Pentagon tit-for-tat with Iran goes on A Katyusha rocket strikes an Iraqi base where US troops are housed and the US Navy intercepts an apparent Iranian arms shipment for Yemeni rebels as the conflict between the United States and Iran and its proxies continues. By Jack Detsch
Off The Hookah with Phil and Cooper Episode #127: Turkey Playing Chicken (feat. Diego Cupolo & Mohammed al-Khatieb) Phil & Cooper
Intel: Republican-held Senate sides against Trump on Iran war powers The Republican-held Senate passed a resolution 55-45 today to constrain President Donald Trump from initiating offensive military action against Iran. By Bryant Harris In Washington, reporting on Congress
Ankara shifts gears to cease-fire in Syria Turkey's tone has softened on its military confrontation with Syria with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar telling fellow NATO ministers in Brussels that Ankara sent 5,000 additional troops to the rebel-held province "to secure a lasting cease-fire." By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
More Israelis, Palestinians support the 'one-state' solution With more and more settlements constructed, the 'one-state' solution might be the only feasible one. By Ksenia Svetlova
Turkey grows erratic as clashes in Idlib escalate The Turkish government seems increasingly irrational as clashes intensify between Syrian government forces and Turkey-backed rebels in Idlib. By Cengiz Candar
Will ties with Iran change under Oman’s new sultan? A new sultan sitting on the throne in Muscat has sparked questions about the future of traditionally cordial ties Tehran held with the late peacemaker, Sultan Qaboos bin Said. By Saeid Jafari
Will Jewish left-wing voters support the Joint List in March? Meretz's alliance with Labor-Gesher has put ardent leftists in an ideological bind, leading some to conclude that the overwhelmingly Arab Joint List might attract some of their votes. By Akiva Eldar
Netanyahu, Trump plant land mine within peace initiative The Blue and White party believes the land swap idea in the deal of the century is included in Donald Trump's peace plan for one reason: to trap Benny Gantz and create a rift between him and Israeli-Arab voters. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Iran kicks off parliamentary election campaign Campaigning for Iran’s parliament election has officially begun and will last only one week. By Al-Monitor Staff
Displaced yet again, Syrians flee Idlib for Manbij With intense shelling and catastrophic conditions in Idlib province, the Syrian Democratic Forces are welcoming refugees into areas they control to the east around Manbij. By Rana al-Ahmde
Will Hamas give up its weapons as part of peace deal? In the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for Hamas to be disarmed, officials from the movement have rushed to react and roll out possible disarming scenarios. By Adnan Abu Amer
Low chances of success for Abbas’ alternative to US peace plan Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas proposed his vision for a peace process with Israel as an alternative to the United States' deal of the century. By Ahmad Melhem In Ramallah, reporting on politics
Raqqa seeks to repair what IS ruined The Religious Affairs Foundation in Raqqa held its first Islamic forum as part of efforts to correct the religious concepts that the Islamic State misinterpreted and practiced, in an attempt to bridge the gap that IS created among the Syrian communities. By Rana al-Ahmde
Controversial new law could make Iraq's early elections late Iraq's parliament passed a new elections law in December in response to massive protests, but the law hasn't been sent to the president for his approval. By Omar al-Jaffal
Egypt treads cautiously in response to Trump's deal of the century Egypt is caught between a rock and a hard place in supporting Palestinians and not rejecting the US peace plan, being careful to sustain good ties with the United States. By Hagar Hosny