Middle Orient

The most recent killing is likely meant to undercut Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s efforts to curb militias outside the control of the state. For the second time this year, a senior officer of the Iraqi intelligence service has been killed by unidentified gunmen. On June 7, Nibras Farman al-Fayli, assistant …

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a House of Representatives committee Monday that Israel “has control” over the territory. The Syrian government criticized US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday for comments the diplomat made about the Golan Heights. Blinken spoke before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on …

The two Palestinian officers opened fire on the undercover Israeli forces, reportedly unaware they were conducting a terrorism raid. Three Palestinians, including two members of the Palestinian Authority’s security service, were shot dead in an exchange with Israeli special forces in the early hours of Thursday in the northern West …

Iran’s hard-liners have long been disillusioned with a system in which all citizens are encouraged to vote. Another presidential election is unfolding in Iran. Many observers expect a low turnout as many ordinary Iranians are either discouraged or disillusioned. However, those in power seem not to mind. The political elite …

“The Brotherhood stresses that there is no connection – ideological or organizational – between it and this movement.” A dramatic political development occurred last week when the United Arab List, the political wing of the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, signed a coalition agreement that paved the …

Yemen’s Houthis have threatened Israel in the past, including threats to attack Israeli vessels in the Red Sea and fire rockets and drones towards Israel. The Houthis arrested a Mossad spy in Yemen and plan to release documents over the next few days about the spy’s operations in the country, …

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made clear on Monday that Washington’s priority was to get the deal “back in the box” and then use it as a platform to address other questions. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, resigned to the revival of a nuclear pact with Iran …

Some eight Syrian soldiers were killed and a number of others were injured in the strikes, according to opposition-affiliated reports. An alleged Israeli airstrike targeted Syrian territory from Lebanese airspace on Tuesday night, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA. The airstrikes targeted sites in central and southern Syria …

Hamas had intelligence, research and development offices in building Israel struck last month. Hamas worked on a device to disrupt the Iron Dome missile-defense system in the same Gaza building that housed the Associated Press and was bombed by Israel during Operation Guardian of the Walls, Ambassador to the UN …

Deterrence is “an elusive concept subject to the cruel judgment of the time,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi said. Operation Guardian of the Walls was not meant to overthrow Hamas, but to bring about deterrence by severely hitting the capabilities of the terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, …