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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

Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images

Israeli opposition parties finalize agreements to unseat Netanyahu

The broad alliance signed deals ahead of Sunday's vote of confidence in the incoming Israeli government.

This combination of pictures shows (L to R) leader of Israel's Yesh Atid party Yair Lapid and leader of the Yamina party Naftali Bennett, arriving at the president's residence, Jerusalem, May 5, 2021.

Can Lapid-Bennett coalition keep it together?

Eight years after an alliance was forged between Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Yamina leader Naftali Bennett, that brotherhood is getting the latter into the prime minister's seat.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman speaks during a press conference at the Knesset, Jerusalem, Nov. 14, 2018.

Israel’s new finance minister up against ultra-Orthodox

The new finance minister-to-be Avigdor Liberman pushes with all his political might to exclude the ultra-Orthodox from the new government.

JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images

Palestinian officers killed in West Bank firefight with undercover Israeli forces

The two Palestinian officers opened fire on the undercover Israeli forces, reportedly unaware they were conducting a terrorism raid.

Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Litzman gives a statement ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting, Jerusalem, Feb. 16, 2020.

Israel’s ultra-Orthodox go to opposition, furious with PM-designate

Relegated to the opposition benches and about to lose both budgets and political influence, the ultra-Orthodox parties are angrily attacking Prime Minister-designate Naftali Bennett.

Jewish prayer walk Muslim Quarter Jerusalem

Controversial Jerusalem flag march postponed until after new government sworn in

The controversial flag march in Jerusalem, organized annually by the Israeli right and religious Zionism, will not be held until after the new government is sworn in.

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images

Could Netanyahu be banned from running for PM again?

Members of the new coalition are pushing forward legislation that would effectively ban Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from running again for the job.

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images

Large fires erupt near Jerusalem, force evacuations

The fires west of Jerusalem are the latest in a series of blazes to break out near the Israeli city in recent days.

A woman (C) walks with a sign reading in Arabic (top) and Hebrew (bottom) a quote from the Torah's book of Leviticus, "Love your neighbor as yourself," as another (R) holds up one reading bilingually "Together against hate" and another (L) with a sign reading "Unity now," during a demonstration for coexistence between Jews and Arabs in the town of Rosh Pinna in northern Israel on May 13, 2021.

Israeli Arabs, Jews not giving up on coexistence

NGOs, businesses and even private citizens are speaking up in favor of coexistence and against tensions in Israel between Jews and Arabs.

Palestinian-Jordanian Abdullah Abu Jaber, who was jailed in Israel after planting a bomb on a bus that wounded 13 civilians in 2000, is welcomed by his family upon his release at the Sheikh Hussein Crossing between Jordan and Israel on June 8, 2021.

Israel releases from prison Jordanian convicted of bus bombing

Abdullah Abu Jaber was the longest-serving Jordanian in Israeli prisons. Two other Jordanians were released for less serious offenses.

EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images

Israel says Hamas used AP, Al Jazeera building in Gaza to jam Iron Dome

Israel will help rebuild AP offices in Gaza, said its UN ambassador.

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli lawmakers to vote on anti-Netanyahu government Sunday

Parliament speaker Yariv Levin announced the Knesset will hold a vote of confidence this weekend, to be followed by the swearing-in of the new government led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.