Trump says Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by three weeks President Trump said the second meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese envoys went "very well." Lebanon
Analysis 'Is it worth it?' Syria's Sharaa faces backlash over Missy Elliott performance Backlash erupts after dancers perform to Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” exposing the tightrope between Sharaa’s outreach to the West and pressure from his Islamist base. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis Is Syria’s Sharaa poised to outdo Turkey in formalizing gains for Kurds? Damascus is making limited but tangible progress in its engagement with Syrian Kurds, even as Ankara seeks to shape the terms of any settlement. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
US troops depart Syria, ending decade of presence in fight against ISIS The last major American bases in Syria have been turned over to the government in Damascus, US military officials confirmed to Al-Monitor. Syria
Iran calls Haley's missile claim 'ridiculous' Iranian officials view UN Ambassador Nikki Haley’s speech accusing Tehran of sending missiles to the Houthis in Yemen as politically motivated. Saudi Arabia
Sinai tribes say IS’ end is near in the area In an interview with Al-Monitor, the head of the Sinai Tribal Union discussed a future Sinai free of Wilayat Sinai and developing through investment. Egypt
US elite troop training in Iraq lags after Mosul The United States and its allies aren’t training elite counterterrorism forces fast enough to replace the losses incurred in the brutal fight against the Islamic State. Iraq
Election wranglers manipulate fate of displaced Iraqis The crisis of the displaced within Iraq has become a tool in the hands of political parties exploiting it for advantage in the upcoming election. Iraq
KRG parliament speaker calls for rethinking strategy in Baghdad talks The speaker of Iraqi Kurdistan's parliament, Yusuf Mohammed Sadiq, is calling for the establishment of new mechanisms of governance in the region. Iraq
US faces uphill battle recouping arms from Syrian Kurds As the fight against the Islamic State winds down, the Donald Trump administration says it plans to get back the weapons it loaned to Kurdish troops opposed by Turkey. Syria
Sinai massacre forebodes more violence Egypt's Sinai Peninsula may be in store for more terrorism as the latest attack that left more than 300 people dead at al-Rawda Sufi mosque could be a sign of things to come from militant groups in the area. Egypt
Why Netanyahu actually supports Palestinian reconciliation Israel has yet to decide whether Palestinian reconciliation is good or bad for its national strategic interests. Palestine
Proposed US sanctions on PMU put Iraq in tough spot Proposed sanctions against factions of the Shiite-dominated Popular Mobilization Units would place the Iraqi government squarely in the middle of a tug of war between Iran and the United States. Iraq
Defeating IS in Yemen While the Islamic State has faced major defeats in Iraq and Syria, the protracted war in Yemen has provided the terrorist group's branch in that country oxygen to breathe. Saudi Arabia
Last IS-held Iraqi town retaken amid car bombs, IEDs Iraqi security forces seized Rawa, the last Islamic State-held town located in Anbar province, after a circuitous and dangerous journey to their destination. Iraq
Putin-Trump statement on Syria contradicts Erdogan’s calculations A joint statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump that there is no military solution in Syria infuriated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Syria
