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April 3, 2026

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US strike on Iran suspension bridge hints at looming shift in war strategy

President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to widen the US military’s aperture to bomb civilian infrastructure if leaders in Tehran continue to refuse his demands for capitulation by April 6.

An undated image of Shelly Kittleson.

American journalist Shelly Kittleson abducted in Iraq

The State Department said a suspect taken into custody by Iraqi authorities had ties to Kataib Hezbollah.

People inspect destruction at a business building that housed the offices of the Doha-headquartered news network Al Araby TV following a missile strike earlier in the day, Tehran, Iran, March 29, 2026.

Analysis

Israel urges US escalation against Iran, possible ground invasion

Israel has made clear it will not deploy ground forces to Iran, but would strongly support US military action if the Trump administration chooses to proceed.

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

Latest News

Hegseth slams allies for reluctance to join Iran war, says coming days 'decisive'

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2026.

Trump renews threat to Iran's energy, oil sites despite 'great progress' in talks

US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One prior to departure from Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, March 29, 2026. US President Donald Trump is returning to the White House after spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago residence. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)

Dermer’s return puts Netanyahu’s 'brain' at center of US-Israel calculus

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) is joined by Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and other officials for a meeting with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (not pictured) at the Pentagon, July 9, 2025.

Settler violence spike exposes Israeli government rift with military

Israeli settler violence graffiti

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

Paul J. Saunders

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

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.

Rubio

Rubio says talks with Iran should address missiles, proxies

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Al-Monitor the venue and format of the upcoming talks are “still being worked through.”

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

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

In 2013, Russian firm Soyuzneftegaz signed a deal to explore for oil and gas in Syrian waters, but the project was dropped two years later due to the civil war.

Steve Witkoff Jared Kushner

Analysis

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

Israel is rattled by Oman as the new venue for the talks and fears that President Donald Trump could go for a partial nuclear deal or for an interim agreement that would buy the Iranians more time.

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

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.

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

Iran is also pushing to move the negotiations to Oman and to exclude its missile program from the talks.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki speaks during a press conference on May 11, 2011, at the green zone area in Baghdad, Iraq.

Iraq’s Maliki rejects Trump criticism, vows to stay in PM race

Maliki refused to withdraw from the race, despite mounting pressure from the US, and expressed a desire for good relations with Iraq’s neighbors and Washington.

US Department of State's senior advisor to the president for Arab and African Affairs Massad Fares Boulos attends the Sudan Humanitarian Fund event at the Institute of Peace in Washington, on Feb. 3, 2026.

US says Sudan warring parties back withdrawal plan as donors pledge $700M in aid

State Department senior adviser Massad Boulos announced Tuesday that a "comprehensive peace plan" has been approved by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, though it still needs to be approved by Sudan's warring parties.

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff arrives for a press conference with the US president and Israel's prime minister in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 4, 2025.

Witkoff meets Netanyahu as Israel warns against potential Iran deal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s security chiefs briefed US envoy Steve Witkoff on the country’s concerns ahead of Friday’s US-Iran talks.

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Iran seeks nuclear-only US talks, to drop Turkey as host: Source

Iran’s push for a bilateral, nuclear-only format and a possible shift to Oman has frustrated mediators.