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

Columns of pale gray smoke rise from a building destroyed by an Israeli airstrike, leveled to the ground now. Intact midrise buildings loom beyond the plumes of smoke, and a closer, lower building is silhouetted as a black shadow against the smoke.
Columns of pale gray smoke rise from a building destroyed by an Israeli airstrike, leveled to the ground now. Intact midrise buildings loom beyond the plumes of smoke, and a closer, lower building is silhouetted as a black shadow against the smoke.

The U.N. Resolution at the Heart of the Israel-Lebanon Conflict

U.N. Resolution 1701 was a great idea—if only Lebanon had been able to curb Hezbollah.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu smile as they stand side-by-side in the Oval Office in front of framed photos of former presidents, including Abraham Lincoln. Both men wear dark suits and ties.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu smile as they stand side-by-side in the Oval Office in front of framed photos of former presidents, including Abraham Lincoln. Both men wear dark suits and ties.
Hezbollah fighters line up at the funerals of commanders Ibrahim Aqil and Mahmoud Hamad, both killed in an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, on Sept. 22.
Hezbollah fighters line up at the funerals of commanders Ibrahim Aqil and Mahmoud Hamad, both killed in an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, on Sept. 22.

Hezbollah Is Still Capable of Getting Revenge on Israel

Even after taking damage, the group still has unconventional military means of its own.

Mourners carry the caskets, covered in yellow cloth, and signs depicting the images of Hezbollah members Ibrahim Sharaf al-Din, Muhammad Hussein Ali Rabah, and Hussein Ali Majid in Beirut.
Mourners carry the caskets, covered in yellow cloth, and signs depicting the images of Hezbollah members Ibrahim Sharaf al-Din, Muhammad Hussein Ali Rabah, and Hussein Ali Majid in Beirut.

Can Israel Kill Its Way to Victory Over Hezbollah?

The group has been degraded but can still inflict serious harm.

A woman in a headscarf and dark dress sits on steps with her head in her arms crying.
A woman in a headscarf and dark dress sits on steps with her head in her arms crying.

How Beirut Reacted to Nasrallah’s Death

After Hezbollah confirmed its leader had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, all hell broke loose in the streets.

An Iraqi demonstrator holds a picture of Hassan Nasrallah, late leader of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, during a protest vigil in Baghdad on Sept. 28.
An Iraqi demonstrator holds a picture of Hassan Nasrallah, late leader of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, during a protest vigil in Baghdad on Sept. 28.
Smoke billows from Israeli airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.
Smoke billows from Israeli airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.

Hezbollah Leader Killed in Israeli Airstrike, Group Confirms

Hassan Nasrallah’s death marks a dramatic escalation in Israel’s campaign against the militant group.

Young people march with large portraits depicting Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Young people march with large portraits depicting Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Pinpoint Israeli Intelligence Enabled Strike on Nasrallah in Lebanon

Israel killed the Hezbollah leader, capping a series of stunning operations.

Northbound traffic is seen backed up heading into Beirut, with southbound lanes largely empty. Buildings frame either side of the roadway.
Northbound traffic is seen backed up heading into Beirut, with southbound lanes largely empty. Buildings frame either side of the roadway.

With Israel’s Airstrikes, Beirut Plunges Into Panic

One family flees their village in the south for uncertain refuge in the capital.

A mushroom cloud of pale gray smoke billows up against a hazy sky from mid-rise buildings in a neighborhood of a densely constructed town.
A mushroom cloud of pale gray smoke billows up against a hazy sky from mid-rise buildings in a neighborhood of a densely constructed town.

Will Hezbollah Choose to Keep Its Word—or Its Arsenal?

The militant group must decide between walking back its threat to northern Israel or risking the loss of its advanced missile capabilities.

People watch a televised speech by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah from a cafe at the entrance of the Sabra camp for Palestinian refugees in Beirut.
People watch a televised speech by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah from a cafe at the entrance of the Sabra camp for Palestinian refugees in Beirut.

The Beeper Balance Sheet

The stunning attacks are a setback for Hezbollah but raise risks for Israel.

People gather at the entrance of the American University of Beirut Medical Center.
People gather at the entrance of the American University of Beirut Medical Center.

The Biggest Question About the Hezbollah Pager Attack Is Why Now

A technically adroit strike could be a curtain-raiser for an expanded conflict.

Luis Almagro, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States, attends a meeting in Guatemala City on Sept. 11, 2023.
Luis Almagro, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States, attends a meeting in Guatemala City on Sept. 11, 2023.

Gaza Is Causing Diplomatic Rifts in the Western Hemisphere

The Organization of American States’ pro-Israel stance may erode its legitimacy in the region.

Soldiers with the Israel Defense Forces stand near a military vehicle on March 4, 2024 in southern Israel near the border with Gaza.
Soldiers with the Israel Defense Forces stand near a military vehicle on March 4, 2024 in southern Israel near the border with Gaza.

A Cease-Fire in Gaza Wouldn’t End Israel’s Wars

The region’s most bitter conflicts aren’t all linked to one another.

Four men, three with prosthetic legs, wear bike helmets and t-shirts as they stand in a parking lot, gathered around a bicycle held up by the man second from the right. The sky above is a dim, dark blue; it seems to be either dawn or dusk.
Four men, three with prosthetic legs, wear bike helmets and t-shirts as they stand in a parking lot, gathered around a bicycle held up by the man second from the right. The sky above is a dim, dark blue; it seems to be either dawn or dusk.

Meet the Para-Cyclists Riding for Gaza

The Sunbirds’ story began with tragedy but has evolved into one of resilience.

A woman at a rally wipes at her eyes behind a pair of sunglasses while holding up a poster at a rally. The poster reads "Bring Hersh home," Hersh being the name of her son.
A woman at a rally wipes at her eyes behind a pair of sunglasses while holding up a poster at a rally. The poster reads "Bring Hersh home," Hersh being the name of her son.

A Way Forward in the Israeli Hostage Crisis

Netanyahu is an obstacle, but Biden has an alternative.

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