Analysis Iran’s Pickaxe mountain tests limits of Trump’s military options A secretive Pentagon innovation agency has hastened to test munitions that may penetrate deeper than the GBU-57 bombs dropped on Iran’s two main enrichment facilities. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Netanyahu threatens to sue Haaretz for reporting UAE warned Israel of Oct. 7 attack The Emirati president reportedly warned that a planned attack could cause bloodshed, destabilize the region and threaten the Abraham Accords. Israel
Brent crude sails past $100 as Middle East war intensifies The Iran war escalated this week as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked four southern Saudi Arabian cities and oil facilities. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Israel braces for Iran attack as Trump’s economic squeeze on Tehran intensifies Skeptical about the effectiveness of the American economic blockade on Tehran to weaken the regime, Israel is preparing for the possibility that Iran could decide to strike the Jewish state during the upcoming high holidays. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Could Trump’s oil push in Venezuela upend OPEC’s energy order? By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Playing for time: Despite US pressure, Israel stalls Lebanon talks until after election By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
PLO office closure threat could be last straw for Palestinians Though it was reversed just a week later, the US decision to close the PLO office in Washington led to increased calls for the Palestinians to move ahead with more unilateral actions. Palestine
Abbas under pressure to accept Trump's 'ultimate' deal The United States is making efforts to push US President Donald Trump's vision for the Palestinian-Israeli peace process using Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a pressure point. Saudi Arabia
Is Israel shifting stance on Trump's peace initiative? With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu troubled by internal affairs, he might agree to the launching of US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace initiative. Palestine
Why UK-US divide on Iranian nuclear deal matters Rather than France or Germany, it is Britain that could prove essential in determining the fate of the nuclear deal with Iran. United States
Pentagon reports troop surge in Middle East Newly released Pentagon figures show a surge in US troops deployed across the Middle East this summer. Saudi Arabia
Turkish army chief in Sochi as 'mission impossible' kicks off In preparation for the summit for a political settlement to Syria’s civil war, Turkey, Iran and Russian officials met today — while Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was seen embracing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Syria
The wrong way to address Iran’s missile program To address Iran’s ballistic missile program, the United States and Europe need to work toward a region-wide solution. United States
Assad makes last-minute trip to Russia before trilateral summit The switchboard in Sochi was buzzing as Russian President Vladimir Putin reached out to a number of major players in the Syrian peace process in preparation for Wednesday's Russian-Iran-Turkey summit. Syria
Defeating IS in Yemen While the Islamic State has faced major defeats in Iraq and Syria, the protracted war in Yemen has provided the terrorist group's branch in that country oxygen to breathe. Saudi Arabia
Yemenis 'trapped in hell' as war escalates With help from the United States and the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia’s blockade and airstrikes on Yemen have created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia
Turkey probes US prosecutor in Zarrab trial twist A top Turkish prosecutor is formally investigating the US prosecutor in the trial of Iranian-Turkish businessman Reza Zarrab, demanding information about the evidence compiled for the gold trader's sanctions-busting activities. Turkey
Has Kushner given Riyadh carte blanche? Diplomats and military chiefs worry Jared Kushner's peace play could be giving Saudis and Emiratis a sense of entitlement to take overreaching, hard-line actions that could destabilize the region. Saudi Arabia