Middle East Crisis

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

Trump gestures with his arms out wide behind a sculpture that reads "PEACE 2025."
Trump gestures with his arms out wide behind a sculpture that reads "PEACE 2025."

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.

Palestinian youths celebrate the news of a cease-fire deal outside Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in the central Gaza Strip on Oct. 9.
Palestinian youths celebrate the news of a cease-fire deal outside Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in the central Gaza Strip on Oct. 9.

One Question Looming Over the Gaza Deal: Why Now?

An outline of the agreement had been on the table for months.

A man is seen sitting in rubble in Gaza with destroyed buildings in the background.
A man is seen sitting in rubble in Gaza with destroyed buildings in the background.

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

Trump holds up a finger as he speaks to the press, with microphones pointed at him.
Trump holds up a finger as he speaks to the press, with microphones pointed at him.

What We Can Learn From Trump’s Success in Gaza

In diplomacy, style now matters just as much as substance. This article has an audio recording

An Israeli flag hangs from a metal pole alongside loudspeakers on a beach, with dozens beachgoers playing and lounging on the edge of the sea in the background.
An Israeli flag hangs from a metal pole alongside loudspeakers on a beach, with dozens beachgoers playing and lounging on the edge of the sea in the background.

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.

Dozens of people crowd together, many with their arms raised in celebration. Closest to the camera are two boys about 8 to 12 years old, both holding up their fingers in the V-shaped peace symbols as they beam at the camera.
Dozens of people crowd together, many with their arms raised in celebration. Closest to the camera are two boys about 8 to 12 years old, both holding up their fingers in the V-shaped peace symbols as they beam at the camera.

Can Palestinians Trust Donald Trump?

Only U.S. pressure will ensure that Israel honors the Gaza cease-fire.

A road is clogged with a vast mass of people stretching to the horizon. On one side is the sea on the other is devastation from the war in Gaza.
A road is clogged with a vast mass of people stretching to the horizon. On one side is the sea on the other is devastation from the war in Gaza.

Two Years After Oct. 7, a Trail of What-Ifs

Decisions made early on set the path for a devastating war. This article has an audio recording

Iran-Israel Tensions

Men work inside an uranium conversion facility in Iran.
Men work inside an uranium conversion facility in Iran.

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.

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.

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 and Hezbollah

Fire and tear gas smoke rise among a crowd in Beirut.
Fire and tear gas smoke rise among a crowd in Beirut.

Hezbollah Is Weak Enough for Lebanon to Finally Disarm It

The government and army are taking back their own 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.

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.

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.

Regional Dynamics

President Donald J. Trump participates in an arrival ceremony at the Amiri Diwan, the official workplace of the emir, on May 14, 2025, in Doha, Qatar.
President Donald J. Trump participates in an arrival ceremony at the Amiri Diwan, the official workplace of the emir, on May 14, 2025, in Doha, Qatar.

America’s Accidental New Military Ally

The Trump administration has made an unprecedentedly sloppy security guarantee to Qatar.

Plume of smoke rise into a blue sky following an explosion from a row of low and midrise buildings, several with industrial smokestacks, several without. A road a the bottom of the image heads toward the town, with a car and a person on a motorbike heading in that direction.
Plume of smoke rise into a blue sky following an explosion from a row of low and midrise buildings, several with industrial smokestacks, several without. A road a the bottom of the image heads toward the town, with a car and a person on a motorbike heading in that direction.

Ankara’s New Syrian Headache

Toppling Assad didn’t solve Turkey’s problems—it made them worse.

A man in military garb, including face covering and helmet, stands with a gun and wears a string of jasmine in front of a crowd holding flags.
A man in military garb, including face covering and helmet, stands with a gun and wears a string of jasmine in front of a crowd holding flags.

How Israel’s Strikes on the Houthis Will Change Yemen

For years, the group has relied on the perception that it is untouchable.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa shake hands in Moscow on October 15.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa shake hands in Moscow on October 15.

Buying the Hatchet

How arms deals are helping Sharaa to make up with Moscow.

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 child is silhouetted as he walks across a pile of rubble while carrying a flag.
A child is silhouetted as he walks across a pile of rubble while carrying a flag.

Latest Stories

Hamas' political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh addresses supporters during a rally in solidarity with the Palestinians outside Qatar's Imam Muhammad Abdel-Wahhab Mosque in the capital Doha on May 15, 2021.
Hamas' political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh addresses supporters during a rally in solidarity with the Palestinians outside Qatar's Imam Muhammad Abdel-Wahhab Mosque in the capital Doha on May 15, 2021.

Hamas’s Political Leaders Aren’t in Charge

The group’s leadership in exile has taken a back seat to its officials in Gaza.

An ambulance going to the Gaza Strip with bodies of Palestinians who died in Egyptian hospitals is seen at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, in the northeastern Sinai province, on Nov. 27.
An ambulance going to the Gaza Strip with bodies of Palestinians who died in Egyptian hospitals is seen at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, in the northeastern Sinai province, on Nov. 27.

What’s Stopping Egypt From Stepping Up in Gaza?

Internal dynamics restrict Cairo’s options for involvement in a post-Hamas Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem.

How Netanyahu Plans to Hold on to Power

The Hamas attack demolished his political standing, but Bibi has a survival strategy.

Protesters stage a demonstration in support of a cease-fire in Gaza in the Cannon House Office Building  in Washington on Oct. 18.
Protesters stage a demonstration in support of a cease-fire in Gaza in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington on Oct. 18.

Israel’s Hostage Deal Means Truce, Not Cease-Fire

Pressure may increase at home and abroad, but Israel has no interest in stopping its war on Hamas.

Members of Hamas' armed wing hold a Palestinian flag atop an Israeli tank. A border fence stretches behind them in the distance.
Members of Hamas' armed wing hold a Palestinian flag atop an Israeli tank. A border fence stretches behind them in the distance.

What Was Hamas Thinking?

The Oct. 7 attack was the culmination of a strategic shift to challenge the movement’s containment.

Bin Laden and Zawahiri sit side by side on the floor. A gun rests on the floor between them.
Bin Laden and Zawahiri sit side by side on the floor. A gun rests on the floor between them.

Why Al Qaeda’s Letter Went Viral on TikTok

Some Gen Z users did sympathize with cherry-picked parts of the letter, but the media also amplified what had been a minor blip.

Demonstrators wave Palestinian and Hezbollah flags during a protest in support of Palestinians on Oct. 20.
Demonstrators wave Palestinian and Hezbollah flags during a protest in support of Palestinians on Oct. 20.

The Future of Hamas Passes Through Tehran

Clarity about Gaza’s postwar rule requires addressing the role of Iran.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh leaves the Russian Foreign Ministry building in Moscow.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh leaves the Russian Foreign Ministry building in Moscow.

Russia Is the Loser in the Israel-Hamas War

Moscow’s decade as the arbiter of the Middle East is coming to an end.

People stand outside the emergency ward of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Nov. 10.
People stand outside the emergency ward of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Nov. 10.

Where Is the West’s Moral Courage on Israel?

Eliminating Hamas doesn’t justify the destruction Israel is inflicting on Gaza.

French President Emmanuel Macron answers journalists' questions on the tarmac of Cairo's airport following his crisis diplomacy visits to Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Jordan.
French President Emmanuel Macron answers journalists' questions on the tarmac of Cairo's airport following his crisis diplomacy visits to Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Jordan.

Macron Breaks Ranks With the West on Israel-Hamas War

Amid deepening internal rifts, France is trying again to punch above its weight on the world stage.

Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority, speaks to the media with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not pictured) following talks at the Chancellery on August 16, 2022 in Berlin, Germany.
Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority, speaks to the media with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not pictured) following talks at the Chancellery on August 16, 2022 in Berlin, Germany.

Mahmoud Abbas’s Last Chance Has Finally Arrived

The Palestinian Authority president may be postwar Gaza's only option—if he’s not too unpopular for the job.

Biden dressed in a dark blue suit walks with his head down past a row of alternating U.S. and Israeli flags.
Biden dressed in a dark blue suit walks with his head down past a row of alternating U.S. and Israeli flags.

Biden Owns the Israel-Palestine Conflict Now

In tying Washington to Israel’s war in Gaza, the U.S. president now shares responsibility for the broader conflict’s fate.

A young woman wearing a headscarf screams and presses her hands to her face as she and others flee through the rubble during Israeli airstrikes on al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
A young woman wearing a headscarf screams and presses her hands to her face as she and others flee through the rubble during Israeli airstrikes on al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

The Middle East Has Locked Itself in a Slaughterhouse

The region is suffering from a precipitously brutal coarsening of its politics.

Blinken and Abbas stand side by side and shake hands.
Blinken and Abbas stand side by side and shake hands.

This War Won’t Solve the Israel-Palestine Conflict

After all the death and destruction, the situation will be no closer to a resolution than it was before Oct. 7.

Members of Iran’s Basij force hold the flags of Iran, Lebanon, and proxy forces including Hezbollah during a rally commemorating Quds Day.
Members of Iran’s Basij force hold the flags of Iran, Lebanon, and proxy forces including Hezbollah during a rally commemorating Quds Day.

Iran’s Proxies in Syria Move Toward Escalation With Israel

As Israel advances in Gaza, the intensity of the response by Tehran’s so-called axis of resistance will increase.

A group of protesters stand on a street at nighttime, many of them holding signs and chanting. In the foreground, a woman with brown hair dyed with purple streaks sobs as another demonstrator hugs her. The crying woman holds a hand-painted sign that says "Israelis for ceasefire now."
A group of protesters stand on a street at nighttime, many of them holding signs and chanting. In the foreground, a woman with brown hair dyed with purple streaks sobs as another demonstrator hugs her. The crying woman holds a hand-painted sign that says "Israelis for ceasefire now."

Israelis Struggle to Imagine a Possible Peace

A wounded activist movement tries to come to terms with war.

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