US seeks to train Lebanon army units to disarm Hezbollah: What to know Funding for such a program remains unclear, though the Pentagon has requested $36 million for fiscal year 2027 to support Lebanon’s army. Lebanon
Analysis Despite Trump pressure to limit Israel's Lebanon attacks, Aoun-Netanyahu meeting still unlikely As President Donald Trump pressures Israel to limit its strikes in Lebanon, Hezbollah is taking advantage of the situation. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Why US, Israel are freezing France out of Lebanon talks With talks between Israel and Lebanon being held in Washington, Paris still insists that it must be involved to balance possible American bias and to protect Beirut’s interests. Israel
Analysis Israel fears Trump angling for Lebanon deal to offset Iran missteps Some Israelis worry the US president might force them to accept an unsatisfactory agreement driven by his inability to secure a tangible achievement in Iran. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis As Iran's power struggle deepens, US talks stall, who’s calling the shots in Tehran? By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
On Iran, US allies fear ‘maximum pressure’ could provoke escalation While Iran continues to comply for now with the 2015 nuclear deal even after the reimposition of US sanctions, European allies fear that the US administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign could eventually lead to war. United States
Iran says special channel for trade with Europe almost set up Iranian officials have said that the European Union is in the final stages of implementing a special channel of trade with Iran. United States
Israeli right fears new Congress For the next two years, Israeli settlers and their right-wing supporters will no longer enjoy unlimited access to the House of Representatives. Palestine
Putin pivots to Europe for next play on Syria Russian president intensifies diplomatic push; Erdogan goes "big" to leverage the Khashoggi murder with the Trump administration; Oman emerges as Israeli-Palestinian broker. Oman
Pentagon braces for leaner Mideast war budget after Democrats win House The Defense Department is preparing for another era of lean budgets after Democrats took control of the House in Tuesday’s elections. Congress
Erdogan plays big: A grand bargain in Syria with Trump and Putin? Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plays a big gambit with American and Russian counterparts, but can he win? Syria
US fails to shield humanitarian trade with Iran as sanctions loom European governments are urging the Trump administration to identify a legal means for their companies to continue to provide food and medicine to Iranians after the Nov. 5 re-imposition of secondary sanctions begins. United States
US warns Lebanon that Hezbollah Cabinet pick would cross ‘red line’ The Trump administration might take limited measures that are not likely to alter the fundamentals of US policy in Lebanon should Hezbollah get the Health Ministry in the new Cabinet formation. Lebanon
Commentary: Saudi First foreign policy comes back to bite Trump US alignment with Riyadh’s worldview is under scrutiny after the disappearance of journalist and regime critic Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia
Trump weighs Saudi Arabia’s fate in Khashoggi affair The US president said “a lot of work” is being done on the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and promised “there'll be something that has to take place.” Saudi Arabia
