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August 26, 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

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men study in a hall divided with plastic sheets as prevention from COVID-19, at their Kollel, a gathering place for full-time advanced Jewish law studies, in the religious city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv in central Israel, on October 25, 2020. - As Israel entered lockdown in March, a video emerged showing 92-year-old rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, one of the world's most powerful, flanked by his grandson and top advisor Yaakov, professing ignorance about coronavirus and insisting religious sch

Ultra-Orthodox Israeli town finally leaves coronavirus red zone

The ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak has managed to lower the number of infections, largely because local rabbis convinced their congregations to observe the state-ordered restrictions.

Israeli farm workers harvest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for Bazelet HaGolan winery, beneath wind turbines constructed between vineyards and fruit orchards as part of a wind farm, near El Rom settlement in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights by the border with Syria, on October 5, 2020. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel boycott movement furious at UAE over deal to import wine from occupied Golan Heights

The United Arab Emirates signed a deal with Israel to buy wine produced in the settlements of the occupied Golan Heights, prompting a wave of anger among Palestinians and the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.

United Arab Emirates

Intel: US, Sudan sign terror claims agreement

The last major step in restoring US-Sudanese relations is legislation pending in Congress that would restore Sudan's sovereign immunity.

IZMIR, TURKEY - OCTOBER 30: Emergency services personnel search a collapsed building for survivors after a powerful earthquake struck on October 30, 2020 in Izmir, Turkey. Six people have been killed and more than two hundred were injured after an earthquake struck the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey's Izmir Province. More than twenty buildings were destroyed in Izmir, Turkey's third largest city. (Photo by Usame Ari/Getty Images)

Israel offers aid to Turkey after earthquake

Israel's defense minister has announced emergency aid to Turkey after an earthquake rocked Izmir and Samos.

An Israeli policewoman stands guard at an entrance of the al-Aqsa compound, leading to the Dome of the Rock mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem on October 18, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis. - Israel began to ease its month-long coronavirus nationwide lockdown, allowing citizens to venture further than 1km (0.6 miles) away from their home with preschools, daycare centres and places of worship reopening to all, under some restrictions. (Photo by Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP) (Photo by EMMANUEL DUN

New normal takes shape for Israel, Palestinians, UAE

Israelis and Emiratis throw themselves into their new relationship and Palestinians are throwing Gulf visitors out of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

United Arab Emirates

Netanyahu gets one more — perhaps last — gift from Trump

The cancellation of the US ban against supporting research in West Bank settlement institutions would surely benefit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his efforts to appease the settlers.

Israelis light 25,000 candles at Rabin Square in the Israeli coastal city Tel Aviv, on October 29, 2020, ahead of the 25th anniversary of the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, - Rabin was gunned down in Tel Aviv after a peace rally on November 4, 1995 by a right-wing Jewish extremist Yigal Amir. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Violence in air as Israel mourns Rabin

25 years after the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli society is divided more than ever and incitement is reaching new heights.

Benny Gantz (C), Israel's Alternate Prime Minister and Defence Minister, receives US Defense Secretary Mark Esper (2nd-R) and his wife Leah (R), all mask-clad due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, at Ben Gurion International Airport in Lod on October 29, 2020. (Photo by Paul HANDLEY / AFP) (Photo by PAUL HANDLEY/AFP via Getty Images)

After meeting Esper, Gantz says US committed to Israel’s security

It took three meetings between US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz to convince the latter to drop his opposition to the F-35 sale to the United Arab Emirates.

United Arab Emirates

Pentagon chief visits Israel, Bahrain with little fanfare

The quiet visit came less than a week after the defense secretary said the United States would like to see regional security cooperation with Israel to deter Iran.

IN FLIGHT, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 08: An F-35B combat aircraft from the United States Marine Corp refuels from an RAF Voyager aircraft over the North Sea on October 08, 2020 in flight, above Scotland. The first air-to-air refuelling of F-35Bs from the newly-formed Carrier Strike Group took place as part of Operation Joint Warrior. Flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth, the RAF, RN and USMC Pilots (USofA) were demonstrating the operational capabilities of NATO and the UK for current and future threats. Operation Joint

Intel: Trump administration notifies Congress of proposed F-35 sale to UAE

Lawmakers have introduced legislation intended to ensure the sale does not eclipse Israel's regional military edge.

United Arab Emirates

Jerusalem-born Americans can now list 'Israel' on passports

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that US citizens born in Jerusalem can now elect to list "Israel" as their birthplace on consular documents.

TOPSHOT - Orthodox Jewish yeshiva (religious school) students study separated by plastic cells set up amid the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, on August 25, 2020 in the southern Israeli city of Sdreot. - Israel has over 92,000 COVID-19 cases to its nine million population, with fewer than 700 deaths. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel’s education system fails Zoom test

With an enormous number of poor Israeli students lacking computers and a state that seems unable to supply them, distance learning has no chance of success.