Middle Orient

Iran on Sunday has officially announced the beginning of the second phase of reduction of its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, increasing the level of its uranium enrichment to a level beyond the 3.67% limit set by the accord.

American diplomats have been quietly mediating a resolution to the Israeli-Lebanese maritime border dispute, an important step to avoiding another war between these two countries. However, even if American mediators can resolve the dispute, Hezbollah’s presence in southern Lebanon keeps alive the possibility of a devastating war.

Tensions between Israel and Syria are escalating and show little sign of slowing. Suspected Israeli strikes June 30 in Syria killed 15 people, the UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights said.

Discord broke out in German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition Sunday, after the United States urged the country to send ground troops to Syria as Washington looks to withdraw from the region.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb blast in the Tunisian capital earlier this week. A wanted militant wearing an explosives belt blew himself up in Tunis on Tuesday after being surrounded by police, the government said, but there were no other casualties.

The US-led coalition formed to defeat Isis has warned that a new generation of jihadis is being created in camps holding the families of Isis fighters.

Remnants of the Islamic State are engaged in a campaign of violence, extortion, and terrorism in Syria and Iraq in an apparent effort to regroup after the disintegration of the jihadist group’s land caliphate earlier this year.

The Libyan National Army has accused the Turkish regime of supporting terrorist groups in Libya. The army announced in a statement that Libyan National Army is fighting against armed terrorists on Libyan territories, while a Turkish logistic support has been offered to terrorist elements since years ago.

An F/A-18F Super Hornet prepares to make an arrested landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower after a mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve US forces carried out a rare strike against al-Qaeda in Syria on Sunday, killing eight commanders. US Forces conducted …

American forces struck al Qaeda “leadership at a training facility near Aleppo Province, Syria” yesterday, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The missile strike targeted al Qaeda “operatives responsible for plotting external attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians.” The U.S. military did not provide any specific details …