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April 30, 2026

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President Donald Trump gives a speech during the State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn on April 28, 2026, in Washington.

Trump speaks with Netanyahu, Putin as Iran pressure campaign escalates

President Donald Trump spoke by phone separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing the situation in Iran and the possibility of extending the ceasefire.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C), alongside US State Department Counselor Michael Needham (2L) and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa (2R), speaks during a meeting.

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.

ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

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.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to journalists as he arrives for an informal meeting of the European Council in Nicosia, Cyprus, April 24, 2026.

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.

Latest News

Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal?

A person walks past the closed Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center on Jan. 7, 2021, in New York City.

Analysis

Israel fears Trump angling for Lebanon deal to offset Iran missteps

US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa (R) holds a signed "Make America Great Again" hat while (L-R) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanon Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad listen to US President Donald Trump speak during a meeting with Lebanon Ambassador to the US and Israel Ambassador to the US, at the White House in Washington, DC on April 23, 2026. US President Donald Trump met Lebanese and Israeli envoys at a new round of peace talks Thursday, with Beirut seeking a one-month extension of a

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

How are Iran-linked tankers still moving through Hormuz blockade?

BAY ISMOYO / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Israel sees chance of US-Iran deal as almost 'non-existent,' readies for war

ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Joyce Karam

Editor-in-Chief

Rosaleen Carroll

News Reporter and Supporting Editor

In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East

Paul J. Saunders

In Washington, DC, reporting on Russia in the Middle East

US President Donald Trump gestures at the conclusion of the the final day of the Republican National Convention from the South Lawn of the White House on August 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump talks Israel-UAE deal, Biden’s Middle East record at last night of Republican convention

The president slammed his Democratic rival for voting for the 2003 Iraq war, but there's no record Trump opposed the invasion at the time.

Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi arrives to the southern city of Basra late on August 22, 2020, accompanied by security forces' commanders in a surprise visit. (Photo by Hussein FALEH / AFP) (Photo by HUSSEIN FALEH/AFP via Getty Images)

As Iraqi PM balances ties with US, Iran and Arab states, Tehran weighs next move

Although Iran supports Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, there are signs it has concerns about his rapprochement with the United States and the Arab world.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly meets with the president of Iraq's Kurdistan Region in Arbil on August 27, 2020. (Photo by SAFIN HAMED / AFP) (Photo by SAFIN HAMED/AFP via Getty Images)

French armed forces minister visits Iraq following turnover of US base

French Defense Minister Florence Parly's visit coincides with discussions between Iraq and the United States on the future of American troops in the country; France is a part of the US-led anti-IS coalition in Iraq.

Harris says Biden presidency will not condition aid to Israel

The Democrats' vice presidential pick, Sen. Kamala Harris, sought to distance the Biden campaign from emerging party criticism of Israel in recent years.

Pompeo makes final stop in Oman amid Israel deal push

Oman has been floated as a possible next country to normalize ties with Israel.

United Arab Emirates

US troops injured after encounter with Russian vehicle in Syria

The US called the incident with Russia in northeast Syria a "breach of deconfliction protocols."

Rafael Grossi, (left) Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), opens a virtual meeting of the Board of Governors of the IAEA , due to coronavirus safety related measures, at the agency's headquarters in Vienna, Austria on June 15, 2020. - The UN nuclear watchdog's governing body began meeting on Monday as a row brews over Iran's refusal to allow access to two sites where nuclear activity may have occurred in the past. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP) (Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty I

Iran agrees on UN inspector access to suspected ex-nuclear sites

The International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran said in a joint statement that inspectors will have access to two suspected former nuclear sites.

Pompeo praises killing of Iranian commander at Republican convention

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Qasem Soleimani was responsible for killing US soldiers and other rogue actions in the Middle East.

Intel: Washington condemns Erdogan’s meeting with Hamas leadership

The US State Department has condemned the Turkish president’s recent meeting with senior members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas as one that “only serves to isolate Turkey” on the world stage.

Clashes between US, regime forces present new challenges for Russia in Syria

Northeastern Syria's volatile mix of players is proving to be a tough test for Russia.

Controversy continues in Israel over US F-35 sale to UAE

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says flatly that he did not know about and did not agree to a deal for Americans to sell F-35 stealth jets to the United Arab Emirates.

United Arab Emirates

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu make a joint statement to the press after meeting in Jerusalem, on August 24, 2020. - Pompeo arrived in Israel kicking off a five-day visit to the Middle East which will take him to Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, focusing on Israel's normalising of ties with the UAE and pushing other Arab states to follow suit. (Photo by DEBBIE HILL / various sources / AFP) (Photo by DEBBIE HILL/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump, Pompeo ride to Netanyahu’s rescue

The US-mediated normalization agreement with the United Arab Emirates and the visit of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo help Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to shift public attention away from the multiple crises he faces.