Middle East Crisis

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

 

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 black SUV is seen in the foreground as smoke billows from behind buildings in the background.
A black SUV is seen in the foreground as smoke billows from behind buildings in the background.

Israel Escalates War Against Hamas With Doha Strike

Qatar decried the strike as a violation of international law.

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

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.

A heavily damaged building can be seen with a Syria flag nearby.
A heavily damaged building can be seen with a Syria flag nearby.
Moaz Abu Taha and Mariam Abu Dagga, who were killed by Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital on Aug. 25, take a selfie in Gaza on Jan. 18.
Moaz Abu Taha and Mariam Abu Dagga, who were killed by Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital on Aug. 25, take a selfie in Gaza on Jan. 18.

Why Israel’s War in Gaza Has Been So Deadly for Journalists

Israel is directly targeting media workers, rights groups warn.

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

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.

A view of the destruction at Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran, after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike on June 23, viewed on July 1.
A view of the destruction at Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran, after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike on June 23, viewed on July 1.

What the War Changed Inside Iran

The regime has been pushed to the edge of strategic pivot.

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.

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.

Hezbollah supporters chant slogans during a protest against a planned visit of a U.S. envoy to south Lebanon.
Hezbollah supporters chant slogans during a protest against a planned visit of a U.S. envoy to south Lebanon.

Washington Has One Chance to Help Disarm Hezbollah

As Lebanon moves to confront the country’s most dangerous militia, U.S. support will be vital.

Regional Dynamics

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on August 26, 2019.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on August 26, 2019.

In the Middle East, a Cold War Redux?

China and the U.S. are competing for influence in the troubled region. This article has an audio recording

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.

Sharaa sits in an ornately decorated armchair with his hands folded in his lap. He is in his young 40s, wearing a suit and a beard. Barrack, an older bald man who also wears a suit, sits in another armchair at a diagonal. They face small low tables with water glasses on them; a Syrian flag hangs in the corner.
Sharaa sits in an ornately decorated armchair with his hands folded in his lap. He is in his young 40s, wearing a suit and a beard. Barrack, an older bald man who also wears a suit, sits in another armchair at a diagonal. They face small low tables with water glasses on them; a Syrian flag hangs in the corner.

Qué Sharaa, Sharaa

With concrete steps, Washington can keep Syria’s future on track.

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

Smoke plumes billow during Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City.
Smoke plumes billow during Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City.

A Future Look Back at Israel’s War on Hamas

How a pre-mortem analysis could limit potential failures in Gaza.

An Indonesian soldier serving with the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) waves the U.N. flag at Israeli soldiers in the village of Adaisseh, Lebanon on August 3, 2010.
An Indonesian soldier serving with the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) waves the U.N. flag at Israeli soldiers in the village of Adaisseh, Lebanon on August 3, 2010.

The United Nations Completely Failed in Lebanon

How a U.N. peacekeeping mission may have inadvertently produced Israel’s next war.

A damaged, bent no entry sign stands among a landscape of rubble and damaged buildings in Gaza.
A damaged, bent no entry sign stands among a landscape of rubble and damaged buildings in Gaza.

The Trouble With a Cease-Fire

And what the international community should do instead in the Israel-Hamas war.

Two people are led from a helicopter to a car by police officers at a helipad in Karlsruhe, Germany, on Dec. 15.
Two people are led from a helicopter to a car by police officers at a helipad in Karlsruhe, Germany, on Dec. 15.

Could Hamas Become a Global Threat?

The militant group seems to be hoping that its ideology, cause, and brand will go global the way the Islamic State’s did.

U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

Why Biden Won’t Break With Netanyahu

The U.S. would rather downplay its differences with Israel over the war in Gaza.

Demonstrators hold a large banner that reads "Free Palestine" as they march down a city street.
Demonstrators hold a large banner that reads "Free Palestine" as they march down a city street.

What Has Hamas Accomplished?

Since Oct. 7, Hamas has made tangible gains—but they’ve come at an extremely high price.

Gay is seen sitting behind a table with a desk microphone and a placard featuring her name.
Gay is seen sitting behind a table with a desk microphone and a placard featuring her name.

Defining Away Palestinians’ Right to Resist

What does it mean to say that rising up against injustice is impermissible?

An Israeli army tank moves through a torn-up patch of grass in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The tank kicks up dirt and dust from the ground, which billows in the air and partially obscures the tank, although a soldier is visible sitting on top of it with an automatic rifle.
An Israeli army tank moves through a torn-up patch of grass in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The tank kicks up dirt and dust from the ground, which billows in the air and partially obscures the tank, although a soldier is visible sitting on top of it with an automatic rifle.

Congress Should Ask Hard Questions About Israel Aid

A hard-right government is using U.S. money for worrying ends.

Biden delivers remarks from a lectern in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
Biden delivers remarks from a lectern in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

It’s Time to Reconsider U.S. Military Aid

As Congress stalls, the U.S. public has good reason to demand more transparency on Biden’s funding for Ukraine and Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (back) greets U.S. President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (back) greets U.S. President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.

Why Israel Needs America’s Tough Love

An argument for making U.S. aid conditional on steps toward Palestinian statehood.

Israeli military vehicles drive near the border with the Gaza Strip on Dec. 6 as black smoke rises in the Palestinian territory amid continuing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas.
Israeli military vehicles drive near the border with the Gaza Strip on Dec. 6 as black smoke rises in the Palestinian territory amid continuing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas.

Why Israel Will Probably End Up Reoccupying Gaza

Everyone seems to agree it is a bad idea. It might happen anyway.

US President Joe Biden joins Israel's Prime Minister for the start of the Israeli war cabinet meeting, in Tel Aviv on October 18, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.
US President Joe Biden joins Israel's Prime Minister for the start of the Israeli war cabinet meeting, in Tel Aviv on October 18, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

Rashid Khalidi: Biden Deserves an “F” on the Middle East

The Palestinian-American historian and professor on the road ahead after Oct. 7.

Biden, dressed in a casual half-zip sweatshirt, looks pensively downward as he stands facing numerous press microphones held out in his direction.
Biden, dressed in a casual half-zip sweatshirt, looks pensively downward as he stands facing numerous press microphones held out in his direction.

Grading Biden on the Israel-Hamas War

For a crisis with so many moving parts, the U.S. president has fared pretty well.

An Israeli army soldier stands next to a machine gun turret atop a howitzer near the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel.
An Israeli army soldier stands next to a machine gun turret atop a howitzer near the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel.

Will the Cease-Fire Change Israel’s Strategy?

Biden is telling Netanyahu to tread lightly.

Two small windows, covered by bars, are visible on a wall painted gray and blue. A Palestinian prisoner stands behind each window. One of them looks out directly at the camera, while the other stands in profile with his face buried in a blanket.
Two small windows, covered by bars, are visible on a wall painted gray and blue. A Palestinian prisoner stands behind each window. One of them looks out directly at the camera, while the other stands in profile with his face buried in a blanket.

Israel Weighing Special Court for Palestinian Suspects in Oct. 7 Massacre

Hamas defendants would potentially have fewer rights and could face the death penalty.

People are seen marching at a demonstration.
People are seen marching at a demonstration.

Jordan’s Teetering Balancing Act

Amid mass pro-Palestine protests, the monarchy is caught between the United States, Israel, and its own people.

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