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

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Politics & Security

Iranian ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani

In shift, Lebanon grants Iranian ambassador residency extension

Mohammad Reza Sheibani’s visa was set to expire early Tuesday morning and he was first ordered to leave in March.

Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon fighter aircraft

China holds second air drill with Egypt: What to know

China is seeking to strengthen ties with Egypt and Gulf states, including via joint air drills.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief Mazloum Kobane speaks during a press conference in Syria's northeastern city of Hasakeh on Dec. 6, 2024.

Explainer

SDF chief Kobane’s Damascus visit a high wire act for Syria’s Kurds

The SDF says its integration with Damascus is complete, but major questions remain over its fighters, weapons and the future of Kurdish self-rule.

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent addresses the audience during opening remarks at the Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism at the State Department on July 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. Bessent spoke alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller as they discussed the rise of far-left political terrorism as a transnational threat. (Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images)

In 'warning shot,' US threatens sanctions on Iran’s trading partners

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said countries were given "defined timelines" to halt business with Iran or face US sanctions.

Latest News

Houthis claim strike on Saudi oil tanker off Yanbu: What to know

Supporters of Yemen's Houthi rebel movement carry a mock rocket as they demonstrate in the capital, Sanaa, to denounce a reported air strike by the Saudi-led coalition on a prison in the country's rebel-held north, on Jan. 21, 2022.

Ex-defense minister: Israel in ‘worst possible’ Gaza situation as Hamas gains strength

Palestinian militant group Hamas police officers stand guard as people attend the opening of the Fatah party's eighth general conference at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City on May 14, 2026.

US lifts Syria's terror designation after 47 years

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 08: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) meets with Ahmed al-Sharaa, President of Syria (L) for bilateral talks at Beştepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 08, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

In Lebanon, Italy proposes robust multinational force to replace UNIFIL: What to know

ALINE DESCHAMPS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

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

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish opposition forms plan to oust Erdogan, restore parliament's power

At a weekend summit, six party heads charted a path to ending the executive presidential system that critics say has eroded the country’s democratic institutions.

ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images

Optimism in Iran as nuclear talks inch closer to 'last station'

Iranian negotiators appear to expect an imminent conclusion to the talks on reviving the nuclear deal.

Bennett in Bahrain

Israel’s Bennett meets with Bahraini king

On his first official visit to Bahrain, Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Bahran's king, crown prince and prime minister at the royal palace in Manama.

Seized Islamic State weapons found in the last stronghold of the extremist group are displayed on March 22, 2019, Al Mayadin, Syria.

Islamic State collaborators received Turkish citizenship, official report shows

A leaked report has revealed details about how the jihadi group used Turkey to traffic money and obtain supplies.

Orphan Syrian children and displaced widows wait for food aid at El Ardiye orphanage, Idlib, on Nov. 26, 2021.

Women in northwest Syria take on physically demanding jobs

Many women in displaced camps in northwest Syria have been forced to find jobs, often difficult and physical ones, due to the deteriorating security conditions and the absence of the family’s breadwinner.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett delivers a speech upon his departure to Bahrain, at Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, Feb. 14, 2022.

Israel’s Bennett in Bahrain to warn against Iran

During a first, historic visit, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett emphasizes that Israel and Bahrain share similar interests in constructing regional cooperation and in battling against Iran.

A Palestinian youth collects plastic and iron from a landfill in Beit Lahiya, Gaza Strip, Jan. 17, 2022.

Scavengers obstruct trash disposal at Gaza landfill

Waste collectors and garbage truck drivers suspended their work for a few days at the Juhr al-Dik landfill, southeast of Gaza City, claiming that scavengers on-site have been obstructing their operations.

An Egyptian policeman stands guard outside the Supreme Constitutional Court, Cairo, Egypt, Feb. 25, 2015.

Historic decision to appoint Christian judge as head of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court

In a move described as “historic,” the Egyptian president issued a decision appointing a Christian judge as head of the Supreme Constitutional Court for the first time in history.

A displaced Syrian girl rides in the back of a truck on the way to Deir al-Ballut camp in Afrin's countryside on Feb. 19, 2020.

Killing of woman by Syrian jihadi group sparks protests in camps

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham shot a woman in the head for smuggling fuel from the opposition areas into Idlib, prompting protests and clashes in the camps for the displaced.

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf speaks during a parliament session, Tehran on Dec. 1, 2021.

Iran's IRGC confirms leaked audio of former head discussing corruption

The IRGC has confirmed the audio of the former commander speaking about corruption.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is received by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Feb. 14, 2022, in the UAE.

Erdogan on UAE visit to end isolation, secure funding

The Turkish president seeks to bolster Turkey's ties to the Arab world.

KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images

US F-22 squadron arrives to help UAE ward off Houthi attacks

France is also lending military support while it remains unclear how proactively US fighter pilots will allowed to engage Houthi targets.