Middle East

• War Threats and Ambiguous Evidence: Trump Again Confronts Iran - There is little sign that Iran has made significant progress in reconstituting its nuclear program, leaving questions about the timing and motive behind potential plans for further attacks.
• Trump Warns Iran With Military Muscle, but Risks a Regional War - Iran’s Islamic Republic, weakened by airstrikes in June and huge popular unrest, warns that it will strike back hard if attacked by the United States. This time, Iran may mean it.
• U.S. allies in the Middle East have been pressing for weeks to prevent a conflict with Iran. - Diplomats in the region have spent weeks trying to prevent a confrontation that they say risks a wider conflict.
• Trump Threatens Iran With ‘Massive Armada’ and Presses a Set of Demands - U.S. and European officials say they have put three demands in front of the Iranians, including a permanent end to all enrichment of uranium.
• Emirati rescue, Saudi fury: Middle East heavyweights split over Yemen - Stuck in Aden airport with an invitation from Saudi Arabia he couldn't — but very much wanted to — refuse, Aidarous al-Zubaidi played for time, nitpicking on points of protocol that delayed the plane's depature from Yemen for a few hours.
• Iranian Americans in SoCal watch Iran protests with a mix of hope and 'visceral dread' - In Southern California, home to the nation's largest Iranian diaspora, the anti-government protests in Iran are being watched nervously.
• Trump’s Plans for Venezuelan Oil Run Headlong Into Reality - President Trump’s fixation on Venezuela’s oil raises the question of how much “energy dominance” is really worth nowadays.
• Iran's supreme leader vows to crack down on protesters, blames Trump - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei excoriated protesters as 'saboteurs' and insisting the Islamic Republic would 'not back down,' even as the country remains in the throes of a full communications blackout amid growing anti-govern
• Iran on edge as Trump threatens action following Venezuela operation amid protests - Perhaps no nation is alarmed as Iran by the U.S. attack on Venezuela to capture as Nicolás Maduro. Its leaders are facing a fresh bout of anti-government demonstrations and threats from President Trump.
• Israel-backed Gaza militias tout themselves as part of any post-conflict solution - Israel wants to use the factions as local proxies to secure parts of the enclave under its control.