Israel

Khamenei Tells Trump to 'Keep Dreaming' Over Claims of Destroying Iran Nuclear Sites

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday rebuffed claims by US President Donald Trump that the Islamic republic's nuclear sites had been destroyed by US strikes in June. In a statement on his official website, Khamenei told Trump to "keep dreaming" over the comments on the sites' destruction and questioned the US president's right ...

Five Things to Know About Gaza's Rafah Border Crossing

The reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, part of US President Donald Trump's plan for the Palestinian territory, remains on hold despite calls from the UN and aid groups. Here are five things to know about this crucial crossing:  Crucial access point  The Rafah crossing into Egypt is a crucial entry point ...

One Year After Nasrallah’s Death, Hezbollah Struggles to Rebuild

A year after the assassination of its leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli strike on Beirut on September 27, 2024, Hezbollah is quietly attempting to rebuild its shattered leadership and reassert its influence. According to a detailed report by Le Figaro correspondent Georges Malbrunot, the Shia militia now operates in a state of ...

Kushner and Witkoff Reveal How the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Was Brokered

In a high-profile interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff  – President Donald Trump’s envoys – defended their role in brokering the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and responded to criticism over potential conflicts of interest tied to their extensive business dealings in the ...

Trump says Gaza Ceasefire Still in Force after Israeli Strikes

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza was still holding after Israel carried out deadly strikes on the territory over alleged truce violations by Hamas. The dozens of strikes Israel carried out on Hamas positions in southern Gaza Sunday came after it accused the militant group of targeting its troops in "a blatant ...

The Jeopardized Peace 

The significant progress toward peace achieved by the Trump administration presents a valuable opportunity if key obstacles can be overcome. None of the earlier, ill-conceived attempts to end the cycle of violence compare with the outstanding diplomatic achievement of the American administration. The humbug of the French president has faded away, ...

Hezbollah and the “Reality Principle”

Major developments are unfolding rapidly in the Levant, placing the region before what increasingly seems like an urgent reality: Hezbollah’s leadership, and more broadly its Iranian backers, need to align their political conduct with the so-called “reality principle.” In psychoanalytic terms, the “reality principle” means facing facts ...

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Delicate Position of Iran’s Jews

With around 10,000 members, Iran’s Jewish community is the second largest in the Middle East. Its presence is discreet but tangible in a nation marked by pronounced hostility toward Israel, most recently expressed during 12 days of open conflict last June. The Jewish presence in the lands of present-day Iran dates back to the eighth century ...

Israel Returns 15 Palestinian Bodies to Gaza

Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza on Sunday, bringing the total number handed over to 150, the health ministry in the Palestinian territory said. Under a ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, Israel was to turn over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli returned. Hamas returned the remains ...

US Says ‘Credible Reports’ Hamas Planning Attack Against Gaza Civilians

The US State Department on Saturday said it had "credible reports" that Palestinian armed group Hamas was planning an imminent attack against civilians in Gaza, a move Washington said would be a "ceasefire violation." "This planned attack against Palestinian civilians would constitute a direct and grave violation of the ceasefire agreement and ...

US Vice President JD Vance to Visit Israel as Trump Administration Pushes Gaza Ceasefire Implementation

US Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Israel on Monday as part of efforts by the Trump administration to accelerate the implementation of the agreement ending the recent Gaza war, Axios reported Friday, citing US and Israeli sources. While US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was initially expected to lead the delegation, the White House ...