PM cancels Mosul airport contracts, citing Iran militia links: What to know

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a joint press conference with Germans chachellor at the Chancellery on September 15, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. High on the meeting's agenda is the expansion of economic cooperation between Germany and Iraq. (Photo by Michele Tantussi/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

Israel's incoming Prime Minister Naftali Bennett gives an address before the new Cabinet, accompanied by Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz at the Knesset, Jerusalem, June 13, 2021.

Tensions increase at highest levels of Israel’s leadership

Tensions between Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid keep increasing, destabilizing the already fragile coalition.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (C) attends a Cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office, Jerusalem, March 27, 2022.

Fingers pointed at Israel’s security agencies for failing to prevent terrorist attacks

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett finds himself destabilized politically, after the Shin Bet failed to thwart three deadly terrorist attacks.

Zandberg

Israel’s environment minister strives for regional coalition on climate change

Participating at the OECD ministerial meeting in Paris on ensuring a resilient and healthy environment for all, Environment Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg says she is also working with neighboring countries to achieve this goal.

Khashoggi

Turkish prosecutor calls for transfer of Khashoggi trial to Riyadh

The call to discontinue the case against 26 defendants in killing of the Saudi journalist comes as Turkey is working to improve relations with rivals across the Arab world

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh.

Iran slams new US sanctions amid nuclear deal uncertainty

The fresh sanctions targeted a network of Iranian firms over links to the Revolutionary Guards' missile program and came as an impasse in the nuclear deal talks drags on.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) walks with officials, including Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

Ukraine war boosts Erdogan's 'new Atlanticism,' but for how long?

Turkey’s westward focus may complicate, or complement, Ankara’s previous priority of Eurasia.

Palestinian devotees pray on Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Destiny) outside the Dome of the Rock at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, East Jerusalem, May 8, 2021.

Israel lifts restrictions on Gazans ahead of Ramadan

Israel fears an escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem during Ramadan that will extend to the Gaza Strip.

Litzman

Ultra-Orthodox parties may offer Israeli government political safety net

Journalist Amit Segal claims that Yitzhak Shapira, the most-likely replacement for senior ultra-Orthodox legislator Yaakov Litzman, has been secretly negotiating with the government for a deal that would halt anti-ultra-Orthodox legislation.

Members of the Free Syrian Army wave the flag of the Syrian opposition as they travel in a truck through the town of Hazano, in Idlib's northern countryside, as reinforcements are deployed from Aleppo's northern countryside to Idlib's countryside to counter an ongoing pro-regime offensive, Syria, Feb. 5, 2020.

HTS explores rapprochement with Turkey-backed factions in north Syria

Regular meetings between the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army factions and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leaders in northwestern Syria will open a new page in relations between the two parties and might pave the way for military integration in the future.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak (C) speaks to the press.

Analysis

The Takeaway: Turkey thrust into spotlight amid Ukraine-Russia talks

Turkey acts as mediator in the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Israel is on high alert after a wave of terrorist attacks, how drones are revolutionizing the battlefield, and more.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Andrew Parasiliti

Joe Snell

By Elizabeth Hagedorn , Andrew Parasiliti , Joe Snell

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (R).

Iran FM: US needs to be ‘realistic’ in nuclear talks

Iran’s foreign minister continues to lobby for the United States to come to an agreement for the revival of the nuclear talks.

Le Point

International, domestic groups ring alarms on human rights in Turkey

Two reports, one from Amnesty International and another from Turkey’s Association of Journalists, have again drawn attention to Turkey’s deteriorating record on freedom of expression.