Middle Orient

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will today call on the US President Joe Biden not to withdraw American forces from Iraq and Syria, Israeli media reported. Bennett was scheduled to meet with Biden yesterday on his first visit to the White House as prime minister, but the meeting was postponed …

Israeli intelligence officials met privately this month with the son of Libya’s top warlord to discuss his 2021 presidential candidacy, a signal that Israel is suppo rting his bid, a source familiar with the meeting told the Washington Free Beacon. Saddam Haftar has been quietly seeking Western backing for his …

A convoy of US military vehicles has been filmed being directed toward Tehran after the Taliban handed it over to Iranian authorities. “The loss of these vehicles is another embarrassment for the US, and could be damaging in the future if these vehicles are used to either extract valuable technical …

Sen. Bob Menendez called on Turkish soldiers to leave Cyprus, according to Greek media. Northern Cyprus’ president is upset at a US senator for reported comments about the Turkish military on the disputed island. Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey visited Cyprus on Monday. During the trip, he reportedly …

Errant Syrian air defense missile explodes over waters off coast of central Israel, fragments found in north Tel Aviv; no injuries or damage reported Israeli planes carried out airstrikes near Damascus early Friday, Syrian state media claimed, and sounds of explosions were heard in central Israel shortly after. The noise …

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised Iranian vessels would bring fuel to Lebanon amid its harrowing energy crisis. An Iranian ship carrying fuel for Lebanon will dock in Syria shortly. Iran’s semi-official Al-Alam news outlet reported that the tanker will reach Syria’s Mediterranean port in Baniyas Thursday evening or Friday morning. …

A missile was shot from Syria toward Israel Thursday night, according to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman. The anti-aircraft missile exploded over the Mediterranean Sea. On Friday morning, residents of central Israel found fragments of the missile, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Twitter. Images from Israel’s …

Sen. Bob Menendez called on Turkish soldiers to leave Cyprus, according to Greek media. Northern Cyprus’ president is upset at a US senator for reported comments about the Turkish military on the disputed island. Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey visited Cyprus on Monday. During the trip, he reportedly …

Biden’s CIA director raised concerns about Beijing’s growing investment in Israel, according to a report. Israel opened a new terminal run by a Chinese firm at the port of Haifa on Thursday, in a move expected to boost Israel’s economy and open new opportunities for trade with Gulf countries. The …

Ankara denies the suggestion from Moscow that a second batch of S-400s is headed for Turkey and says it is an effort to stall Turkey’s talks with the United States and Europe. The military logic of Turkey’s highly controversial purchase of S-400 anti-ballistic missile defense systems from Russia in 2017 …