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Israel

May 1, 2026

Tel Aviv 9:51 pm

19°C

Ibrahim AMRO / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Without exit strategy, Israel faces emboldened Hezbollah, limited options on Iran

While President Donald Trump remains undecided on striking Iran again, the Israeli military is sinking deeper into its Lebanon quagmire with a reinforced Hezbollah.

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

Members of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), from the British Army's 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, No. 2 Company, patrol along the buffer zone separating the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the divided capital Nicosia on Feb. 17, 2026.

Turkey warns France over Cyprus troop deployment: What to know

A potential French deployment to Greek Cyprus comes amid Turkey’s growing concerns of strategic encirclement in the Eastern Mediterranean.

President Donald Trump gives a speech during the State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn on April 28, 2026, in Washington.

Trump speaks with Netanyahu, Putin as Iran pressure campaign escalates

President Donald Trump spoke by phone separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing the situation in Iran and the possibility of extending the ceasefire.

DENIS LOVROVIC/AFP via Getty Images

Israel rejects Ukraine's claim that Russian shadow fleet vessel docked in Haifa

Ukraine alleges the vessel unloaded wheat taken from occupied territories in Haifa, while Israel says ship had not entered the port.

Latest News

Analysis

Despite Trump pressure to limit Israel's Lebanon attacks, Aoun-Netanyahu meeting still unlikely

ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

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

Turkey’s military spending jumps to $30B, leads Mideast growth in 2025

Turkey's submarines and fast-attack craft ships participate in the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Why US, Israel are freezing France out of Lebanon talks

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to journalists as he arrives for an informal meeting of the European Council in Nicosia, Cyprus, April 24, 2026.

Analysis

Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on April 17, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

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

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

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

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Rina Bassist

Associate Editor (Israel)

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

An engineer from the Israeli company "Commun.it" uses his expertise in social media commercial analysis to identify networks of fake users during at the group's office in the Israeli city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv on January 23, 2019. - A coalition of Israeli diplomats, programmers and hackers have joined forces to stave off threats -- including from hostile states -- by identifying networks on social media and getting them removed. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP

Israel develops new regulations for Google, Facebook

Israel is working on regulations similar to European efforts to protect small businesses that advertise on Facebook and Google.

TOPSHOT - An Israeli flag is seen placed on Mount Bental in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on May 10, 2018. - Israel's army said today it had carried out widespread raids against Iranian targets in Syria overnight after rocket fire towards its forces it blamed on Iran, marking a sharp escalation between the two enemies. Israel carried out the raids after it said around 20 rockets, either Fajr or Grad type, were fired from Syria at its forces in the occupied Golan Heights at around midnight. (Photo by JAL

Israeli woman who entered Syria flown home

The Israeli government is withholding some details about the Russia-mediated deal that also involved two Syrians being released from Israeli prison.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the First State Democratic Dinner in Dover, Delaware, on March 16, 2019. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden’s cold shoulder serves Netanyahu on right

President Joe Biden’s iciness toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could benefit him ahead of the March elections.

Hamas flags stand on the roof of the house of Palestinian assailant Salah Barghouti after it was partially demolished by Israeli forces in the village of Kobar near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on April 17, 2019. - Israeli forces destroyed the home of the Palestinian who was killed during his attempted arrest on suspicion of carrying out a December shooting. Seven people were wounded in the December 9 attack near the Israeli settlement of Ofra in the occupied West Bank, one of them a pregnan

Is Israel trying to keep Hamas from running in Palestinian elections?

The Israeli army has recently arrested dozens of Hamas cadres and leaders in the West Bank in the lead up to the Palestinian elections, which may affect Hamas’ leaders ability to mobilize the masses, launch electoral campaigns and persuade candidates to join their lists for fear of Israeli arrests.

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 15: Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu waves as he arrives outside the West Wing of the White House September 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. Netanyahu is in Washington to participate in the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Netanyahu mourns Limbaugh, pushes for confrontational path over US-Iran talks

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes for a confrontational approach vis-a-vis Washington on relaunching talks with Iran, while Defense Minister Benny Gantz favors dialoguing with the Americans.

Israel, US reveal cooperation on Arrow 4 ballistic missile interceptor

The Arrow 4 is set to replace the high-altitude Arrow 2 in the coming decades.

Israel and Syria close to completing prisoner exchange

The deal was held up on Wednesday when two Golan Heights residents refused to be sent to Syria. Israel released two shepherds on Thursday in a bid to finalize the transfer.

HEBRON, WEST BANK - SEPTEMBER 04: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks on the phone during an event marking the anniversary of the 1929 killing of 67 Jews by Palestinian rioters, on September 04, 2019 in Hebron, West Bank. Netanyahu is visiting Hebron ahead of Israel's elections on September 17th. (Photo by Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)

Four weeks into presidency, Biden places first call to Netanyahu

US President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday for what surely felt like a long overdue conversation.

merav michaeli 4.jpg

Israeli Labor sidelines veteran Arab activists

Veteran Arab activists claim that for the new party Chairwoman Merav Michaeli their support is no longer a priority.

Biden, Netanyahu hold 'friendly and warm' call

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the hourlong call discussed peace, Iran and other issues.

This picture taken from the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on February 15, 2021, shows the border fence with the Syrian governorate of Quneitra (Photo by JALAA MAREY / AFP) (Photo by JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel in quiet talks with Syria on prisoner swap

Israel is reportedly negotiating with Syria on the release of a woman who mistakenly crossed the border in exchange for the release of two Golan residents imprisoned in Israel.

Palestinian health workers unload the first arriving shipment of doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for COVID-19 coronavirus disease, on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom border crossing south of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 17, 2021. - An initial batch of coronavirus vaccines, enough to fully innoculate 1,000 people, arrived in Gaza after Israel had blocked the shipment earlier in the week. The Israeli military department responsible for civilian affairs in the occupied Palestinian

Gaza receives first batch of vaccines

Israel approved the shipment after reportedly considering tying the delivery to the release of Israeli captives in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory.