Middle East

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Iran War May Be Fortifying Kim Jong Un's Faith in Nukes

Analysts point out that Iran, unlike North Korea, stopped short of making a weapon

(Newser) - Multiple analyses about the war in Iran come to the same conclusion: The bombardment may be giving Kim Jong-un a real-time argument for never giving up his nukes. As Joshua Keating writes at Vox , two nuclear-armed nations—the US and Israel—"are overwhelming the defenses of a country that...

Iran Goes After 'the Eyes' of Foes' Defense Systems

Tehran keeps targeting radar systems across the Mideast

(Newser) - Iran has a clear strategy in its retaliatory strikes across the Mideast: It's going after what the Wall Street Journal describes as "the eyes" of its enemies' air defenses. Tehran has struck radar, communications, and air-defense sites tied to US and partner forces in Qatar, the UAE, Jordan,...

For Decades, Israel Tracked Khameini. Finally, They Struck

Long-game operation involved hacked traffic cameras in Tehran, 'pattern of life' dossiers

(Newser) - Israel didn't just get lucky when it managed to kill Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei: It had been digitally circling his compound for decades. In a detailed reconstruction by the Financial Times , sources describe a long game built on hacked Tehran traffic cameras, deeply penetrated mobile networks, and...

Iranian President to Neighbor Nations: Sorry for the Attacks

Masoud Pezeshkian apologizes for Iran's armed forces, but also says Iran won't surrender to US

(Newser) - Iran's president on Saturday apologized for attacks on regional countries even as its missiles and drones flew toward Gulf Arab states, suggesting that Tehran's political leadership couldn't exercise full command over Iran's armed forces. He also rejected US President Trump's repeated demands for surrender . President...

Report: Iran May Soon See Issues With Its Assets in UAE

United Arab Emirates is mulling freezing billions in Iran assets held there after Iran attacks, per WSJ

(Newser) - The UAE may be about to hit Iran where it hurts most: its bank accounts. Officials in Abu Dhabi were said to be debating whether to freeze billions of dollars in Iranian assets parked in the country, people familiar with the talks say, a step that could choke one of...

On Mideast Travel Chaos, 'There's No Way to Sugarcoat This'

Travelers scramble to leave region amid US-Israel attacks on Iran; UAE, Qatar pay for hotels, food

(Newser) - Travelers stuck in the Gulf region due to Iran-related airspace closures due to US-Israel attacks are getting an unusual perk: free hotel rooms and meals, courtesy of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Authorities in both countries have told hotels to keep stranded guests on past their checkout dates, with...

After 16-Hour Flights, Planes Were Back Where They Started

Gulf airspace closures force long-haul jets to turn back

(Newser) - If you thought a recent 14-hour flight to nowhere was bad, passengers on two long-haul flights got even longer, 15.5-hour tours to nowhere over the weekend owing to the conflict in Iran. American Airlines and Emirates jets each spent nearly 16 hours in the air before landing right back...

New Poll: Most Americans Oppose Iran Strikes

Poll finds many view Trump as too eager for military action

(Newser) - Americans are mostly lukewarm—or outright opposed—to Washington's latest show of force against Iran. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds just 27% back the US strikes that killed Iran's leader, while 43% disapprove and 29% aren't sure. The survey, conducted as US and Israeli strikes were underway...

World Leaders React to US-Israel Attack on Iran

Nations voice concern as some back strikes, others condemn escalation

(Newser) - World leaders are lining up to assess, condemn, or cautiously back US and Israeli strikes on Iran as fears of a wider Middle East conflict grow. What some are saying as updates continue to trickle out of the region, per CNN , Reuters , and the New York Times :
  • Antonio Costa, president
...

In a First, US Puts Stealth Fighter Jets in Israel

Move follows Arab states' refusal to host US strike forces

(Newser) - American warplanes are now parked on Israeli soil in a way they never have been before. The United States has quietly deployed F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to Israel, the first time Washington has positioned combat jets there, for a potential operation against Iran, reports the Wall Street Journal . The move,...

USS Ford Sailors Struggle With a Marathon Deployment

Families grapple with mission approaching record length as Trump sends ship near Iran

(Newser) - The USS Gerald R. Ford is on a deployment that could easily stretch to 11 months and set a Navy record, and it's wearing on the 5,000 people aboard and those waiting at home. The Wall Street Journal reports that President Trump has twice extended the carrier's...

Middle East Nations Find Huckabee's Remark 'Dangerous'

Joint statement rips ambassador's comments about Israeli takeover

(Newser) - With what sounded like an offhand line about Israel's borders, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee has touched off a regional firestorm. When pressed on whether Israel had a right to land stretching across parts of Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan in a chat with host Tucker Carlson, Huckabee said it...

Washington's Iran Leverage: Lots of Firepower

Large military buildup continues as Trump weighs nuclear talks

(Newser) - The US is steadily massing warplanes and ships around Iran, giving President Trump the ability to launch the biggest air campaign in the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion—if he chooses to pull the trigger. F-35s, F-22s, and other fighters have been sent to bases in Jordan and Saudi...

US to Withdraw All Troops From Syria Within 2 Months
US Is Pulling
All Troops From Syria
Feb 19, 2026 12:00 AM CST

US Is Pulling All Troops From Syria

Withdrawal raises fears of Islamic State resurgence and Kurdish vulnerability

(Newser) - America's fairly quiet presence in one Middle East country is about to end. US officials tell the Wall Street Journal all of the roughly 1,000 American troops still in Syria are being pulled out over the next two months, winding down a decade-long mission against the Islamic State....

Iran Still Has a 'Robust' Missile Force

Tehran has vowed to retaliate if US strikes

(Newser) - Israel may have bloodied Iran's forces in June's 12-day war, but it didn't knock out what matters most: missiles that can still reach US troops and allies across the Middle East. Analysts estimate Tehran retains roughly 2,000 medium-range ballistic missiles capable of striking as far as...

Israel Had a Condition It Didn't Get in US-Saudi Jet Deal

Country reportedly hoped deal would come only after Saudi Arabia signed the Abraham Accords

(Newser) - Israeli officials are raising alarms over the US plan to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia —a move they say risks eroding Israel's decisive edge in regional air power, largely based on its exclusive access to the aircraft. Israel's success with the F-35 is clear:...

Report: US 'E-Waste Brokers' Are Overwhelming SE Asia

American companies are shipping their electronic garbage overseas, causing a 'hidden tsunami'

(Newser) - Millions of tons of discarded electronics from the US are being shipped overseas, much of it to developing countries in Southeast Asia unprepared to safely handle hazardous waste, per a new report. Environmental watchdog Basel Action Network said a two-year investigation found at least 10 US companies exporting used electronics...

Ex-UK Prime Minister Blair at Top of List to Run Gaza

His name is being floated to manage UN transitional team in charge of Gaza before Palestinian handover

(Newser) - Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is reportedly involved in discussions about overseeing a transitional authority in Gaza, should a ceasefire be reached. Per the BBC , Blair has participated in high-level talks with various stakeholders on both ending the current conflict and shaping Gaza's future governance. The latest...

Corpse in Libya Could Solve a 50-Year Mystery

Experts say a photo could link a body to Lebanese cleric missing for decades

(Newser) - You know a mystery has legs when it can outlast dictators, revolutions, and even the memory of where the morgue is. The BBC reports that nearly five decades after Musa al-Sadr, a towering Lebanese cleric and political leader, vanished in Libya, a photo of a decomposed corpse in a secret...

Iran Got Better at Outsmarting Israel's Missile Shield

Per Jinsa stats, its success rate doubled

(Newser) - Iran's recent missile campaign against Israel became a stark test for missile defense systems, revealing that even state-of-the-art shields can spring leaks. The Wall Street Journal takes a look at how Iran managed to get more successful at breaking through Israel's vaunted air defenses over a 12-day...

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