Iran gives 2-day window for Hormuz deal as US mulls strikes: What to know An Iranian spokesperson said on Monday that a revised proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could take effect within two days if Washington meets its demands. Iran
Will Iran take up Vance lifeline to avoid another US attack? Vance’s letter comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity ahead of the Nov. 3 deadline; Jordan and Syria move to deepen security ties following a terrorist attack. Iran
Analysis How Netanyahu is trying to discredit Arab parties in bid to block Eisenkot Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to discredit the Arab parties' unprecedented electoral breakthrough by casting their victory as illegitimate. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Israel’s deadlock: Could Trump broker Netanyahu-Eisenkot deal? With most of the votes counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival, Gadi Eisenkot, find themselves in a political stalemate that may only be resolved if the US president pressures them into forming a unity government. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Corruption trial, ICC warrant: Why Netanyahu will stay in politics even if he loses By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Feature 50,000 Israeli expats fly home to vote in potential boon to Netanyahu rivals By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Fate of jailed Kurdish leader questioned as Turkey shuns peace As a showdown looms in Idlib between Syrian government forces and Turkish-backed opposition rebels, Ankara faces the prospect of further turmoil, while long-stalled Turkish-Kurdish talks seem unlikely to be revived nearly 20 years after Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan was jailed. Syria
Trump’s Iran envoy blasts Tehran missile work, downplays prospects for NY meeting Brian Hook, the US special envoy on Iran, said any new agreement with Iran would have to curb Iran’s transfer of ballistic missile technology. United States
Iran-India logistical cooperation set to jump amid scaled-back energy ties India is well-versed in the game of balancing ties with Iran and the United States and is set to use the current situation over sanctions to promote logistical cooperation with Tehran while limiting oil imports from Iran. United States
PMU steps up role in Iraq's security after Basra rioting Following violent protests in Basra in which PMU offices were set on fire, the PMU now plans to carry out security tasks in southern Iraq, which will expand its influence there. Iraq
The Paul Manafort affair: the Israeli connection Israeli politicians are demanding investigations into which 'senior Israeli official' appears to have close ties to the Kremlin and was apparently involved in an effort by the former American lobbyist Paul Manafort to smear a Ukrainian politician as anti-Semitic. Israel
Iran 1, US 0: Iraq chooses a parliament speaker After a long delay, the Iraqi parliament has finally elected its speaker and in doing so confirmed the rising influence of Iran. Iraq
Iranians respond to MEK troll farm: #YouAreBots The exiled Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq is allegedly pumping out tweets in support of overthrowing the Islamic Republic and amplifying them with bots, while legitimate Iranian accounts are suspended. United States
Who will save Gaza? Despite celebrating the Trump administration cutting off assistance to UNRWA, Israel knows that without US funding the organization will be paralyzed, making a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip a matter of time. Palestine
Would Netanyahu be better off without Trump? The overly pro-Israeli policies of President Donald Trump, especially his decision to cut funding for the Palestinians, poses a threat to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to continue using the Oslo Accords as a permanent status solution and for the international community to pay for Israel's occupation of the West Bank and the building of settlements. Palestine
Al-Qaeda, foreign fighters have nowhere to go from Idlib Erdogan appeals for support to "moderate rebels," but what may ultimately matter is US-Russia common ground; Al-Monitor's award-winning lobbying series and archive now available. Syria
Russia, Germany at loggerheads over Idlib Germany has recently engaged with the United States, the UK and France to take a stronger stance on Syria. But as Chancellor Merkel encounters strong domestic opposition on potential military action in Syria, the significance of engaging with Russia increases. Syria
Iraqi Kurds stuck between Iran, US The Iraqi Kurds are worried about the US-Iran rivalry in Iraq, as it will weaken their position in the country more than ever before. Iraq