CENTCOM: Six killed after US refueling tanker aircraft crashes in Iraq The KC-135 is the fourth American military aircraft downed since the war against Iran began. Iraq
Interview Yadlin: Israel's war goal to weaken Iran, not immediate regime change Israeli leaders are aware that Washington will decide when the war ends whether or not Israel has achieved its war aims, Yadlin told Al-Monitor.
Oil jumps above $100 as energy crisis called worst in history: What to know The latest spike is the second time in a week that oil prices have climbed above $100 a barrel. Iran
US warns of kidnapping threat in Iraq as Iran-backed militia hits diplomatic facility A number of US-related sites have been targeted by Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, prompting Baghdad to bolster its air defenses. Iraq
Exclusive Baghdad, US turn to Iraqi Kurds for oil exports as Iran war hits supplies By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis CIA, Mossad bolster Iran’s Kurds as US, Israel seek to ignite military revolt By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Planning for Yazidi genocide museum underway in Iraq Officials have found nearly 70 mass graves of Yazidis slaughtered by the Islamic State in Iraq, and are working to create a memorial to the victims in cooperation with UNESCO. Iraq
US shifts weapons from Iraq to Syria The Pentagon rerouted millions of dollars’ worth of weapons and vehicles from Iraq to Syria in the second half of 2018. Iraq
Islamic State roots run deep in Middle East discontent There has been a sharp increase in reports that the Islamic State is being eradicated in Syria, but such declarations seem premature. Iraq
Iraqi artists keep up pottery tradition Iraqi pottery craftsmen fear that their ancient craft will disappear, even though this art is now picked up in academia. Iraq
Has Islamic State returned to Iraq? Despite Iraq’s declaration of victory against the Islamic State in 2017, IS sleeper cells have recently become active across the country. Iraq
Iraqi envoy calls on US to reopen Basra consulate At an exclusive Al-Monitor event, Iraq’s ambassador to the United States urged the Donald Trump administration to reopen its consulate in Basra, which the State Department closed last year amid rocket attacks from Iran-backed militias. Iraq
IS militants continue to sneak into Turkey despite measures Turkish officials claim they are waging an exemplary struggle against the Islamic State (IS), but their struggle appears ridden with black holes as IS militants are able to sneak into Turkey aided by smugglers, and IS suspects often receive a more lenient treatment than other prisoners. Iraq
Peshmerga’s return to Kirkuk raises Arab and Turkmen fears The good relationship between Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani, has led to an agreement between Baghdad and Erbil that will see the return of peshmerga forces to Kirkuk. Iraq
Iraqis divided over continued presence of American forces As Islamic State militias have become active again in different areas of Iraq, the debate over ejecting US forces is on the rise among Iraqi politicians. Iraq
Idlib’s rebels on alert against infiltration by Islamic State The armed groups controlling Idlib remain wary of the prospect of Islamic State militants sneaking into the region, following reports that IS members are seeking safe passage to the province. Iraq
Young Iraqis re-encounter their Jewish compatriots After seven decades of alienation, Iraqi Jews use culture to build bridges with their non-Jewish countrymen and vice versa. Iraq
IS targets truffle hunters across Sunni regions Many civilians and local security forces have been kidnapped or killed in recent weeks while looking for white truffles, mostly in desert and mountainous areas of Sunni-dominant provinces. Iraq