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June 17, 2026

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Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa is welcomed by Cyprus' President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia on April 24, 2026, on the sidelines of a European summit.

Analysis

Why Trump’s push for Syria to confront Hezbollah is an unlikely bid

Trump’s proposal faces resistance from Damascus, skepticism from experts and opposition across Lebanon’s political spectrum.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Orthodox Patriarch of Bartholomew at the presidential complex, Ankara, Turkey, June 16, 2026.

Culture

Turkey’s Erdogan meets Orthodox patriarch amid push for reopening Halki Seminary

The meeting comes ahead of US President Trump’s expected attendance at next month's NATO leaders’ summit in Turkey, after Trump personally urged his Turkish counterpart to reopen the Halki Seminary.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE - JUNE 16: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the G7 summit, on June 16, 2026 in Evian-les-Bains, France. Leaders from the Group of 7 (G7) countries convened in Evian, France, near the Swiss border, for their annual summit to discuss challenges to peace and security for Ukraine and Europe, the situation in the Middle East, and other geopolitical issues. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Get

'Let Syria take care of Hezbollah': Trump criticizes Israel, leans on Sharaa to help in Lebanon

President Donald Trump insisted he has a great relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but criticized the scale of Israel’s strikes in Lebanon.

Latest News

Analysis

'He knew it was over': Inside Netanyahu’s response to Trump’s Iran deal as Israel recalibrates

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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

Analysis

Squeezed by Trump and Iran war, how vulnerable is Netanyahu in polls?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House, Washington, DC, July 7, 2025.

Mazal Mualem

By Mazal Mualem

In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics

US strikes on Indian-crewed tankers spark tensions with New Delhi

Punit PARANJPE / AFP via Getty Images

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

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks aboard the pre-commissioned U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding facilities in Newport News, Virginia, U.S. March 2, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RTS1177C

What’s stopping Rouhani from reaching out to Trump?

While some Iranians argue that more should have been done to improve relations with the United States under former President Barack Obama, not everyone in Iran agrees.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (unseen) deliver joint statements during their meeting in Jerusalem November 10, 2016. REUTERS/Heidi Levine/Pool - RTX2T16O

Is Putin Bibi's new 'bestie'?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin have developed a surprising rapport and unexpected coordination between their countries on Syria.

Could Turkey’s misstep in Manbij provide template for Raqqa?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s latest threat complicates Pentagon planning to oust the Islamic State from its so-called capital; United States provides intelligence for Iraqi strike in Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani attend a news conference after the talks in Tehran, Iran, November 23, 2015. To match Insight RUSSIA-IRAN/ Alexei Druzhinin/Sputnik/Kremlin/File Photo via Reuters ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - RTX2BOG5

Why Iran won’t work as a bargaining chip between Russia, US

Russia and Iran have enough overlapping interests to keep their relationship strong, even if the United States tries to interfere.

A rebel fighter prepares his weapon on the outskirts of the northern Syrian town of al-Bab, Syria February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RTX2Z78Z

Defense spending bill bans funding for MANPADS in Syria

Congress released legislation on Thursday that would hamstring the Trump administration's ability to deliver shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles to vetted rebels.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson meets with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini at the State Department in Washington, U.S., February 9, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RTX30C9R

What EU’s Mogherini, Tillerson agreed on

European Union leaders are exploring new policies on the Middle East, including the idea of convening a Madrid II conference.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attends a news conference after a meeting with his counterparts Walid al-Muallem from Syria and Sergei Lavrov from Russia in Moscow, Russia, October 28, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin - RTX2QU7H

Did Iran’s foreign minister write to Tillerson?

An Iranian hard-line member of parliament has claimed that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is engaged in correspondence with the US secretary of state.

Fighters of the Manbij military council, allied to Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), take an overwatch position in the southern rural area of Manbij, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria June 1, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said/File Photo - RTX2ONCT

Will Turkey attack Kurds in Manbij or move on to Raqqa?

Now that the Syrian army has blocked the road from al-Bab to Raqqa, Turkey may instead assault Manbij, which won’t be easy.

89th Academy Awards - Oscars Backstage - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Anousheh Ansari and Firouz Naderi pose with the Oscar they accepted on behalf of Asghar Farhadi, who won the Best Foreign Language Film for "The Salesman". REUTERS/Lucas Jackson - RTS10HRL

How Iran's hard-line media reacted to Oscar win

While Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar for “The Salesman” was warmly welcomed by moderates and Reformists, the hard-line media tried to discredit the achievement, opining the award was politically motivated.

A man inspects a damaged house after an airstrike on al-Yadouda village, in Deraa Governorate, Syria February 15, 2017. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Faqir - RTSYUBP

What is Russia’s role in Syria and the 'post-West' world order?

Russia is not wasting time while the new US administration gets its bearings on Syria and the rest of the world.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) listens to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (2ndR) at the start of a meeting at the World Conference Center in Bonn, Germany February 16, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/POOL - RTSYYRN

US should test Russia on Islamic State

With the complicated regional dynamics of the Syrian war, the US could benefit from Russian assistance.

U.S. President Donald Trump walks out from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., en route to CPAC, February 24, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas - RTS1060Z

Despite tough talk, US unlikely to take on Iranian forces in Iraq

The new US administration has adopted strict stances toward Iran, but any military clash between the United States and the factions Iran supports in Iraq would only increase Iranian influence.