US mounts diplomatic blitz to contain Iranian attack The Biden administration is urging Iran to temper its retaliation against Israel for the assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders. Iran
Republican platform a preview of Trump’s Middle East agenda The platform calls for standing with Israel, deporting "pro-Hamas radicals" and making college campuses "patriotic" again. Israel
Trump calls Biden ‘bad Palestinian’ in Gaza debate jab Former President Donald Trump accused the sitting president of not letting Israel "finish the job" against Hamas. Washington Connection
US sanctions 'shadow banking network' used by Iran's military The sweeping new sanctions come days before Iran holds elections to replace its late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last month. Iran
US slams Smotrich's 'reckless' effort to legalize West Bank outposts Israel's far-right finance minister is reportedly pushing to legalize 68 outposts during a time of rising settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel
Blinken hints at US move to restrict aid to Israeli military unit The United States is expected to invoke a decades-old law to restrict military assistance to Netzah Yehuda, an Israeli military unit accused of gross human rights violations. Israel
Breaking | Last Updated: April 18, 2024, 12:12 pm US hits Iran’s drone program with fresh sanctions after Israel attack Washington has announced new Iran sanctions in response to last week’s attack on Israel, targeting 16 people and two entities linked to Iran’s drone production and testing. Iran
US readies another veto as Palestinians seek elusive UN membership The United States is poised for another UN Security Council showdown as the Palestinians seek full UN membership for the second time. Israel
Republican House speaker courts Netanyahu amid partisan split on Gaza If he accepts Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s planned invite to speak before Congress, chances are Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will find an even less receptive audience than listened to his 2015 address. Israel
Senators to Biden: Curtail arms to Israel unless Gaza aid expanded A group of Democratic senators said Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip could violate foreign assistance law. Israel
US changes tune on Gaza ‘cease-fire’ as Rafah fears grow Under pressure internationally and from Democratic voters, the Biden administration has begun to call for a "temporary cease-fire" in Gaza. Israel
How Israel’s 'convoluted' inspections are hindering Gaza aid Humanitarian groups say Israel's time-consuming inspections process and denial of "dual-use" goods is hampering aid delivery in the Gaza Strip. Israel
'Quietly complicit': second US official quits over Biden’s Gaza war handling Tariq Habash, a Department of Education political appointee, said he could no longer represent an administration that “does not value all human life equally.” Israel
Key Pentagon policy officials to depart amid Middle East tensions Mara Karlin, who oversaw the drafting of the Biden administration's national defense strategy and has filled in as the Pentagon’s no.-3 top official, and Dana Stroul, the department’s Middle East policy director, are both stepping down as Congressional dysfunction threatens to hold up their replacement. Washington Connection
Israel needs 'clear plan' to protect Gaza civilians, Blinken says The top US diplomat said Israel must take steps to protect civilians in southern Gaza once the fighting resumes, including creating safe zones. Israel
Blinken presses Israeli leaders on West Bank settler attacks The top US diplomat said he received a "clear commitment" from Israel's leaders that they would condemn the extremist violence in the West Bank. Israel