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Politics & Security

Kobane

Syria-Kurd deal hinges on SDF integration as Barrack meets Kobane

Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are navigating tense negotiations following clashes and a temporary ceasefire in northeastern Syria.

Children and women, relatives of suspected Islamic State jihadists, walk inside al-Hol camp in the desert region of Syria's northeastern Hasakah province, on Jan. 21, 2026.

Iraq to prosecute ISIS detainees transferred from Syria: What to know

The repatriation of Iraqis accused of Islamic State ties from Syria has reignited security concerns in Iraq.

Ramil Sitdikov / AFP via Getty Images

Putin offers $1B in frozen assets for Gaza Board of Peace — will US unfreeze them?

It remains unclear how such an arrangement could be implemented, since any contribution from frozen assets would require formal unblocking by the US government.

Israel's President Isaac Herzog gestures as he speaks during the World Economic Forum annual meeting, Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026.

Herzog: Saudi normalization talks could resume as Gaza ceasefire enters next phase

The Israeli president said the rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia “should be the future vision of the Middle East.”

Latest News

Trump launches Board of Peace: We can do 'whatever we want'

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

What Israel stands to lose in Syria-SDF agreement

Jalaa MAREY / AFP via Getty Images

US military airlifts Syria ISIS prisoners to Iraq after SDF retreat: What to know

RAQQA, SYRIA - JANUARY 19: Syrian government forces are deployed near Al-Aqtan prison on January 19, 2026 in Raqqa, Syria. Yesterday, the Syrian government announced that a nationwide ceasefire deal had been reached with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who had been clashing with government forces in recent weeks. The Kurdish-led force, a long-time ally of the United States in the fight against ISIS, had controlled large swaths of northwest Syria during the years of the country's civil war. T

Jared Szuba

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

Rifaat al-Assad, perpetrator of Syria's 1982 Hama massacre, dies at 88

A member of the Alawite community pastes on a wall, in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli , on December 6, 2007, pictures of Syrian opposition leader Rifaat al-Assad (R) and his son Ribal.

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

ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

Lebanon holds airport tours to dispel weapons report amid Israel-Hezbollah tension

Lebanon has responded to a report that Hezbollah is moving weapons through its international airport with a tour for foreign diplomats and journalists.

Iranian presidential candidate Saeed Jalili arrives to attend an election campaign rally in Tehran on June 18, 2024.

Runoff seen likely in Iran's election as Jalili, Pezeshkian, Ghalibaf lead polls

The Islamic Republic is still facing the key challenge of voter apathy according to the latest opinion polls, while fierce factional rivalries characterized the live debates seen by only one out of every four Iranians.

Argentina's Minister of Defence Luis Petri (R) arrives in a Danish F-16 aircraft at Skrydstrup Airport, Denmark, prior his meeting with Denmark's Minister of Defence on April 16, 2024.

What will Turkey gain from F-16 deal with United States?

As Turkey’s long saga to purchase F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits is nearing completion, experts say Turkey's defense establishment will make additional gains from the deal.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives for a news conference on January 9, 2020 in Ottawa, Canada. - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that Canada had intelligence from multiple sources indicating that a Ukrainian airliner which crashed outside Tehran was mistakenly shot down by Iran. (Photo by Dave Chan / AFP) (Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

How significant is Canada's designation of Iran's IRGC as terrorist organization?

Iranian Canadians have been advocating for designation of the IRGC for years, including after the downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight 752.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

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

A Palestinian girl sits next to rubble from the Al-Rai family home which was hit at dawn in Israeli bombardment of Nuseirat city in the central Gaza Strip on June 18, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant Hamas movement.

Fatigued by Israel-Hamas war, Gazans pin hopes on stalled cease-fire talks

Gazans have differing opinions about the cease-fire outline currently on the table, with many backing amendments to the US-backed proposal put forward by Hamas.

A picture taken on February 12, 2019, shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) discussing with soldiers as he stands near a naval Iron Dome defence system, designed to intercept and destroy incoming short-range rockets and artillery shells, installed on a Sa'ar 5 Lahav Class corvette of the Israeli Navy fleet, in the northern port of Haifa. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Netanyahu’s arms complaints strain US ties, leave Israel exposed to Hezbollah

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attack against the Biden administration for allegedly withholding arms deliveries exposes Israel’s vulnerability right now when tensions with Hezbollah run high.

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

Turkey fire

Wildfires in Turkey: 11 dead, 78 injured as heat soars to 50 degrees Celsius

Turkey has been grappling with wildfires across the country since last week due to hot temperatures soaring up to 50 C (122 F) above the seasonal average.

A protester holds an Armenian national flag next to a placard with a Palestinian flag as students participate in a "Walkout to fight Genocide and Free Palestine" at Bruin Plaza at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) in Los Angeles on October 25, 2023. Thousands of people, both Israeli and Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, after Palestinian Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip, entered southern Israel in a surprise attack leading Israel to declare war on Hamas in Gaza the following da

Armenia recognizes Palestinian state as furious Israel summons ambassador

Momentum has been building toward recognizing Palestinian statehood since the war in the Gaza Strip began last October.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan answers questions during the daily press briefing at the White House on May 13, 2024, in Washington, DC.

Top Israeli officials meet with Biden’s national security adviser

After months of delay, two of Netanyahu's top advisers have finally made their way to the White House.

Al-Monitor Staff

By Al-Monitor Staff

Cindy McCain executive director of the UN World Food Program, is pictured at the UN Security Council in this undated image, in New York.

Interview

WFP’s McCain: 'No difference' in Gaza aid flow despite Israel’s tactical pause

Al-Monitor interviews World Food Program chief Cindy McCain about the hunger crisis gripping the Gaza Strip after more than eight months of war.

Cindy McCain

Cindy McCain

World Food Programme Executive Director

AFP via Getty Images

Heat, old age, heart conditions blamed for over 1,000 deaths at Hajj

Many of those who died were unregistered users who suffered from the intense heat in Saudi Arabia, according to regional authorities.

CORRECTION / Smoke plumes rise from a fire in a field after rockets launched from southern Lebanon landed near Kela in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on June 13, 2024 amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP) / "The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Jalaa MAREY has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Kela] instead of [Katzrin]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all you

Salvo of rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel as Cyprus responds to Hezbollah

Hezbollah fired a new round of rockets on Israel hours after its leader warned Cyprus against military coordination with Israel if war breaks out with Lebanon.