Analysis Why Syria and Iraq are taking different approaches to armed groups By Shelly Kittleson In Baghdad, reporting on Iraqi politics
Analysis Who are Yemen's Southern Giants Brigades leading the fight against the Houthis? The Giants Brigades have emerged as the Saudi-backed Yemeni government’s most formidable fighting force. By Giorgio Cafiero
Saudi envoy says allied Yemeni forces capture Bab el Mandeb strait from Houthis: What to know A Houthi spokesperson rejected claims that Saudi-backed forces had retaken territory along the Bab el Mandeb Strait, as fighting escalated with new attacks on the Riyadh airport. Yemen
Analysis US balances Houthi diplomacy with support for Saudi offensive By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Iraq-Jordan trade deal opens new doors for regional trade A breakthrough trade agreement may signal new trend toward integration; Erdogan plays Syria card in Turkish elections; HTS undermines Turkish-backed groups in Idlib. Iraq
Jihadists of Idlib splitting under Turkish pressure As Russia pressures Turkey to impose law and order in Syria at Idlib, Turkey in turn is pressuring radical factions there, which is escalating the conflict among jihadists. Syria
HTS takes over opposition police stations in northern Syria Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has told officers of the Free Syrian Police in northern Syria to hand over their stations and join the Islamic police, or find new jobs. Syria
Places of worship for Egyptian Copts closed after protests Sectarian-related acts of violence continue in Egypt, particularly in Minya governorate, with extremists causing security forces to close a place of worship for the Copts. Egypt
Sadr urges technocrats as armed factions look beyond border Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr continues to oppose "political" appointments, as his Saraya al-Salam guards Sunni areas relatively near the capital and other Popular Mobilization Units eye possible official cross-border operations. Iraq
Why Iran has opened up about engagement with Taliban Iran's engagement with the Taliban amid the ongoing US peace negotiations with the group is part of Tehran’s strategy of defensive engagement in its efforts to adapt to the changing geopolitics of Afghanistan. Iran
Iraqi border eyes Iran influence as US plans Syria pullout After the retaking of IS-held territory across the border and the US announcement it would pull its troops out of Syria, Iraq’s western Anbar is grappling with the prospect of increased Iranian influence amid joblessness, a lack of electricity and reports of cross-border drug smuggling. Iraq
Sinjar road reconnects estranged Yazidis and Kurds with Baghdad The opening of a strategic road in Iraq's Kurdistan Region — closed since the Kurds' ill-fated independence referendum in September 2017 — could be a prelude to a reset in ties between Erbil and Baghdad. Iraq
The unlikely war between Iran, Hezbollah and Israel Despite increasingly tough rhetoric and the launch of an operation along the border with Lebanon, Israel is unlikely to enter all-out war against Iran and its regional allies. Israel
Syria seeks to integrate myriad paramilitaries The Syrian government faces a "what now?" dilemma as it struggles to deal with all the militant groups it recruited to fight for the regime, along with rebels who have surrendered. Syria
