On Sunday, the Arab League voted to readmit Syria, marking a significant step in Damascus' efforts to normalize relations with regional countries. Syria was suspended from the Arab League at the outbreak of war in 2011, and many of the bloc's members threw their...
US, Philippines Make Defense Commitment in South China Sea Official
The US and the Philippines on Wednesday agreed on new guidelines for the 1951 US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty that formalize the US commitment to going to war if Philippine vessels come under attack in the South China Sea. For years now, US officials have pledged...
US Shifts Rhetoric on Regional Engagement With Syria
A White House National Security Council official told The National that the Biden administration was "encouraged" by a meeting between Syrian and other Arab foreign ministers that took place in Amman on Monday. The comments mark a significant shift in rhetoric from...
Biden Signs Executive Order to Impose Sanctions on Sudan
President Biden on Thursday signed an executive order expanding his authorities to impose sanctions on Sudan over the conflict that broke out between rival generals on April 15. Forces loyal to Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sudan’s army chief and de facto leader, have been...
US Says Russian Missile Almost Hit US MQ-9 Drone Over Syria
A US MQ-9 Reaper drone was fired at by a Russian SA-22 Pantsir air defense system in Syria back in November, a US official told Air & Space Forces Magazine. The incident was first revealed by one of the Pentagon documents allegedly leaked by Jack Teixeira. The US...
Al-Qaeda in Yemen Slams Saudi-Iran Normalization Deal
According to a report from The New Arab, the leader of the Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has slammed Saudi Arabia for its normalization deal with Iran. In a video released earlier this week, AQAP head Khalid Batarfi said Riyadh was conceding...
NATO to Open Office in Japan, the Alliance’s First in Asia
NATO is planning to open a liaison office in Japan next year, the alliance's first in Asia, Nikkei Asia reported Wednesday. In recent years, NATO has turned its gaze toward the Asia Pacific region and named China a "systemic challenge" in its 2022 Strategic Concept....
Russia Says the US Was Behind Drone Attack on the Kremlin
Russia on Thursday said the US was behind the drone attack that targeted the Kremlin, which Moscow said was an attempt on Russian President Vladimir Putin's life. "We know very well that the decisions to carry out such actions, such terrorist attacks, are made not in...
Blinken Says Ukraine’s Army in Better Shape Than Discord Leaks Show
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Ukraine's military is capable of launching a counteroffensive and regaining territory from Russia despite what Pentagon documents leaked on Discord have revealed. One of the leaked documents allegedly released by...
Iranian Forces Seize Second Oil Tanker Within a Week
Iranian forces seized a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday, marking the second such incident within a week. According to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, the ship, the Niovi, was seized after leaving Dubai and heading towards Fujairah, another...