Meet Ali al-Zaidi, businessman and Iraq's new prime minister-designate Legal sources familiar with the nominee told Al-Monitor that there are no US sanctions on Zaidi or financial institutions affiliated with him. Iraq
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
Iraq's Shiite alliance nominates Ali al-Zaidi as PM candidate: What to know Ali al-Zaidi, who leads a bank accused of money laundering, received support from previous nominee Nouri al-Maliki and incumbent Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, though it remains unclear whether the Trump administration will approve of him. Iraq
Analysis Israel fears Trump angling for Lebanon deal to offset Iran missteps By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Hezbollah, Hamas seek to exploit Israel's internal weakness to attack The security incident last Monday near the border with Lebanon worries the IDF, as Hezbollah tries to exploit the ongoing crisis in Israel. Israel
'Iraq is not an Islamic country': Minorities protest Baghdad's alcohol ban as unconstitutional The Iraqi government's renewed effort to prohibit alcohol is not only worrisome for Christian and Yazidi minorities, but also raises constitutionality questions. Iraq
Top US general Mark Milley makes surprise visit to Syria Gen. Mark Milley's visit to US troops fighting the Islamic State came as Pentagon officials warn Russia's arms transfers to Iran will embolden the IRGC and its proxies in the Middle East. Syria
Clashes in Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camp as security void looms The UN recently warned that poverty and crime is on the rise in the camp due to the Lebanese economic crisis. Lebanon
Israel should 'wipe out' Palestinian village of Huwara, says far-right minister Smotrich After inflammatory comments by far-right legislator Zvika Fogel last Monday, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he'd like to see the Palestinian village of Huwara "wiped out." Israel
Taliban releases Iran border guard, moves into Afghanistan's Embassy in Tehran Iran has had a complicated relationship with the Taliban since the group resumed control over Afghanistan. Iran
As Israel's raids grow in West Bank, so does Palestinian support for armed groups The armed factions in the West Bank are enjoying overwhelming popular support as the cycle of violence intensifies. Palestine
Four US troops, working dog wounded in Syria raid against Islamic State A senior IS official was killed in a raid in northeast Syria that injured US troops and a working dog, who were transported to Iraq for medical treatment. Syria In Crisis
Did US pressure force Turkey to let Syrian-Kurdish earthquake aid into rebel-held northwest? Ankara relents, allowing the first humanitarian aid and disaster relief to enter devastated northwest Syria from the country's Kurdish-run northeast. Syria
Arab states, militias pour aid into Syria as earthquake death toll exceeds 5,000 The Lebanese group Hezbollah and Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces are among the militias that delivered aid to Syria. Syria
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
Sweden blocks Quran-burning protest Turkey came out against Sweden’s NATO bid after a far-right activist burned a Quran outside the Turkish embassy last month. Sweden is now seeking to resume dialogue over the issue. Turkey
