Middle East

The crisis in Syria's Sweida and its threat on Israel's northern border - analysis

The real question is not only whether Israel will help the Druze, but how it will do so without making them even more isolated in their homeland.

 Bedouin fighters ride motocycles, following renewed fighting between Bedouin fighters and Druze gunmen, despite an announced truce, in Sweida, Syria July 18, 2025.
Defense Minister Israel Katz on a tour in the Gaza Strip, August 5, 2025.

Israel Katz says Lebanon's Aoun responsible for Hezbollah violations after IDF strike

Bedouin families ride in a vehicle with belongings as they leave the village of Al-Mazraa, in Sweida, Syria, July 21, 2025

Foreign Islamist fighters petition Syria's Sharaa for citizenship

 Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa looks on as he attends the “Aleppo, Key to Victory” celebration marking Syria’s liberation, in Aleppo, Syria May 27, 2025.

Sharaa's Islamist army fuels Syria's descent into sectarian slaughter


Hezbollah chief warns Lebanon: 'No life' if government confronts terror group

This comes after President Joseph Aoun told a senior Iranian official on Tuesday that no group in Lebanon is permitted to bear arms or rely on foreign backing.

Hezbollah's then-deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem seen in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, August 2, 2024

Netanyahu's biggest gamble: A final push into Gaza to repair Israel's broken image

NATIONAL AFFAIRS: For Netanyahu, the calculation is now straightforward: win the war quickly, and the rest will sort itself out.

Here, the prime minister addresses the media on Sunday.

War crimes likely committed by both sides in Syria sectarian violence, UN commission says

Some 1,400 people, mainly civilians, were reported killed during the violence that primarily targeted Alawite communities, and reports of violations continue.

Syrian security forces stand alongside a vehicle in western Syria on March 21, 2025. A Reuters investigation found that thousands of forces carried out a wave of deadly attacks on Alawite villages in the region, leaving nearly 1,500 dead from March 7-9, 2025.

Egypt mediates talks between Iran, IAEA in bid for 'regional stability'

The Egyptian Foreign Minister and Grossi discussed developments in the Iranian nuclear issue during their separate Tuesday call.

 Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, in Cairo, Egypt, June 2, 2025.

From Gaza to Congo: How demographics drive conflict and suffering - opinion

Gaza isn’t the only place showing intensely grim images, even if they’re less visible on our nightly news.

Palestinians wait to receive food from a charity kitchen in Gaza City earlier this month. This photo may have been staged.

When diplomacy falters, religious dialogue can still hold the line - opinion

Now in its third decade, the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions hosted by Kazakhstan is a rare forum for dialogue across religious, ethnic, and geopolitical divides.

Eldridge Street Synagogue, New York

S. African, Islamic Republic of Iran officials meet to deepen military ties, pro-IRGC sources say

The officials, in particular, were Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi and South African National Defense Force Chief General Rudzani Maphwanya.

 Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami replaced Abdolrahim Mousavi who was recently appointed the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces after Israel killed the former chief of staff.

Lebanon moves toward disarming Hezbollah as Aoun rejects Iranian intervention

During a meeting in Beirut with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's top security body, Aoun warned against foreign interference in Lebanon's internal affairs.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani meets with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, in this handout image released on August 13, 2025.

IDF chief Zamir authorizes expanded Gaza City takeover plan

Zamir's approval comes amid rising tensions between the IDF top brass and Netanyahu's government, after the IDF chief expressed concern over the planned operation.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir visits Ground Forces headquarters, July 23 2025

Iran could face European sanctions if nuclear talks not resumed - report

The three countries wrote in a letter to the UN and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday to raise the issue unless the Islamic Republic shows willingness to resume talks.

People attend a protest against the US attack on nuclear sites, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tehran, Iran, June 22, 2025.

Israel in talks with South Sudan about Gazan resettlement plans - report

The deal between South Sudan and Israel could help the two countries build closer ties, the report added.

Palestinians wait to receive food from a charity kitchen in Gaza City earlier this month. This photo may have been staged.