In 'warning shot,' US threatens sanctions on Iran’s trading partners Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said countries were given "defined timelines" to halt business with Iran or face US sanctions. Iran
Oil falls 1.8% as traders await 'toughest' sanctions on Iran Traders are awaiting details about new US measures sure to further disrupt Iranian oil flows. Iran
Analysis Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them Israeli officials remain skeptical of Turkish and Syrian denials over Ankara’s military ambitions in Syria, warning that a deeper Turkish foothold could threaten Israel’s security and strain its ties with Washington. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran threatens ‘devastating’ response as US ramps up sanctions Syrian Kurds announce integration with Damascus; US Treasury issues Hezbollah Iran-linked sanctions; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Zarif-Kerry joint prize raises eyebrows in Iran For Iran's foreign minister, winning an international prize may not be good news as hard-liners could use it as a pretext to attack him. United States
Is US reconsidering its support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen war? The recent missile attacks on US vessels off Yemen’s coast as well as the limited US response suggest that Washington may be disengaging from the war in Yemen and putting pressure on Saudi Arabia to follow suit. Saudi Arabia
Has JASTA pushed Saudi Arabia and Israel closer? Riyadh has become convinced more than ever that the closer it gets to Tel Aviv, which it believes has influence in US decision-making circles, the stronger and safer it will become in the face of JASTA. Saudi Arabia
Iran's Rouhani breaks his silence on US presidential race For the first time, Iran’s moderate president has spoken about the US presidential election — but even his criticism is dismissed by his hard-line opponents. United States
Did Putin give green light to Turkish attack on US-backed Syrian Kurds? Kurds again in crosshairs as Turkey weighs options in Mosul. Iraq
Trump, Clinton turn their attention to early voting Early voting is a key weapon in battleground states, particularly for Democrats. United States
US elections 2016: Is Trump really a threat to US democracy? Here's what happened on the campaign trail the week of Oct. 17. United States
Will tension at sea lead to endless war in Yemen? The Yemeni war reached the sea after being confined to the mainland for 19 months, with international and regional players heading to the most important maritime route in the world. Yemen
Russia's Mideast role hot topic in final Clinton-Trump debate The release of Democratic emails to WikiLeaks may have been less about helping a Republican candidate Russians see as unpredictable and more about fending off US interference in Russia's 2018 presidential election. Syria
Mosul adds to staggering world refugee crisis With the highest number of refugees and displaced people since World War II and continued brutal conflicts in Syria, Iraq and beyond forcing millions to flee, humanitarians lament a broken system running from crisis to crisis. Iraq
How Yemen’s war is now threatening international trade The recent attacks on vessels in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthis and the United States threaten international trade along this route. United Arab Emirates
The American billionaires influencing Israeli policy Israeli-born American billionaires like Haim Saban and Dr. Miriam Adelson influence Israeli politics and the fate of the country, without assuming the consequences. Israel