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June 9, 2026

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Breaking | Last Updated: June 9, 2026, 5:51 pm

US military strikes Iran after Apache helicopter downed off Oman

The alleged shoot-down came hours after a US fighter jet fired on a Palau-flagged commercial tanker accused of attempting to outrun the US blockade of Iran.

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to speak to journalists during a joint press conference at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 29, 2025. US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida on December 29 for crucial talks on moving to the next stage of the fragile Gaza truce plan.The two leaders also discussed Iran, with Trump saying that if Tehran rebuilt its nuclear facilities the United States wo

Analysis

'We are already hearing the bus': Israeli insiders fear Netanyahu is losing Trump’s backing on Iran

“He couldn’t afford a confrontation with Trump, who was the last asset he had left,” a Netanyahu associate told Al-Monitor, describing the prime minister’s struggle to balance pressure for retaliation against Iran with the need to preserve his alliance with the US president.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Vance says US and Israel's 'interests diverge' on Iran nuclear issue: What to know

The rare admission by top Trump administration official comes as polling show US alignment with Israel in war against Iran is political baggage among a growing number of Republican voters.

Latest News

US military helped Israel intercept Iran's missiles: What to know

Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya on June 7, 2026.

Peace talks tested but continue after Iran-Israel escalation

Women walk past buildings destroyed in a joint attack by Israel and the United States on April 6, 2026, in Tehran, Iran.

Analysis

Israel’s Lebanon endgame remains elusive despite ceasefire deal

Smoke rises following Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon close to the Beaufort Castle as seen from a position across the border in the Upper Galilee, in northern Israel on June 4, 2026.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Joyce Karam

Editor-in-Chief

Rosaleen Carroll

News Reporter and Supporting Editor

In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East

Paul J. Saunders

In Washington, DC, reporting on Russia in the Middle East

Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) celebrate in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 9, 2017. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani - RC118C102270

US elite troop training in Iraq lags after Mosul

The United States and its allies aren’t training elite counterterrorism forces fast enough to replace the losses incurred in the brutal fight against the Islamic State.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) meets French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron in the West Bank city of Ramallah September 7, 2015. REUTERS/Mohamed Torokman - GF10000196423

Europe might step in if Trump's Mideast initiative fails

If the Middle East initiative of US President Donald Trump fails, French President Emmanuel Macron could launch his own initiative for a two-state solution in 2018.

Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) march during a military parade in Daquq, nearby Kirkuk, Iraq August 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed - RC1FB5F9F700

As calls for disbanding Iraq's PMU rise, its influence expands

The voices of Iraq's Western allies are rising against the Popular Mobilization Units, demanding the dissolution of these forces, while the PMU is expanding its influence in the Iraqi state, making Prime Minister Haider al-Abbadi face tough choices.

Trump's Jerusalem move may prove blessing for Erdogan

While Trump’s Jerusalem statement provided Erdogan an opportunity to present himself as the leader and spokesman of the Muslim world, the move could further polarize the region and destabilize Turkey.

Can Israel contain violence after Trump's proclamation?

After President Donald Trump's announcement that he recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had no choice but to ensure that Fatah's reconciliation with Hamas succeeds.

Palestinians wave the national flag during a demonstration in Gaza City on December 3, 2017, in support of the reconciliation talks between Hamas and Fatah. / AFP PHOTO / MOHAMMED ABED (Photo credit should read MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images)

Will Palestinian Authority revamp PLO?

For Palestinian reconciliation to succeed, the PLO may have to make substantial changes to draw in Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi, Russia November 22, 2017. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC14EE3228D0

The next battle in Syria

With the war on the Islamic State winding down, other tensions in Syria are dialing up as Israel and Turkey worry over forces amassing on their borders.

Jerusalem recognition serves mainly Trump, Netanyahu

The Trump administration claims that recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital is just the beginning of a larger strategy for peace, but the US president's complex diplomatic plan may be more of a mirage.

Why is Iranian rial suddenly weakening?

Inflation and other factors have caused the Iranian rial to weaken to the point where it now takes more than 40,000 rials to buy a dollar on the free market in Iran.

Iran hard-liners welcome Trump decision on Jerusalem

Some Iranian media outlets believe that Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital will make forming resistance groups easier.

Washington’s attempt to impose Mideast peace will backfire

US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and other recent measures suggest that he thinks he can bludgeon Palestinians into accepting an unjust peace deal.

U.S soldiers ride a military vehicle in al-Kherbeh village, northern Aleppo province, Syria October 24, 2016. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - S1AEUIVBKLAA

Pentagon acknowledges higher number of US troops in Syria

The United States now officially has 2,000 troops in Syria, up from 500 previously, despite the Islamic State’s collapse.