Middle East Crisis
News, analysis, and background on the Israel-Hamas war and regional conflict between Israel and Iran and its proxies.
As the War in Gaza Winds Down, the West Bank Is a Flash Point
If Trump wants peace, he must block Israel’s annexationist policies.
Trump’s Foreign Policy Is Not as Successful as You Think
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the Gaza deal proves Trump’s diplomatic chops.
One Question Looming Over the Gaza Deal: Why Now?
An outline of the agreement had been on the table for months.
Doctor in Gaza Says Cease-Fire Brings Hope but Challenges Remain
An MSF doctor talks about the dire needs in Gaza as the cease-fire begins.
Israel-Hamas War
What We Can Learn From Trump’s Success in Gaza
In diplomacy, style now matters just as much as substance.
Two Ways Oct. 7 Changed Israel and One Way It Didn’t
The impact will be felt for years, even if Trump’s peace plan succeeds.
Can Palestinians Trust Donald Trump?
Only U.S. pressure will ensure that Israel honors the Gaza cease-fire.
Two Years After Oct. 7, a Trail of What-Ifs
Decisions made early on set the path for a devastating war.
Iran-Israel Tensions
There’s More Than One Way to Build a Bomb
Iran doesn’t need to rebuild its damaged facilities to sprint for a nuclear weapon.
Iran’s Collapse Could Cause a Nuclear Security Nightmare
Washington would struggle to secure dangerous materials, technologies, and expertise.
Iran Is Islamism’s Last Lifeline in the Middle East
Without support from a weakened Tehran, the region’s extremist movements would wither.
The Next Israel-Iran War Is Coming
Both countries’ strategic calculus suggests it will be even more violent.
Israel and Hezbollah
Hezbollah Is Weak Enough for Lebanon to Finally Disarm It
The government and army are taking back their own country.
Lebanon’s Demining Mission Faces Aid Uncertainty
Cuts to foreign assistance and a fragile cease-fire have made the urgent work more dangerous.
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.
Hezbollah Is Trying to Spin Loss as Victory
Assad’s fall and Israel’s offensive give Lebanese a chance to reclaim their country.
Regional Dynamics
America’s Accidental New Military Ally
The Trump administration has made an unprecedentedly sloppy security guarantee to Qatar.
Ankara’s New Syrian Headache
Toppling Assad didn’t solve Turkey’s problems—it made them worse.
How Israel’s Strikes on the Houthis Will Change Yemen
For years, the group has relied on the perception that it is untouchable.
Buying the Hatchet
How arms deals are helping Sharaa to make up with Moscow.
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Why the Oslo Peace Process Failed
And what it means for future negotiators.
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?
How Will This War End? How Can the Next One be Prevented?
FP asks experts two questions about the fighting between Israelis and Palestinians.
How Washington’s Israel-Palestine Peace Process Theology Failed Again and Again
Trump’s plan is just the latest example.
Latest Stories
China Tries to Play Power Broker Among Palestinians
But experts say the Hamas-Fatah unity agreement Beijing brokered is unlikely to succeed.
Netanyahu’s Address to Congress Is a Campaign Rally
Republicans want to help him out—but Democratic lawmakers don’t need to provide the crowd.
Who’s in Charge of the IDF?
Evidence is growing of a command and control problem.
Ehud Olmert on Israel’s Two-Front War and the Fall of Netanyahu
The former Israeli prime minister calls for a cease-fire in Gaza and the creation of a Palestinian state.
The Man Leading Israel’s Not-So-Quiet Annexation of the West Bank
Bezalel Smotrich aims to bankrupt the Palestinian Authority and cement Israeli rule.
What a War Between Israel and Hezbollah Might Look Like
The Lebanese armed group is trained and equipped much better than Hamas.
Why Biden’s Gaza Gambit Is Likely to Fail
The U.S. president wants a truce more than Israel and Hamas do.
Inside Israel, the Gaza War Looks Very Different
Mired in the trauma of Oct. 7, many see the war as one of existential necessity.
Biden Outlines Israeli Proposal For Gaza Cease-Fire Deal
Hamas is “no longer capable” of carrying out another major attack against Israel, the U.S. president said.
Why the U.S. Should Recognize Palestinian Statehood
Sovereignty would serve America’s interests—and Israel’s.
Is the War in Gaza Turning Israel Into a Pariah State?
Possible ICC warrants are the latest indicators.
ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Hamas Leaders
The announcement ramps up pressure on Israel and puts the United States in a new bind.
Rift or Rupture?
What the war in Gaza is doing to U.S.-Israeli relations.
After Al Jazeera, Will Israel Target Its Own Media?
Rights groups worry the closing of the Qatari network is just the beginning.
A Middle East Security Pact Won’t Free Palestine
The Biden administration needs to recognize that the problems lie with Israeli politics.
Biden Draws a Red(Ish) Line on Israel
The U.S. president pauses some military aid as tensions with Israel mount.