Turkey eyes offshore energy pact with Syria in 2026 amid East Med isolation Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has offered up details on a deal with Syria that could unsettle regional rivals in the gas-rich Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey
Analysis France seeks to bolster Lebanon's army through UNIFIL coordination, donor conference France believes that the key to stabilizing the region is bolstering the Lebanese military so it can regain control over the south of the country. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Germany makes first deportation to Syria since 2011: What to know There are roughly 1 million Syrians in Germany, most of whom fled there during the country’s civil war. Syria
Italy pledges to maintain troops in southern Lebanon after UNIFIL withdrawal Italy plays a crucial role in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, with an Italian leading its command and the country contributing over 1,000 troops to the mission. Lebanon
Analysis Israel likely to strike Iran in 2026, European diplomats say By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
EU raises $7.5 billion for Turkey, Syria earthquake victims Erdogan tells donors that Turkey will continue to facilitate the land and air transfer of humanitarian aid materials from third parties and other countries to the quake victims in Syria. Turkey
Analysis France cautious about China's role but welcomes Iran-Saudi agreement Paris would have much preferred that the Saudi-Iran rapprochement would have been reached by means other than Chinese mediation. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
UK Islamic bank: Soccer boosting Gulf property investments Andrew Ball, the CEO of the Bank of London and The Middle East (BLME), spoke to Al-Monitor about how soccer is fueling a rise in Gulf investment in northern England. Legacy: Gulf
Turkey, Sweden and Finland agree to more talks on NATO accession President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman and foreign affairs adviser Ibrahim Kalin, who took part in Thursday’s talks, described the meeting as “positive.” Turkey
Analysis Lithuania joins Israel's EU efforts to designate Iran's IRGC In what could be the first true shift in the European Union's position, Lithuania’s FM is signaling support to adding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the EU's terror list. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Turnips to the rescue? UK tomato shortages could last weeks as Morocco curbs exports After Morocco restricted certain exports, several large British supermarkets have started rationing produce. North Africa
Iran expels German diplomats as row continues over death sentence Iran has sentenced another dual European citizen, a German-Iranian man, to death in relation to a 2008 attack on a mosque. Iran
Barcelona ends twin city agreement with Tel Aviv, citing Israeli 'apartheid' Barcelona’s Mayor Ada Colau said that thousands of residents in her city signed a petition to sever ties with Tel Aviv so as to pressure Israel on Palestinian human rights. Israel
Turkey's earthquake spikes Europe's fears of Middle East flare-ups The Turkish-Syrian border area at large remains one of the world’s geopolitical quagmires, a major epicenter of tensions and fault lines that run throughout the Middle East toward Europe. By Gilles Kepel
Ankara lashes out at US envoy over security alerts: 'Get your filthy hands off Turkey' Turkey’s rhetoric against Washington and several European capitals grows more belligerent, with the interior minister calling out the American ambassador. Turkey
France's seizure of Iranian weapons to Yemen is a win for Pentagon French forces seized some 3,000 assault rifles, 23 anti-tank rockets and more than half a million rounds of ammunition bound for Yemen's Houthi rebels. Iran
