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

A man holds up a sign that reads, "In Trump they trust," while another man to his left holds an Israeli flag.
A man holds up a sign that reads, "In Trump they trust," while another man to his left holds an Israeli flag.

Will Trump Follow Through on Gaza?

Only sustained U.S. pressure on Israel and Hamas will end the war.

Benjamin Netanyahu smiles slightly with his head bowed in front of a microphone as Donald Trump passes behind him, his face serious.
Benjamin Netanyahu smiles slightly with his head bowed in front of a microphone as Donald Trump passes behind him, his face serious.

Will Israel’s Netanyahu Survive the Cease-Fire?

His coalition is unraveling but he has a trump card.

Newly elected Lebanese president Joseph Aoun poses for a photograph at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on Jan. 9, 2025.
Newly elected Lebanese president Joseph Aoun poses for a photograph at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on Jan. 9, 2025.

Hezbollah Is Waiting for Lebanon’s New Leaders 

The country’s new president and prime minister have a mandate to reform the country—but do they have the power?

Joe Biden speaks into a microphone and gestures with his index finger as he stands at a podium decorated with the official seal of the United States. Standing on either side of him and slightly behind are Kamala Harris and Antony Blinken. All wear suits.
Joe Biden speaks into a microphone and gestures with his index finger as he stands at a podium decorated with the official seal of the United States. Standing on either side of him and slightly behind are Kamala Harris and Antony Blinken. All wear suits.

Qatar and U.S. Announce Gaza Cease-Fire and Hostage Deal

The Israeli leader has yet to comment on the deal, which would free 33 hostages and surge aid into Gaza.

Two people are silhoutted with their hands to their faces as they look over a hazy horizon toward smoke rising over Gaza.
Two people are silhoutted with their hands to their faces as they look over a hazy horizon toward smoke rising over Gaza.

One Question Looming Over Israel-Hamas Truce Deal—Why Now?

Biden has been pushing for an agreement for more than a year.

Smoke rises above destroyed buildings in the northern Gaza Strip during an Israeli army bombardment.
Smoke rises above destroyed buildings in the northern Gaza Strip during an Israeli army bombardment.

Why Gaza Is Israel’s Forever War

Israelis want the fighting to end but their leaders don’t.

Benjamin Netanyahu talks on a cell phone in the back of a vehicle, one foot up on his other knee.
Benjamin Netanyahu talks on a cell phone in the back of a vehicle, one foot up on his other knee.

The Case Against Benjamin Netanyahu

With leaked interrogation footage, “The Bibi Files” portrays a corrupt Israeli leader.

A man pulls a man on a mattress on a rubble-strewn street.
A man pulls a man on a mattress on a rubble-strewn street.

Why Are We Ignoring Human Rights Criticism of Israel?

Major international organizations condemn Israel’s conduct in Gaza—and they’re not getting enough attention.

A double exposure portrait of a man with glasses in a suit against a blue sky with the edge of a beige brick building at right. The man is in his 30s, bald, and wears a dark suit with a tie.
A double exposure portrait of a man with glasses in a suit against a blue sky with the edge of a beige brick building at right. The man is in his 30s, bald, and wears a dark suit with a tie.

A Palestinian Who Holds Many Truths

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib has emerged as a voice of unique clarity in the zero-sum debate over Israel-Palestine.

A Houthi fighter guards the Galaxy Leader vessel on the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, Yemen.
A Houthi fighter guards the Galaxy Leader vessel on the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, Yemen.

A Year of War Has Left the Middle East Less Stable

Disorder and instability reign from Gaza to Syria and the Red Sea.

People stand atop a tank holding a Syrian flag adn celebrating with their arms raised.
People stand atop a tank holding a Syrian flag adn celebrating with their arms raised.

Assad’s Fall Is the Middle East’s 1989

One of many consequences is the demise of Iran’s self-styled Axis of Resistance.

An anti-government fighter tears down a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on Nov. 30.
An anti-government fighter tears down a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on Nov. 30.

What the Fall of Aleppo Means for Russia

A lightning advance by rebels will force Moscow to recalibrate its Syria strategy.

A protestor wearing a keffiyeh and a shirt that reads "LIBERATE PALESTINE" holds her hands up (which are covered in red). Her cheeks are also striped in red.
A protestor wearing a keffiyeh and a shirt that reads "LIBERATE PALESTINE" holds her hands up (which are covered in red). Her cheeks are also striped in red.

Biden Didn’t Really Try to End the War in Gaza

U.S.-led diplomatic talks were essentially a performance, doomed from the outset.

An attack helicopter cuts across a blue sky dotted with fluffy wisps of clouds. Four large birds also fly across the sky beneath the helicopter, their wingspans stretched wide in flight.
An attack helicopter cuts across a blue sky dotted with fluffy wisps of clouds. Four large birds also fly across the sky beneath the helicopter, their wingspans stretched wide in flight.
A protester dressed as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and another dressed as U.S. President Donald Trump demonstrate outside the White House on Oct. 19, 2018, in the wake of the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
A protester dressed as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and another dressed as U.S. President Donald Trump demonstrate outside the White House on Oct. 19, 2018, in the wake of the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Displaced Palestinians gather amid tents flooded by heavy rain at a makeshift camp in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Jan. 27.
Displaced Palestinians gather amid tents flooded by heavy rain at a makeshift camp in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Jan. 27.

The U.S. Must Support Gaza Before Winter

Seasonal rains and flooding portend further humanitarian catastrophe.

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