All Middle East
As battle for Mosul begins, aid workers gird for humanitarian challengeArtillery fire and coalition aircraft pounded ISIS positions in the Iraqi city Sunday night into Monday. Humanitarian workers are prepping for scenarios as varied as thousands being trapped as human shields to a mass exodus.
First LookBattle begins to retake Mosul from ISISCaptured in 2014, Mosul is the largest city held by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. A coalition of various factions launched an invasion to retake the city early Monday.
ISIS suffers major symbolic defeat with loss of DabiqThe Islamic State has lost the Syrian city of Dabiq, a central part of its claim to be the bringers of an apocalyptic battle with the West.
Officials say US missiles destroy radar sites on Yemen coastThe strikes marked the first U.S. strikes targeting the Houthis in Yemen's long-running civil war.
Between US and Saudi Arabia, a growing clash of valuesUS claims that Saudi Arabia is not doing enough to combat terror have left the kingdom exasperated 鈥� and seeking new allies.
A Syrian doctor's work amid Aleppo's humanitarian crisis: interviewSyria's second city of Aleppo is under siege, with Russian and Syrian airpower pounding myriad targets, including hospitals. Dr. Zaher Sahloul of ARCS, last in Aleppo in July, shared his experience with the Monitor.
First LookDoes a missile strike in Yemen put the US on a slippery slope?The civil war in Yemen is getting dirtier. And on Thursday, the US launched its first strike on targets there.
Why FIFA is getting involved in the West Bank conflictThe Palestinian Football Association has asked FIFA to relocate or bar six West Bank settlement teams, but its Israeli counterpart says that such a move would be mixing politics and sports.聽
ISIS exploding drones now part of battle for SyriaISIS exploding drones:聽Various militant groups in Syria are using drones to fire rockets or drop bombs, says a US military official.聽
Missile strike in Yemen: Will criticism of Saudis morph into real pressure?Condemnation has followed the missile strike on a funeral, which killed 140 people and crossed what some say are Yemen's red lines. But how hard the US might press Saudi Arabia remains to be seen.
Russia and Turkey sign gas deal, seek common ground on Syria as ties warmThe warming relations between NATO member Turkey and Russia comes as both countries are dealing with troubled economies and strained ties with the West.
Did Yemeni rebels just fire on a US warship?No American sailors were injured and no damage was done to the USS Mason when two missiles splashed down near the USS Mason. The Navy is investigating whether rebels may have been targeting the US destroyer.
Showdown in Mosul: Why it could be transformative for both ISIS and IraqIf ISIS loses the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in the coming battle, its visions of a caliphate would fade, while the government in Baghdad would have the chance to rewrite Iraq's national narrative.
Amid pounding of Aleppo, volunteer rescue workers battle onThe White Helmets, a Syrian civil defense group, have faced daunting challenges from intense airstrikes and artillery shelling over the past two weeks.
UN Syria envoy warns Aleppo could be 'destroyed' this yearSpecial envoy Staffan de Mistura urged fighters from Fatah al-Sham Front to leave the city in exchange for peace.聽- U.S. government condemns new Israeli plan on settlementsThe White House and State Department "strongly condemned"聽Israel's decision to advance a plan that they said would create a new settlement "deep in the West Bank" and undermine a two-state solution.
Without jobs, Tunisia's shining revolution begins to dimTunisia's Arab Spring revolution has made it a model of political reform. But for that progress to take hold, the country needs jobs.
Pounding Aleppo, Russia and Syria reprise politics of brutalityIn their overwhelming attacks on eastern Aleppo, which spurred the US to suspend talks with Moscow, Russia and Syria are seeking a favorable political outcome through time-tested 鈥� if brutal 鈥� military means.
Abbas attends Peres's funeral, honoring legacy as 'partner for peace'Israeli statesman Shimon Peres was laid to rest on Friday, as leaders from around the world gathered to honor his seven-decade career.
Turkey's state of emergency may be extended, Erdogan hintsExtending the controversial emergency rule would strengthen Turkey's fight against terrorism, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.聽
