All Middle East
In Syria, US-backed fighters target prominent bastion of IS forcesCoalition airstrikes and Syrian fighters backed by the US are being used to cut off Islamic State forces on the Turkey-Syria border.
Why a loss in Fallujah may be a win for ISISThe latest edition of ISIS's propaganda magazine has cast the battle as part of a broader Shiite 'war' against Iraq's Sunnis, and portrayed themselves as Sunnis' sole defender.
In Fallujah fight, top Shiite cleric calls for restraint toward Sunni civiliansGrand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, whose 2014 fatwa prompted tens of thousands of Shiite militiamen to fight ISIS, now calls for them to respect 'ethics of jihad.'
Missing EgyptAir jet: Pings from black boxes heard by French navyA French ship has picked up signals from deep under the Mediterranean Sea, presumably from the cockpit voice and data recorder of EgyptAir Flight 804.聽
ISIS counterattack in Fallujah repelled by Iraqi forcesIraqi forces battling their way into Fallujah repelled a four-hour attack by the Islamic State group Tuesday.聽
ISIS, losing territory in Syria, signals strategic shiftIts threat to attack the West during Ramadan, which begins next month, comes as the group is losing a key recruiting tool: the ability to capture and hold territory.
Attacks on hospitals: war zone medics push for consequencesThe new group Medics Under Fire wants assaults on hospitals and health workers 鈥� which are war crimes 鈥� to be taken to the International Criminal Court at The Hague
Trapped in Turkey, Syrians find lifelines off the beaten pathWith more Syrians choosing to, or forced to, stay in Turkey, an already overburdened state bureaucracy is trying to accommodate a burgeoning urban refugee population.
New evidence suggests explosion on EgyptAir Flight 804Human remains retrieved from the crash site of EgyptAir Flight 804 suggest there was an explosion on board, says an Egyptian official.聽
First LookSyrians are lining up to fight ISISSyrian volunteers are signing up to join the fight against the Islamic State faster than American military advisers can train them.
Is fascism rising in Israel?Israel has been "infected by the seeds of fascism," said former Prime Minister Ehud Barak.聽Conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has joined forces with聽far-right nationalist Avigdor Lieberman.
Smoke detected on EgypAir Flight 804 before crashThe plane's automatic detection system sent messages indicating smoke a few minutes before the plane disappeared from radar. Search teams are still looking for data and voice recorders.
Israel defense chief quits, warns of 'extremist' rise under NetanyahuMoshe Yaalon聽resigned Friday, lamenting what he sees as "extremist and dangerous elements." His departure may pave the way for an ultra-nationalist successor.聽
Syrian refugees: Can Europe help Jordan turn a burden into a boon?With investment from Europe, Jordan is reversing its policy of discriminating against Syrian workers. It's a bid to bolster Jordan's economy while encouraging the refugees to remain in the region.
Baghdad violence stirs local Shi'ite militiaBombings Tuesday in Baghdad and the nearby Sadr City left dozens dead and riled local Shi'ite forces against the fundamentalist Sunni Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Foreign leaders can't agree on Syrian peace talk scheduleFollowing a meeting in Vienna Tuesday, foreign ministers representing governments opposed to and in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad failed to set a date for continued discussions regarding an end to the Syrian conflict.
Russians step in to protect UNESCO site Palmyra from ISISThe Russian military is setting up barracks close to the town of Palmyra and an archaeological site that has been vulnerable to the control of the Islamic State.
FocusWhy 100-year-old borders drawn by two Europeans still define the Middle EastThe Sykes-Picot agreement, reached a century ago this week, delineated national borders based more on British and French interests than local conditions. But it has proven surprisingly resilient.
Assassination of top Hezbollah officer in Syria shows group's new vulnerabilityThe conflict in Syria has drawn in thousands of fighters from the Shiite militant group, stretching its once ironclad security to the point where its top officers are vulnerable to attack from Israel.
Iran declines to take part in hajj over dispute with SaudisTensions between the longtime rivals soared after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric on Jan. 2.聽The two countries also support opposing sides in Syria's civil war.
