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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)

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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

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

Shiite Muslims Hezbollah militants stand to attention as hundreds of people gather in a huge hall waiting to watch a televised speech by Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Shiite Muslim Lebanese Hezbollah militant group on February 22, 2008, in Beirut's southern suburb, ten days after the assassination of Hezbollah commander Imad Mughnieh in a bomb attack in Damascus. Nasrallah's televised speech marked the killing of Mughnieh and the 1992 assassination of its former leader Abbas Mussawi in an Israeli heli

Gantz calls Hezbollah chief Nasrallah 'Lebanon’s biggest problem'

On the backdrop of the explosion in Beirut, Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned that Hezbollah has the habit of stocking ammunition in homes of civilians.

Israel shoots down drone near Lebanon border

The drone incident comes as the Israeli military braces for retaliation from Lebanese militant group Hezbollah along its northern border.

TOPSHOT - Masked Palestinians prepare to attach balloons to a gas canister before releasing it with an incendiary device near Gaza's Bureij refugee camp, along the Israel-Gaza border fence, on February 10, 2020. (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP) (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images)

Incendiary balloons may spell end of quiet on Israel-Hamas border

The rocket fired from Gaza at the beginning of the week and the incendiary balloons yesterday, might signal that the six months of quiet on the Israel-Hamas border are now over.

Israel's Liberman appoints himself project manager for Netanyahu’s removal

Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman is determined to bring about the toppling of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in any elections to come.

<<enter caption here>> on February 16, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Only Trump can revive Netanyahu’s annexation plan

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu produces excuses and scapegoats, the only way for his annexation plan to stay alive is if President Donald Trump decides it can help him get reelected.

A picture taken on July 19, 2016 shows the tail of an El Al Israel Airlines' Boeing 777-258 on the tarmac at the Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. / AFP / JACK GUEZ (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel prepares to resume air travel in mid-August

Israel’s coronavirus cabinet has decided to reopen Israeli skies on Aug. 16.

Israel struggles to reach out to Lebanon after blast

Not all Israelis were pleased with Tel Aviv's gesture of solidarity with Lebanon, with quite a few saying that lighting the city hall up like the Lebanese flag went too far.

Tel Aviv outlines plan to face climate crisis

The Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality has unveiled an ambitious plan to meet the challenges of climate change, a first for Israeli cities.

An Israeli police officer, dressed in protective outfit, speaks to a Yeshiva (Jewish educational institution for studies of traditional religious texts)student, in the Israeli city of Bnei Brak on April 2, 2020, during a control to insure that social distancing measures imposed by Israeli authorities meant to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus are being respected. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Despite COVID-19, Israel allows foreign yeshiva students to enter country

After a weekslong battle, foreign yeshiva students will be allowed to enter Israel with lenient quarantine requirements.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - JANUARY 29: Benny Gantz a former head of the IDF and head of Israel resilience party speaks to supporters in a campaign event on January 29, 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israelis will vote in a parlimentery elections on April 9 to serve in the 121 -Keneset, (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Has Israel's Gantz lost will to fight?

With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisting on a one-year budget, Defense Minister Benny Gantz is left with two unappealing choices and perhaps the end of his political career.

Fire at Iranian industrial site adds to wave of mysterious explosions

The fire near Tehran, which caused no casualties, is under investigation.

Benny Gantz (C), A former IDF Chief and the head of Israeli Resilience party speaks to supporters during an election campaign event in Tel Aviv. Israelis will vote in a parliamentary election on April 9, choosing among party lists of candidates to serve in the 121-seat Knesset

How Yair Netanyahu's mockery of protesters fits in Bibi's plan

While his son ridicules the mass demonstrations on Twitter, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is exploiting the protests against him to unify his own camp.