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August 25, 2026

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Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C) watches as US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack prepares to sign an agreement in Damascus on September 16, 2025. Shaibani announced on September 16 a plan backed by Jordan and the United States to restore calm to Druze-majority Sweida province, which witnessed deadly violence in July. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP) (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images)

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Israel recalibrates Syria policy, explores path to security deal

Israel is rethinking its hard-line Syria policy and seeking to repair ties with US envoy and Donald Trump's confidant Tom Barrack amid a push for a security agreement with Damascus.

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

Palestinian militant group Hamas police officers stand guard as people attend the opening of the Fatah party's eighth general conference at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City on May 14, 2026.

Ex-defense minister: Israel in ‘worst possible’ Gaza situation as Hamas gains strength

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant criticized the Israeli government for allowing Hamas to retain control over half of the Gaza Strip.

A merchant ship "Jabotinsky" (former "Altalena"), chartered by Jewish military group Irgun Zvaei Leumi to carry weapons for Israeli fighters, burns near Tel Aviv beach, after being shelled by the Haganah, Israel, June 27, 1948.

Wreck of ship sunk by Israeli military in Irgun clash found after 78 years

The wreck of the Irgun underground's Altalena ship, bombed by the Israeli military in 1948 and deliberately sunk in 1949, was located off Israel's coast at a depth of 1,650 feet.

Latest News

Israel tightens election safeguards as public distrust surges: What to know

ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact

A Turkish soldier from the 1st Border Regiment Command looks out over the border wall to Syria during alert drills at a military outpost on the Turkey/Syria border on March 2, 2017 in Kilis, Turkey.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Analysis

Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines

Turkey/Syria border

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist

Analysis

Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 7: U.S. President Donald Trump (L)shakes hands with with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Palace during the NATO summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Emrah Gurel - Pool/Getty Images)

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

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

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

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Rina Bassist

Associate Editor (Israel)

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

This studio photographic illustration shows a smartphone with the website of Israel's NSO Group.

Pegasus intel project brings Israel more trouble

With the NSO affair continuing to develop, Israel — the world champion of cyber technologies — might get into significant diplomatic trouble precisely because of that.

LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images

Israel’s AU observer status paves way for normalization with African states

Now that Israel is joining the African Union as an observer state, African countries hesitant to normalize ties with it could come around.

An Israeli flag is seen atop a delivery truck outside US ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's factory in Be'er Tuvia, Israel, July 21, 2021.

Israeli Left, Arab Joint List welcome Ben & Jerry's decision to end sales in West Bank

Israeli critics of settlement policy view decision by ice cream company as positive.

A woman presents a vaccination book with three doses of COVID-19 vaccine recorded at Sheba Medical Center on July 14, 2021, in Ramat Gan, Israel.

Israel to bring back 'Green Pass' indicating vaccine and virus status

Israel's COVID-19 cases are increasing, but deaths remain at a historical low amid the spread of the delta variant.

AWAD AWAD/AFP via Getty Images

Air warms between Israel, Palestinian Authority with rare phone calls

The phone calls from President Isaac Herzog and Defense Minister Benny Gantz to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas indicate a change of approach by Israel’s new government.

This studio illustration shows a cellphone with the website of Israel's NSO Group that features the Pegasus spyware, on display in Paris, France, July 21, 2021.

Israel 'looks into' NSO cyber-espionage affair

Reports in Israel say the government has set up an interministerial team to 'look into' the export of Israeli-made Pegasus software and allegation over its abuse against politicians and journalists worldwide.

US President Joe Biden (R) and Jordan's King Abdullah II smile during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 19, 2021.

The Takeaway: Biden-Abdullah White House summit key to Israel-Jordan reset

Jordan-Israel ties had hit rock bottom under Netanyahu; Also: Will Zarif pick up Raisi’s road map on the Iran deal?; Israel prepares Raisi file; Egypt, Ethiopia compete for power partnerships; Saudi-Ethiopian ties strained by Nile dam dispute; Russia’s vaccine diplomacy stumbles; the latest Pharaonic parade.

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

UAE likely partner in Israel's moon mission

The funding sources for Israel's ambitious Beresheet 2 have not been divulged, but there are hints that the United Arab Emirates may well be teaming up with Israel on a moon landing.

AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images

New Israeli government on mission to rehabilitate ties with Jordan

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid are working to rehabilitate the bilateral ties with Jordan after the setbacks to the relationship under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

An Israeli woman uses her iPhone in front of the building housing the Israeli NSO group, Herzliya, Israel, Aug. 28, 2016.

Israel under fire after allegations against NSO cybersurveillance group

The Meretz party demands the Defense Ministry look into accusations leveraged against Israeli cybersurveillance company NSO on its Pegasus software.

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli firm NSO Group tied to high-level hacks

A sweeping investigation found the names of world leaders, human rights defenders and journalists included on a leaked list of 50,000 alleged surveillance targets.

KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images

Fury as Israel’s Lapid redefines anti-Semitism

Many in Israel were angered over a speech delivered by Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who said that anti-Semitism should mean the hatred of any marginalized group, not just Jews.