Recent articles
September 11, 2026
Saudi crown prince urged Trump to strike Houthis amid Red Sea threat
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) called President Trump twice Thursday, urging him to launch strikes against the Houthis as the Iran-backed group closed in on a vital Red Sea chokepoint...
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September 9, 2026
Trump didn't oppose UK sanctions on Israeli settlements
The Trump administration did not oppose a UK-led initiative to impose new sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, U.S. officials and Western diplomats say. Why it matters: The W...
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September 7, 2026
Zelensky to Axios: U.S. exploring Russia-Ukraine winter de-escalation steps
The U.S. is exploring whether Ukraine and Russia could take steps to de-escalate the war during the winter while restarting negotiations toward a broader peace agreement, Ukrainian President Volody...
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September 6, 2026
Witkoff and Kushner, in a first, visit Ukraine for peace talks
President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv on Sunday for diplomatic talks aimed at resuming negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Why it matters: Kushner and Witkof...
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September 5, 2026
Witkoff and Kushner meet with Putin about ending Ukraine war
President Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Saturday and discussed U.S. ideas for ending the war in Ukraine.Why it matters: Witko...
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September 4, 2026
Scoop: Trump administration drafting post-war Middle East plan
The Trump administration is working on a post-war strategy focused on a regional effort to contain Iran and expand normalization of relations between Israel and its neighbors, according to two U.S....
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September 4, 2026
Trump envoys Witkoff and Kushner to travel to Moscow and Kyiv this weekend
President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel this weekend to Moscow and Kyiv for talks on ending the war, U.S. officials said. Why it matters: This will be the first visit b...
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September 4, 2026
U.S. military reviewing deadly strike on Iranian wedding
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is conducting an internal review of a civilian casualty incident at a wedding during the strikes in Iran last Tuesday, U.S. officials say. Why it matters: While it st...
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September 2, 2026
Witkoff meets powerful UAE official amid crackdown on Iran
White House Envoy Steve Witkoff met last weekend with the national security adviser of the United Arab Emirates to discuss next steps on Iran, according to two sources with knowledge of the meeting...
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September 2, 2026
U.S. strikes Iran tankers under new "tanker for tanker" policy
The U.S. military attacked two Iranian government tankers as part of the round of strikes that took place on Tuesday, U.S. officials said. Why it matters: This is the first time the U.S. military h...
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September 1, 2026
U.S. military conducting fresh strikes in the Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military is conducting strikes on Iranian targets in the area of the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command said Tuesday. Why it matters: The attacks are part of a plan President Trump and...
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September 1, 2026
Why Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned
Two key reasons led to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll's resignation, announced Monday: the feeling that his modernization initiatives were being blocked, and the chaos created by Defense Secretary Pet...
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August 31, 2026
Trump weighing limited strikes against Iran to curb Hormuz attacks
President Trump and his senior aides have been considering waging limited strikes in the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iran from reconstituting its radar and missile capabilities to attack ships, acc...
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August 30, 2026
U.S. strikes Iran to prevent Hormuz mine threat
The U.S. military struck Iranian military targets to prevent the deployment of sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official said. Why it matters: This is the first known U.S. strike in Iran s...
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August 29, 2026
CIA director Ratcliffe floated Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit during Moscow visit, sources say
CIA Director John Ratcliffe proposed a trilateral meeting between President Trump, Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky during his covert trip to Moscow earlier this week in an ...
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August 28, 2026
"That sucker is open": U.S. gains the upper hand in the battle for Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz has been Iran's most powerful card since the start of the war in late February. But over the past two months, U.S. officials say the American military has steadily eroded Iran'...
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August 27, 2026
Trump to Axios: I'm not worried Russia will attack NATO
President Trump told Axios in a phone interview on Thursday that he isn't concerned that Russia will attack NATO countries. Why it matters: European leaders have grown extremely concerned and warne...
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August 25, 2026
Rubio tells allies U.S. shifting from strikes to sanctions on Iran
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told several of his foreign counterparts in recent days that "for the time being" the U.S. is not expected to initiate new strikes against Iran, according to a U....
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August 25, 2026
Trump: Mines fully removed from Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. Navy has cleared all mines from the main shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump said on Tuesday. Why it matters: The clearing, part of a low-key operation the last several ...
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August 25, 2026
CIA director Ratcliffe visits Moscow
CIA director John Ratcliffe is visiting Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian officials, two U.S. officials said. Why it matters: This is Ratcliffe's first trip to Moscow since he took office an...
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August 24, 2026
Bessent unveils sanctions designed to cripple Iran
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Monday that the U.S. will impose punishing sanctions on countries and entities that do business with Iran — an attempt to bring the country to heel abs...
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August 23, 2026
Scoop: Syria and Israel move to defuse tensions after airbase bombing
High-level Israeli and Syrian officials met Sunday in an effort to lower the temperature between the countries after a recent airbase bombing, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter....
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August 19, 2026
Syrian foreign minister to Axios: Israeli bombing of airbase was unjustified
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani told Axios Wednesday that he made clear to Israel his government wasn't working with Turkey to amass a military presence at a Syrian airbase — but Israel w...
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August 19, 2026
U.S. conducting stealth operation to transport oil through Hormuz
The U.S. military has quietly established a shipping corridor in and out of the Strait of Hormuz to transport millions of barrels of oil each day — a notable success even as the broader war remains...
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August 18, 2026
Israel defends strike on Syria as U.S. frustration with Bibi grows
Israel told the Trump administration its recent attack on a Syrian airbase was aimed at preventing a Turkish military buildup in the area, U.S. and Israeli officials said. Why it matters: The unusu...
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August 18, 2026
UN inspectors visit undeclared Syrian nuclear sites for first time
UN inspectors this week visited several undeclared Assad-era Syrian nuclear sites for the first time — including some used to store nuclear material. Why it matters: The inspections by Internationa...
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August 17, 2026
Kushner urges Netanyahu to test Hamas disarmament in Gaza
President Trump adviser Jared Kushner told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that the U.S. wants Israel to take "small steps" in Gaza to test whether Hamas' commitment to start di...
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August 16, 2026
Kushner meets Hamas leaders to push Gaza demilitarization
President Trump's envoy Jared Kushner met Hamas leaders in Egypt on Sunday to press them to carry out their commitment to disarm, according to two sources familiar with the meeting. Why it matters:...
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August 16, 2026
Scoop: Inside Trump's secret backchannel to Iran's Revolutionary Guard
In mid-May, U.S. negotiators trying to reach a deal with Iran to end the war ran into a problem: They couldn't tell if the people across the table actually spoke for the country's powerful Islamic ...
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August 14, 2026
Scoop: Key W.H. national security aide Andy Baker is departing
White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker is leaving the administration in the coming weeks.Why it matters: Baker, who also served as national security advisor to Vice President Vance...
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