Suggestions for U.S. success in the Middle East

An aide-mรฉmoire to Secretary of State Marco Rubio from a former adviser to Tony Blair.

Tulsi Gabbard grilled on Snowden, Assad and Putin in tense Senate hearing

Skeptical senators ruthlessly questioned Trumpโ€™s national security director nominee ahead of confirmation voteUS politics live โ€“ latest updatesTulsi Gabbard, Donald Trumpโ€™s nominee for national security director, refused to call the whistleblower Edwar…

Gaza cease-fire: The view from Israel

Israelis are supportive of the deal, but they canโ€™t help but ask why it was necessary for additional hostages, soldiers and civilians to die before leaders finally took action?

Abandoned and nowhere to go: A snapshot of migrant domestic workers stranded in Lebanon

War is a magnifier of the best and worst of human behavior, and itโ€™s often those already vulnerable who suffer most.

Macron visits Lebanon to show ‘full support’ for its new leadership

French President Emmanuel Macron touched down in Beirut on Friday for meetings with Lebanon’s president, prime minister, and speaker of parliament as the country attempts to recover from the devastating 14-month-long Israel-Hezbollah war. Macron’s vis…

Nearly half the worldโ€™s population holds antisemitic beliefs

We have failed to pass on the memory and lessons of the Holocaust to younger generations โ€” the very future of our world.

‘Turkey and Israel begin 2025 in a position of strength in the Middle East’

While in Syria, Turkey is taking the place of Russia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, while the latter, along with Hamas and Hezbollah, is registering defeat after defeat at the hands of Israel, writes Le Monde’s columnist Alain Frachon.

Trumpโ€™s world of peril โ€” and opportunity

This past year reordered domestic politics. 2025 will remake the worldโ€™s geopolitical map.

2024 by the numbers โ€• from victims of war to a warming planet

Out with the old, in with the … old. Familiar trends characterized a year of elections and bloodshed.

White House optimistic about Gaza cease-fire as talks stall over holidays

Hamas is to blame for raising last-minute obstacles, per White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.

2024: A year in pictures

OPTICS 2024: A year in pictures Photos by: Jalaa Marey, K M Asad, Miguel J. Rodriguez, Carrillo, Andy Buchanan, Bashar Taleb, Jeff Pachoud, Cristina Quicler, Luis Acosta, Thomas Kienzle, Theo Rouby, Bakr al Kassem, Gagan Nayar, Giorgi Arjevanidze, Anselmo Cunh, Luis Tato/AFP & Peter Nicholls, Kate Green, Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images

Israel shutting embassy in Ireland as relations plummet over Palestine

Israeli foreign minister denounces the Irish for “extreme anti-Israel policies” in a move that follows Irelandโ€™s recognition of Palestinian statehood and its accusations of genocide in Gaza.

Louis Sarkozyโ€™s secret political dream: Emulate Trump

The appetite of the former president’s son now extends beyond the small screen, with a book due in April and politics on the horizon.

Louis Sarkozy, les secrets de son ambition politique

Lโ€™appรฉtit du fils de lโ€™ancien prรฉsident dรฉpasse dรฉsormais le petit รฉcran, avec un livre en avril et la politique pour horizon.

What Hamas wrought

Instead of igniting a war that would destroy Israel, the militant group lit the fuse that set much of the region on fire, burning its own allies above all.

Israel says its air strikes destroyed most of Syriaโ€™s strategic weapons stockpiles

The scale of the Israeli strikes echoed a similar wave of attacks in southern Lebanon in September that destroyed a significant quantity of Hezbollah’s missile stocks.
The post Israel says its air strikes destroyed most of Syria’s strategic weapo…

Biden shrinks from view ahead of Trumpโ€™s return to Washington

With 42 days left in office, Biden avoids unscripted moments or press questions.

Syrie : les gagnants et les perdants de la chute dโ€™Assad

POLITICO รฉvalue les perspectives des principaux acteurs, au Moyen-Orient et au-delร , aprรจs la fin du rรฉgime du dictateur syrien.

How stars aligned for Syriaโ€™s rebels to oust Assad

Turkey gave approval for the offensive and now appears to be Syria’s most powerful external player, with troops on the ground and access to the rebel leaders.

Ukraine war briefing: Trump urges China to help end Ukraine war

After meeting US president-elect, Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautions that Ukraine needs a โ€˜just and robust peace, that Russians will not destroy within a few yearsโ€™. What we know on day 1,020See all our Ukraine war coverageDonald Trump has called for an imme…

US pounds ISIS camps in Syria after Assad flees

โ€œThere should be no doubt โ€” we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute,โ€ a top general said.

Israeli military enters Golan Heights as Netanyahu warns off Syrian militants

PM Benjamin Netanyahu says “hostile forces” will not be tolerated near border, but offers “hand of peace” to Syrians who want peace with Israel.

US pounds ISIS camps in Syria after Assad flees

US pounds ISIS camps in Syria after Assad flees

Assadโ€™s downfall โ€” the winners and losers

Across the region and beyond, POLITICO assesses the prospects of key players after the ouster of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.

Trump is complicating Bidenโ€™s final push in the Middle East

Some regional leaders appear inclined to unveil key initiatives under the next president, giving him the glory.

Ten days in Syria that shook the Middle East

Was the astonishing implosion of Bashar Assadโ€™s regime exclusively the result of its rottenness or did elements inside his government coordinate with rebels?

The ceasefire in Lebanon and Europeโ€™s waning role in the Middle East

In this episode, host Giada Santana talks to Middle East experts Bilal Saab and Julien Barnes-Dacey about the terms of the shaky ceasefire agreement amidst Washington and Brusselโ€™s diplomatic efforts in the region.

Syrian rebels reportedly take control of half of Aleppo

Surprise attack injected fresh uncertainty into a region that has been convulsed by wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

Iran says it could end ban on possessing nuclear weapons if sanctions reimposed

Comments made after nuclear inspectorate board passed motion censuring Iran for building uranium stockpileThe nuclear debate inside Iran is likely to shift towards the possession of its own weapons if the west goes ahead with a threat to reimpose all U…

Trumpโ€™s effect on the Middle East

For good or ill, Trump is already shaping the calculations of combatants in the region, but much depends on how Hezbollahโ€™s bosses in Tehran proceed.

Ruble tumbles as Russiaโ€™s war economy comes under increasing strain

New sanctions package closes one of the last conduits of hard currency to Moscow.

Even Iran is attempting to play nice with Donald Trump

โ€œItโ€™s clear theyโ€™re scared,โ€ said one former Trump administration official who worked on Middle East issues.

Netanyahu looks to revive his bromance with Trump

The Israeli leader lost no time in hailing Trumpโ€™s victory as โ€œhistoryโ€™s greatest comeback.”

French security officials detained in diplomatic spat in Jerusalem

Tensions have been rising between Israel and France over strikes in Lebanon and the war in Gaza.

Christian leader sees Lebanonโ€™s moment to defang Hezbollah

Civil war veteran Samir Geagea hopes the Shiite militia will be pressed into a position where it has no choice but to disarm.

While war continues, Lebanon is trapped

One of the country’s biggest exasperations is Western policymakers trying to strong-arm them into hasty political reform.

World powers raise $1 billion for Lebanon, but ceasefire elusive

Some 70 government delegations and 15 international organisations met in Paris to help Lebanon, but a low-level US presence and its looming election dimmed prospects for a swift halt to fighting.

Fears grow that Israel is seeking to reopen Lebanonโ€™s internal fault lines

Israel wants ‘to set sectarian groups at each others’ throats’ says the spiritual leader of the Druze community.

Macron pledges โ‚ฌ100M for Lebanon aid

International delegates have gathered in Paris to help the war-ravaged country.

Macron warns Netanyahu against โ€˜sowing barbarismโ€™ in remarks on Lebanon

Conference convened by French president raises $800m in humanitarian aid and $200m to strengthen Lebanese armyMiddle East crisis โ€“ live updatesEmmanuel Macron has warned Benjamin Netanyahu that โ€œcivilisation is not best defended by sowing barbarism our…

Furious at Harris, Arab Americans in Michigan face a hard choice: โ€˜Donโ€™t blame us, blame yourselfโ€™

Kamala Harrisโ€™ campaign is facing deep skepticism from Arab American voters in Michigan, many of whom are appalled by President Joe Bidenโ€™s handling of the war in the Middle East and remain undecided about whether to back a candidate who supports his policies. With early voting already underway, Arab American voters say they are disappointed [โ€ฆ]

France hosts Lebanon aid conference in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron will open a conference aimed at raising funds and mobilising humanitarian aid for embattled Lebanon on Thursday, amid Israel and Hezbollah’s ongoing conflict. Israel and Iran, Hezbollah’s primary backer, will attend th…

Emmanuel Macron tries international credibility stunt with Lebanon conference

“Franceโ€™s strategy today is to try to capitalise on Hezbollahโ€™s weakening to push for change. But the reality is that Paris lacks strong local support,” David Khalfa tells Euractiv.

Blinken arrives in Israel for more cease-fire talks as Hezbollah launches hail of rockets

The top US diplomat is also visiting Jordan and Qatar.

Macronโ€™s Middle East flip-flop

The French president’s mixed signals on Israel and Gaza are undermining his approach to the region.

Israel strikes Beirut, Gaza following drone attack on Netanyahuโ€™s home

The Israeli attacks came after some 70 rockets were launched at Israel from Lebanon, as hopes to see the situation in the Middle East de-escalate fade.

Israel pounds Beirut and Gaza after drone attack at Netanyahuโ€™s villa

Diplomats and other sources say that with US elections approaching, Israel is seeking to use intensified military operations to try to shield its borders and ensure its rivals cannot regroup.

Turkey, Germany discuss arms supplies and Israelโ€™s conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon

A project to supply Turkey with Eurofighter jets, spearheaded by Britain, is still in its early stages, German Chancellor Scholz said.

โ€˜Theyโ€™ve forgotten their own recent historyโ€™: Why Israel wonโ€™t move toward peace

Former U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker says what he most fears is Israeli overconfidence following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Sinwar might be gone, but Israelโ€™s mission is far from over

The account might be settled with the Hamas leader, the debt paid โ€” but the war is not over. This is just the beginning of the end.

Macron slams French ministers and journalists over leaked Israel comments

French president goes on attack to try put lid on brouhaha that sparked row with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

Killing of Hamas leader renews US hopes for cease-fire in Gaza

Both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris urged Israel to wrap up its military operations in Gaza, arguing that a key obstacle to a cease-fire and hostage release deal has now been eliminated.

Israel has likely killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza, officials say

Israeli forces have eliminated other Hamas and Hezbollah chiefs in recent months.

Saudis urge US to suspend weapons to Israel until Gaza aid resumes

Ambassador to the U.K. Prince Khalidย bin Bandar Al Saud criticized Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct in Lebanon as well.

โ€˜No engagement at allโ€™ on Gaza cease-fire talks for weeks, Qatarโ€™s PM says

Doha has long held a close relationship with Hamas and is widely seen as a key figure in the mediations.

Biden raises pressure on Israel as war undercuts Harris

U.S. officials stress that the latest moves arenโ€™t linked to Novemberโ€™s election; but the vice president could benefit.

Netanyahu blasts back at Macron in argument over the creation of Israel

Tensions rise between the two leaders over Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

UK leans against proscribing Iranโ€™s Revolutionary Guards

London is reluctant to cut ties with Tehran “at a time when Iran is causing such danger in the world.”

Macronย warnsย Netanyahuย heย โ€˜must not forgetโ€™ Israel was created by UN decision

Tensions between France and Israel have been on the rise as the situation deteriorates in Lebanon.

Italyโ€™s Meloni to visit Lebanon after Israeli attacks on UN peacekeepers

PM calls actions by Israeli forces a “blatant violation” of UN resolution calling for end to hostilities.

Ireland’s peacekeepers in Lebanon are putting their lives on the line. I know โ€“ I was one of them | Tom Clonan

In 1996, I witnessed the horror as the Israeli army fired on UN positions. Now history is repeating itselfTom Clonan is an independent senator in the Irish parliament and a retired Irish army officerThe Irish armed forces have participated in UN peacek…

Doing a Gaza in Lebanon isnโ€™t the answer

Even staunch Lebanese opponents of Hezbollah, who have long hoped to see the back of Iranโ€™s most important regional ally, are recoiling at a military campaign thatโ€™s triggered the countryโ€™s biggest population displacement in over four decades.

EU unites in pressing Israel to stop attacking UN forces

Austria says its troops will remain in the UN mission in Lebanon, asking Israel to stop the “unacceptable” attacks.

This isnโ€™t Lebanonโ€™s war

Despite being caught in the cross fire, the Lebanese people overwhelmingly reject both Iranโ€™s imposition of conflict and Israelโ€™s bombardment. They stand abandoned by a caretaker government beholden to Hezbollah.

US sending air defense systems, troops to Israel

The move โ€œunderscores the United Statesโ€™ ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel,โ€ a Pentagon spokesperson said.

40 countries โ€˜strongly condemnโ€™ Israeli attacks on UN peacekeepers

At least five members of UNIFIL peacekeeping mission have been wounded in south Lebanon in recent days.

Dozens reported killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza as fighting intensifies in Lebanon

Israel has stepped up its ground offensive in Gaza as it expands its invasion across the border in Lebanon.

France, Italy summon Israeli ambassadors after UN peacekeepers struck by Israeli forces

French Ministry for Foreign Affairs says Israel’s targeting of UNIFIL troops was “deliberate.”

The miraculous rebirth of Benjamin Netanyahu

The Israeli Prime Minister is mounting an unlikely comeback. Could he win again?

Europeโ€™s naivety toward Iran is misplaced

To date, the EUโ€™s Iran policy has been ineffective and seriously flawed. And the bloc’s leaders need to wake up to the security threat Tehran poses.

Hezbollahโ€™s fatal miscalculations

Lebanon could well turn into a quagmire for Israel, and its belief that it can achieve โ€œtotal victoryโ€ is premature. However, there can be no doubt that Iran and Hezbollah are on the back foot.

Gaza likely to get new governing structure in coming year, says Israelโ€™s EU envoy

Haim Regev said his country would “prevail and win” militarily during an exclusive interview with POLITICO, but fretted about Israel’s “legitimacy war” on the global stage.

Israel hits Hamas, Hezbollah hard on Oct. 7 anniversary

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu feuds with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Inside the US intel dilemma on Gaza a year after Oct. 7

Current and former officials say the US has long struggled to collect intelligence on Hamas.

Thousands worldwide protest Mideast war ahead of 1-year mark

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators were marching in cities across the globe to demand an end to the conflict.

Israel bombards northern Gaza and southern Beirut, stepping up attacks on Iran proxies

Escalated bombings come on eve of anniversary of Hamas attack on Israel last October.

Heavy strikes shake Beirut as Israel expands Lebanon campaign

The strikes came after days of bombing by Israel of Beirut suburbs considered strongholds for Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, killing its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and possibly his potential successor.

Iran open to cease-fire efforts in Lebanon โ€” if Israel stops bombing Gaza

Iranโ€™s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visits Beirut as Israeli airstrikes continue to target top Hezbollah commanders.

One year since October 7 attacks: Is the EU impotent in Middle East escalation?

It has been one year since Israel suffered its worst ever terrorist attack, with Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups killing more than 1,000 Israelis and taking more than 250 hostage. Israel’s response has devastated Gaza, displacing most of the …

Lebanon yearns for national unity as war revives specter of 1980s

Many in Lebanon are desperate not to let Israel’s attack and economic hardships reignite sectarian divisions.