Middle East

From Baghdad to Beirut: Sadr’s Break with the Peace Brigades Amid Regional Disarmament Pressure
AnalysisFrom Baghdad to Beirut: Sadr’s Break with the Peace Brigades Amid Regional Disarmament Pressure

Muqtada al-Sadr, Iraq’s leading Shiite cleric, announced on Wednesday a complete break between his political movement and its armed wing, Saraya al-Salam, a faction within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which he said will be integrated into the Iraqi state security apparatus. Al-Sadr called on “the remaining factions in the Popular ...

U.S. Military Conducts New Strike in South Iran
U.S. Military Conducts New Strike in South Iran

The U.S. military shot down four Iranian drones and struck a control center in the southern city of Bandar Abbas, an American official said Wednesday, describing the actions as "purely defensive." "Today, U.S. Central Command Forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz," ...

Iran Says War Unlikely as Trump Warns He May 'Finish the Job'
Iran Says War Unlikely as Trump Warns He May 'Finish the Job'

Oil prices tumbled Wednesday on hopes of a US-Iran peace deal, even as President Donald Trump warned he may have to "finish the job" and Tehran said its forces were still "lying in wait with full magazines." The mixed signals underscored the fragile state of talks aimed at ending a Middle East war that has shaken global energy ...

Israel Unveils First KC-46 “Gideon” Tanker Aircraft
Israel Unveils First KC-46 “Gideon” Tanker Aircraft

The Israeli Air Force received its first Boeing KC-46 “Gideon” aerial refueling and transport aircraft on Wednesday during a ceremony held at Nevatim Airbase, marking a major milestone in Israel’s long-range military capabilities and strategic air power modernization. The ceremony was attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and ...

Hezbollah Says Clashed With Israeli Troops North of Lebanon's Litani River
Hezbollah Says Clashed With Israeli Troops North of Lebanon's Litani River

Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces in a town north of the Litani river on Wednesday, a day after Israel's military said it was expanding its ground operations. Israel intensified the scope of its strikes on south and east Lebanon on Tuesday despite a ceasefire, killing at least 31 people, Lebanese authorities said, as ...

IRGC Downplays Chances of Renewed War With U.S. Amid Fragile Iran Ceasefire Talks
IRGC Downplays Chances of Renewed War With U.S. Amid Fragile Iran Ceasefire Talks

A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official said Wednesday that the likelihood of renewed war with the United States remains low, while warning that Tehran remains fully prepared to respond militarily to any new attack. “The possibility of war is low because of the enemy’s weakness,” Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy ...

Hezbollah’s Constitutional Contradiction
AnalysisHezbollah’s Constitutional Contradiction

In a statement issued on the centennial of the Lebanese Constitution, Hezbollah presented itself Monday as a defender of constitutional legitimacy, national unity, and Lebanese sovereignty, while simultaneously reaffirming that armed “resistance” remains a protected and legitimate right beyond any governmental decision. The statement ...

Israel Seeks To Defeat Hezbollah Again, What Might Be Different this Time?
Op-edIsrael Seeks To Defeat Hezbollah Again, What Might Be Different this Time?

Facing an increasingly deadly threat from Hezbollah’s first-person view (FPV) drones, Israel is back on the offensive in Lebanon. Since the night of May 25, the Israel Defense Forces have launched large-scale airstrikes across southern Lebanon while pressing ground advances. As Israel once again turns to military force, amid U.S.-Iran talks, the ...

Israeli Forces to Expand Past ‘Yellow Line’ As Operations in Lebanon Intensify
Israeli Forces to Expand Past ‘Yellow Line’ As Operations in Lebanon Intensify

The Israeli Army has started to operate on the ground past the “Yellow Line” in southern Lebanon on Tuesday as Israeli officials express their intent to intensify operations against Hezbollah amid persistent threats. According to AFP, citing an Israeli military official, the Israeli Army began to expand its operations in southern ...

Behind Netanyahu’s Calculus on Lebanon Escalation Amid Potential U.S.-Iran Deal
AnalysisBehind Netanyahu’s Calculus on Lebanon Escalation Amid Potential U.S.-Iran Deal

Israel launched a widespread wave of overnight strikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, targeting more than 100 Hezbollah sites, according to the Israeli military. The IDF said the strikes hit weapons storage facilities, command centers, observation posts, and infrastructure allegedly used by Hezbollah militants to coordinate attacks ...