Analysis Netanyahu delivers defiant speech, remains weak leader as Israel struggles in Gaza Apart from hollow slogans, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered no solutions for freeing the hostages, ending the Hamas war or administering Gaza. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Former Israeli hostage's plea to Netanyahu: Take the deal Former hostage Aviva Siegel is urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring her husband, Keith, and the other hostages home from the Gaza Strip. Israel
Syria’s Assad meets Putin in Russia amid Turkey dialogue push Russia has been the main backer of President Bashar al-Assad’s forces against rebels throughout the Syrian civil war. Syria
Netanyahu defends Gaza war conduct, slams protesters as 'Iran’s useful idiots' The Israeli prime minister addressed US lawmakers in a joint session that some top Democrats boycotted. Israel
Somaliland warns against Turkey's naval deployment off Somalia's coast The Turkish parliament will soon vote on a two-year mandate allowing the Turkish army to dispatch troops to Somali waters. Turkey
Regional View Iran summons German ambassador, furious over Islamic center closure Iran, which has been running similar foundations in several Western countries, condemned the ban as an act of Islamophobia after Berlin found the center to be propagating "extremism and fundamentalism." Iran
Regional View Turkey returns $5B deposit to Saudi Arabia amid economic recovery The Saudi Fund for Development decided to hold the funds in the Turkish Central Bank in March 2023 after ministerial meetings the previous year — the deposit helped Turkey firm up its weakened currency, the lira. Turkey