The Iraqi PM and Joe Biden stuck to the script, emphasising economic opportunities. No one mentioned US troop withdrawal, but Baghdad's tense relations with Iraqi Kurds did come up.

The two new countries were forged after the Balkans War in the 1990s. While tensions remain, they are evidence of what can be achieved with international support.

Cairo's worst fears could soon be realised and the mass exodus event it feared months ago could finally come to fruition

Israel has carried out a strike inside Iran in a development that pushes the region closer to all-out conflict

Ultra-religious hardliners are gaining power and yearn for confrontation

When Israel considers its next move after Iran's retaliatory attack, it is not simply calculating the cost and benefits of a response but will also be creating a new equation for future exchanges.

From the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus to Iran's retaliation on Israel, the Syrian leader has been acting strangely normal. Al Majalla gives a breakdown of the past two weeks.

An isolated leader who faced widespread criticism a week ago now has the backing of the West and has deflected global attention from Gaza

The Israeli prime minister and Hamas leader have inflated military progress in Gaza, whitewashed their failures and religionised the war. Who can cast doubts about a divine victory?

While this marked the first time Iran directly struck Israel, the weak showing of these drone strikes demonstrates Tehran's clear desire to avoid getting sucked into a direct conflict