President Barack Obama's decision to begin arming Syria's rebels deepens U.S. involvement in a regional proxy war that is increasingly being fought along sectarian lines, pitting Sunni against Shiite Muslims, and threatening the stability of Syria's neighbors. Pictured: In this citizen journalism image provided by Edlib News Network, ENN, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, anti-Syrian regime protesters hold a banner and flash the victory sign during a demonstration in Hass town, Idlib province, northern Syria, Friday, June 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Edlib News Network ENN)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful, but that its threats against Israel are "unacceptable." 
Israel's prime minister said Sunday there has been a "significant rise" in cyberattacks on Israel by Iran. 
Deteriorating security conditions near the Golan Heights headquarters for U.N. peacekeepers in the region has prompted Austria to say it will pull out its 370 troops, more than a third of the force assigned to help keep Israel and Syria at bay. 
The US State Department warned both Israel and Syria Thursday to avoid any actions that might inflame an already volatile situation along the border shared by the two countries. 
US President Barack Obama has selected as his nominee for US ambassador to the United Nations a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and academic who at one point in her career has advocated a US invasion of Israel. 
The United States will send a Patriot missile battery and F-16 fighters to Jordan for a military drill and may keep the weapons there to counter the threat posed by Syria's civil war, officials said Monday. 
