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

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  Iran reports another oil tanker fire in restricted area east of Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on October 15, 2026

  Iran’s Navy said Thursday that another oil tanker caught fire in a restricted area east of the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly attempting to navigate the Gulf of Oman with its tracking systems switched off, Anadolu reports. The navy’s public relations office said in a statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB that monitoring teams detected the burning tanker during patrol and surveillance operations east of the strategic waterway. The vessel was attempting to cross “an unauthorized area” with its tracking systems disabled, it said. The navy did not identify the tanker, its flag or operator, or specify what caused the fire. It provided no information on possible casualties or the crew’s condition. The Iranian Navy also said the Strait

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  19 killed, 364 injured in Houthi attacks on Saudi airports: Saudi-led coalition

  by Marwa A on October 15, 2026

  Nineteen people were killed and 364 injured in attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group on Saudi airports, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport, the Saudi-led coalition said Thursday, Anadolu reports. “Houthi attacks on the Kingdom have intensified since the beginning of October, following an escalation by the Iran-aligned group against Saudi Arabia since July,” spokesman Turki al-Maliki said at a news conference broadcast by the Saudi Alekhbariya News TV. “King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh had been targeted in 20 Houthi attacks since the beginning of October,” he said. “Seventeen people were killed and 333 others injured in attacks on the airport between Oct. 7 and 11.” “Two people were also killed and 28 others injured

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  The Gulf needs a security order that Washington cannot switch off

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  The Gulf has spent decades buying security from the world’s most powerful military. American bases dot the region, advanced weapons fill its arsenals, and defence agreements bind its rulers to Washington. Yet the war involving Iran has exposed a troubling paradox. The Gulf’s security arrangements may help deter adversaries, but they cannot guarantee that the region will escape a conflict shaped by decisions made elsewhere. The consequences are no longer confined to military installations or oil terminals. Disruption around the Strait of Hormuz threatens energy exports and maritime commerce, while attacks on critical infrastructure jeopardise the economic transformation programmes on which Gulf governments have staked their futures. Wealth can finance reconstruction, but it cannot restore lost confidence overnight. The problem

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  2nd week of Rafah crossing closure worsens crisis for patients: Gaza Health Ministry

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Israel has continued to close the Rafah land crossing for a second week, preventing patients from leaving the Gaza Strip for treatment abroad and causing a “dangerous buildup” of critical cases, the Gaza Health Ministry said Thursday. In a statement, the ministry warned that the continued closure had led to a “dangerous and rapidly growing accumulation of critical cases,” with waiting lists for treatment abroad increasing by the day. It said the number of people awaiting evacuation far exceeds the capacity of Gaza’s deteriorating and besieged hospitals to accommodate them or provide even the minimum level of treatment. The ministry described the continued closure as a “grave violation of international humanitarian law and a deliberate deprivation of patients and wounded

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  The international community does not object to permanent forced displacement

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Mere days after Israel’s High Court of Justice ordered a detailed plan for the return of over 33,000 Palestinians forcibly displaced by Israeli forces from Tulkarem, Jenin and Nur al-Shams refugee camps, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the forced displacement is permanent.  The difference between the occupied West Bank and Gaza is starting to diminish. In both areas, Palestinians have been declared terrorists. Israel subjected Gaza to genocide which displaced almost the entire remaining population, while enhancing forced displacement tactics, already normalised, in the occupied West Bank. In both areas, a permanent Israeli military presence became a new reality.  In another move that reeks of permanence, the Israeli military started building a base in Jenin, under the pretext

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  Obama says Israel has ‘ceded moral ground’ in Middle East conflict

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Former US President Barack Obama has criticized Israel’s handling of the Middle East conflict, warning that military strength cannot guarantee lasting security and that refusing concessions to Palestinians risks undermining its moral standing, Anadolu reports. The former president made the remarks on Tuesday during a discussion with award-winning writer and journalist Susan McKay at Belfast, northern Ireland, according to the Belfast Telegraph. Speaking about the Israeli war on Gaza, Obama said the violence should “pain everybody”, describing it as a destructive cycle driven by historical grievances, hardened attitudes and deep divisions. He acknowledged the long history of persecution faced by Jewish people in Europe. However, he also stressed that Palestinians had suffered injustice through the loss of their land. “That

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  London Protest to Oppose Hijab Restrictions in Azerbaijani Schools This Friday

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  The student organisation ASAP in Britain and its partners are preparing to hold a protest outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London on Friday 16 October, in opposition to restrictions on the wearing of hijab in Azerbaijani schools and in solidarity with Muslim pupils and teachers who face measures preventing them from attending school or continuing their work because they wear the hijab. The demonstration is scheduled to take place from 4pm to 6pm outside the Azerbaijani Embassy at 66 Holland Park, London, W11 3SJ, near Holland Park station. It will be held under the slogan “Hands Off My Hijab”. The protest comes amid renewed opposition to restrictions in Azerbaijan, where school uniform rules have sparked widespread controversy following reports that

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  From underground wealth to diplomatic power: Azerbaijan’s energy strategy

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Azerbaijani oil passes through Turkiye to Israel, its gas reaches European markets, and Emirati and Saudi capital finances its power plants. This network places Azerbaijan at the intersection of interests that do not always align. Baku has made itself relevant to several competing actors. Its harder task is to turn those relationships into lasting influence while preserving strategic autonomy. Continued oil deliveries to Israel, despite Ankara’s trade restrictions, illustrate the challenge. Infrastructure, contracts and commercial interests can sustain connections across political divisions. Azerbaijan gains revenue and strategic importance, while becoming exposed to disputes among its partners. Ankara and Tel Aviv: Two relationships, one route Turkiye is both a political partner and Azerbaijan’s gateway to overseas markets. The Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline carries

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  Trump could lose Congress and still expand the US war on Iran

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  President Trump has promised that the United States will not attack Iran before the 3rd  November midterm elections. That statement sounds like restraint and at the same time also be read as a warning. By tying military restraint to election day, Trump has made the period after the vote more dangerous. The Iran war is making the election harder for the Republican Party. As of now, prediction markets give Republicans roughly a one-in-ten chance of retaining both chambers of Congress. An October AP-NORC poll found that 69 per cent of Americans believed the war was not worth fighting, while only 28 per cent approved of Trump’s handling of Iran. For many voters, the war is no longer a distant foreign-policy

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  Secret meeting held between US ambassador, opposition leader ahead of Israeli elections: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  US Ambassador Mike Huckabee held a secret meeting with an Israeli opposition leader just weeks before this month’s hard-fought Knesset elections, Israel’s public broadcaster reported Thursday. The broadcaster said Huckabee’s meeting with opposition Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot took place in recent days, in the runup to the Oct. 27 elections, and was their first and only meeting. It did not disclose where or when it was held. Citing a source familiar with details of the previously unreported meeting, the broadcaster said their discussion covered security issues, including tensions in the occupied West Bank and occupier violence, as well as the situation in the Gaza Strip. Neither the US ambassador nor Eisenkot’s office issued an official announcement about the meeting,

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  Gaza’s future is not Washington’s to decide, says rights chief

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Nearly a year after the UN Security Council endorsed the Board of Peace to oversee Gaza’s transition, questions over who controls it, and in whose interest, have not gone away. For Anouar El Gharbi, president of the Geneva Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (GCDHR), the problem begins with the Board’s origin. It was not born of an independent international process grounded in the freely expressed will of the Palestinian people, he told MEMO in an interview, but of a political initiative led by the US. That origin, he argues, shapes everything that follows: the scope of the Board’s mandate, the powers it holds and the people it answers to. The Board emerged from the “Comprehensive Plan to End the

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  Egypt, Qatar stress need to halt hostilities against Saudi Arabia

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Egypt and Qatar stressed the need to halt all hostilities against Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the kingdom, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Thursday, Anadolu reports. The position was expressed during a phone call late Wednesday between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the ministry said in a statement. The call came as part of “continuous communication and coordination between the two brotherly countries on various issues of common interest,” the statement said. The two officials discussed bilateral relations and areas of cooperation, including exchanges of high-level visits. They praised the progress in ties and affirmed their commitment to further strengthening them, according to the statement. On regional

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  US considering using ‘mother of all bombs’ against Iran: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  The US military has developed new strike plans that include the potential use of the “mother of all bombs” against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if President Donald Trump orders a resumption of combat operations, CNN reported Wednesday, citing multiple US officials familiar with the plans. The proposed use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, would mark a significant escalation in the conflict with Iran, although officials have questioned whether the weapon could achieve Washington’s military objectives. According to CNN, Trump has directed the military to prepare additional strike options against Iranian targets, including energy infrastructure and facilities associated with the country’s nuclear program. The plans could be

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  Don’t let Britain shelve Sally Rooney

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  This week, something happened in Britain that should worry every reader, every writer and everyone who believes in free speech. Faber, the publisher of the Irish novelist Sally Rooney, announced that it will no longer supply her books in the United Kingdom, in any format. Her novels, Normal People, Conversations with Friends, Beautiful World, Where Are You and Intermezzo, will slowly disappear from British bookshops. Faber said that current UK law means it cannot pass on UK earnings to the author. It said that selling a writer’s work without paying her is not acceptable for any publisher. It will continue to sell her books in every other country. Think about that for a moment. A British publisher can sell its

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  Trump says Qatar offered to gift 747 jet to US after he asked to ‘borrow’ it for Air Force One

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he initially asked Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to lend the US a Boeing 747 jet for temporary use as Air Force One, but the Qatari leader offered to give the aircraft to Washington instead, Anadolu reports. “When you’re given gifts, you take ’em, right?” Trump told the crowd at a rally in Arizona. “When they give you a 747, you say two words: ‘thank you.’” Trump said he approached Sheikh Tamim because the US presidential aircraft currently in service are ageing. “We’d love to borrow it because our planes are 35 years old. “So I called up the head of Qatar, highly respected guy, great guy, young, handsome guy actually

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  Israeli Spy Pollard stole the files, today’s it’s delivered through official channels

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Espionage novels portray the spy as a person in a trench coat carrying stolen documents and disappearing into a dark alley. Israeli spy, Jonathan Pollard, certainly fit that picture. A Navy analyst who stole American secrets including the complete ten-volume manual of the National Security Agency exposing how the US gathers its signal intelligence and the names of thousands of foreign individuals who worked for US spy agencies. Intelligence officials believe Israel shared stolen documents with the Soviet Union. According to several intelligence assessments, Pollard was one of the most damaging spies in US history. Pollard received a life sentence in 1987 and was released in 2015. At first, Israel claimed he was a rogue, apologised and did not admit

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  Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warn US would ‘regret’ any new attack

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Iranian Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said on Wednesday that another US attack on Iran would be “illogical” but remained possible, warning that Tehran was prepared to respond with measures Washington would “regret.” Speaking during a television program, Mohebbi suggested that US President Donald Trump could consider renewed military action against Iran to secure political gains ahead of the US midterm congressional elections. He said Iran was prepared for such a scenario and warned that any new American attack would trigger a response that the United States would regret. Mohebbi also claimed that Iran had used older-generation weapons during the conflict that began on 28th February but now possessed more advanced weapons systems. READ: Iran’s IRGC Navy threatens to sink US

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  A protest against the detention of Tunisian activists from the Sumud Flotilla

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  WATCH: Global day of action for Palestine: Millions mobilise across 60 countries in synchronised worldwide solidarity

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  Second commercial vessel sinks near Strait of Hormuz within 24 hours

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  An Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier has sunk near the Strait of Hormuz after being struck by a projectile last month, according to information from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), marking the second reported sinking of a commercial vessel in the area within 24 hours. The vessel, Cape Daw, was attacked on September 23 and subsequently sank following an unsuccessful salvage operation, Reuters reported on Wednesday. British maritime risk management firm Vanguard Group said in a statement: “The bulk carrier Cape Daw, which flies the flag of Antigua and Barbuda and was attacked on 23rd September, is reported to have sunk following a failed salvage attempt.” READ: Iran’s IRGC Navy threatens to sink US warships approaching Strait of Hormuz The reported

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  Yemeni premier calls Houthi attacks, siege of Taiz ‘war crime’

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Yemeni Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani said Wednesday that Houthi attacks on civilians and the siege of the southwestern city of Taiz constitute a “war crime,” stressing that those responsible would face punishment and accountability, the prime minister’s office wrote on US social media company X, Anadolu agency reported. His remarks came during a call with Taiz Gov. Nabil Shamsan to discuss humanitarian conditions, public services and the effect of the siege. “The Houthi terrorist militia’s continued targeting of civilians in Taiz and its unjust siege of the city constitute a war crime that is not subject to a statute of limitations,” said al-Zindani. Shamsan briefed the premier on humanitarian and human rights conditions in Taiz and violations against residents, it

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  Former Shin Bet chief sues Netanyahu for defamation, says he warned him more than 20 times about Hamas

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar filed a defamation lawsuit against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Tel Aviv District Court on Wednesday, seeking three million shekels in damages over allegations concerning intelligence failures preceding the 7th October 2023 Hamas attack. The lawsuit follows a 28th September post on X in which Netanyahu accused Bar of deliberately withholding intelligence from him on the eve of the attack and alleged that the former security chief had committed “failures and offenses.” In the filing, Bar accused Netanyahu of spreading what he described as a “blood libel” against him in an attempt to shift responsibility for the failures that preceded the attack. Bar said he had repeatedly warned Netanyahu about Hamas’s growing

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  Palestinian Prisoners’ Club says Israel has detained over 2,000 children since October 2023

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Israeli authorities have detained more than 2,000 Palestinian children since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, with at least 350 children remaining in custody, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the independent Palestinian human rights organization said detained children face harsh conditions, including torture, food deprivation, isolation and denial of medical care. The organisation reported that Israeli forces detained at least six Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank overnight, primarily in the towns of Sa’ir and Al-Shuyukh in the Hebron Governorate. It said the arrests were part of an ongoing campaign of detentions targeting Palestinian minors. READ: Israel arrests Palestinian man wanted for nearly 10 years in occupied West Bank

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  The policing of Muslim women’s bodies, from West Asia to Europe and beyond

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  There is something profoundly vile about discriminating against women and policing their bodies in the name of secularism. Dictating what a woman should or should not wear is fundamentally at odds with freedom of choice. When institutions use their authority to compel women to dress according to a particular vision of society, secularism begins to resemble the very authoritarianism it claims to oppose. The question has never been whether women should wear the hijab. The question is why everyone seems to believe they have a say in the matter. As I write this, in October 2026, Azerbaijan is witnessing protests following new school clothing restrictions that have resulted in hijabi students and teachers being denied entry to some schools. The

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  Egypt, Kuwait and Arab League condemn Colombian Embassy opening in Jerusalem

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Egypt, Kuwait and the Arab League have condemned Colombia’s reported opening of an embassy in Jerusalem, describing the move as a violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions and warning that it could undermine efforts to achieve peace. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the decision, stressing that unilateral measures intended to alter the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem were invalid and had no legal effect. The ministry reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to a two-state solution as the basis for a just and comprehensive peace, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 4th June1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the

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  Israeli airstrike kills Gaza mother as three-year-old daughter survives fire

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  A three-year-old Palestinian girl survived a fire caused by an Israeli airstrike on a residential flat in the western Gaza City neighbourhood of al-Rimal early on Wednesday, but her mother was killed. The body of Reem Asaad Awad, 33, and two injured people, including a child, were taken to al-Shifa Hospital, a medical source said. A journalist said the airstrike occurred at around 4am local time. Local sources said the strike hit a flat in the al-Amin building near the Abu Talal junction in al-Rimal, causing extensive damage to the flat and neighbouring buildings. A large fire broke out and was later extinguished by civil defence teams. Witnesses said the flames spread rapidly through the flat and civil defence crews

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  What does the Green Party’s historic anti-Zionist motion mean for Palestine?

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  The Green Party has put the conversation back on track: the problem is not the lack of creative solutions to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The problem is Zionism itself. To appreciate the significance of Motion A105, adopted by the Green Party of England and Wales on 4th October, consider its basic tenets. The party is now formally anti-Zionist. It endorses the Palestinian right of return, supports one democratic state throughout historic Palestine, reaffirms its commitment to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, distinguishes anti-Zionism from antisemitism, and calls for a full arms embargo against Israel. Though the decision may seem revolutionary within British politics, it is hardly revolutionary when examined against the history of Palestinian dispossession, beginning long

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Kelley Beaucar Vlahos: Target Locked: Is Trump’s Iran Brinkmanship Psy-Op or a Trap?

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Dr. Nasser Hadian: How will Iran deal with US’s plan of total isolation? 

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  Sudanese army advances in West Darfur, recaptures areas from RSF

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Bahar al-Din Adam Karama, the Governor of Sudan’s West Darfur State, announced that the army has seized control of the Bir Klikil area in the Jebel Moon locality following clashes with the Rapid Support Forces. Karama said in a statement that the recapture of Bir Klikil, in the eastern part of Jabal Moon locality, represents an important victory for the Sudanese state, according to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA). He said the move has strategic significance for extending state authority and restoring security in West Darfur, given the area’s geographical position and importance around Jabal Moon. Karama added that military operations in West Darfur are proceeding steadily according to plan as part of national efforts to restore security and preserve

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  Houthis renew attacks on King Khalid airport in Riyadh and Aramco facilities

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group has targeted King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh with a ballistic missile, the group’s military spokesman said. Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the missile scored a “direct and accurate” hit on the airport. He also said the group had targeted gatherings of Saudi-backed government forces in the Ras al-Ara and Al-Mudharaba areas with three ballistic missiles, claiming the strikes had caused a large number of deaths and injuries and damaged several military vehicles. The Houthis also targeted Aramco facilities in Dhahran, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh, Saree said. The attacks followed threats issued on Tuesday in response to any strike on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. READ: Yemen’s Houthi rebels

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  Israel arrests Palestinian man wanted for nearly 10 years in occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  The Israeli army arrested a Palestinian man on Wednesday evening after shooting and wounding him during a raid on his home in Tammun, in the occupied West Bank. The army has been pursuing him since 2017. Kamal Bani Odeh, head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club in Tubas, told Anadolu Agency that Israeli special forces raided the home of Samer Bani Odeh, a man in his 40s, and the neighbouring homes of his brothers in the al-Rafid area of Tammun, south-east of Tubas governorate. Israeli forces opened fire during the raid, wounding Samer Bani Odeh in the hand before arresting him, he said. READ: Israeli army arrests 30 Palestinians as occupiers assault family in occupied West Bank Bani Odeh added that the

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  Dutch parliament backs move to protect ICC from US sanctions

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  The Dutch parliament has approved a motion calling on the government to explore ways to ensure the International Criminal Court (ICC) retains access to international payment systems despite US sanctions targeting the court. The motion was submitted on 8th October by Hanneke van der Werf of the D66 party, alongside MPs Kati Piri of the Progressive party, Sarah Dobbe of the Socialist Party and Maes van Lanschot of the Christian Democratic party. It calls on the government, in cooperation with the Dutch central bank and the European Central Bank, to examine ways to ensure that the ICC and other legal entities affected by sanctions can continue accessing international payment systems. READ: Rights group files ICC complaint against Israeli medical officials over

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  Palestinian journalists’ union warns of systematic targeting in West Bank, Jerusalem

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate has warned of a rise in attacks on journalists and media crews in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, saying ongoing Israeli attacks aim to prevent the documentation of violations by Israeli forces and settlers, in what it described as an extension of the “media genocide” in the Gaza Strip. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the syndicate said Palestinian journalists face growing risks while carrying out their work, paying for their efforts to report events to the world with their freedom and safety. It warned of systematic attempts to silence them and conceal information about alleged Israeli crimes. The syndicate also warned that the widespread targeting of journalists seen in the Gaza Strip could

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  The ceasefire that keeps killing children: Gaza one year on

  by EditorMehdi on October 15, 2026

  According to the Trump administration, there is a ceasefire in Gaza, since 10th October 2025. This would suggest that no firing is going on, nobody is being killed or injured, no homes, schools or hospitals are being destroyed, and no Palestinians are being detained and taken away from Gaza. It also implies that Gazans are getting enough food, water and medicines and even rebuilding is around the corner awaiting the go ahead signal. But is this the reality on the ground, or merely the picture the word “ceasefire” is supposed to convey so Mr Trump, desperate for the Nobel Peace Prize can build up his profile on the hope to win it next year? On the anniversary of the ceasefire

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  Egypt has ‘no hidden agendas,’ ambitions against anyone: President

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Wednesday that Egypt has “no hidden agendas” or ambitions against anyone, responding to remarks by an Israeli official about the Sinai Peninsula in northeastern Egypt, according to a statement by the presidency, Anadolu reports. Sisi made the remarks during the armed forces’ 44th educational symposium, titled, “Homeland of Heroes,” marking the 53rd anniversary of the October 1973 war. Responding to the Israeli remarks, Sisi said Egypt had “fought a war to defend its land and recovered all its territory.” He questioned whether some circles in Israel harbored “unjustified perceptions or fears about Egyptian ambitions against them.” “Egypt’s first and foremost goal is to preserve its security and stability and safeguard its people’s resources,” he said,

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  Saudi football league postpones 3 matches after Houthi attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  The Saudi Pro League (SPL) on Tuesday postponed three Matchweek 9 fixtures, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr match against Al Ahli, amid a sharp escalation in the conflict involving Yemen’s Houthis, Anadolu reports. The league said in a statement that the fixtures were rescheduled for “logistical considerations, taking into account the mandatory minimum rest period between matches.” The match between league leaders Al Hilal and Al Riyadh, along with Al Ittihad’s against Al Shabab, will be played Dec. 19. Al Ahli’s match against Ronaldo’s Al Nassr has been rescheduled for March 6, 2027. The SPL said the remaining Matchweek 9 fixtures would be played as previously scheduled. READ: Yemen’s Houthi rebels threaten further attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities Al Nassr’s

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  Indonesia slams Israel for discriminating against one of its pilots

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Indonesia on Wednesday slammed Israel for discriminating against one of its nationals after Tel Aviv banned an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft from landing for having an Indonesian pilot, local media reported. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said that Jakarta rejects such actions taken on the basis of “political considerations or one’s nationality,” local English daily the Jakarta Globe reported. The spokesperson said that every flight authority has the right to set the safety standards for the crew but that this must be done in an “objective, proportionate and risked-based manner.” “Israel restricts its flight crew from certain countries, including Indonesia based only on their citizenship. This practice is contrary to the non-discriminatory principle and the spirit of international aviation facilitation,” said

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  4 Palestinians killed, several others injured in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Four Palestinians were killed and several others, including a girl, were injured in Israeli airstrikes targeting the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, Anadolu reports. A medical source at Al-Shifa Hospital told Anadolu Agency that the body of Reem Asaad Awad, 33, and two injured people were brought to the hospital following the airstrike on a residential building in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City. The source said the strike caused extensive destruction to the targeted apartment and neighboring buildings. A large fire also broke out after the attack and was later extinguished by civil defense crews. Two more Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle on al-Jiya Street in al-Qarara, north of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Earlier,

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  Lebanese president, top Iranian diplomat stress diplomatic solutions to regional conflicts

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received a phone call Wednesday from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss the situation in the region amid recent developments, the Lebanese presidency said, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the presidency said both sides agreed on the need to support diplomatic solutions as the best means of ending conflicts in the region. Later, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Araghchi stressed during the call the need to halt Israeli attacks on Lebanon and end the occupation of areas in the country’s south. Araghchi also briefed Aoun on Iran’s diplomatic efforts in recent weeks and days, while the two sides discussed expanding bilateral relations and continuing contacts and consultations between officials of the two countries, the ministry added.

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  Yemeni army claims 1,250 Houthis ‘neutralized’ in ‘Dawn of Yemen’ operation

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Yemeni government forces said Wednesday that 1,250 Houthi fighters had been “neutralized” during the “Dawn of Yemen” military operation on several fronts, Anadolu reports. Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Majed Abdullah al-Nazili said in a statement that government forces conducted 2,309 “precise and direct” strikes using warplanes, drones, field artillery, rocket launchers and sniper units. He claimed the operations disrupted Houthi defensive lines, command-and-control centers, frontline positions and supply routes, allowing government forces to advance. The spokesman said more than 460 military vehicles and other pieces of equipment had also been destroyed or damaged. In the southwestern province of Taiz, government forces continued airstrikes and ambush operations targeting Houthi forces and reinforcements, according to the statement. Al-Nazili urged residents in Houthi-controlled

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  Palestine says Colombia’s opening of embassy in West Jerusalem violates international law

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Palestine said Wednesday that Colombia’s opening of an embassy in West Jerusalem violates international law and UN resolutions, Anadolu reports. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the opening constituted “a flagrant violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions, and an assault on the Palestinian people and their just and legitimate national rights.” It stressed that all measures and decisions to change the legal and historical status of Jerusalem are “null and void and have no legal effect.” It said that “opening an embassy to Israel in occupied Jerusalem violates international legitimacy resolutions, particularly UN Security Council Resolutions 476 and 478.” The two resolutions that were adopted in 1980 affirm the illegality and invalidity of Israeli measures intended to alter the

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  Pakistan reiterates ‘unwavering’ commitment to Saudi Arabia’s protection under Makkah defense pact

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday characterized the Makkah Defense Alliance as a “historic” milestone for peace, unity and stability in the region as he reaffirmed Islamabad’s “unwavering commitment” to the protection of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security, Anadolu reports. Sharif made the remarks during a meeting with the newly appointed Makkah Defense Alliance Secretary General, retired Lt. Gen. Nauman Mahmood, who briefed him on the strategy to promote defense and strategic cooperation under the pact, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office. Mahmood was appointed as the first secretary general of the defense alliance between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in August. The pact allows member states to treat an attack on one as

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  Iran says container ship sank after striking naval mine in Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

   Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Wednesday that a ship carrying more than 2,500 containers sank after striking a naval mine while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz through “an unauthorized” route, Anadolu reports. In a statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, the IRGC Navy said the vessel struck a mine and caught fire while attempting to navigate “a dangerous and unauthorized” passage through the strategic waterway. The ship sank in waters south of the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning after the fire intensified, the statement said. The IRGC Navy urged local vessels and fishermen to exercise extreme caution when navigating the area, warning that containers from the sunken ship were floating on the water’s

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  Israel’s elections: Netanyahu wants more than victory; he wants to stop others from governing

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Opinion polls in Israel tell us many things, but they do not tell the whole story. Sometimes Netanyahu’s bloc appears close to returning to power. At other times, the “change” bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot moves ahead.  But behind these changing numbers lies a more important reality: neither Netanyahu nor his opponents have an easy path to forming a government. This is where the crisis begins. The problem is not just the number of seats. It is who can turn those seats into a government. Netanyahu knows that his bloc may not reach 61 seats. So his goal is no longer simply to win a clear majority. It is also to stop his opponents from building a majority that can

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  Israeli army opens fire on water tanker, drives away shepherds in southwestern Syria

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Israeli army forces opened fire on a water tanker and drove away shepherds during an incursion into southwestern Syria’s Quneitra province on Wednesday, Syrian media reported. Syrian Alikhbaria TV said an Israeli military patrol advanced west of Saida al-Golan village in the southern Quneitra countryside, where troops expelled shepherds from the area and fired at a water tanker. The patrol subsequently withdrew from the area, the broadcaster added. No immediate reports of casualties were available, and the Israeli army had not commented on the incident. READ: Israeli army enters Syria’s Quneitra countryside, blocks construction work The latest incursion came amid repeated Israeli military operations in southern Syria, particularly in Quneitra and Daraa provinces, involving raids, searches, detentions and artillery attacks. The

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  3 seriously injured in explosion at Intel factory in southern Israel

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  At least three people were seriously injured Wednesday in an explosion at an Intel semiconductor factory in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Gat, Israeli media reported. The Jerusalem Post, citing Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service, said three people sustained serious injuries in the blast. Israeli police said “the explosion was suspected to have been caused by the detonation of a gas cylinder,” according to the newspaper. Hazardous chemicals possibly leaked as a result of the explosion, Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority reported. Teams are currently working to locate the source of the chemicals and extinguish the ensuing fire, the report added. READ: Israel raises alert levels amid fears of renewed war with Iran Israeli news website Ynet reported that

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  5,500-year-old olive tree continues to thrive in Bethlehem despite drought, conflict

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  An ancient olive tree in Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, estimated to be 5,500 years old, continues to bear fruit despite years of drought and water shortages, standing as a testament to its resilience in harsh environmental conditions. The tree produces between 500 and 600 kilograms of olives in a good season, said Salah Abu Ali, who cares for it. However, drought and water shortages have reduced its yield in recent years, he added. At 13 meters tall and 25 meters wide, the tree has been passed down through generations and continues to bring the family together for the annual olive harvest. “We all gather beneath it because it is like a mother: a mother brings everyone together,” Abu

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  French viewers shocked by Israeli soldiers’ accounts of Gaza in ‘NAZA’ documentary

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  French viewers who attended screenings of “NAZA,” a documentary exposing Israel’s killing of civilians in Gaza, said they were shocked by Israeli soldiers’ accounts that reduced Palestinian victims to numbers rather than recognizing them as human beings, Anadolu reports. Produced by British newspaper The Guardian and directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the documentary was screened in French cinemas on Oct. 12-13. The film drew considerable interest in Paris on its opening day, with most tickets sold. French viewers who watched “NAZA” at two cinemas in the capital shared their reactions with Anadolu. ‘I think the filmmakers are very courageous’ A French viewer, Kenzi, said the documentary explained the meaning of NAZA, a term referring to civilian

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  Colombia opens embassy in West Jerusalem despite city’s disputed international status

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Colombia opened an embassy in West Jerusalem on Wednesday, becoming the 10th country to establish an embassy in the contested city despite widespread international opposition to moves recognizing it as Israel’s capital, Anadolu reports. The opening ceremony was attended by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar and Moshe Lion, mayor of West Jerusalem, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Lion said Colombia had become the 10th country to relocate its embassy to West Jerusalem. The move follows the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries in August 2026, after Colombia severed ties with Israel in May 2024 under its previous government. Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is widely regarded

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  Iraqi premier arrives in Saudi Arabia on 1st official visit

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday for his first official visit to the kingdom since taking office in May, according to an official statement, Anadolu reports. “The prime minister arrived in the capital Riyadh on a visit to Saudi Arabia,” his media office said in a brief statement. No further details were immediately provided on the agenda of the visit. READ: Iraq cannot restore its sovereignty by disarming militias alone

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  Yemen’s Houthi rebels threaten further attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities

  by EditorMehdi on October 14, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi rebels said on Wednesday they would continue targeting Saudi airports and oil facilities in the coming days, after claiming similar attacks, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Yahya Saree, military spokesman of the Houthis, said the group carried out a military operation targeting Aramco facilities in Dhahran, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, an Aramco refinery in Riyadh, and King Khalid International Airport. Saree said the group would continue its operations against Saudi airports and oil facilities in the coming days, warning of “severe consequences” for the kingdom. He also called on international shipping companies and workers at the targeted airports and facilities, to “stay away” from the sites, declaring them “legitimate targets” for the group. The statement came as