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
Islamic State leader dead in US raid Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed during a raid in northwestern Syria, says President Donald Trump. Iraq
Sanctions experts say new US Treasury measure could inhibit humanitarian trade with Iran The US Treasury's new Iran "humanitarian" mechanism is seen by experts as a tool to inform new sanctions on the country. United States
Syrian Kurdish commander sparks fresh US-Turkish row Mazlum Kobane, the chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, may visit Washington — a move that would likely prompt Turkish calls for his extradition. Syria
US military aid to Lebanon continues amid protests The Pentagon is not cutting off military aid to Lebanon amid countrywide protests. Lebanon
Pentagon weighs options to deter Russians in Syria After Russian forces in Syria appeared to be heading toward oil fields, the Pentagon proposed deploying tanks as a measure to guard the installations, a US official told Al-Monitor. Iraq
Congress doubles down on bipartisan Turkey sanctions after Trump’s victory lap Trump may have lifted sanctions on Turkey, but Democrats and Republicans alike still want to slap Ankara with their own stringent sanctions. Syria
Trump hails Syria ‘breakthrough,’ lifts sanctions on Turkey President Donald Trump hailed an apparent Turkish decision to halt a military offensive in Syria as a major breakthrough and said now the United States was getting out. Syria
Trump administration scrambles to salvage US troop presence in Syria President Trump says he would leave some US troops in Syria to keep the Assad regime and Iranian forces away from oil fields; the Syrian Democratic Forces commander speaks with both Trump and the Russian army chief of staff. Iraq
US faces new facts on the ground as cease-fire expires Russia and Turkey strike a deal on a safe zone as the Syrian Democratic Forces told the Donald Trump administration that Kurdish forces had withdrawn from the Turkish border today in accord with a US-brokered agreement. Iraq
Al Jazeera spends more than $500,000 defending itself against attacks The Qatari broadcaster is under attack from Doha’s Gulf rivals. Saudi Arabia
Pentagon guardianship of Syrian oil fields faces pushback For days now, despite Turkish forces jeopardizing a fragile US-brokered cease-fire in northern Syria, President Donald Trump has insisted that American forces have secured oil fields liberated from the Islamic State. Syria
Syrian Kurds bring demands to Washington The Syrian Democratic Council hopes to convince the Trump administration to rethink its withdrawal. Syria
