Middle Orient

Despite Lebanon’s economic crisis and Hezbollah being unlikely to launch a war amid such a dire situation, defense analysts warn that war is still possible. Israel conducted a Home Front Command exercise Nov. 3 to test its readiness for all-out war with Hezbollah. Based on intelligence evaluations of Hezbollah capabilities, …

Besides Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama, few religious leaders today command as much respect among Muslims and non-Muslims alike as Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, the 91-year-old “supreme marja” of the world’s Shiite Muslims. Al-Sistani was a disciple of Ayatollah Abu Al-Qasim Al-Khoei, who was for decades the most renowned …

Pro-government Turkish media outlets last week reported that preparations are underway for a new set of military operations in Syria. A parliamentary motion to authorize the government to continue sending troops abroad was tabled last month and easily approved. Previous motions approved a one-year mandate for such operations, but this …

Felm says it hasn’t seen evidence that funds given to Defense for Children International-Palestine were used improperly, but warns of potential banking sanctions A Christian charity organization in Finland has decided to end ties with a Palestinian rights group after it was blacklisted by Israel for alleged terror links. The …

Iraqi forces remain incapable of operating without U.S. support while Iranian-backed militias who have targeted coalition forces are in a strategic pause, according to a report released by Lead Inspector General for Operation Inherent Resolve. Meanwhile, ISIS remains “entrenched as a low-level insurgency” as the U.S. military ends its combat …

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi escaped unharmed from an assassination attempt by three armed drones in Baghdad on Sunday, officials said. The assassination attempt came weeks after a general election was disputed by Iran-backed militia groups. The attempt dramatically raises tension in the country that has already seen threats of …

A drone attack on the residence of the Iraqi prime minister has raised the specter of continuing violence by nonstate actors in the country after elections in which Iran-linked armed groups lost dozens of parliamentary seats. An attack on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s residence in the early morning hours …

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an attack by an armed drone on his residence on November 7 amid escalating tensions over the refusal of Iran-backed militias to accept last month’s parliamentary election results. The Baghdad residence inside the city’s fortified Green Zone was hit by a rocket attack early …

As much of the Western world focuses on the growing threat from the Islamic State group’s affiliate in Afghanistan, new intelligence suggests that there is reason again to worry about the terror group’s core in Syria and Iraq. Down to an estimated 10,000 fighters, a small fraction of what it …

The failed assassination attempt against Iraq’s prime minister at his residence on Sunday has ratcheted up tensions following last month’s parliamentary elections, in which the Iran-backed militias were the biggest losers. Helicopters circled in the Baghdad skies throughout the day, while troops and patrols deployed around Baghdad and near the …