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
How the Oct. 7 Attack on Israel Sank the Palestinian Cause
The war in Gaza galvanized sympathy for Palestinians but little more.
Israeli Attacks on Syria Risk Destabilizing Jordan
King Abdullah II faces backlash against his country’s peace deal with Israel.
For the First Time Since Oct. 7, a Broad Israeli Backlash Against the War in Gaza
Israelis want the hostages home, even if it means ending the fighting.
Trump Should Not Give Israel a Pass on Gaza Blockade
By doing so, he makes Palestinian suffering U.S. policy.
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.
Proposed Laws Would Devastate Rights Groups in Israel
Netanyahu’s government is targeting their foreign funding.
The Old War Is Over in Gaza, and a New One Is Underway
Israel’s tactics have changed and so have its objectives.
Surprisingly, the Lebanon-Israel Cease-Fire Is Holding
Notwithstanding continued exchanges, the agreement is functioning and appears durable.
War in Gaza the ‘Worst Ever Conflict for Reporters’
A new report says Israel is waging an “unrelenting war on the press.”
A New Marshall Plan for Gaza
A successful Arab-led reconstruction plan requires a lasting cease-fire and full demilitarization of Hamas.
Why Did Israel Restart the War in Gaza?
The likelihood of the cease-fire being salvaged in the near future appears extremely low.
State Commissions Have Probed Israel’s Worst Security Failures—But Not Oct. 7
Netanyahu fears the findings might end his political career.
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.
Gaza Is the Land of No Good Options
Only an outside-the-box solution can avert the current trajectory.
Documentary on West Bank Evictions Wins Big at Oscars
An Israeli co-director of the documentary said U.S. foreign policy was blocking peace.
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.