After meeting Netanyahu, Kushner agrees Hamas disarmament precedes Israel's withdrawal Israel and the Gaza Board of Peace have agreed that the Israeli military will begin withdrawing from the Gaza Strip after Hamas disarms. Israel
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump threatens to bomb Oman Kushner meets Netanyahu on Gaza plan; Pope calls for end to West Bank violence; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Israel defies Trump on Lebanon as Netanyahu, Katz prioritize elections Both Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump face fateful elections this fall, but one needs progress in Lebanon while the other wants more of the same. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Security A new Middle East security order? The timing of the new Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey defense agreement suggests the US' traditional allies in the region are charting their own strategic path after the Iran war. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Analysis Netanyahu rejects Trump’s Gaza plan while quietly implementing it By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis As pro-Palestinian candidates gain ground, will AIPAC's influence wane? By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Lawmaker-turned-Saudi lobbyist raises eyebrows with campaign donations Former Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., donated $1,000 to a key lawmaker the same day he lobbied his office on behalf of the Saudis — a common practice in Washington. Congress
Trump administration finds its Iran policy not working The Trump administration conducted an internal assessment of its Iran “maximum pressure” policy this month and determined that it so far has been ineffective, according to a new report. United States
Pro-Palestinian lawmaker shakes up Israel status quo with seat on foreign affairs panel A lawmaker supportive of boycotting Israel has joined the House Foreign Affairs Committee, complicating congressional efforts to pass anti-boycott legislation. Palestine
Intel: How Trump used his missile defense rollout to take shots at Iran President Trump chastised Iran for attempting to launch a satellite earlier this week and pledged the United States would take a harder line on Iran. Legacy: Gulf
Can Iranian sovereign crypto-rial loosen sanctions straitjacket? The United States is gearing up to sanction Iran’s sovereign cryptocurrency in anticipation of its introduction. Russia
Pentagon warns Middle East turning to China for drone needs The Pentagon’s in-house intelligence agency says that China is cornering the market on armed drone sales to the Middle East as the United States is stifled by export rules. Legacy: Gulf
Turkey, US discuss Syria buffer zone as Manbij attack kills American troops Russia's foreign minister calls for Syrian control of areas after US withdrawal; IS suicide bomber kills 16 in Manbij; more worries expressed about election fairness in Turkey. Syria
Iranian TV says American-born anchor detained in US An American-born Iranian TV anchor working for Iran's state broadcaster says she has faced mistreatment after being detained upon arrival in the United States. United States
Draft law to pull foreign troops out of Iraq inching toward parliament Shiite parliamentary blocs under the Fatah and Sairoon alliances are working on a draft law to expel US troops from the country and say they will use force if necessary. Iraq
Erdogan displays political prowess in deflecting Trump threat In response to Trump's tweet threatening to destroy Turkey economically if it attacked the Kurds, Erdogan focused on the other half of the tweet: a buffer zone along the Syrian border. Syria
Iranian FM ‘maneuvers’ in Iraq as rivalry with US heats up Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has embarked on an extensive visit to neighboring Iraq at a time when US-Iran competition in the country is reaching levels not seen before. Iraq