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Lebanon, Israel eye third round of talks, but no Netanyahu-Aoun meeting in sight

The US appears to be pushing for a meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but the Lebanese government says it won't happen while Israel continues to launch attacks on Lebanon.

Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP via Getty Images)

EU says energy costs tied to Hormuz crisis have surged past $35B

Global energy price increases tied to the Hormuz disruption are driving higher import costs in Europe, despite limited reliance on gas flowing through the strait.

Amirhossein KHORGOOEI / ISNA / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Israel fears Trump seeking Hormuz win while sidestepping Iran nuclear issue

While President Donald Trump keeps pressuring Iran on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Israel fears the American leader will decide to cut his losses and sideline the nuclear threat.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Latest News

Pentagon says Iran ceasefire continues despite UAE attack

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 24, 2026.

Macron casts doubt on Trump’s Hormuz operation as France-US gap grows

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 18: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R), French President Emmanuel Macron (L), and European leaders at the White House on August 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump hosted President Zelensky at the White House for a bilateral meeting and an expanded meeting with European leaders to discuss a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Joyce Karam

Editor-in-Chief

Rosaleen Carroll

News Reporter and Supporting Editor

In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East

Paul J. Saunders

In Washington, DC, reporting on Russia in the Middle East

U.S. President Donald Trump departs at the conclusion of a lengthy news conference on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, U.S., September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria - RC1C42C60770

Is Trump shifting toward Abbas?

According to statements by President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly, it seems that the solution he envisions is closer to the one Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas favors than to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s status quo.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif leaves the EU council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium May 15, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman - RC1AA84B0120

Zarif: US 'obsession' with Iran is backfiring everywhere

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed several topics from this week's UN General Assembly session.

People carry food aid delivered by the International Committee of the Red Cross to internally displaced people in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, July 21, 2018. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad - RC1233D23F30

UN warns of famine after Yemen talks sputter

In an interview with Al-Monitor, the top UN aid official in Yemen warned that 10 million more people are at risk of starving if fighting in the war-torn country doesn’t stop.

U.S. special envoy for Syria James Jeffrey (R) attends a meeting during the consultations on Syria, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland September 14, 2018. Xu Jinquan/Pool via REUTERS - RC1F7A552520

Intel: Here’s why the US fears a ‘larger conflict’ in Syria if UN talks fail

Head of PMU faction talks Iraqi politics, US relations

The head of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Qais al-Khazali, spoke to Al-Monitor about the Iraqi organization's history with the United States and current political positions.

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu arrives during the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, U.S., September 27, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - RC1D3310C070

What’s behind Netanyahu’s absence from UNESCO conference?

The announcement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting the invitation to a UNESCO conference sends a clear message: Israel will indeed quit the agency by the end of 2018.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 27, 2018. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs - RC19094D1360

Palestinians try to move peace process forward without Trump

Palestinians look to the United Nations to move peace process forward, bypassing the Donald Trump administration.

Members of Iraq's Shi'ite militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq, who are supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, take part in a parade in Karbala March 21, 2014.REUTERS/Mushtaq Muhammed (IRAQ - Tags: CIVIL UNREST MILITARY POLITICS CONFLICT) - GM1EA3M0DPL01

Intel: Congress wants to sanction Iran’s allies in Iraq. Here’s why the State Department thinks it’s a bad idea.

A road sign that shows the direction to Manbij city is seen in the northern Syrian town of al-Bab, Syria March 1, 2017. Picture taken March 1, 2017. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC15D78AB000

Manbij government denies Turkish patrol as Ankara pushes for access

The local council of Manbij has denied Ankara's claim that Turkish forces will enter the city and conduct joint patrols with US forces, saying Turkey is looking for an excuse to keep a presence there.

Egypt’s stock market faces fluctuations over manipulation case

A move to charge prominent investors, including sons of former President Hosni Mubarak, with stock market violations, has rattled the Egyptian Exchange, which was already on edge due to US trade policies and rising interest rates.

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 25, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - HP1EE9P152YZW

Why Trump’s UN speech should worry Netanyahu

For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump is the be-all and end-all of Israel’s security.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks at a news conference on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid - HP1EE9Q1E4JH6

Rouhani says US, not Iran isolated at UN

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani suggested it was the United States, not Iran that was isolated at the UN over President Donald Trump’s decision to leave the Iran nuclear deal.