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August 26, 2026

Tel Aviv 12:31 am

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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

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Arab-Israeli legislator emerges as kingmaker

If the current numbers hold and the Raam Party gets four Knesset seats, its leader Mansour Abbas could hold the key to choosing the country’s next prime minister.

Golan Heights

Israel disappointed over UN Human Rights Council resolutions

As happens every year in Geneva, the United Nations Human Rights Council voted in favor of resolutions condemning Israeli actions.

Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu greets supporters as he speaks at the Likud party vote event, Jerusalem, March 24, 2021.

Netanyahu beaten, not (yet) defeated

With most of the votes counted, it seems that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no Knesset majority and almost no options for composing the next government.

A trader looks at his monitors as he works in a dealing room in Tel Aviv on October 12, 2008 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Israel’s first digital bank now rolling

Israel’s first digital bank wants to create a revolution in the banking sectors, much like Spotify revolutionized the music industry and Tesla the vehicle market.

A Likud party supporter kisses a flag with a photo of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the exit polls on March 23, 2021 in Jerusalem, Israel.

No clear winner: Israel could be in for fifth election

The day after voting, the political deadlock in Israel persists, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the bloc opposing him empowered to compose a government.

Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu vote

Exit polls give Netanyahu path to slim majority

According to exit polls, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be able to establish a majority coalition if he gets Yamina leader Naftali Bennett to join him.

YOSSI ZELIGER/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli president calls on citizens to vote amid lowest turnout since 2009

Israeli political leaders were quick to cast their votes this morning for the fourth time in just two years and are encouraging the rest of the country to show up and do the same.

International Criminal Court's Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda addresses a press conference in Kampala, Uganda, Feb. 27, 2015.

Israel debates penalizing Palestinians for cooperation with ICC

Analysts estimate that the revocation of the VIP border pass of Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki could be a first step in Israel’s reaction to the expected ICC probe.

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Israel’s Technion launches three nanosatellites

The Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and Israel Aerospace Industries sent three nanosatellites into space this morning.

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Netanyahu's fate rests on Arab votes

In the chaos of Israel's latest round of elections, the Arab vote could well decide who wins.

An unmanned aerial vehicle carries e-commerce products as part of a demonstration performed by the companies who won the tender for this project, Hadera, Israel, March 17, 2021.

Israel to deploy drones on election day to facilitate voting by COVID-19 patients

The Central Elections Committee is putting in place several special measures, including drones, to ensure safe voting process for all Israelis, including those infected with the coronavirus.

Israelis and Arab-Israelis take part in a march to honor those killed in organized crime and call on the police to curb the wave of intra-community violence, Tel Aviv, Israel, March 18, 2021.

Israeli-Arab mothers lead protest against crime, violence

A group of bereaved Israeli-Arab mothers has decided to combat the worrisome phenomenon of increasing crime, violence and police inefficiency.