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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

Leader of the Israeli right-wing Yamina party Naftali Bennett addresses supporters at his party's campaign headquarters, after the end of voting in the fourth national election in two years, Tel Aviv, Israel, March 24, 2021.

Naftali Bennett could be Israel’s next prime minister

Pro-settler Yamina leader Naftali Bennett could soon become Israel’s first religious prime minister.

Sheikh Jarrah protest

Israeli court to reconvene next week on eviction of Palestinian families

The High Court decides to again discuss the petition by Palestinian residents of the Jerusalem Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood against eviction orders issued at the request of Jewish settlers.

Sheikh Jarrah

European countries urge Israel to halt planned settlement expansion

Five foreign ministries call on Israel to scuttle plans to build more West Bank settlements.

GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images

Wide coalition ramps up negotiations on Israel's next government

As Yair Lapid takes the wheel, the coalition negotiations to create a broad-based government have been underway for weeks.

A general view shows a power plant in Haifa, Israel, April 20, 2015.

Israel advances shutdown of polluting petrochemical plants

A paper published end of April by an interministerial committee recommends shutting down the petrochemical industries in Haifa Bay.

Senior adviser to Donald Trump Jared Kushner listens as national security adviser Robert O'Brien (not seen) speaks during a press briefing at the White House on August 13, 2020, in Washington, DC. Kushner appeared with Trump earlier today as Trump announced a new peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Jared Kushner founds organization to further Israeli normalization deals

The Abraham Accords Institute for Peace will focus on boosting ties between Israel and the Arab countries that signed the Abraham Accords.

This combination of pictures taken on May 5, 2021, shows (L to R) leader of Israel's Yesh Atid (There Is a Future) party Yair Lapid, and leader of the Yamina (Right) party Naftali Bennett, arriving at the Israeli president's residence in Jerusalem.

The Takeaway: Could a Bennett-Lapid coalition last in Israel?

Fractious politics makes for unstable governance; the scoop on Biden’s meeting with Israel’s Mossad chief; Gulf rethinks Chinese vaccine policies; more Egyptian mummies; Saudi Arabia; Turkey; and more!

OREN BEN HAKOON/AFP via Getty Images

Israel’s Lapid gets 28 days to compose new government

Now that President Reuven Rivlin tasked Yair Lapid with forming the next government, the head of Yesh Atid party has 28 days for the complicated mission.

GIL COHEN-MAGEN,MENAHEM KAHANA,DEBBIE HILL/AFP via Getty Images

After Netanyahu's failure, Lapid tapped to form Israeli government

After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's failure, President Reuven Rivlin has handed the mandate for composing the government to Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid.

Israel's foreign ministry

Israel flies medical aid to India

An Israeli plane loaded with medical aid arrived to India this morning and others will soon follow.

Funeral for stampede victim

Ultra-Orthodox blame own leadership for failing to prevent Meron stampede

More and more decision-shapers within the ultra-Orthodox community are coming out against their own leadership, calling on authorities to thoroughly investigate the Mount Meron stampede.

Joshua Roberts/Getty Images

Israel not reassured by Biden’s meeting with Mossad chief

President Joe Biden told Mossad chief Yossi Cohen in the White House that the United States will not abandon Israel on Iran.