Israel’s defense minister not focused on defense

Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has made several controversial decisions that evidently serve his political agenda but not Israel’s security.

Israel

Haniyeh’s visit signals Hamas seeks stronger Iranian alliance

Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh's busy schedule when he visited Iran for the funeral of Quds Force commander Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani indicates Hamas seeks to forge a deeper alliance with Iran and obtain additional support.

Palestine

Nasrallah calls for regional action against US military

The head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, Hassan Nasrallah, called for expelling US troops from the region in response to the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, adding that US military assets will be targeted.

Lebanon

Saudi-led attacks on civilians threaten fragile Yemen truce

Escalation seems to be looming in Yemen in the wake of numerous artillery shellings of a local market, despite a supposed truce between Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition.

Saudi Arabia

Yemen’s warring parties conflicted over Soleimani’s killing

Yemen’s warring parties had differing reactions to the killing of Qasem Soleimani, pointing to Yemen's deepening sectarian schism.

Saudi Arabia

What has Erdogan learned from Soleimani's killing?

As tensions between Tehran and Washington escalate, Turkey has to make difficult choices.

Turkey

Iranian missiles strike coalition installations in Iraq

Iran fired 15 ballistic missiles at Iraqi bases housing US and coalition troops on Tuesday night, a US Central Command spokesperson confirmed to Al-Monitor, in a possible escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran after a Pentagon drone strike killed a top Iranian military leader last week.

Iraq

Iraqi base housing US troops hit as Iran tensions escalate

Iran launched an attack against Iraqi bases housing American troops with over a dozen ballistic missiles.

Iraq

Pompeo mocks claim Soleimani was part of Iraq-brokered Iran-Saudi indirect talks

The US secretary of state discounted the Iraqi prime minister's claim that on the day Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in Baghdad, he was going to pass on an Iranian message as part of indirect Iranian-Saudi communications.

Saudi Arabia

Inside the Trump-Pelosi tug of war over Iran war powers

President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are tangling over the legal authorities necessary to attack Iran.

Congress

US questions whether Iraq can boot American troops

After Iraq's parliament urged US troops to leave the country Sunday, the White House and some Iraqi lawmakers are raising questions about whether Iraq's caretaker prime minister has the authority to kick out US forces.

Iraq

Iraq's Kurds weigh opportunities, risks in wake of Soleimani killing

Can the Kurdistan Regional Government help out the United States as it faces Iraqi anger over the Soleimani killing, and does the KRG want to risk doing so?

Iraq