Why US strikes on Iran rail bridge signal shift in Hormuz conflict A US missile strike on the railway bridge linking Iran to Central and East Asia suggests the White House is once again flirting with politically coercive tactics after the June agreement failed to halt Iran's attacks on Hormuz shipping. Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran hits Gulf, warns Hormuz will reopen on its terms Lebanese president meets US envoy; Russia eyes Tartous logistics hub in Syria; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
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
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump says Iran deal is ‘over’ 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
Pentagon insists US troops have the ability to defend themselves amid pullout Top military officials say US troops departing northern Syria have the ability to defend themselves and adjust to a fluid situation. Syria
After Syria incursion, White House mulls sanctions on Erdogan Washington is reportedly considering sanctions on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over Turkey’s military incursion into northern Syria, with enormous implications for the two allies' long strategic partnership. Syria
How far will Egypt go to defend Syria? Egypt has been spearheading efforts to halt Turkey's offensive in Syria and hosted an emergency Arab League meeting, but is this enough? Egypt
Operation Peace Spring: What is Turkish army's next step? As Turkey’s operation in northeast Syria enters its fifth day, the center of gravity of the operation shifts toward the west. Syria
US announces full withdrawal from northern Syria as Turkish forces advance Defense Secretary Mark Esper says the United States will be withdrawing all troops from northeastern Syria and that he expects Syrian Kurds to seek aid from Russia and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Syria
US lobbying creates headaches for candidates back home An increasingly globalized political influence industry is triggering a global backlash. Tunisia
Pentagon blames Turkey for strikes near US troops in Syria The Pentagon held Turkey responsible for shelling American units in the Syrian city of Kobani on Friday, in spite of denials from Ankara. Turkey
Israel needs to learn lesson from Turkish assault on Kurds After the Turkish attack on the Kurds, Israel must realize that when and if the time comes, US President Donald Trump might not stand by the Jewish state. Israel
Gas trade: Stand-alone win-win for US-Turkey relations The only foreseeable and quantifiable area in the relationships between Turkey and the United States is gas trade. Turkey
The Aramco attack and the rise of nonstate actors The attack against Saudi Arabia's Aramco facility points to a crucial change on how one traditionally understands armed conflict in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia
How does Washington see Russia's Gulf security concept? Washington ignores Moscow's initiative for the Gulf security architecture and there are some good reasons why. Legacy: Gulf