United States - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

White House, Washington DC, United States of America

United States

February 4, 2026

Washington D.C. 8:25 pm

-1°C

A man exits the Washington Post office building in Washington, DC, on Feb. 4, 2026.

Washington Post cuts 30% of staff, guts foreign desk, Mideast team: What to know

Foreign correspondents from the Post have extensively covered wars in Gaza, Ukraine and other global conflict zones.

US President Donald Trump speaks to the press about a critical minerals stockpile with $12 billion in initial funding, as Washington seeks to lower reliance on China for rare earths and other resources, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 2, 2026.

Trump says Iran's Khamenei should be 'very worried'

The comments came as planned US-Iran talks appeared in jeopardy after Tehran demanded to move the location, narrow the agenda and exclude regional partners.

In this handout photo in an undisclosed location, US Airmen prepare to load GBU-31 munition systems onto F-15E Strike Eagles within the US Central Command area of responsibility, Dec. 18, in support of Operation Hawkeye Strike.

US launches 5 airstrikes in Syria on suspected ISIS sites: What to know

A series of five airstrikes over the past week in Syria comes as the US military increasingly relies on Damascus' forces to contain Islamic State remnants.

Latest News

Rubio says talks with Iran should address missiles, proxies

Rubio

Syria to develop first offshore oil, gas field with US’s Chevron, Qatar’s UCC

Platform Edith, the largest of Chevron's USA's offshore production platforms, is seen off the southern California coast, on Oct. 6, 2021.

Analysis

Despite US assurances, Israel fears being sidelined in partial Iran deal

Steve Witkoff Jared Kushner

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

US-Iran talks uncertain as Tehran pushes to sideline regional countries

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi gives a statement at the Ritz Hotel as he meets Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, on Jan. 30, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.

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

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

Bryant Harris

In Washington, reporting on Congress

US President-elect Donald Trump speaks to members of the media during a press conference at the Mar-a-Lago Club on Jan. 07, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump, Biden vie for credit as Gaza ceasefire awaits Israel’s approval

The president-elect’s nominees for top positions are talking tough as the ceasefire with Israel hangs in the balance.

Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) displays a map with the 2021 bases/facilities with reported U.S. access agreements during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan at the Rayburn House Office building on Capitol Hill on September 29, 2021 in Washington, DC. The committee held the hearing “to receive testimony on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan and plans for future counterterrorism operations.” (Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images)

After Gaza deal, Trump's top adviser says Saudi-Israel normalization 'huge priority'

Trump’s next national security adviser, Mike Waltz, emphasized on Wednesday that the incoming administration will place Saudi-Israel normalization atop its agenda now that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seems imminent.

US President Joe Biden (C) delivers remarks on the recently announced ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

How the Gaza ceasefire deal came together

At the last minute, negotiators in Doha managed to seal the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal that had eluded the Biden administration for more than 15 months.

Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, president of Sudan, delivers a national statement during the high level segment on day two of the UNFCCC COP29 Climate Conference at Baku Stadium on Nov. 12, 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

US unveils sanctions on Sudan's army chief Burhan

The move comes over a week after the Biden administration imposed sanctions on Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

US Army Gen. Erik Kurilla arrives to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on his nomination to the next commander of the US Central Command, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC, Feb. 8, 2022.

CENTCOM chief in Israel as Biden, Trump clinch Gaza ceasefire deal

Army Gen. Erik Kurilla's latest trip to Israel came in the final days of Biden's presidency, as White House officials sought to capitalize on the broad defeat of the IRGC's multinational bulwark of armed militias.

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for CIA director, John Ratcliffe, appears for a Senate Intelligence confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Trump's CIA pick warns of Iran nuclear advancements in confirmation hearing

In his confirmation hearing, John Ratcliffe spoke about Iran's development of nuclear weapons, evidence of Syria's Bashar al-Assad's use of chemical weapons and the FISA.

US President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, speaks during a Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 14, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Hegseth stresses support for Israel as Senate Dems grill Trump’s Pentagon pick

In a contentious hearing, the former Fox News host signaled a loosening of rules of engagement for troops abroad and stressed his "robust" support for Israel, yet offered few specifics on how he would tackle the Pentagon’s biggest challenges.

An Israeli soldier looks at a memorial wall for Israeli people and soldiers who were killed since the Oct. 7 deadly Hamas attack.

Here are main Netanyahu and Hamas compromises in proposed Gaza deal

Details are beginning to surface about a potential deal between Israel and Hamas for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC, on Jan. 14, 2025.

Blinken offers blueprint for post-war Gaza in final speech

The outgoing chief US diplomat laid out his vision for Gaza’s future as negotiators appeared on the brink of a cease-fire.

President Joe Biden speaks during an event at the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Jan. 10, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Biden defends foreign policy legacy as Gaza ceasefire deal 'on the brink'

President Joe Biden's final foreign policy speech came as negotiators rush to secure a Gaza ceasefire deal before he leaves office.

Newly elected Lebanese president Joseph Aoun delivers a speech at the parliament building in Beirut on Jan. 9, 2025.

Top US general in Mideast meets Lebanon's Aoun in bid to shore up ceasefire with Israel

CENTCOM commander Gen. Erik Kurilla's final diplomatic tour of the region under President Joe Biden came as the outgoing president defended his foreign policy legacy in a speech from Foggy Bottom.

People walk past a guard tower outside the fencing of Camp 5 at the US Military's Prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Jan, 26, 2017.

Analysis

After 23 years, 15 detainees left, will US close Guantanamo detention camp?

Only 15 detainees remain in Guantanamo. With so few inmates left, could the infamous prison close?

By Rosaleen Carroll

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