Pentagon inks 7-year missile-production deal amid Iran war shortage The Defense Department has been hammering out new agreements with top defense manufacturers as the Iran war has rapidly depleted Washington's interceptor stockpiles. United States
Analysis Israel’s Lebanon dilemma: Confront Hezbollah without angering Trump, triggering Iran Israeli sources point out that the pilot project for Israel's withdrawal and the Lebanese military taking control over the area is not working because of the government's reluctance to search for Hezbollah's weapons in private homes. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis How Iran is readying for economic protests as Trump escalates pressure Iranian authorities are bracing for unrest as US pressure collides with a battered economy, fuel price indecision and fresh memories of bloodshed. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Trump says Hormuz mine-free as Iran, Oman agree to clear them The US president again says Hormuz is clear of mines as Iran and Oman announce their plan to clear the strait. United States
Newsletter: FutureVerse Economic D-day’s tech risks By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Exclusive Israel recalibrates Syria policy, explores path to security deal By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Netanyahu's annexation plan turning into fiasco With the Americans losing interest and on the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis, the West Bank annexation plan of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to turn into his greatest diplomatic fiasco. Palestine
Intel: US CENTCOM commander meets with head of Syria’s Kurdish forces The head of Syria’s Kurdish-led militias said he met today with the top commander of US forces in the Middle East, Gen. Frank McKenzie, in northeast Syria. Syria
Intel: Turkey lashes out at new US support for Cyprus Turkey is lashing out at the United States as Washington moves closer to providing Cyprus with military aid as the disputed island nation develops closer energy ties with Israel. Turkey
Intel: US lawmakers tussle over key condition on restoring Palestinian aid Democrats and Republicans clashed today over a newly proposed restriction on Palestinian assistance in this year’s foreign aid spending bill — the latest chapter in the struggle to resume economic support for the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestine
US military consolidates footprint in Iraq amid pressure from Baghdad The Pentagon's top general overseeing forces in the Middle East, Gen. Frank McKenzie, visited Baghdad this week amid a reshuffle of the US troop presence in the country in coordination with plans to bring in more NATO advisers. Iraq
House Democrats revive bid to fully restore Palestinian aid The Democratic-held House is launching another bid to increase Palestinian economic aid while facilitating people-to-people programs with Israel. Palestine
UN expert calls US killing of Soleimani 'unlawful' The UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions called the US strike an “arbitrary killing” that threatens to undermine norms of military conflict between countries. Iraq
Intel: AIPAC rebukes Democrats again for bill to keep US aid out of annexation The American Israel Public Affairs Committee issued its third rebuke of Democratic lawmakers in as many weeks over their repeated attempts to keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from annexing significant portions of the West Bank. Israel
Iran cuts oil production and storage is nearly full amid pandemic, US sanctions Reuters reported that Iran's onshore storage facilities are nearly full while production is at its lowest point since the Iran-Iraq war. United States
US soldier accused of planning neo-Nazi attack on unit in Turkey pleads not guilty The soldier allegedly sought to help recruit local jihadists in Turkey carry out an attack on a US military facility. Turkey
Mysterious explosions escalate Israel, Iran tensions Ahead of the US presidential elections, and on the backdrop of mysterious explosions, Israel prepares for various escalation scenarios on Iran’s part. Israel
Congress revives bid to pull US out of Yemen war The Democratic-held House is taking another stab at ending US support for the Saudi coalition’s war against Yemen’s Houthis. Saudi Arabia