Middle East crises loom in background as NATO leaders gather in Washington While this year's summit is expected to focus largely on the ongoing war in Ukraine, Iran's military support for Russia and Turkey's strategic balancing act with Moscow are expected to weigh on NATO leaders gathered in Washington. Washington Pulse
US, Israel hold second virtual meeting on Rafah Biden administration officials have denied offering to green-light an Israeli invasion of Rafah if Israel holds off on retaliating against Iran. Washington Pulse
One year on Sudan’s war: 14,700 killed, 8.6M displaced, 4.9M face starvation As the war in Sudan enters its second year, the humanitarian situation is worsening by the day with no prospects of an imminent end of the hostilities. North Africa Pulse
State Department staffer resigns over Biden's handling of Gaza Annelle Sheline is the second State Department official to publicly resign since Oct. 7, citing the erosion of US credibility on human rights in the Middle East as a result of the war. Washington Pulse
Iran kicks off naval missile drills in Gulf of Oman, to renew patrols in Red Sea Iran's Navy will resume patrols in the Red Sea, the Chief of Staff of the armed forces said United States
Pompeo, Israel send message to Iran with bold airstrikes in Syria In a rare acknowledgement, a US official said Washington provided intelligence support for the strikes. Israel
Biden names Samantha Power as nominee for USAID chief The former journalist and UN ambassador has spent her career advocating for human rights around the globe. United States
Diplomacy in the Gulf follows the money Recent diplomatic moves among Gulf states closely align with efforts to attract new investment. Originals
Pompeo dubs Iran new 'home base' of al-Qaeda Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Tehran of enabling the terrorist group by providing safe havens and logistical support. United States
Intel: Former US ambassador to UAE to join McGurk on National Security Council Barbara Leaf is set to join other Obama-era officials with established Middle East policy credentials. United States
Can World Cup soccer help heal Gulf wounds? Communities torn apart by a yearslong rift between Gulf rulers may need time to heal the wounds of a crisis that damaged social ties that have historically transcended borders. Saudi Arabia
Bahrain opens airspace with Qatar Bahrain's decision followed Saudi Arabia and Qatar opening their borders with Qatar, indicating improving relations in the Gulf. Originals
Pompeo to label Yemen's Houthis a foreign terror group Relief organizations in Yemen warn the designation will hamstring their life-saving work in a country already considered to have the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Yemen
Pentagon’s top policy official meets Saudi Arabia’s deputy defense minister in Riyadh Anthony Tata sat down with Prince Khalid bin Salman on Thursday, but details of the discussion remain unclear. Saudi Arabia
US sanctions Iraq's PMU chair Falih al-Fayadh Fayadh chaired Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units as the forces killed hundreds of unarmed pro-democracy protesters. Iraq
Israel, UAE top Middle East vaccination rates Other countries in the region have only just recently imported vaccines, and the status of vaccination in Iran and Syria in particular is unclear. Legacy: Gulf
