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

Trump and Netanyahu stand shoulder to shoulder as they pose for media. Netanyahu smiles slightly; Trump has a serious expression and gestures with one hand. The hood of a vehicle with a small American flag displayed on it is visible in the foreground
Trump and Netanyahu stand shoulder to shoulder as they pose for media. Netanyahu smiles slightly; Trump has a serious expression and gestures with one hand. The hood of a vehicle with a small American flag displayed on it is visible in the foreground
Israeli military tanks positioned along Israel’s southern border with the northern Gaza Strip on March 19.
Israeli military tanks positioned along Israel’s southern border with the northern Gaza Strip on March 19.

Is Israel Preparing for a Long-term Occupation of Gaza?

Palestinian American peace activist Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib discusses where he thinks the war is heading.

A crowd of people is seen beneath a blue sky. A woman near the front holds up a sign that says "Saving Israeli democracy" with a rainbow pinwheel attached to it.
A crowd of people is seen beneath a blue sky. A woman near the front holds up a sign that says "Saving Israeli democracy" with a rainbow pinwheel attached to it.

Proposed Laws Would Devastate Rights Groups in Israel

Netanyahu’s government is targeting their foreign funding.

Two tanks trundle along an uneven dirt path, kicking up clouds of dust into the air as they move. Tall grass and wildflowers border one side of the path; beyond it lies a few small buildings and tall metal security fences.
Two tanks trundle along an uneven dirt path, kicking up clouds of dust into the air as they move. Tall grass and wildflowers border one side of the path; beyond it lies a few small buildings and tall metal security fences.

The Old War Is Over in Gaza, and a New One Is Underway

Israel’s tactics have changed and so have its objectives.

Palestinian journalists protest the killings of fellow reporters in Israeli strikes in Gaza City on March 25.
Palestinian journalists protest the killings of fellow reporters in Israeli strikes in Gaza City on March 25.

War in Gaza the ‘Worst Ever Conflict for Reporters’

A new report says Israel is waging an “unrelenting war on the press.”

Palestinians walk amid the rubble of buildings in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza on March 4.
Palestinians walk amid the rubble of buildings in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza on March 4.

A New Marshall Plan for Gaza

A successful Arab-led reconstruction plan requires a lasting cease-fire and full demilitarization of Hamas.

Israeli soldiers sit on a tank as it takes position in front of the northern Gaza Strip on the Israeli side of the border on March 18.
Israeli soldiers sit on a tank as it takes position in front of the northern Gaza Strip on the Israeli side of the border on March 18.

Why Did Israel Restart the War in Gaza?

The likelihood of the cease-fire being salvaged in the near future appears extremely low.

A person on a motorcycle kicks up dust as it passes through a border fence opening. Smoke is seen in the distance as people mill about on the edges of the scene.
A person on a motorcycle kicks up dust as it passes through a border fence opening. Smoke is seen in the distance as people mill about on the edges of the scene.
A Palestinian flag flutters amid the ruins of buildings in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on March 4, amid the ongoing truce between Israel and Hamas.
A Palestinian flag flutters amid the ruins of buildings in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on March 4, amid the ongoing truce between Israel and Hamas.

Who Will Rule Over Gaza After the War?

U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, and Egypt have all made proposals on postwar governance in the enclave.

People sit amid the ruins of a sports stadium in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza during a funeral ceremony for Hamas commander Marwan Issa on Feb. 7 2025.
People sit amid the ruins of a sports stadium in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza during a funeral ceremony for Hamas commander Marwan Issa on Feb. 7 2025.

Gaza Is the Land of No Good Options

Only an outside-the-box solution can avert the current trajectory.

Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham, winners of the Best Documentary Feature award for "No Other Land," in Hollywood, California, on March 2.
Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham, winners of the Best Documentary Feature award for "No Other Land," in Hollywood, California, on March 2.

Documentary on West Bank Evictions Wins Big at Oscars

An Israeli co-director of the documentary said U.S. foreign policy was blocking peace.

Lapid dressed in a black blazer and black shirt speaks at a lectern with the Israeli flag in the background.
Lapid dressed in a black blazer and black shirt speaks at a lectern with the Israeli flag in the background.

Israel’s Lapid Lays Out Alternative to Trump’s Gaza Plan

The opposition leader’s proposal would see Egypt take temporary control of the enclave and oversee its reconstruction.

Demonstrators gather near the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza to protest against a plan floated by U.S. President Donald Trump to move Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan.
Demonstrators gather near the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza to protest against a plan floated by U.S. President Donald Trump to move Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan.

Trump’s Plan to ‘Clean Out’ Gaza Could Upend Jordan

The country’s role as a regional stabilizer is at risk if it takes on more Palestinian refugees.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands next to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands next to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Good Optics But Empty Pockets

Netanyahu should lower expectations ahead of his meeting with Trump.

Residents gather around a delivery of aid boxes in Deir al-Balah in Gaza on Jan. 23.
Residents gather around a delivery of aid boxes in Deir al-Balah in Gaza on Jan. 23.

Israel’s UNRWA Ban, Explained

“It’s very hard to see how this is going to bring more stability to Gaza,” one expert said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a rally organized by his Justice and Development Party.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a rally organized by his Justice and Development Party.

Is Turkey Breaking Its Own Oil Embargo?

As Erdogan champions the Palestinian cause, evidence suggests that his regime is facilitating support for Israel.

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