Lebanon's Aoun to meet Trump in first presidential summit in US since 2009 The visit by the Lebanese head of state will coincide with ongoing US-sponsored Lebanon-Israel talks. Lebanon
Oil soars more than 6% as Trump rules out Iran deal, threatens more strikes Oil prices had been recovering following a memorandum of understanding signed last month to end the war, but they rose by more than 6% early on Wednesday. Iran
Trump declares MoU with Iran 'over' as Hegseth cancels trip to Israel Trump said diplomacy with Tehran was “a waste of time” after renewed attacks around Hormuz, as US defense chief reportedly cancels Israel visit. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump says Iran deal is ‘over’ Khartoum, Beijing to develop Sudan seaports; Trump bid to lift Turkey CAATSA sanctions faces hurdles; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis As it hosts NATO, Turkey eyes France's SAMP/T system, F-35 progress with Trump By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Intel: Iraq likely to continue importing Iranian natural gas under US waiver renewal Iraqi officials have indicated that the United States is likely to renew a key Iran sanctions waiver that will allow Baghdad to continue importing Iranian natural gas to fuel its electricity needs. Iraq
Iran vows to continue space program after satellite launch failure Iranian officials have been adamant that the country’s space program will continue despite failures to launch satellites into orbit. United States
Pentagon slashes funding for Islamic State fight The United States would see a diminished budget in its ability to fight Islamic State militants in 2021 if the new budget revealed by the Trump administration is approved. United States
Will settlers' anger push Netanyahu into Blue and White's arms? Yamina and settlers leaders are demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unilaterally annex West Bank territory despite the objection of the White House, but their campaign runs the risk of backfiring politically. Palestine
Following Russian expansion, roadblocks in northeast Syria delineate zones of US control US forces have been preventing Russian patrols from advancing along the M4 highway and around al-Malikiyya in northeastern Syria near the Turkish and Iraqi borders. Syria
Rouhani faces winter of Iran's discontent Iran’s hard-liners have already secured a takeover of the parliament in elections this month; Trump says any negotiations are totally up to Iran. United States
Trump confirms al-Qaeda’s Yemen leader killed President Donald Trump has confirmed that a US operation killed al-Qaeda’s top leader in Yemen last week. Yemen
Syria’s Kurds embrace resilience, beauty in wake of Turkish attack Turkey's invasion of northeastern Syria has changed the lives of Kurdish residents in myriad ways, from a bump in confidence-boosting cosmetic surgery to pervasive anxiety over whether Turkey will strike again. Syria
Now Israel's defense minister, Bennett tones down Gaza rhetoric Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has made many belligerent statements over the years about stronger military action in Gaza, but as defense minister he seems to have adopted a policy of restraint. Palestine
What's in store for Palestinian-Jordanian ties as US rolls out peace plan? While Jordan and Palestine are supporting each other in their rejection of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, it remains to be seen what the future holds if Washington ups the pressure on Amman. Palestine
Is the time ripe for US-Egyptian free trade agreement? Egypt will start its negotiations with the United States next year for signing a bilateral free trade agreement as several international financial institutions praised its economic reform. Egypt
Intel: Why Russia went on counteroffensive against US criticism over Idlib The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the killing of “several Russian and Turkish military specialists” in the Idlid de-escalation zone. Syria