Newsletter: Daily Briefing Why Iran, US are drifting back to conflict Trump hosts Iraqi PM Zaidi; Bahrain sentences 3 to life in prison over ties to Iran's IRGC; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis As Trump prioritizes Hormuz, Israel fears Iran rebuilding nuclear program while preserving ballistic missile threat Israel is worried that the United States is centering the Strait of Hormuz, deprioritizing the threat of a nuclear Iran. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran strikes tankers, US bases as Gulf conflict escalates Lebanon, Israel hold talks in Rome; Iraqi PM Zaidi to meet Trump; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Trump says US to strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site Satellite imagery has detected recent construction at the underground facility. Iran
Analysis On first foreign trip, Iraqi PM Zaidi woos Trump but Iran casts long shadow By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
UN war crimes report threatens US support for Yemen war A UN report alleging that the anti-Houthi coalition may have carried out war crimes could further erode support for US bomb sales and military support. Saudi Arabia
US offer of F-35s falls flat as Turkey clings to Russian missiles A delegation of US Congress members has failed to convince Ankara to give up on acquiring its Russian missile defense system in return for fulfillment of its order of American fighter jets. Syria
Will Turkey’s 'strategic partnership' with Russia cover Idlib? Ankara is looking to Moscow to prevent an attack on Idlib by the Russian-supported Syrian army. Syria
Why dismantling the PA could advance two-state solution Over the years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in turning the interim agreement with the Palestinians into a permanent one, thus distancing talks toward the two-state solution. Palestine
US scrambles for Syria deal ahead of Idlib offensive The Donald Trump administration is pressing Russia for concessions before Bashar al-Assad’s regime finishes taking back the country. Syria
Rouhani’s economy minister impeached Just one year into his second term, Hassan Rouhani’s economic team has come under fire with two ministers impeached in one month. United States
Iran yanks favored exchange rate from students abroad The Iranian government’s new foreign exchange rules are keeping many students abroad from obtaining currency at the lower official rate, with the backlash posing a new challenge for the Rouhani administration. United States
Israel, US seek to redefine Palestinian refugees Israeli diplomats claim that the UNRWA’s mandate must be revised so that the issue of Palestinian refugees will include only the generation that really lost its home. Palestine
Congress dangles Turkey trade deal as carrot to Trump’s stick Lawmakers are floating a free trade agreement with Turkey as the president doubles steel and aluminum tariffs on Ankara for its ongoing detention of a US pastor. Turkey
What would 'post-America' Turkey look like? Turkish-American relations are suffering one crisis after another, threatening an end to the longtime alliance, unless current issues can be resolved. Turkey
US-Turkey cooperation against Islamic State ongoing, Pentagon says Ankara and Washington remain committed to the joint mission of rooting out Islamic State holdouts despite the diplomatic row over Pastor Andrew Brunson, Pentagon and State Department officials say. Syria
Iraqi Kurds throw lifeline to Iranian Kurds as sanctions begin to bite Iraqi Kurds, who remember the help they received from Iranian Kurds in the past, want to return the favor now that their brethren are suffering under US sanctions. Iraq