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Politics & Security

Soldiers board a US Marines CH-53 Super Stallion during an airfield seizure exercise as part of the US-Philippines Balikatan joint military exercise at San Vicente Airport in Palawan on May 1, 2024.

How deployment of 4,000+ US Marines could change war in Iran

Two flotillas bearing thousands of US Marines will give Trump more options to open the Strait of Hormuz, but deploying them to the Gulf will necessitate expanding a war that's already widely unpopular at home.

Muslim worshippers break their fast outside the old city walls of Jerusalem on March 17, 2026, as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound remains closed.

Wartime closures at Jerusalem holy sites raise fears of lasting shift among Palestinians

Palestinians say sweeping restrictions during Ramadan and ahead of Eid reflect security concerns, but there is concern they could ultimately reshape access to worship in the Old City.

A picture taken on March 12, 2017, shows an Iranian tanker docking at the platform of the oil facility in the Khark Island, on the shore of the Gulf.

Why a Kharg Island blockade could be Iran’s greatest economic threat

The island is an energy hub that accounts for 90% of Iran's oil exports and is home to key Iranian military installations.

Latest News

Qatar-based Al Jazeera commentators go dark on social media: What to know

This picture taken on August 11, 2025, shows the headquarters of the Qatari state-funded news television network Al Jazeera in the capital Doha. (Photo by Karim JAAFAR / AFP) (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Narrow opening: Can Lebanon’s push for talks shift Israel’s war calculus?

France's President Emmanuel Macron (L) wearing sunglasses shakes hands with Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam prior to their meeting at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, on January 23, 2026. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP via Getty Images)

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

Analysis

In Hormuz standoff, Trump struggles to rally allies

US President Donald Trump steps of Marine One as he returns to the White House on March 18, 2026, in Washington, DC.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

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

UK, Netherlands probe Iran links to plots targeting Jewish sites: What to know

Rabbi Daniel Walker and King Charles III view floral tributes during a visit to Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Oct. 20, 2025, in Manchester, England.

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

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

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

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

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

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

Hussein al-Sheikh

Hussein al-Sheikh, Abbas protege named Palestinian VP, draws mixed reactions

Sheikh’s rise to vice-chair of the PLO and vice president of the State of Palestine signals a potential shift in leadership, but his controversial past and complex political alliances leave the future of his role uncertain.

US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz speaks during the Hill & Valley Forum at the US Capitol Visitor Center Auditorium in Washington, DC, on April 30, 2025.

Trump taps Mike Waltz as UN ambassador

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as interim national security adviser.

UAE/LEBANON

UAE lifts Lebanon travel ban, signals support for $11B reconstruction in sign of thaw

The United Arab Emirates and Lebanon will establish a joint business council and explore joint projects, suggesting the UAE could play a role in Lebanon’s economic recovery.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Over 400 detained in Istanbul’s May Day protest as Turkey restricts transit

The demonstrations, which marked the first major opposition rally since mass protests roiled the country last month over the Istanbul mayor’s arrest, were met with tight restrictions.

ORI AVIRAM/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Jerusalem wildfires rage for second day as environmental groups blame Netanyahu

According to Israeli environmental groups, the government has repeatedly ignored calls to prepare for the threat of fires and to take more decisive action on climate change goals.

A Kuwaiti reporter gets a close up look at a Patriot missile launcher March 23, 2003, manned by the Kuwait army during a tour in the desert north of Kuwait City.

US signs off $425 million sale to upgrade Kuwait’s Patriot air defenses

Washington's second Patriot upgrade for Kuwait in a month comes amid fears of a potential regional conflict should the US and Israel strike Iran's nuclear sites if diplomatic overtures fail.

Jared Szuba

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

This photograph taken on April 3, 2024, shows the House of Swiss Parliament under heavy clouds in Swiss capital Bern.

Switzerland to ban Hamas on May 15, allowing expulsions: What we know

Historically neutral Switzerland moved to ban Hamas after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, mirroring actions taken by others on the continent.

Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, April 20, 2025.

On first state visit, Aoun lauds UAE-Lebanon ties, says 'past behind us'

The Lebanese president’s visit to the UAE is the first by a head of state in years, as ties between the two countries became increasingly strained during Hezbollah’s growing influence in Lebanon.

Omer Siddig

Meet Omer Siddig, Sudan's new foreign minister, former ambassador to China

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has appointed veteran diplomat Omer Siddig as Sudan's new minister of foreign affairs, filling the role following the dismissal of his predecessor, Ali Youssif, in mid-April.

Medin

Turkey convicts Swedish journalist of insulting Erdogan with terror trial next

Joakim Medin will remain behind bars awaiting prosecution on terror-related charges that press freedom groups say aim to silence the free press.

This handout photo made available by the Iranian Army Office on March 12, 2025 shows navy vessels taking part in a joint Iranian-Russian-Chinese military drill in the Gulf of Oman.

Iran unveils new navy ship amid regional tensions, nuclear talks

Iran has been expanding its naval fleet in recent years amid tensions with the United States and Israel, though the Islamic Republic is currently engaged in negotiations with Washington.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures as he addresses a speech during the Justice and Development Party (AKP), as part of the 8th Ordinary Grand Congress at the Ankara Arena in Ankara, on Feb. 23, 2025.

Turkey’s Erdogan rebukes Syrian Kurds over decentralization calls, but keeps tone mild

The Turkish president's restrained comments hint at an evolving strategy toward Kurdish forces in Syria.