WASHINGTON: The whipsaw chain of events involving Iran, Israel and the United States that culminated in a surprise ceasefire has raised many questions about how the Trump administration will approach the Middle East going forward. Yet, the answer to the bottom line question — “what’s next?” — remains unknowable and unpredictable. That is because President Donald Trump has essentially sidelined the traditional US national security apparatus and confined advice and decision-making to a very small group of top aides operating from the White House.

What happens to Iran's uranium stockpile? What promises did the Americans make to Israel, and the Qataris to Iran? Are the Houthis part of the deal? And how will all this impact…

The current question facing both Israel and the U.S. is how to turn the cease-fire into a longer-term solution to the underlying problem. Here's how U.S. President Donald Trump…