Islamic state militants intensify operations in the middle east, as American commandos and kurdish-led forces struggle to prevent the terrorist group's resurgence.

As Iran threatens retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, moderate Arab states face a complex diplomatic balancing act. Experts suggest these nations may covertly assist the U.S. and Israel in countering Iranian aggression, while publicly maintaining a neutral stance to appease domestic audiences and regional allies.

According to Reuters, Turkey has vetoed all Israeli cooperation with Israel since October 7 as part of its protest against the war in Gaza.

The report comes as questions increase regarding Biden's chances for reelection due to his debate performance.

Meeting with counterparts at the NATO Summit in Washington, DC, Katz took care to emphasize the danger presented by Iran at a conference devoted to Ukraine.

US Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, published a highly critical column on US policy in the Red Sea in Bloomberg, making his own recommendations for changing course.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the inclusion of Sweden into the alliance after a slow process of approval from some member states.

The decision comes after Finland had joined NATO earlier in the year, a change in a decades-long neutrality policy triggered by Russia's renewed invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO visited Kfar Aza and pledged: "I will act in parliaments around the world for the release of the captives." Knesset Chairman Amir Ohana said, "This is not a private struggle of Israel against Hamas - it is a struggle of the forces of light against the forces of darkness."

During the speech, the Defense Minister presented the 31 ministers with an uncensored film of the horrors of the massacre, decapitation of soldiers, burning of civilians, and abuse of the captives.