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
IRGC: Drone downing 'message’ against foreign invasion Iran claims that the US drone it shot down was flying over Iranian territory when hit by a surface-to-air missile. United States
New Pentagon chief faces first test with Iran Army Secretary Mark Esper is set to take the helm as the Pentagon’s newest acting chief, but comes to the job with limited Middle East experience. United States
Intel: How Democrats are using John Bolton’s Iraq War baggage to push back on Trump’s Iran policy National security adviser John Bolton wasn’t on Capitol Hill today, but he still took center stage as Democrats grilled State Department Iran coordinator Brian Hook on the Donald Trump administration’s maximum pressure policy. United States
How will S-400 affair affect Turkish-NATO ties? Calls for Turkey to be expelled from NATO or for Turkey to leave NATO are not realistic, say experts. Turkey
Abbas wins: Israeli officials won’t attend Bahrain conference Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas managed to veto the participation of an official Israeli delegation at the upcoming Bahrain conference. Bahrain
Pompeo visits CENTCOM amid mixed messaging from US on Iran In a strange move for a top US diplomat, Mike Pompeo visited a US military command solo to avow that the United States doesn't want war with Iran. United States
As Jerusalem meeting nears, Russia seeks ways to ease US-Iran tensions Russia is urging the United States to cease provocations of Iran and also is seeking to persuade Tehran to stay in the nuclear deal. Israel
US lines up partners to protect oil tankers after Gulf attacks Gen. Paul Selva, the second-ranking US military officer, said today that the Donald Trump administration is asking for the help of Asian nations that import Gulf oil to help protect tankers from suspected Iranian attacks. United States
Trumps eats up Netanyahu's cynical 'Trump Heights' ploy Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes that naming a Golan Heights settlement after President Donald Trump will flatter the American leader into recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over parts of the West Bank as well. Palestine
Congress expands Pentagon aid in Syria to cover Islamic State prisoners The Senate’s new defense authorization bill gives the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces greater leeway to build prisons for Islamic State detainees. Syria
Iran’s women’s movement, civil society come under ‘maximum pressure’ While the declared aim of Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran is to pressure the Islamic Republic to alter its policies, Iranian women and civil society are also being subjected to extreme constraints. United States
Iran announces it will soon exceed nuclear deal limits Iran has announced that in 10 days it will exceed the 300-kilogram limit on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium. United States