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

A man rides his moped past a billboard bearing portraits of slain leaders, Ismail Haniyeh of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Iranian Quds Force chief Qasem Soleimani, and Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr on the main road near the Beirut International Airport on August 3, 2024.
A man rides his moped past a billboard bearing portraits of slain leaders, Ismail Haniyeh of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Iranian Quds Force chief Qasem Soleimani, and Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr on the main road near the Beirut International Airport on August 3, 2024.

Can Israel Really Deter Hezbollah?

Even in far-reaching scenarios, Lebanon won’t easily turn on Shia militia.

The sihouette of Palestinian children overlook a camp for displaced people in Rafah.
The sihouette of Palestinian children overlook a camp for displaced people in Rafah.

How 100,000 Palestinians Are Surviving in Egypt Without Refugee Status

Even after buying their way out of Gaza, Palestinians remain vulnerable.

A man clears rubble from a building hit during Israeli bombardment in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip.
A man clears rubble from a building hit during Israeli bombardment in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip.

The Existential Fears Driving Israel’s Aggressive Military Action

Israelis believed their country’s survival was no longer in question. Not anymore.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln transits the Strait of Hormuz as an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter lifts off from the flight deck on Nov. 19, 2019.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln transits the Strait of Hormuz as an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter lifts off from the flight deck on Nov. 19, 2019.

America’s Middle East Defense Rests on Aircraft Carriers

They have big guns, fighter jets, and are hard to kill—with Iran’s weapons, at least.

A crowd of people are seen from behind, dimly lit, as they watch a speech from a Hezbollah leader delivered via a large screen. The nearest spectator holds a fist in the air toward the bearded man onscreen, who speaks in front of a bright red background.
A crowd of people are seen from behind, dimly lit, as they watch a speech from a Hezbollah leader delivered via a large screen. The nearest spectator holds a fist in the air toward the bearded man onscreen, who speaks in front of a bright red background.

Does Israel’s Conflict with Hezbollah Have an Endgame?

The group would remain a threat to Israel even after a war.

Iranians wave national flags and hold photos of slain Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.
Iranians wave national flags and hold photos of slain Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.

What Iran Might Do Next

As the Middle East braces for further escalation, what are Tehran’s options?

Families and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas protest at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. One holds a sign reading, "Hostage deal now."
Families and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas protest at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. One holds a sign reading, "Hostage deal now."

Israel’s Chances of Getting Hostages Back Are Fading

Most Israelis want a deal, including the generals. Not Netanyahu.

An Iranian woman holds a poster displaying Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and other figures whose deaths have been blamed on Israel, during a funeral procession for Haniyeh in Tehran on August 1.
An Iranian woman holds a poster displaying Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and other figures whose deaths have been blamed on Israel, during a funeral procession for Haniyeh in Tehran on August 1.

The Iranian Intelligence Failure Behind the Haniyeh Assassination

Israel’s ability to strike at the heart of the regime will lead to purges and paranoia.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier (left) transits the Strait of Hormuz alongside the USS Farragut and the U.K. Royal Navy's HMS Defender.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier (left) transits the Strait of Hormuz alongside the USS Farragut and the U.K. Royal Navy's HMS Defender.

The Already Stretched U.S. Military Prepares to Defend Israel

“We are not building a military that can handle three theaters simultaneously,” one expert said.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (R) meets with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (L) at the Pentagon in Washington on June 25.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (R) meets with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (L) at the Pentagon in Washington on June 25.

Why Americans and Israelis Don’t See Eye to Eye on Iran

The lack of a formal security pact with the United States encourages Israel to gamble and risk escalation.

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet flies over the border area of northern Israel with south Lebanon amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters.
An Israeli Air Force fighter jet flies over the border area of northern Israel with south Lebanon amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters.
People hold up a Palestinian flag and a portrait of assassinated Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh during a rally in Tehran.
People hold up a Palestinian flag and a portrait of assassinated Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh during a rally in Tehran.
A billboard shows a picture of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.
A billboard shows a picture of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.

Could Iranians Have Been Involved in Haniyeh’s Killing?

The assassination of the Hamas political leader points to public dissatisfaction with the regime in Tehran.

Hezbollah members attend the funerals of fellow fighters in Aita al-Chaab, Lebanon.
Hezbollah members attend the funerals of fellow fighters in Aita al-Chaab, Lebanon.
Smoke billows from a site targeted by the Israeli military in the southern Lebanese border village of Kafr Kila on July 29.
Smoke billows from a site targeted by the Israeli military in the southern Lebanese border village of Kafr Kila on July 29.

The Road to Israel-Hezbollah Peace Runs Through Gaza

The risk of full-scale war in Israel’s north could be vastly reduced by a cease-fire in the south.

U.S. President Joe Biden sits with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of an Israeli war cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv on Oct. 18.
U.S. President Joe Biden sits with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of an Israeli war cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv on Oct. 18.

Netanyahu Speech Sharpens Democrats’ Israel Divide

Some Democratic lawmakers plan to boycott the Israeli leader’s address to Congress.

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