Politics & Security - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Politics & Security

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Caught in the middle, Oman shrugs off Trump's latest Iran threat

For the second time in months, President Donald Trump has threatened to strike the US partner as it holds talks with Iran.

MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Houthis claim new strikes on Saudi Arabia after IRGC warning: What to know

A senior Iranian commander said Saudi Arabia will be unable to the defeat the Yemeni group as the conflict intensifies.

Burhaanettin Duran

Turkey signals restraint as war of words with Israel escalates over Syria

The Turkish president’s top communications aide says Ankara will not be drawn into the Israeli government's “games” as Washington pushes a Turkey-Israel-Syria deconfliction mechanism.

Islamabad

Syria’s FM pays Pakistan first visit in 19 years amid new regional alignments

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani is paying his office's first visit to Pakistan in nearly two decades after Islamabad, Ankara and Riyadh signed a joint defense pact.

Latest News

Australia summons Israeli ambassador over World Central Kitchen strike: What to know

Zomi Frankcom

Interview

Barzani calls for enhanced air defense for Kurdistan Region to counter drone attacks

Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, gives a press conference in the autonomous region's capital Arbil on June 25, 2025.

Masrour Barzani

Masrour Barzani

KRG Prime Minister

Russia’s Putin hosts Saddam Hifter amid instability in Libya: What to know

Saddam Hifter meets with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin

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

ZAIN JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

More armed Palestinian groups emerge in West Bank

The new militant groups are expanding their activities against Israeli soldiers and settlers.

Global inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, at the UNFCCC COP27 climate conference,

Egypt, US, Germany launch plan to reduce methane emissions

The COP27 initiative seeks to accelerate Egypt's green energy transition.

Turkish troops are pictured on the outskirts of the Syrian town of Afrin on October 19, 2022 as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group advances towards Syrian opposition-held areas in the northern Syria. - Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Al-Qaeda's former Syria affiliate, is gaining ground from rival rebels in Syria's Turkish-held north on the heels of some of the deadliest inter-rebel fighting in the region in years.

Turkey bombs Syria, Iraq in response to Istanbul terror attack

Fears are rising in Syria's Kurdish-controlled northeast over a potential military incursion by Turkey.

Police officers escort suspects linked to the Istanbul bombing in a court in Sofia on November 19, 2022. - Bulgaria has charged five people with helping one of the suspects in last weekend's bombing in central Istanbul which killed six people, prosecutors said on November 19, 2022.

The Turkey Briefing: investigation into Istanbul bombing continues

In this weekly newsletter, Ezgi Akin rounds up the biggest Turkey stories from the region.

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Human rights activists condemn Hamas’ increasing death penalties

The Hamas movement continues to violate Palestinian law in carrying out death penalties in the Gaza Strip.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

US partners in Middle East avoid taking sides against China

Also: cryptocurrency takes spotlight in Abu Dhabi and Gargash outlines UAE approach to foreign policy.

Speaker of Libyan House of Representatives Aguila Saleh, United Nations Special Adviser on Libya Stephanie Williams.

Ban on military personnel running for office in Libya leads to standoff

Libya’s High State of Council approved a ban on military personnel from running in the presidential elections in a move seemingly targeting eastern-based military strongman Khalifa Hifter.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz (R) and his Greek counterpart, Nikos Panagiotopoulos.

Israeli Defense Ministry reassures Greece, Cyprus over trilateral alliance

Three weeks after his official visit to Turkey, Defense Minister Benny Gantz visits Greece in an effort to reassure his counterparts that rapprochement with Ankara won’t come at the expense of the trilateral Hellenic partnership.

A photo of slain US-Palestinian correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh, with a caption in Arabic reading "Shireen Abu Akleh, the voice of Palestine", is placed amongst reporters ahead of a joint press conference between the US and Palestinian Presidents after their meeting at the Muqataa pesidential compound in the city of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank on July 15, 2022.

The Israel Briefing: Israel rejects US plan to investigate death of Palestinian journalist

In this weekly newsletter, Ben Caspit and Rina Bassist round up the biggest stories from Israel.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

US says Saudi Arabia's MBS has immunity in Khashoggi lawsuit

The Biden administration says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman should be immune from a US lawsuit holding him responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder.

Bradley D’coutho

Israel, Jordan sign first environmental agreement at COP27

The environmental agreement signed yesterday between Israel and Jordan is the first such development ever between the two countries.

(L to R) Israel's Defence Minister Benny Gantz, US President Joe Biden and Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid, stand in front of Israel's Iron Dome defence system during a tour at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, on July 13, 2022.

The Security Briefing: Pentagon talks tech with Israelis

In this weekly newsletter, Jared Szuba rounds up the biggest security stories from the Middle East.