Middle East Crisis

News, analysis, and background on the Israel-Hamas war and regional conflict between Israel and Iran and its proxies.

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a dinner in the White House in Washington, DC on July 7.
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a dinner in the White House in Washington, DC on July 7.

Only Trump Can Save Israel from Its Own Government

Netanyahu’s plan to seize Gaza is a catastrophe for all. This article has an audio recording

Samuel Zbogar, the head of the Slovenian mission to the United Nations Security Council, speaks to the press alongside other U.N. representatives ahead of a Security Council emergency meeting on Gaza at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Aug. 10.
Samuel Zbogar, the head of the Slovenian mission to the United Nations Security Council, speaks to the press alongside other U.N. representatives ahead of a Security Council emergency meeting on Gaza at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Aug. 10.

What Was the Tipping Point on Gaza?

After almost two years of war, Israel is feeling the growing weight of governmental opprobrium.

Smoke rises over several buildings.
Smoke rises over several buildings.

The Next Israel-Iran War Is Coming

Both countries’ strategic calculus suggests it will be even more violent.

Israel-Hamas War

Palestinians children push to receive a hot meal at a charity kitchen in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on July 22.
Palestinians children push to receive a hot meal at a charity kitchen in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on July 22.

Could Images of the Famine in Gaza Change Israeli Public Opinion?

A newscast showing starving children prompted sympathy—and criticism.

A heavily damaged building can be seen with a Syria flag nearby.
A heavily damaged building can be seen with a Syria flag nearby.
Biden walks between massive white columns outside of the White House. He wears a dark suit and a blue tie, and his head is tilted down toward the ground.
Biden walks between massive white columns outside of the White House. He wears a dark suit and a blue tie, and his head is tilted down toward the ground.
Four people stand while holding a banner that reads Gaza: Action Not Words. On the banner the names of thousands of children who have died as a result of the war.
Four people stand while holding a banner that reads Gaza: Action Not Words. On the banner the names of thousands of children who have died as a result of the war.

Why Recognizing Palestine Is Meaningless or Even Harmful

Recent announcements by France, Britain, and Canada are mostly performative.

Iran-Israel Tensions

A U.S. B-2 "Spirit" stealth bomber flies over Pasadena, California, on Jan. 1.
A U.S. B-2 "Spirit" stealth bomber flies over Pasadena, California, on Jan. 1.
Participants place radiation signs during a simulated nuclear emergency drill in Tehran on November 5, 2015.
Participants place radiation signs during a simulated nuclear emergency drill in Tehran on November 5, 2015.

Iran’s Collapse Could Cause a Nuclear Security Nightmare

Washington would struggle to secure dangerous materials, technologies, and expertise.

The late Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, speaks during a memorial service beneath portraits of slain Hezbollah leader Hasssan Nasrallah, Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, and Nasrallah's successor, Hashem Safieddine, at the Grand Mosque in Tehran on Feb. 23.
The late Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, speaks during a memorial service beneath portraits of slain Hezbollah leader Hasssan Nasrallah, Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, and Nasrallah's successor, Hashem Safieddine, at the Grand Mosque in Tehran on Feb. 23.

Iran Is Islamism’s Last Lifeline in the Middle East

Without support from a weakened Tehran, the region’s extremist movements would wither.

A man rides a horse next to the remains of an Iranian missile near the Israeli settlement of Tekoa in the occupied West Bank, on June 29.
A man rides a horse next to the remains of an Iranian missile near the Israeli settlement of Tekoa in the occupied West Bank, on June 29.

Iran and the Logic of Limited Wars

No one wants a long war, and doing nothing was no longer an option.

Israel and Hezbollah

Mourners surround the flag-draped coffins of Hezbollah fighters who were killed in the recent war with Israel, during a funeral procession in the southern Lebanese village of Majdal Selm on Dec. 6.
Mourners surround the flag-draped coffins of Hezbollah fighters who were killed in the recent war with Israel, during a funeral procession in the southern Lebanese village of Majdal Selm on Dec. 6.

Hezbollah Is Trying to Spin Loss as Victory

Assad’s fall and Israel’s offensive give Lebanese a chance to reclaim their country.

A man in a vest holds a cable attached to a spool on the ground. Behind him are shrubs and a blue sky.
A man in a vest holds a cable attached to a spool on the ground. Behind him are shrubs and a blue sky.

Lebanon’s Demining Mission Faces Aid Uncertainty

Cuts to foreign assistance and a fragile cease-fire have made the urgent work more dangerous.

A Lebanese Army soldier stands guard in the southern Lebanese town of Naqura after Israel's withdrawal from the area, on Jan. 7.
A Lebanese Army soldier stands guard in the southern Lebanese town of Naqura after Israel's withdrawal from the area, on Jan. 7.

Surprisingly, the Lebanon-Israel Cease-Fire Is Holding

Notwithstanding continued exchanges, the agreement is functioning and appears durable.

Lebanese celebrate the nomination of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut, on Jan. 13.
Lebanese celebrate the nomination of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut, on Jan. 13.

Lebanon’s Success Depends on Sidelining Hezbollah

The new government in Beirut is the country’s best chance for reform in years—but support from Washington and Riyadh will be crucial.

Global Reactions

Flags of the United Arab Emirates and Israel are displayed.
Flags of the United Arab Emirates and Israel are displayed.

Can a ‘New’ Middle East Survive the ‘Old’?

To achieve regional progress, Arab leaders need to rethink the importance of resolving the Palestine question once and for all.

Houthi troops holding weapons stand in front of buildings during an anti-Israel, anti-U.S. rally in Sanaa, Yemen, on Jan. 19.
Houthi troops holding weapons stand in front of buildings during an anti-Israel, anti-U.S. rally in Sanaa, Yemen, on Jan. 19.

The Middle East’s Next Aftershocks

The Trump administration will find it hard to disengage from a region still being reshaped by the effects of Oct. 7.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump participate in a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump participate in a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Former Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian shakes hands with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, in Tehran.
Former Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian shakes hands with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, in Tehran.

Can the Gulf’s Iran Policy Survive the War?

Israel and the Gulf have rival visions for Iran’s role in the region. Now Washington has to pick one.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Pres. Bill Clinton (C) w. (L-R) Mideast peaceniks King Hussein, PM Rabin, PLO chmn. Arafat & Pres. Mubarak in WH Rose Garden for Israeli-Palestinian accord signing.    (Photo by Dirck Halstead/Getty Images)
Pres. Bill Clinton (C) w. (L-R) Mideast peaceniks King Hussein, PM Rabin, PLO chmn. Arafat & Pres. Mubarak in WH Rose Garden for Israeli-Palestinian accord signing. (Photo by Dirck Halstead/Getty Images)

Why the Oslo Peace Process Failed

And what it means for future negotiators.

Hussein al-Sheikh attends the funeral of former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
Hussein al-Sheikh attends the funeral of former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Leader Who Survived the Death of Palestine

What would it mean for Hussein al-Sheikh to lead a people whose dream of independence is no longer alive? This article has an audio recording

A Palestinian is seen from behind as they look outside through a large broken window. Some shards of fractured glass remain in the frame, but the rest of the opening reveals dark smoke billowing from a dense street of buildings in Gaza City. The sky is otherwise light but hazy.
A Palestinian is seen from behind as they look outside through a large broken window. Some shards of fractured glass remain in the frame, but the rest of the opening reveals dark smoke billowing from a dense street of buildings in Gaza City. The sky is otherwise light but hazy.
A Palestinian man carries his child to cross a roadblock in the West Bank city of Hebron in 2003. Rubble fills the land he walks across and barbed wire coils in front of him. A woman with a head covering follows behind them.
A Palestinian man carries his child to cross a roadblock in the West Bank city of Hebron in 2003. Rubble fills the land he walks across and barbed wire coils in front of him. A woman with a head covering follows behind them.

All the Palestinians Got From Oslo Was KFC

Thirty years of the peace process has left us with less land and fewer rights.

Latest Stories

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference at the Prime minister’s office in Jerusalem on Aug. 10.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference at the Prime minister’s office in Jerusalem on Aug. 10.

Netanyahu Is Getting What He Wants

International condemnation is not a problem as long as the Israeli government’s long-term objectives are advanced.

Children and adults with desperate facial expressions hold out bowls for food.
Children and adults with desperate facial expressions hold out bowls for food.

The Dangers of Weaponizing Antisemitism

As Gaza faces more death and starvation, criticism of Israel is needed more than ever.

An Israeli vehicle drives through Syria's Quneitra province.
An Israeli vehicle drives through Syria's Quneitra province.

Israel and Syria Should Prioritize Security Cooperation

Pushing too hard for a peace deal could come at the expense of more pragmatic action against shared threats.

Israeli army vehicles inside the Gaza Strip on July 6.
Israeli army vehicles inside the Gaza Strip on July 6.

Israel Is Sowing Chaos to Secure Displacement in Gaza

By making Gaza unlivable, Netanyahu has laid the groundwork for ethnic cleansing.

Children are cramped together as they hold out bowls for food with anguished expressions.
Children are cramped together as they hold out bowls for food with anguished expressions.

The News Cycle Is No Excuse for Ignoring Gaza

Don’t let the attention economy distract you from recognizing the catastrophe in Gaza.

French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac and Iraqi Vice President Saddam Hussein look up during a visit to the Cadarache nuclear research center in Saint-Paul-lès-Durance, France, on Sept. 6, 1975.
French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac and Iraqi Vice President Saddam Hussein look up during a visit to the Cadarache nuclear research center in Saint-Paul-lès-Durance, France, on Sept. 6, 1975.

The Lessons of Osirak for Israel and Iran

The 1981 strike on an Iraqi reactor jolted Baghdad’s nuclear program into high gear.

US President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House in Washington, DC, on April 7.
US President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House in Washington, DC, on April 7.

Less Gloating and More Diplomacy Are Needed to Heal the Middle East

In D.C. visit, Netanyahu is expected to toast Trump for U.S. attack on Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a speech during the CyberTech conference in Tel Aviv on Jan. 29, 2019.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a speech during the CyberTech conference in Tel Aviv on Jan. 29, 2019.

For Netanyahu, Another Term as Israel’s Leader?

He’s hoping the Iran war will erase the stain of Oct. 7.

Iranian missiles aimed at targets in Israel passing over the West Bank on June 18.
Iranian missiles aimed at targets in Israel passing over the West Bank on June 18.

Don’t Let a Fake Victory Forestall Real Peace

Trump’s misplaced faith in the efficacy of the Iran attacks will bring more war.

Parts of the Shahran fuel depot on the outskirts of Tehran are ablaze after an Israeli attack on June 15.
Parts of the Shahran fuel depot on the outskirts of Tehran are ablaze after an Israeli attack on June 15.

Did Trump Just Lift Sanctions on Iranian Oil?

Ignoring Tehran’s oil shipments has been informal policy for years. What if Washington made it official?

Putin and Khamenei sit beside each other in upholstered armchairs, a coffee table between them. Putin gestures with both hands as he speaks, while Khamenei smiles slightly at him.
Putin and Khamenei sit beside each other in upholstered armchairs, a coffee table between them. Putin gestures with both hands as he speaks, while Khamenei smiles slightly at him.

Why Russia Is Sitting Out This Round of the Israel-Iran Conflict

As Putin’s dependence on Iran decreases, he seeks to maintain ties with Tehran’s regional rivals.

Demonstrators wave Iranian flags and a poster of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, during a protest against Israeli attacks on Iran in Tehran on June 20.
Demonstrators wave Iranian flags and a poster of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, during a protest against Israeli attacks on Iran in Tehran on June 20.

How the U.S. Locked Itself Into a Regime Change War

Trump’s insistence on zero enrichment was a poison pill in talks with Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on June 24.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on June 24.

Trump Enraged as Iran-Israel Cease-Fire Wobbles

Israel accused Iran of violating the truce hours after agreeing to it.

Hegseth points to a reporter during a press conference.
Hegseth points to a reporter during a press conference.

Trump’s Iran Strikes Intensify War Powers Debate

The Trump administration did not give Congress advance warning of the attack, prompting outcry from Democrats and some Republicans.

Lines of cars are seen on a roadway at night as dots of light show traces of missile attacks in the sky above.
Lines of cars are seen on a roadway at night as dots of light show traces of missile attacks in the sky above.

Iran Launches Reprisal Attack on U.S. Base in Qatar

Tehran fired at least six missiles toward Qatar, which is home to the United States’ Al Udeid Air Base.

Crowds of people gather for an anti-nuclear demonstration in New York's Central Park on June 12, 1982.
Crowds of people gather for an anti-nuclear demonstration in New York's Central Park on June 12, 1982.

How to Fix the Cracks in the Nuclear Dam

The crisis in the Middle East shows why the world must repair Trump’s damage to the nonproliferation landscape.

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