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July 13, 2026

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Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at a Council of Ministers meeting in Baghdad on July 11, 2026.

On first foreign trip, Iraqi PM Zaidi woos Trump but Iran casts long shadow

Iraq's new prime minister is in Washington promising business deals and closer ties with the United States, but convincing the Trump administration he can rein in Iran-backed militias may prove his toughest challenge.

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Oil climbs after US strikes Iran, Trump vows to control Strait of Hormuz

US Central Command said in a statement early on Monday that it struck dozens of Iranian targets overnight as Iran targeted American bases across the Gulf.

U.S. President Donald Trump returns to Joint Base Andrews on July 09, 2026 in Washington, DC. Trump, switched from the old Air Force One to the new Air Force One while stopping in the U.K. at RAF Mildenhall Air Force Base was returning from his visit to Ankara, Turkey where he attended the NATO summit. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Breaking | Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 11:37 am

Trump says US to resume naval blockade of Iran's ports

President Donald Trump countered Iran's attempts to collect tolls on shipping via the Strait of Hormuz by announcing the US would do so at a rate of 20% for all cargo transiting the waterway.

Latest News

Analysis

From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose after signing a defense partnership agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Analysis

As US-Iran fighting resumes, Israel weighs 3 options with restraint winning, for now

Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images

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

Israel warns US of new Iran plot to assassinate Trump: What to know

US President Donald Trump walks to board Air Force One as he departs Bismarck Municipal Airport on July 01, 2026 in Bismarck, North Dakota.

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

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif steps down from his plane on his arrival in Noor Khan airbase in Rawalpindi on August 30, 2018. - Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif arrived in Islamabad for a two-day visit. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images)

Zarif: Even America’s allies not immune to US sanctions

During an unannounced trip to Turkey, Iran’s foreign minister warned America’s allies that they are not immune to US pressure.

Jordan can't afford to lose UNRWA battle

The row over UNRWA, including its funding, may strain bilateral relations between Jordan and the United States, as Amman rallies international partners to step in and compensate for the suspension of US funding.

Palestinian demonstrators hold an effigy depicting U.S. President Donald Trump to be burnt during a protest against U.S aid cuts, outside the United Nations' offices in the southern Gaza Strip February 11, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC19E00C32E0

US cuts millions of dollars' worth of aid to Palestinians

The United States continues to cut funds that had been designated as aid for the Gaza Strip and West Bank, this time withholding hundreds of millions of dollars.

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (2nd R) arrive to deliver remarks after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem May 23, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC1ACE895740

Trump turns away from the Palestinians

In a departure from past US administrations, the Donald Trump administration in a series of recent steps increasingly appears to be aligning the United States against the Palestinians on key issues in the conflict.

FBI says Ankara's Iran sanction-busting woes not over

When a US federal agent spoke publicly about the investigation into a Turkish-Iranian sanctions-busting scheme and verified rumors that Turkey had tried to get the defendants freed, she confirmed Ankara's fear that more fallout from the scandal is still to come.

Iraqis split over US military decision to stay in Iraq

Iraqi Shiite politicians and armed groups close to the parties in power disagree over the international coalition’s announcement that it will keep its forces in the country.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting at United Nations (U.N.) headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., August 23, 2018. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson - RC177F80FC00

Palestinian aid critics wary of Trump cuts

The Donald Trump administration’s sweeping cuts are sparking concern even among Israel advocates.

A man sits in front of a house destroyed by air strikes in Sanaa, Yemen June 6, 2018. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah - RC1182083EA0

UN war crimes report threatens US support for Yemen war

A UN report alleging that the anti-Houthi coalition may have carried out war crimes could further erode support for US bomb sales and military support.

Two U.S. Air Force F-22 stealth fighter jets are about to receive fuel mid-air from a KC-135 refueling plane over Norway en route to a joint training exercise with Norway's growing fleet of F-35 jets August 15, 2018. REUTERS/Andrea Shalal - RC1BFCD5DE40

US offer of F-35s falls flat as Turkey clings to Russian missiles

A delegation of US Congress members has failed to convince Ankara to give up on acquiring its Russian missile defense system in return for fulfillment of its order of American fighter jets.

A Turkish flag is seen at a Turkish observation point in Idlib province, Syria July 30, 2018. Picture taken July 30, 2018. REUTERS/ Khalil Ashawi - RC18A7B6A310

Will Turkey’s 'strategic partnership' with Russia cover Idlib?

Ankara is looking to Moscow to prevent an attack on Idlib by the Russian-supported Syrian army.

Why dismantling the PA could advance two-state solution

Over the years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in turning the interim agreement with the Palestinians into a permanent one, thus distancing talks toward the two-state solution.

A Syrian Army soldier loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad forces stands next to a military weapon in Idlib, Syria January 21, 2018. Picture taken January 21, 2018. SANA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. - RC19C0D8B740

US scrambles for Syria deal ahead of Idlib offensive

The Donald Trump administration is pressing Russia for concessions before Bashar al-Assad’s regime finishes taking back the country.