Newsletter: Daily Briefing Kremlin confirms S-400 talks with Turkey Lebanon’s PM to meet Erdogan in Turkey; Pakistan, Qatar seek to revive US-Iran talks after renewed strikes; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis As US-Iran fighting resumes, Israel weighs 3 options with restraint winning, for now Despite Israel's military readiness to resume strikes on Iran, officials say looming elections make Netanyahu more likely to stay out unless Tehran forces his hand. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Israel warns US of new Iran plot to assassinate Trump: What to know US officials are reportedly still assessing the Israeli intelligence. United States
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 By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Is Iran’s influence in Iraq waning? Iran is formalizing its relationship with Baghdad as a strategic step in lessening the negative economic effects of US sanctions, but the pro-Iran PMU integrating into Iraqi armed forces leave some Iraqi leaders uneasy. Iraq
Is Netanyahu concerned about anti-Semitic rulers? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu befriends far-right leaders, such as Hungary’s Victor Orban, and keeps silent when his close ally, President Donald Trump, invites to the White House an anti-Semitic cartoonist. Israel
Will Trump follow suit if Israel attacks Iran? Ahead of the 2020 US presidential elections, President Donald Trump might decide to back Israel militarily, if it decides to attack Iran. Israel
Eastern Mediterranean crisis balloons as Turkish drill ships multiply Disputes over oil and gas reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean have caused a spike in tensions between Ankara and Turkish Cypriots on the one side, and the EU and Greek Cypriots on the other. Turkey
Trump, Macron talk Iran as French envoy heads to Tehran to try to defuse crisis French President Emmanuel Macron mediates to try to defuse Iran crisis. United States
Iran raises nuclear enrichment to 4.5% Iran officially announced it has taken its second step in reducing nuclear commitments and warned that unless the others fulfill their side of the nuclear deal, Iran would take the third step as well. United States
Where will the S-400s be deployed? Russian-made S-400 batteries are expected to arrive in Turkey before the end of July and be deployed in Ankara. Turkey
Pleasantries aside, can Trump deliver what Erdogan wants? Turkey expects President Donald Trump to help it avoid US sanctions over the S-400 affair, but many in Turkey question whether Trump has that power. Turkey
Anniversary of Iran Air 655 tragedy offers lessons for US-Iran diplomacy today Iran Air 655’s bitter legacy; Iraq as front line; Iran should talk … but it needs off-ramps. United States
Palestinian Authority woos Iraq, says Iran is no enemy Nabil Shaath, an adviser to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, traveled to Iraq to galvanize Baghdad's support for the Palestinian cause and perhaps make new connections with Iran along the way. Bahrain
Intel: Why Washington still hasn’t sanctioned Turkey over Russian missile purchase President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed that Turkey will receive the first shipment of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia next week. Turkey
Despite Trump's gushing at G-20, Ankara, Washington still on collision course US President Donald Trump’s fawning over his Turkish counterpart at the Osaka summit carried little real meaning, and a Turkey-US collision is still very possible. Turkey