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
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
US Navy plans for smaller fleet amid spending caps despite Middle East crisis Facing budget caps and new procurement delays, the Navy is poised to reduce the overall size of its fleet even as attacks by Iran and its proxies in Yemen have led to unprecedented disruptions of commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Washington Pulse
Exclusive US government employees plan walkout over Biden’s Gaza policies By Joyce Karam , Elizabeth Hagedorn
Crashes force US Navy to review Gulf operations A string of deadly accidents in the Asia-Pacific Theater could have major impacts on US Navy operations in the Persian Gulf. United States
Ankara must go through US, Russia to get to YPG Recent developments on the ground suggest that any new Syria incursion by Turkey could encounter unexpected obstacles. Syria
Trump could kick Iran deal to Congress, Haley says US envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley made the case today for President Donald Trump to not certify Iran’s continued compliance with the 2015 agreement. United States
What Trump really wants for the Mideast The unrealistic statements by US envoy Jason Greenblatt about the Palestinian Authority's ruling the Gaza Strip again might indicate that US President Donald Trump does not have a realistic plan for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestine
Defying Trump, IAEA says Iran honoring nuclear deal The world atomic energy agency rejected the Trump administration's push to inspect Iranian military sites without a clear reason. Originals
Stranded by US airstrikes, IS fighters fleeing Lebanon retreat to Syria The Pentagon says it will leave the militants alone if they don't try to link up with Islamic State forces on the Iraqi border. Iraq
US troop numbers in Iraq, Syria could surge under new accounting rules The Pentagon wants to stop undercounting temporarily deployed fighters and allow for the deployment of more support personnel needed in the war against the Islamic State. Iraq
Trump keeps world guessing on Iran deal’s future Even as Iran hawks complain they are shut out from the White House, proponents of the nuclear deal are not confident they will prevail with the president. Russia
US targets Islamic State fighters leaving Lebanon after cease-fire US airstrikes blocked the militants’ route to the Syrian war zone of Deir ez-Zor near the border with Iraq. Lebanon
Russia weighs in on Bannon-free White House Analysts examine what foreign policy changes Washington might make concerning the Mideast now that Steve Bannon is gone, and what that could mean for Moscow. Syria
US, UK join Lebanon's strange military bedfellows The Lebanese army has been under-equipped for decades, so it must now coordinate with Hezbollah and the Syrian army in its offensive against Islamic militants on the border and with assistance from the United States and the United Kingdom. Lebanon
Mattis pledges Erdogan US support against PKK By all accounts, US Defense Secretary James Mattis' visit to Turkey, intended to smooth fraught relations between the two NATO allies, went better than expected. Turkey
