Feb 07 Drone strike in Baghdad kills high-ranking militia leader linked to attacks on American troops, U.S. military says By Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Lolita C. Baldor, Aamer Madhani, Associated Press The precision blast came amid roiling tensions in the region, and will likely further anger Iraqi government leaders, who U.S. officials said were not notified in advance of the strike. Continue reading
Feb 06 Who is part of Iran’s regional armed network and what are their aims? By Kali Robinson, Will Merrow, Council on Foreign Relations Fighters from Shiite Muslim-majority countries such as Iraq and Lebanon compose Iran’s main proxies, but groups in Sunni-majority Afghanistan, the Palestinian territories, Syria, and Yemen have also formed associations with Iran. Continue reading
Feb 05 Obstacles loom as Blinken returns to Middle East to negotiate plans for Gaza By Matthew Lee, Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, Associated Press Blinken hopes to press ahead with a potential cease-fire deal and postwar planning while tamping down regional tensions. But on on all three fronts he faces major challenges. Continue reading
Feb 03 As war in Gaza hits 4 months, Israel issues its most detailed warning yet to Hezbollah By Najib Jobain, Samy Magdy, Associated Press Israel’s military on Saturday issued its most detailed warning yet to Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon that it would be “ready to attack immediately” if provoked, as it recounted its actions along the northern border during four months of war in Gaza. Continue reading
Feb 01 Israel and Lebanon are prepping for war, but neither wants the conflict many fear is inevitable By Abby Sewell, Melanie Lidman, Associated Press Israel and Hezbollah each have lessons from their last war, in 2006. The monthlong conflict ended in a draw. Continue reading
Jan 21 Strike kills civilian, Hezbollah fighter as Israel seems to shift to targeted killings in Lebanon By Mohammed Zaatari, Abby Sewell, Associated Press An Israeli airstrike hit two vehicles near a Lebanese army checkpoint in south Lebanon on Sunday, killing a Hezbollah member in one car and a woman in the other and wounding several other people, Lebanese state media and health officials reported. Continue reading
Jan 16 Watch 3:44 World leaders concerned about Mideast war escalating after attacks in Lebanon and Iraq By Nick Schifrin, Dan Sagalyn, Zeba Warsi The Biden administration will soon designate Houthi militants in Yemen as a specially designated global terrorist group, a White House official tells the NewsHour. It follows more than 30 Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and it's… Continue watching
Jan 15 Watch 5:19 Iranian-backed groups raise threat of drawing U.S. into a wider Middle East conflict By Amna Nawaz, Dan Sagalyn Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and Israel’s military response in Gaza, Iranian-backed militias in the region have escalated attacks. Hezbollah and the IDF have traded barrages while the Houthis have lobbed missiles and attacked ships in the Red Sea… Continue watching
Jan 14 Two Israeli civilians killed by missile fire from Lebanon as Israel-Hamas war rages for 100th day By Melanie Lidman, Samy Magdy, Kareem Chehayeb, Associated Press An anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon hit a home in northern Israel on Sunday, killing two civilians and renewing concerns about the risk of a second front erupting in the Israel-Hamas war. Continue reading
Jan 09 Watch 4:42 Blinken tours Mideast in effort to keep Israel-Hamas war from spreading By William Brangham, Solveig Rennan, Zeba Warsi Secretary of State Antony Blinken is back in Israel for his fourth visit since the war with Hamas began three months ago. It's part of a long, regional tour that has Blinken walking a fine diplomatic line as he tries… Continue watching