Feb 03 Iranian-backed militia official in Iraq downplays U.S. retaliatory strikes, hints at de-escalation By Abdulrahman Zeyad, Ali Jabar, Associated Press An Iraqi militia official on Saturday hinted at a desire to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East following retaliatory strikes launched by the United States against dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Continue reading
Feb 02 Watch 6:00 U.S. strikes Iran-backed militias in retaliation for deadly attack on American troops By Nick Schifrin, Eliot Barnhart The U.S. launched a series of military strikes against Iranian forces and the militias they support in both Syria and Iraq. The bombings are in retaliation for an attack last weekend that killed three American soldiers and wounded dozens of… Continue watching
Feb 02 AP report: U.S. begins retaliatory strikes on militias in Iraq and Syria, officials say By Tara Copp, Abdulrahman Zeyad, Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press President Joe Biden and other top U.S. leaders had been warning for days that America would strike back at the militias, and they made it clear it wouldn’t be just one hit but a “tiered response” over time. Continue reading
Jan 31 Watch 10:16 U.S. blames Iran-backed militia for deadly attack, leaving Middle East on edge By Nick Schifrin, Dan Sagalyn The United States on Wednesday blamed an umbrella group of Iranian-backed proxies for the weekend attack that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan, further raising Middle East tensions. Vali Nasr, a former State Department adviser and professor at Johns Hopkins… Continue watching
Jan 27 Iraq and U.S. start formal talks to end coalition mission created to fight the Islamic State By Abby Sewell, Associated Press The United States and Iraq held a first session of formal talks Saturday in Baghdad aimed at winding down the mission of a U.S.-led military coalition formed to fight the Islamic State group in Iraq. Continue reading
Jan 25 U.S. and Iraq plan talks soon to end the U.S.-led military mission formed to fight the Islamic State By Tara Copp, Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press The announcement comes as U.S. forces in Iraq have been increasingly targeted by Iran-backed militias. But Washington says the time frame for the discussions isn't related to the attacks. Continue reading
Jan 24 Watch 11:44 Experts weigh in on threat posed by Iran and line U.S. is walking to avoid regional war By Nick Schifrin, Dan Sagalyn A U.S. priority since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack has been preventing violence from expanding across the region. But overnight, the U.S. launched strikes at Iranian-backed groups in both Iraq and Yemen, following attacks by those groups. Nick Schifrin reports… Continue watching
Jan 21 Watch 3:42 News Wrap: Moscow blames Ukrainian forces for deadly Donetsk shelling In our news wrap Sunday, Russia blamed Ukrainian shelling for at least 27 deaths near Russian-occupied Donetsk, Gaza health officials say more than 25,000 Palestinians have now died in the Israel-Hamas war, a U.S. airbase came under attack in Iraq,… Continue watching
Jan 19 The U.S. reshuffles its warships in the Mediterranean as Middle East tensions soar By Derek Gatopoulos, Associated Press The navy is now eyeing the longer haul, as concerns mount that Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza could set off a regional conflict. 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