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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)

Exclusive

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

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks before parliament votes to approve the new government, Jerusalem, June 13, 2021.

Netanyahu now in role of shadow prime minister

Acting from the opposition benches as a shadow prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in blocking the approval by the Knesset of the Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law amendment.

Palestinians receive their financial aid, $100 per needy family, offered by Qatar, at a post office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, June 27, 2020.

Israel, Hamas edge toward agreement on mechanism for Qatari aid money

Talks on prisoner exchange and border restrictions complicated by Hamas resumption of incendiary balloon attacks.

An Israeli F35I fighter jet takes part in the "Blue Flag" multinational air defence exercise at the Ovda air force base, north of the Israeli city of Eilat, on Nov. 11, 2019.

Israel activates third squadron of F-35 fighter jets

Israel’s third squadron of F-35 fighter jets are set to be activated next week at Nevatim airbase.

Fatima Shbair/Getty Images

Israeli army bombs Hamas site after balloons start fires

The Israeli army said its warplanes struck a Hamas manufacturing site in the Gaza Strip.

Amir Levy/Getty Images

Settlement evacuation compromise rocks Israeli coalition

The deal made with settlers on the evacuation of the Evyatar outpost and the upcoming Knesset vote on the controversial citizenship law are already destabilizing the coalition.

Doug Mills/New York Times/Getty Images

In Biden meeting, Rivlin clears way for Bennett visit to White House

In his warm meeting with President Joe Biden, President Reuven Rivlin prepared the ground for an upcoming first visit in Washington by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

Chief economist at Israel's Ministry of Finance Shira Greenberg (L) and Morocco's Director General of the Customs and Indirect Tax Administration at the Ministry of Economy and Finance Nabil Lakhdar exchange a signed agreement on the first Israel-Morocco direct commercial flight at the Royal Palace, Rabat, Morocco, Dec. 22, 2020.

Israel, Morocco take baby steps on diplomatic, social, economic ties

Diplomatic relations are not advancing as rapidly as those with the Emirates and Bahrain, but Israel sees positive trends in ties with Morocco.

Iran's President-elect Ebrahim Raisi delivers speech at the Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran, on June 22, 2021.

The Takeaway: Iran deal on front burner before Raisi takes office

Also: Bibi plots his comeback, a woman boxing coach trains men in Egypt, and the latest from Gaza, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey.

Yair Lapid

Lapid calls shots as new Israeli government shapes foreign policy

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has spoken boldly of correcting "mistakes" between the United States and Israel.

Israeli parliament member and former Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat meets voters during the election campaign for the Likud party, at Mahane Yehuda market, Jerusalem, March 19, 2021.

Israeli opposition entangled in succession battle

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu keeps appearing in public as if he had not been defeated, but his rivals within the Likud party are already preparing for battle.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits in the Knesset before parliament votes to approve the new government, Jerusalem, June 13, 2021.

Netanyahu plots comeback

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not giving up on his hopes to topple newly appointed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

Israeli Foreign Ministry/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Lapid opens Israeli Embassy to UAE

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has inaugurated Israel’s embassy in Abu Dhabi, his first task in his historic visit to the United Arab Emirates.