Middle East Monitor Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa

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  Netanyahu urges Trump against Iran ceasefire: Report

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged US President Donald Trump not to pursue a ceasefire with Iran at this stage, citing concerns over potential risks, according to a report published Monday by Axios. During a phone call on Sunday, Netanyahu expressed reservations about a possible truce with Iran, warning it could carry strategic risks, an Israeli official told Axios. Trump, however, told Netanyahu that a ceasefire with Iran could be reached if Tehran agrees to US demands. He reiterated that Washington’s requirements include Iran handing over all of its enriched uranium and committing not to resume uranium enrichment, the official said. READ: Over 7,100 injured in Israel since start of Iran war: Health Ministry Meanwhile, Netanyahu said Monday on US social

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  Over 7,100 injured in Israel since start of Iran war: Health Ministry

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Israel’s Health Ministry said Monday at least 7,142 people have been injured since the start of the war with Iran, including 107 injuries in the past 24 hours, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry said 114 people remain hospitalized, including two in critical condition, and 14 with serious injuries. The ministry did not specify how many people were killed, but the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel said that at least 31 people have been killed since the start of the war on Feb. 28. Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated

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  Syria declares Al-Hol camp ‘closed military zone’

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Syrian authorities on Monday evening declared Al-Hol camp and its surroundings in the northeastern Hasakah province a fully “closed military zone,” Anadolu reports. Syria Alikhbaria TV, citing the Hasakah Media Directorate, said internal security forces banned anyone from approaching or entering the area under any circumstances. The directorate warned that violations would result in strict measures, including immediate arrest and referral to the judiciary, potentially leading to severe prison sentences. In February, Fadi al-Qassem, a Syrian Foreign Ministry official responsible for Al-Hol camp, told Anadolu that the camp had been fully evacuated. Iraq’s National Security Advisory also confirmed that the camp had been completely dismantled after transferring more than 5,600 families, comprising around 22,000 people, to the Iraqi territory. Al-Hol camp,

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  Extremist Israeli minister storms Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque again amid ongoing closure

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Monday stormed East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which has been closed by Israeli authorities for 38 days, a Palestinian agency said, Anadolu reports. In a brief statement, the Islamic Endowments Directorate in Jerusalem said: “Ben-Gvir stormed the mosque compound through Mughrabi Gate towards Bab al-Silsila (Chain Gate).” Such incursions by Ben-Gvir are typically carried out without prior public announcement. Israeli ministers are only permitted to enter the Al-Aqsa compound with advance approval from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The extremist minister has continued these provocations despite repeated Arab, Islamic and international condemnations. Israeli authorities kept both Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre closed for a 38th consecutive

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  Israel continues to undermine all efforts to end war: Turkish president

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that the war that began on Feb. 28 in the Middle East continues to claim lives despite diplomatic efforts, accusing Israel of undermining initiatives aimed at ending the conflict, Anadolu reports. Speaking after a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, President Erdogan said: “Israeli government continues to undermine all efforts to end war.” He also said Israel “proves it feeds on tensions” by keeping Al-Aqsa Mosque closed, pursuing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, and escalating tensions in Lebanon and Syria. Erdogan further stressed that recent developments in the region underline the importance of Turkiye’s “Terror-free Turkiye” process, launched to strengthen internal unity and solidarity. “At a time when attempts are

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  Trump claims Iran could be eliminated in 1 night, adds that ‘might be tomorrow night’

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that American forces could “take out” the entire nation of Iran in just a single night, Anadolu reports. “The entire country could be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump told reporters. He also said that his administration is searching “very hard” for a leaker who shared details on the first pilot rescued from Iran last week after his plane was downed. READ: Iran sends proposal on ending war, rejects temporary ceasefire: IRNA Trump said a second recovery mission for a missing US service member involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, and 48 refueling tankers. He previously said that some 200 Special Forces personnel assisted in

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  12 Palestinians killed, several wounded in Israeli attacks across Gaza despite ceasefire

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  At least 12 Palestinians were killed and several others wounded by Israeli army fire in the Gaza Strip on Monday, in another violation of a ceasefire in effect since last October, medical sources said. The sources said one person was killed and others were injured when Israeli forces opened fire on civilian vehicles east of the town of al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Witnesses told Anadolu that Israeli forces positioned east of Salah al-Din Street opened fire on Palestinian vehicles in an area outside their agreed deployment and control zone under the ceasefire. Another Palestinian lost his life and a child was injured when an Israeli strike hit a gathering in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza

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  Iran sends proposal on ending war, rejects temporary ceasefire: IRNA

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Iran has sent a proposal outlining its position on ending the war, rejecting a temporary ceasefire and calling instead for a permanent resolution, according to the state news agency IRNA. Iran conveyed its response to a US proposal through Pakistan after two weeks of high-level deliberations. The response, consisting of 10 points, rejects the idea of a temporary ceasefire and emphasizes the need for a lasting end to the war in line with Iran’s conditions. The proposal includes demands such as an end to hostilities in the region, a framework to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, reconstruction, and the lifting of sanctions. READ: US, Iran and mediators discussing possible 45-day ceasefire: Report The proposal came after recent developments

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  Iran raises suspicion of ‘uranium theft’ plot after clashes with US forces

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Recent US military operations inside Iran may have been meant as cover to seize the country’s enriched uranium, a spokesman said following a series of clashes linked to attempts to rescue downed American personnel, Anadolu reports. There were “many ambiguities” surrounding the operations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told a Monday press conference, adding that the location where a US pilot was reportedly present in southwestern Iran was far from the area where US forces tried to deploy or conduct operations, reportedly in Isfahan, central Iran. “This raises the possibility that the operation may have been a deceptive plan to steal enriched uranium, which cannot be ignored,” he said, comparing the operation to a failed 1980 US mission to rescue

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  The gallows of occupation: Law as execution in Israel’s apartheid state

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  The recent enactment of capital punishment legislation by the Knesset is not a mere domestic legal development. It is an act that demands examination under the most serious categories of international law. When a state creates a legal pathway to execute a specific, occupied population through a system structurally incapable of delivering justice, it does not simply violate rights—it enters the domain of prosecutable international crime. The law’s intent is thinly veiled, and its effect unmistakable. It establishes a regime in which Palestinians, tried in military courts under occupation, may be sentenced to death and executed within an accelerated timeframe that all but extinguishes the possibility of meaningful appeal or clemency. The same law, in form, extends to Israeli citizens,

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  WHO warns of catastrophic risks after strike on Bushehr nuclear plant

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned of catastrophic consequences following the targeting of Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, amid escalating conflict in the region. In a statement posted on X, the Director-General of the World Health Organisation said he shares the concerns of the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the safety of nuclear facilities in Iran. He stressed that any attack on a nuclear site could trigger a nuclear accident, warning that such an event would have long-term and far-reaching health consequences. “The recent attack on the Bushehr nuclear plant is a stark reminder,” Tedros said, adding that the risks are increasing with each passing day of the ongoing war. READ: ‘Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran’: Top

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  Palestinian Children’s Day: Tens of thousands orphaned in Gaza

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  On Palestinian Children’s Day, the reality for children in Gaza reflects a profound humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands growing up without parents amid ongoing war and devastation. Recent data indicates that the number of orphans in the Gaza Strip has reached approximately 64,616 children, most of whom have lost one or both parents during the latest Israeli aggression. The figure underscores the scale of the social catastrophe affecting an entire generation and is expected to rise as the consequences of the war continue to unfold. Before the war, the number of orphans in Gaza did not exceed 22,000, highlighting the unprecedented increase in a short period. READ: Palestinian man with special needs killed by Israeli occupation fire in Gaza Amid

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  A ground war with Iran risks another Vietnam for America

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Washington has a favourite word for moments like this: options. It sounds sober. Responsible, even. It suggests prudence, flexibility, a commander-in-chief keeping every door open. But in practice, “options” is often just the polite way this town avoids saying what it is really doing. It is preparing itself, step by step, to go further than it said it would. That is what makes the talk around Iran so unsettling. The administration keeps insisting that it does not need a ground war. Senior officials have said the United States can achieve its aims in Iran without ground troops, even as thousands more U.S. forces are being moved into the region to preserve “maximum optionality.” Read that sentence twice. If ground troops

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  Attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon ‘must cease immediately’: Spanish premier

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  The Spanish prime minister on Monday expressed solidarity with Lebanon during a phone call with his counterpart, stressing that attacks on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) “must cease immediately,” Anadolu reports. “Lebanon has not chosen this war, and its sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected,” Pedro Sanchez wrote on US social media company X following a phone conversation with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Sanchez said he expressed Spain’s support and solidarity with Lebanon, adding that Spanish troops in UNIFIL are carrying out “commendable work.” “Attacks against the United Nations peacekeeping mission are intolerable and must cease immediately,” he noted. UNIFIL has operated in southern Lebanon since 1978 and was expanded under Security Council Resolution 1701 following

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  Greenpeace ship to join upcoming Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla to Gaza

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Greenpeace on Monday announced that it will join the upcoming humanitarian Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza – an effort to break the years-long blockade of the Palestinian enclave – contributing a vessel to provide technical and operational support, Anadolu reports. The environmental group said its ship, the Arctic Sunrise, which measures 50.5 meters (166 feet) and can carry up to 30 people, will take part in the mission. “Greenpeace’s history of defending the seas, confronting injustice and taking action in defence of life makes them a powerful addition to our 2026 spring mission,” said Susan Abdullah, member of the Global Sumud Flotilla Steering Committee, in a statement. “We sail together in the same direction, with a shared determination to help break

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  When the world moves faster for oil than for lives

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  There is a peculiar moral inversion unfolding in the waters of the Persian Gulf. As oil tankers idle and insurance markets shudder, more than forty countries have mobilised with urgency and precision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a narrow maritime corridor through which roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas flows. Yet, in the same breath, there is a deafening hesitancy—almost a studied silence—when it comes to halting the war that triggered the crisis in the first place. This contradiction is not merely strategic. It is existential. It speaks to the fraying logic of global order, where the symptoms of conflict command more attention than its cause, and where economic pain galvanises action faster than human suffering.

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  Iran demands ‘end to imposed war,’ rejects idea of ceasefire

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Iran said Monday it is seeking an “end to the imposed war” rather than a ceasefire with the US, rejecting proposals for a temporary truce and insisting on “guarantees” to prevent renewed war, Anadolu Agency reports. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said during a press briefing in Tehran that any pause in fighting would risk allowing Iran’s adversaries to regroup. “A deadline must not cause us to have even the slightest hesitation in defending our country,” he said. “A ceasefire means creating a short pause to allow the other side to rebuild its forces and commit crimes again. No rational person would accept such a course of action,” he added. Baqaei said Iran’s position is to end the conflict entirely, with

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  The “ultra-apartheid” convergence: Regional escalation and the engineered asphyxiation of Palestine

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  The contemporary transformation of the Gaza Strip—from a vibrant Mediterranean economic hub to a landscape of systemic structural erasure—represents a phenomenon far more complex than the collateral effects of a conventional military campaign. It serves as the material evidence of what Dan Steinbock (2025) characterises as “The Fall of Israel”: a systemic, multi-dimensional degradation of the state’s moral, political and economic frameworks.  As these internal structures undergo a period of intense corrosion under a messianic-autocratic shift, the Palestinian population is being subjected to a state of “engineered asphyxiation”—a process of systematic economic deprivation now exacerbated by the direct regional confrontation involving Iran and the strategic alignment of the US. Steinbock’s analysis suggests that the Zionist project is experiencing a profound

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  Israeli lawmaker petitions Supreme Court to overturn death penalty law for Palestinian prisoners

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Israeli opposition lawmaker Gilad Kariv said Monday he has filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to overturn a newly approved law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners, Anadolu reports. Kariv, a member of the Democratic Party, said on the US social media company X that he submitted the petition in cooperation with the Zulat Institute and the group Rabbis for Human Rights. “This is a racist and extremist law. This is not legislation, but a populist and nationalist election campaign by a party that has failed miserably in all its governmental tasks,” he said, referring to the far-right Otzma Yehudit led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Kariv also accused the ruling Likud party, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin

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  Iran holds keys to war despite US threats: Ex-EU commissioner

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Former European Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Monday that Iran holds the keys to war and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz depends on its will, despite ongoing threats from US President Donald Trump, Anadolu Agency reports. “Those who hold the keys are the Iranians, whether we like it or not,” Breton told French broadcaster BFM TV. Stressing that Tehran is in a position of strength, he noted that Iranians organized themselves and were not alone in the war with China supplying components and expertise. Breton said Iran “has entered an asymmetric war” with “the best army in the world,” but warned that US reserves are dwindling. “Since the start of hostilities, the equivalent of two years’ production of Patriot

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  Israeli military says 11 soldiers killed, 375 wounded since Iran war

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Eleven Israeli soldiers have been killed and 375 wounded since the start of the war on Iran on Feb. 28, military figures showed on Monday, as fighting continues on multiple fronts, Anadolu Agency reports. The Israeli military said on its website that 27 of the injured are in serious condition, while 56 others sustained moderate wounds. The military did not specify where the soldiers were wounded, but it has reported daily casualties since launching its campaign in Lebanon on March 2. The army also reported that 11 Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon, bringing the total number of military deaths since October 2023 to 936. READ: Israel’s war on Iran and Lebanon costs $15bn: Hebrew newspaper Israel’s Health Ministry said Monday

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  Israeli fire kills Palestinian, wounds others in southern Gaza despite ceasefire

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  A Palestinian was killed and several others were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the Gaza Strip on Monday, in another violation of a ceasefire in effect since last October, a medical source said, Anadolu Agency reports. The source said the casualties were reported when Israeli forces opened fire on civilian vehicles east of the town of al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Witnesses told Anadolu that Israeli forces positioned east of Salah al-Din Street opened fire on Palestinian vehicles in an area outside their agreed deployment and control zone under the ceasefire. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 723 Palestinians have been killed and 1,990 injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire. The agreement was meant to end

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  Iran says its IRGC intelligence chief killed in US-Israeli attack

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Iran said Monday that the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization was killed in a US-Israeli attack, Anadolu Agency reports. State broadcaster IRIB, citing an IRGC statement, said Maj. Gen. Seyed Majid Khademi was “martyred” in the strike. Khademi had been appointed head of the IRGC’s intelligence arm in June 2025 following the killing of his predecessor, Gen. Mohammad Kazemi, in an Israeli strike. Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties

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  The inevitable decline and fall of Zionism

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  There is a moment in the moral life of nations when the lies that sustained them can no longer hold. Israel is living through that moment. The images that came out of Gaza were not evidence of war’s brutality. They are the autopsy of the painstakingly constructed myth of Israel as a refuge for the persecuted, a democracy in the desert, and a moral beacon in a sea of barbarism. That myth, so elaborately maintained, so viciously defended, has now been burned alive in the same rubble it created. The journalist and writer Chris Hedges, one of the few voices in American media who dared speak plainly while others trembled, warned years ago that “we have given Israel carte blanche

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  Iran says Strait of Hormuz will never return to previous state

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  The naval command of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its previous state, particularly for the United States and Israel. In a statement posted on its account on the X platform, the naval command said its forces are completing operational preparations to implement a plan approved by Iranian officials, aimed at establishing what it described as a new order in the Gulf, according to the Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik. Earlier, Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy head of the Iranian president’s office for communications and media, said that US President Donald Trump had “recklessly ignited a full-scale war in the region and continues to boast about it.” He added on his account on X on

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  Iran warns region will become “hell” if attacks on its infrastructure expand

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Iran has issued a stark warning that the region could descend into severe escalation if attacks on its infrastructure continue, according to statements by Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. Zolfaghari said that the region would become a “hell for enemies” if attacks against Iranian infrastructure expand, adding that expectations of defeating Iran have turned into a “quagmire” for the United States. The warning comes amid reports citing Israeli sources about preparations to target Iranian energy facilities. In response, Iranian media, including Tasnim News Agency, quoted sources close to decision-making circles as saying that two major power plants supplying electricity to Israel have been added to a list of potential targets. READ: Gargash: Iran strategy will strengthen US,

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  UNRWA: Services for Palestinian refugees cut by 20% amid funding crisis

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  The UNRWA has warned that political and economic pressures have led to a 20 percent reduction in services provided to Palestinian refugees, amid a deepening financial crisis. Jonathan Fowler, Acting Director of Communications at UNRWA, said in a press interview that the agency is facing mounting challenges that threaten its ability to continue operations. Fowler stated that UNRWA has been subjected to targeted smear campaigns aimed at undermining its role and credibility, alongside increasing financial constraints. READ: PLO calls on UNRWA to reverse dismissal of Gaza health workers He also warned of a broader erosion of international law, noting that violations are no longer met with attempts at justification, as was previously the case. “In the past, when international law was

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  Over 70 missing after migrant boat capsizes in Mediterranean

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  At least 70 people went missing on Saturday after a migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean, an Italian NGO said Sunday, Anadolu Agency reported. Mediterranea Saving Humans announced on US social media platform X that 32 survivors and two bodies were recovered from the shipwreck while over 70 went missing. “Yesterday afternoon, a wooden vessel carrying ~105 women, men, and children, which had set sail from Tajoura fleeing Libya, capsised in the SAR (search and rescue) zone under Libyan control. The shipwreck occurred 14 nautical miles northeast of the ENI-NOC oil platforms in Bouri,” it said, referring to the Bouri Offshore Field located 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the Libyan coast Survivors disembarked and the bodies recovered arrived early

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  Drone attack targets US Victoria base near Baghdad airport

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Iraqi armed factions said on Sunday evening that they had targeted the Victoria military base at Baghdad International Airport using drones. The claim was reported by media channels linked to the “Islamic Resistance” factions in Iraq on the Telegram platform. Separately, local media cited Iraqi security sources as saying that two drone attacks targeted a logistics support camp west of Baghdad within less than an hour. Saraya Awliya al-Dam, one of the armed factions in Iraq, claimed responsibility for shelling in Kuwait, Jordan and Syria. Meanwhile, Harakat al-Nujaba, another prominent faction, threatened US President Donald Trump on Sunday evening, vowing to target US interests, bases and energy facilities in the region. Earlier, Trump had warned he would “wipe out” Iran

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  Gargash: Iran strategy will strengthen US, Israeli role in Gulf

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  The diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, Anwar Gargash, said Iran’s strategy would reinforce the US role in the Gulf in the future rather than reduce it. Speaking at a media briefing, Gargash said: “We will also see an increase in Israeli influence in the Gulf, not a decline,” stressing that “our main security partner is the United States, and we will strengthen our relationship with it”. On international support for the United Arab Emirates, he added: “We are very grateful to many countries that are helping us. Many nations stand with us. France has been a consistent partner and its position has been excellent. The US stance has also been exceptional, with its support and efforts to strengthen our

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  Israel’s war on Iran and Lebanon costs $15bn: Hebrew newspaper

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  A Hebrew newspaper reported on Sunday that Israel has incurred costs of about $15 billion since the start of its war on Iran and Lebanon, warning that the figure is expected to rise as fighting continues and its economic impact expands. The economic daily Calcalist said the cost of the ongoing war with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon has reached around 47 billion shekels (about $15 billion), and is likely to increase in the coming period if the conflict continues and its economic consequences widen. The paper added that Israel’s Ministry of Defence has requested about 39 billion shekels ($12.4 billion) to cover military expenses, with expectations that this figure could rise in 2026 if the war continues or similar

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  Israeli forces close several entrances to Bethlehem

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  Israeli occupation forces closed several entrances to Bethlehem governorate in the southern West Bank on Sunday evening. The closures affected the Al-Sadr, Al-Iskanat and Nassar entrances in Beit Jala to the west, as well as the eastern entrance to the town of Al-Khader to the south. Bethlehem has seen repeated closures of its main access points by Israeli forces, including the installation of military checkpoints and the blocking of main and secondary roads. These measures restrict the movement of Palestinians and hinder their ability to travel, affecting daily life and economic activity. READ: Israel continues to bar Muslims from Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque

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  US, Iran and mediators discussing possible 45-day ceasefire: Report

  by MI on April 6, 2026

  The US, Iran and regional mediators are in urgent discussions over a possible 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the war, according to multiple sources familiar with the negotiations, the Axios news site reported Sunday, citing American officials. The sources said the chances of securing even a partial agreement in the next 48 hours are slim, however. Still, officials see the talks as the last opportunity to prevent a major escalation that could include strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure and retaliatory attacks on oil and water facilities in Gulf countries. US President Donald Trump’s initial 10-day deadline for Iran was set to expire Monday evening. On Sunday, he extended it by 20 hours, setting a new

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  The bomb and the ayatollah: Islamic just war and the nuclear question in post-Khamenei Iran

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening phase of the US-Israeli war against Iran has generated a striking argument in strategic and theological circles alike: that the killing may have removed not merely a political leader but a normative brake on Iran’s possible march toward nuclear weapons. Reports indicate that Iranian decision-making has since hardened under intense military pressure and an increasingly securitised internal environment. What gives Khamenei’s death a particular doctrinal significance is that he had, over more than two decades, publicly framed weapons of mass destruction—including nuclear and chemical weapons—as contrary to Islam. If that position represented a genuine religious constraint rather than mere diplomatic rhetoric, then his death may have removed more than a leader:

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  Rented power, borrowed strength: The illusion of Gulf power in war

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  There is increasing talk of Gulf monarchies entering a war with Iran. This prospect invites not admiration but scrutiny. It would expose, in stark and unforgiving terms, the difference between purchased power and actual capacity. Frankly, a cynic of these regimes might be tempted to welcome such a development. It would strip away the carefully curated illusion that wealth can substitute for competence, spectacle for strength, and dependency for stability. It would force the harder question of what these regimes can actually do when confronted with real conflict. For decades, they have cultivated systems that appear formidable on the surface but are hollow at their core. What, in real terms, would they contribute? These are not societies organised around production,

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  Over 1,460 killed in Lebanon since beginning of Israeli attacks on March 2: Health Ministry

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  More than 1,460 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israeli attacks began on March 2, the country’s Health Ministry said Sunday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry said the death toll has reached 1,461, with 4,430 others wounded over the same period. It added that 39 people were killed and 136 injured in the past 24 hours alone. The ministry also mentioned that 129 of those who lost their lives were children and 97 were women. At least 54 health care workers were killed, and 145 others were injured in Israeli attacks, added the ministry. Israel has carried out airstrikes and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by the Lebanese group Hezbollah on March

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  Trump says he granted amnesty to Iranian negotiators in order to keep talks alive

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Sunday there was a strong chance of reaching an agreement with Iran as soon as Monday, while also threatening to escalate attacks dramatically if Tehran fails to deliver quickly, Anadolu reports. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he was considering “blowing everything up” and “taking over the oil” if Iran does not move fast enough toward a deal. He also said he had granted amnesty to Iranian negotiators to ensure talks could continue, though there was no immediate response from Tehran. Trump said previously that Washington was in contact with Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. Iran did not respond immediately to Trump’s claim that an agreement may be near. The remarks came on the

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  Pope urges ‘those who have the power to unleash wars’ to choose peace

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  In his first Easter Sunday message since assuming the papacy, Pope Leo XIV urged world leaders to choose peace and lay down their weapons instead of unleashing wars, Anadolu reports. “Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!” said the pontiff, speaking from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. He said the world is growing accustomed to violence, with people resigned to it and becoming “indifferent” to the deaths of thousands of people, to the “repercussions of hatred and division that conflicts sow,” and their economic

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  US rescues 2nd crew member of F-15 hit above Iran: Trump

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  President Donald Trump said Sunday that the US rescued a military officer, identified as a colonel, in “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in US history,” Anadolu reports. Trump said on his Truth Social media platform that the officer was trapped behind enemy lines in Iran’s mountainous terrain and was being pursued by hostile forces before being safely recovered in a major military operation involving dozens of aircraft. Noting that the officer suffered injuries, Trump said he “will be just fine.” He said the mission followed the separate rescue of another US pilot on Friday, which was not announced earlier to avoid jeopardizing the second operation. “At my direction, the US Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed

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  Iran awaits FIFA guarantees for World Cup participation

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  Iran announced Sunday that it would await FIFA’s guarantees for participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Anadolu reports. “Our request to FIFA to relocate Iran’s games from the US to Mexico is still valid, but we have not yet received a response. If accepted, Iran’s participation in the World Cup will be certain. However, FIFA has not yet responded,” Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali told Anadolu about Iran’s negotiations with FIFA to play its 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Mexico instead of in the US. Donyamali said Iranian national football players have been continuing World Cup preparations. “As the Minister of Sports, together with the Iranian Football Federation, we will keep the football team ready for the World Cup.

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  US seeks $152M to reopen Alcatraz as high-security prison: Report

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  The White House requested $152 million for a project to reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay, California, as an operational prison, as part of a proposed budget for the 2027 fiscal year, according to Fox News on Saturday, Anadolu reports. US President Donald Trump proposed $152 million to begin the project, part of a $1.7-billion prison system funding increase to improve pay and address staffing shortages. The budget request includes funding to rebuild Alcatraz into a modern high-security prison, covering initial costs. Alcatraz, closed in the 1960s due to high costs, later became a tourist site but may be rebuilt as a modern high-security prison. Initial funding is proposed, though California politicians are skeptical over costs and

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  Iran claims it shot down US C-130 support aircraft in Isfahan

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  Iran claimed on Sunday that it shot down a US C-130 support aircraft in southern Isfahan, Anadolu reports. The plane was destroyed “by heavy fire from a police special forces unit,” the semi-official Tasnim News Agency claimed, citing Iranian police. In a statement carried by the state news agency IRNA, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said “joint operations involving the Aerospace Force, ground units, popular and Basij forces, law enforcement, and the Army successfully destroyed the enemy aircraft.” On Telegram, the state-run Press TV shared photos purportedly showing wreckage from the plane that was allegedly downed. Some initial US reports on social media claimed that during the process of rescuing the second crew member of an F-15 fighter jet

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  Trump can’t withdraw US from NATO without congressional approval, say former US House Speaker Pelosi

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  Despite his statements, President Donald Trump cannot withdraw the US from NATO without congressional approval, said Nancy Pelosi, a former longtime speaker of the US House of Representatives, criticizing his threats to leave the alliance as “shortsighted,” Anadolu reports. Posting Saturday on US social media company X, Pelosi said NATO was formed 77 years ago by the US and its allies as an alliance rooted in peace and democracy. “Trump’s threats to leave are not only shortsighted, they’re a gift to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin,” said Polesi, who served as US House Speaker from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023. Emphasizing the legal limitations, Pelosi stressed: “The law is clear: No President can withdraw from NATO without Congressional

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  Iranian media claims clashes with US forces during rescue of American airman

  by Marwa A on April 5, 2026

  Clashes broke out between Iranian forces and US troops during a rescue operation of an American pilot in which a US C-130 support aircraft was reportedly downed, Iranian media claimed Sunday, Anadolu reports. According to Defa Press Agency, Iranian law enforcement special units destroyed several US assets, including a special operations aircraft HC-130, two Black Hawk helicopters, and multiple drones. Following the clashes, fighting reportedly continued on the ground between Iranian units and surviving or supporting US personnel, it added. Earlier in the day, Iran claimed that it had shot down a US C-130 support aircraft in southern Isfahan. Fox News also reported that several US service members were injured during a mission to extract the second crew member of

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  Syrian Petroleum says 500,000 tons of Iraqi fuel to transit monthly to Baniyas

  by MI on April 4, 2026

  The Syrian Petroleum Company said Saturday that the volume of Iraqi fuel oil flowing to the Baniyas refinery in western Syria is expected to reach about 500,000 metric tons per month, Anadolu reports. The move could turn Syria into a transit hub for Iraqi oil exports via the Mediterranean, as the Strait of Hormuz faces disruptions linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran. The announcement came in remarks to Anadolu by Safwan Sheikh Ahmad, director of corporate communications at the Syrian Petroleum Company, who outlined details of the recent oil agreement between Syria and Iraq. Ahmad said Syria is restoring its role as a “safe regional corridor for energy” and highlighted the readiness of its infrastructure to receive and transport

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  Fire breaks out on 2 commercial vessels after US-Israeli strike in southern Iran: Media

  by MI on April 4, 2026

  A fire broke out on two commercial vessels due to a US-Israeli strike targeting a dock in southern Iran, according to Iranian media. The semi-official Mehr news agency reported Saturday that the attack hit a dock in the city of Bandar Lengeh in the Hormozgan province, igniting fires on two vessels owned by locals. The agency said one person was injured in the fires. Rescue teams and maritime authorities are continuing efforts to bring the fires under control, the report added. The US and Israel on Feb. 28 launched an air offensive against Iran that has killed more than 1,340 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along

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  Israeli strike on civilian vehicle in Gaza Strip kills one, injures three

  by MI on April 4, 2026

  One person was killed and three others injured after the Israeli army targeted a civilian vehicle on Salah al-Din Street in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday, Anadolu reports. The attack comes amid ongoing Israeli violations of a ceasefire in effect since Oct. 10, 2025. These breaches have resulted in the deaths of 713 Palestinians and injuries to 1,940 others since the agreement took effect. Israel launched its genocide in Gaza in October 2023 that lasted two years, killing more than 72,000 people and injuring over 172,000 while causing widespread destruction affecting around 90% of the territory’s infrastructure. OPINION: No apologies – Naming Zionism for what it is

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  Russia evacuating employees from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant in wake of attack

  by MI on April 4, 2026

  Russia started a large wave of evacuation on Saturday from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant following US-Israeli attacks that killed one of the plant’s security personnel, Russian media reported. Citing Alexey Likhachev, the head of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, state news agency Tass said 198 employees are expected to return to Russia within two or three days. Russia helped build the plant and, as of last year, had some 700 personnel working there. Likhachev underlined that developments around the plant are unfolding according to an “undesirable scenario.” “As they say, our bad premonitions were not wrong. Overall, the escalation of the conflict around the Persian Gulf is leading to corresponding consequences near the plant,” he said. READ: IAEA warns of

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  Executing with prejudice: Israel’s death penalty law

  by MI on April 4, 2026

  It was celebrated with ghoulish delight.  On March 30, the Israeli Knesset passed the Penal Bill (Amendment – Death Penalty for Terrorists), an instrument expanding the use of the death penalty for offences of a terrorist nature.  The death penalty had previously existed in Israeli law for war crimes but was abolished in 1954 for ordinary crimes in peacetime.  Technically, it remained on the books for crimes against the Jewish people, crimes against humanity and certain cases of martial law.   The law’s purpose is articulated as establishing the death sentence “for the sake of the struggle against terrorism”  for those who have carried out lethal attacks for the protection of the Israeli state, citizens and residents, for reasons of enhancing

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  US revokes residency, detains relatives of slain Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani

  by MI on April 4, 2026

  The US has revoked the legal residency status of two relatives of slain Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Qasem Soleimani, with two of them detained by federal agents, the State Department said on Saturday, Anadolu reports. According to a department statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the termination of lawful permanent resident status for Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, identified as Soleimani’s niece, and her daughter. Both were subsequently detained and are now in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The department said Afshar had expressed support for Iran’s leadership and the IRGC, which Washington designates as a terrorist organization. It also cited her social media activity, alleging that she promoted Iranian government messaging and praised attacks