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

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  Smotrich says defeating Hamas requires Israeli control and settlements in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that completely defeating Hamas would require Israel to occupy and maintain control over the Gaza Strip and establish Israeli settlements there. According to Israel’s Channel 7, Smotrich argued that negotiations with Hamas leaders were incompatible with the Israeli government’s stated objective of eliminating the movement. He said Israel should not be negotiating with Hamas figures whom, in his view, it should instead be seeking to eliminate. His remarks come amid renewed Israeli and US discussions over the future governance, security and reconstruction of Gaza as efforts continue to advance US President Donald Trump’s plan for the territory. READ: Israeli ministers call for renewed Gaza attacks, rejection of Trump’s ceasefire roadmap Separately, the office of Israeli

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  Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades set conditions for talks on weapons, including Turkish withdrawal and disbanding of Peshmerga

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades have set conditions for negotiations with the Iraqi government over their weapons. In a statement, the group said the conditions for the Islamic Resistance to engage with any government on organising its weapons included the “complete and genuine withdrawal” of US forces from Iraqi territory and airspace, along with guarantees that they would not return. The group also called for Iraq’s political and economic decision-making to be freed from US influence, as well as the withdrawal of Turkish forces from northern Iraq. It added that the conditions also included “disbanding the Peshmerga forces”, describing them as the most heavily armed militia and the greatest threat to Iraq’s unity, and accusing them of having “suspicious ties” with

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  Iran ‘won war and diplomacy,’ foreign minister says after Trump’s call for Tehran to surrender

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Iran had “won both the war and diplomacy,” claiming those who initially sought Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” later sought negotiations, Anadolu reports. Speaking at an event, Araghchi said Iran resisted for days against what he described as “the world’s largest apparent military,” alongside another army claiming military power and with the support of nearly all Western countries and some other states inside and outside the region, according to the Tasnim news agency. “Those who were seeking unconditional surrender, shortly after the war began, begged for negotiations,” Araghchi said. READ: Iran’s IRGC dismisses Trump’s claim of backchannel talks as ‘lies’ He claimed Tehran initially rejected a ceasefire and continued fighting until reaching a point where the

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  Palestinian Health Ministry: Oxygen station shutdowns threaten lives of dozens of patients, children

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The Palestinian Health Ministry issued an urgent warning on Monday over the worsening crisis affecting oxygen generation stations in hospitals across the Gaza Strip, saying most have stopped operating because of the ongoing Israeli blockade, which has prevented the entry of equipment and spare parts needed for maintenance. In a press statement, the ministry said the crisis now threatens the remaining operational capacity of hospitals and places the lives of dozens of patients and children in critical, life-saving departments under an unprecedented direct threat. The ministry said 72 intensive care units could face a complete shutdown and paralysis of services due to the severe and continuing shortage of oxygen supplies. It added that 54 neonatal incubator units are facing a

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  Israeli forces raid Bethlehem hospital and assault patients, visitors

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Israeli forces raided the grounds of a hospital in the city of Bethlehem in the southern occupied West Bank on Monday evening and assaulted patients and visitors, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. In a statement, the ministry said that “Israeli forces raided the grounds of the Arab Society for Rehabilitation Hospital, terrorised patients and visitors and assaulted some of them.” The ministry strongly condemned the raid and the continued violations against hospitals and medical centres, stressing that hospitals and health centres are “protected places under international law”. READ: Amnesty: Israeli state backs escalation of settler violence in occupied West Bank It said that raiding or attacking such facilities, or exposing patients and medical staff to danger, constitutes a “serious violation”

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  Sudan, Saudi Arabia sign agreement to establish strategic cooperation council

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Sudan and Saudi Arabia on Monday signed an agreement to establish the Supreme Council for Strategic Cooperation and Coordination between the two countries. The Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported that the agreement was signed in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem signed on behalf of Sudan, while Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan signed for Saudi Arabia.    According to SUNA, the council aims to provide a higher and more comprehensive institutional framework for managing and developing bilateral relations. The council will cover 10 main areas, including economic, investment, trade and political affairs. It will also seek to align the two countries’ visions, strengthen the official partnership and facilitate the implementation of joint projects to support development

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  Kushner signals US support for Israeli operations in Gaza if Hamas refuses to disarm

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  US special envoy Jared Kushner said “very significant progress could happen very soon” in the Gaza Strip if Israel and Hamas cooperate, warning that the United States would support further Israeli military operations in the territory if Hamas does not disarm. In an interview with Fox News after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Kushner said: “if Hamas actually gives over the weapons and the tunnels willingly over the next 60 to 90 days, that obviously would be the elimination of a huge security threat for Israel, almost an unthinkable achievement.”  He added: “If they don’t follow through now on their commitment, everyone will see that they’re not genuine about peace, and then Israel will have a lot

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  Call for international sanctions against Israeli military commander after Qusra attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The Combatants for Peace movement has called on the European Union and the governments of the UK, Canada and Australia to impose personal sanctions on Avi Bluth, commander of the Israeli army’s Central Command, following recent attacks and incidents in the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank. The movement said the incidents represented the latest escalation in settler violence against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank. READ: Aid access hampered by more than 900 obstacles in West Bank: UN The call was made in an urgent letter sent on behalf of the movement by human rights lawyer Eitay Mack. The letter said responsibility for the escalation in settler violence in the occupied West Bank did

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  Colluding with violence: Aiding Israeli settlers in the West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The latest incidents of Israeli settler violence in the villages of Qusra and Kour, located in the northern occupied West Bank, have again caught international attention, reaching the halls of the United Nations with a gravity that, sadly, is unlikely to have much effect.  Towards the end of July, the settlers had set their sights on local mosques, which they set on fire.  From 9th August, three families in Qusra – making up 15 people in all – were confined to their homes in terror, running out of food and necessities. (Settlers had deprived them of access to water and power.) When Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances attempted to deliver food and water to these homes, they were attacked.   Unusually, this

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  Trump says he is not seeking extension of framework agreement with Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  President Donald Trump said Monday that he is not seeking an extension of June’s framework agreement with Iran towards ending the war, while claiming the US has established “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. “No,” Trump replied when asked by reporters whether he was seeking an extension of the deal with Iran, reached in June with Pakistani mediation. His remarks came as a 60-day negotiating period neared its end without a comprehensive agreement, which the framework deal was meant to facilitate. The deadline stems from how the June deal established a window for negotiations toward a broader settlement. Asked whether the two sides are closer to reaching a final agreement under the framework deal, Trump said Iran

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  Turkish, Iranian foreign ministers discuss talks on reopening Strait of Hormuz, ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke Monday by phone with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, Anadolu reports. The two discussed the latest developments in negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining the ceasefire, the sources said. The call focused on the current status of the talks on both issues, according to the sources. READ: UN urges US, Iran to resume talks as 60-day deadline nears

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  UAE-owned oil tanker detained near southern Iran’s Qeshm Island: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  A tanker belonging to an Emirati company was detained near southern Iran’s Qeshm Island while crossing the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported Monday. Maritime navigation data showed that the vessel had been stopped during its passage through the strait, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported. The agency did not identify the tanker or the Emirati company that owns it. Fars said tankers seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz “must follow a route designated by Iran, pay service fees and obtain Iranian authorization.” There was no official statement from Iranian or Emirati authorities regarding the report as of 1700GMT. The Strait of Hormuz has seen escalating tensions amid the US-Iran war, raising fears of disruptions to shipping and

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  Iraq seeks Iranian clarification over drone attack on residence of Kurdish regional premier

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Iraq on Monday requested an official clarification from Tehran over a drone attack targeting the residence and private office of Masrour Barzani, premier of the country’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), Anadolu reports. Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein discussed the attack with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in a phone call, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The attack was carried out using Hadid-110 drones, said the ministry. Hussein said Iran “had previously justified” attacks in the KRG region by citing the presence of Iranian opposition parties or factions there. The latest attack, however, directly targeted the regional premier’s residence, creating a “dangerous precedent” that could heighten tensions and threaten regional stability, he said. Hussein condemned the “unjustified attack” and

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  Attacks on Muslim American candidates reflect an American parochial history driven by fanatical supremacists in power

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  There’s a lot of discourse lately around the anti-Muslim rhetoric thrown at Muslims running for office. From Abdul El-Sayed to Zohran Mamdani, attacks on Muslim candidates on the basis of their religious and ethnic identities have been extensively catalogued. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) called El-Sayed a “terrorist.” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) described “every single Muslim holding public office in America” as a threat to national security. Zohran Mamdani’s candidacy last year resulted in the same tired allegations of terrorism, Sharia-takeover, dual-loyalties, and communism. President Donald Trump ultimately declared that “jihadists” are “being elected all over the place.” These tirades have been interpreted to mean that the American Right has an Islamophobia problem and that we just have to ‘power through’

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  Senior German lawmaker urges EU sanctions on Israel’s Ben-Gvir over Gaza killing remarks

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  A senior lawmaker from Germany’s governing conservative bloc called on the European Union on Monday to impose sanctions on extremist Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over his remarks advocating the killing of dozens of Palestinians in Gaza every night, Anadolu reports. “Ben-Gvir’s dehumanizing statements can only be condemned by everyone,” Jurgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) parliamentary group, told Politico. “The EU should sanction him as a sign of the universal validity of human dignity and human rights,” Hardt said. He also argued that an Israeli government without Ben-Gvir would help bring Israel and Europe closer together. READ: Extremist Israeli minister says ’30 to 40′ Gazans should be killed every day His remarks

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  Iran eyes ‘long-term’ gasoline price liberalization, vice president says

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Iran is seeking “long-term” gasoline price liberalization, leading to eventual increases, while President Masoud Pezeshkian has decided to end internet filtering, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said Monday. “The government does not intend to reduce the first gasoline quota,” Aref said, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. “But the second quota must be gradually reduced because the government’s strategy is to move toward price liberalization in the long term,” he added. According to Aref, planned structural reforms related to gasoline prices were halted by the current conflict with the United States. He added, however, that adjustments to fuel quotas – carried out in two stages – had saved roughly 10 million liters. On internet restrictions, Aref said that Pezeshkian

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  UN urges US, Iran to resume talks as 60-day deadline nears

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The UN on Monday urged the US and Iran to resume negotiations as a 60-day deadline for reaching a broader agreement approaches, warning that there is no military solution to the conflict, Anadolu reports. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ message had remained unchanged since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28. “His message is the same, which he’s been delivering since the start, which is there is no military solution to this conflict. “He urges the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States to resume negotiations towards a peaceful and durable settlement as soon as possible, to avoid military action and as well to lower the rhetoric that we’ve been

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  Extremist Israeli minister says “30 to 40” Gazans should be killed every day

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for stepped-up airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and for Israel to kill “30 to 40” Palestinians a day, while also renewing calls to resettle Israelis in the Palestinian enclave at the expense of the indigenous population. Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, made the remarks on the “October 8” podcast hosted by Rom Braslavski, a former Israeli prisoner of Hamas. On Monday, the Jerusalem Post published excerpts from the interview, in which Ben-Gvir said Israel should not limit its attacks to those who “pose an immediate threat,” calling instead for far-ranging airstrikes across the entire Gaza Strip. He said some people “aren’t worthy of life … they aren’t people

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  UN peacekeeping force reports sharp rise in Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Monday that the past two weeks had seen a notable increase in Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon, warning that civilians are bearing the brunt of escalating tensions, Anadolu reports. “Between 5 and 16 August, UNIFIL recorded an average of 137 projectiles per day, including 208 on Saturday and 185 on Sunday,” UNIFIL said in a statement. “As tensions rise, civilians are once again paying the highest price, with many families displaced or forced to change their daily routines because of insecurity and uncertainty,” it added. UNIFIL said its peacekeepers had maintained their field presence through patrols, monitoring, removing obstacles from roads, reducing risks posed by explosives, and facilitating access for humanitarian

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  Iran’s IRGC dismisses Trump’s claim of backchannel talks as ‘lies’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday dismissed as “lies” US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington was holding back-channel talks with IRGC officials on war-related issues. “No talks are taking place between IRGC officials and the Americans,” spokesman Hossein Mohibbi told Iran’s Tasnim news agency. He said the US leader’s claims were “lies” and “fantasies born of delusions and nightmares resulting from defeat and desperation in the war.” The spokesman added that diplomatic matters were handled by other Iranian state institutions and fell outside the IRG’s purview. READ: Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it ‘gets in the way’ of US-Iran negotiations “According to the information we have and statements by Foreign Ministry officials, no talks are currently taking

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  Has Hamas ended?

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  It is easy today to say that Hamas has ended. Gaza is destroyed. The movement’s leaders have been targeted. Its military structure has been badly hit. Its ability to govern has declined. Its popular base inside Gaza is more exhausted and angry than ever before. These are facts that cannot be denied. But turning these facts into one conclusion that Hamas has ended; is a big analytical leap. A partial military defeat does not mean the end of a political movement. A reduced ability to govern does not mean the disappearance of influence. And losing part of its popular support does not mean Hamas has left Palestinian political history. This is why I disagree with the view that Hamas has

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  Yemen’s Houthis strike Saudi naval vessels, arms depot: Spokesman

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Yemen’s Ansar Allah group, also known as the Houthis, claimed Monday that its forces had targeted several Saudi naval vessels – along with a weapons depot – in a wide-ranging missile and drone barrage, Anadolu reports. In a statement posted on Telegram, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said a Saudi amphibious transport ship and several accompanying naval vessels had been successfully struck in an aerial attack involving “a number of” ballistic missiles Describing the missile strike as “precise,” Saree said that several of the targeted ships had been sunk – while the rest had caught fire – as a result of the attack. Houthi forces also targeted a Saudi weapons depot in the Sahn al-Jin camp, located in Yemen’s central-eastern Marib province,

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  Hamas welcomes Trump’s call to end attacks on Gaza, urges stepped-up pressure on Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Hamas on Monday welcomed remarks by US President Donald Trump calling on Israel to halt its attacks on the Gaza Strip. “The remarks confirm President Trump’s commitment to the ceasefire track,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement. He also called on the US leader to “pressure the [Israeli] occupation government to abide by what was agreed upon to begin the second phase of Trump’s Gaza peace plan.” The statement comes amid ongoing Israeli ceasefire violations – including airstrikes, shelling and gunfire – that have continued to kill Palestinians throughout the enclave on an almost daily basis. READ: Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it ‘gets in the way’ of US-Iran negotiations Earlier Monday, Trump said that Israel “should not

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  Israeli defence minister tells army to draft plan shifting enforcement over West Bank occupiers to police

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israel’s defence minister has instructed the army to submit a plan to transfer law enforcement powers over Israeli occupiers in the West Bank to the Israeli police, according to local media. The decision comes amid growing outrage over the Israeli army protecting occupiers during their attacks on Palestinians. Meeting with senior military and defense officials, Defence Minister Katz said it was agreed that the army would submit a comprehensive plan on the matter within two weeks, which would subsequently be coordinated with the Israeli police and subject to the army’s authorities in the field, the Times of Israel reported. “Katz says he will be advancing the legalization of outpost farms in the West Bank, which are technically illegal under Israeli

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  Italian NGO rescues 50 migrants as 7 people die during crossing in international waters

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  An Italian NGO rescued some 50 migrants from a boat in international waters on Monday, while seven people died during the crossing, according to local media reports. The Life Support search-and-rescue vessel, operated by the Italian humanitarian NGO Emergency, rescued 50 people — 45 men and five women, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The NGO said seven migrants died during the crossing and that two people were in serious condition due to suffocation. The migrants from Somalia and Egypt, departed from Zuwarah, Libya, on Sunday, it added. READ: Italy monitors situation in Israeli-besieged Palestinian village where 5 Italians reported present

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  Tehran bans 2 French embassy employees from returning to Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Two French embassy employees involved in a diplomatic dispute last month will not be allowed to return to Iran, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters that the pair had violated the 1961 Vienna Convention, which lays out the rules and privileges of foreign diplomatic missions. Baqaei said that France’s admission that the two individuals were “engaged in activities related to supporting civil ​society” was itself an admission that “the Vienna Convention ​was violated.” READ: France reiterates refusal to take part in Iran war

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  ‘Emirati money buys a lot of conscience’: How UAE-linked recruiters sent Colombians into Sudan’s war

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  A UAE-based security company with extensive links to the Emirati state recruited and deployed Colombian mercenaries to fight alongside Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including during the paramilitary group’s capture of El-Fasher where mass atrocities were committed, according to a major investigation by the Financial Times. The investigation provides new details about a sophisticated mercenary pipeline involving Abu Dhabi-based Global Security Services Group (GSSG), military facilities in the UAE and transit hubs across Libya and Somalia. Around 2,000 Colombians are estimated to have travelled to Sudan to support the RSF, with some receiving specialist training in drones and anti-aircraft weapons before deployment. GSSG was founded in 2016 by Ahmed Mohammed Al-Humairi, secretary-general of the UAE Presidential Court. Its website has

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  After Mecca: The rise of a new Middle East security order and Iran’s strategic dilemma

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan on 7 August may eventually be remembered as more than another defence pact in a region already crowded with military partnerships. It could mark the moment when three influential Muslim powers concluded that the old security architecture of the Middle East was no longer enough. The agreement contains a striking commitment: an armed attack against one signatory is to be regarded as an attack against all. Turkiye has compared the principle technically to NATO’s Article 5, though the institutional structures behind the two arrangements are obviously very different. The three governments are now moving beyond declaration: regular coordination between foreign, defence and military chiefs, joint exercises

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  Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it ‘gets in the way’ of US-Iran negotiations

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened military action against Oman if it interferes with US-Iran negotiations, while saying Washington is in direct contact with officials from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox News when asked about Oman’s role in negotiations involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said Saturday that it had reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz following weeks of technical negotiations. Turning to Iran, Trump said Tehran should raise a “white flag of surrender,” adding: “They’re good poker players, but they’re dying.” He also confirmed that Washington has a backchannel with

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  Trump’s adviser, Board of Peace chair meet with Israeli premier for Gaza ceasefire talks

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  US President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner began a planned meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on Monday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire, Israeli media reported. Kushner was joined by the Board of Peace’s lead envoy for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, and board member and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair during the meeting, The Times of Israel said, citing an unnamed source. The source said Monday’s talks focus on “moving forward on all the elements (US President Donald Trump’s 15-point plan)” rather than seeking Tel Aviv’s “signature” on the plan. READ: Kushner accuses Netanyahu of obstructing US Gaza plan The discussions come after Kushner, accompanied by Mladenov and Blair, visited the Egyptian capital Cairo on Sunday

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  Iran says 60-day deadline ‘lost its relevance’ after US ‘violations’ of memorandum

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday that the 60-day deadline for talks with the US following the June 17 memorandum of understanding “lost its relevance” after what he called “flagrant” violations by Washington, Anadolu reports. “There is no provision in the memorandum of understanding referring to a ‘60-day deadline’, and the Islamic Republic of Iran never formulates its policies under pressure, ultimatums or time limits,” Baqaei told reporters at a weekly news conference, as cited by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The memorandum instead envisaged a 60-day period for negotiations on two issues — “the lifting of sanctions” and “the nuclear issue” — which could have been extended if no agreement was reached, he added. “Due to the

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  Lebanese president calls for extending mandate of UN peacekeeping forces in south

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called Monday for extending the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), saying its presence serves stability in the country’s south, Anadolu reports. “The UNIFIL presence in the south is important in many respects, and helps keep residents in their villages and towns, and strengthens stability in cooperation and coordination with the Lebanese army,” Aoun said during a meeting with a parliamentary delegation, as cited by a presidency statement. “Our first option is to extend UNIFIL’s mandate,” he said. “If its mandate is not extended, the second option is to adopt a formula that ensures the continued presence of international forces in the south, within the required legal framework.” Aoun said these forces will help

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  Israel sees 53% drop of returnees as departures on rise: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  A recent official Knesset report showed a sharp decline in the number of Israelis returning to Israel in recent years, alongside a rise in the number of those leaving the country, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday, Anadolu reports. “The wave of hostility towards Israel in the world and the sense of belonging could have led to an increase in the number of Israelis returning, despite the war,” the newspaper said citing a report by the Knesset Research and Information Center The report comes amid widespread public and official anger toward Israel around the world over its US-backed genocidal war on Gaza since Oct. 8, 2023. The genocide has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over 174,000, most of them women and

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  Israeli forces demolish two-story home in occupied East Jerusalem

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished a two-story home in the village of Qalandiya, northwest of the occupied East Jerusalem, on claims of being built without a permit, the Jerusalem Governorate said, Anadolu reports. It added that the demolition has caused the displacement of two Palestinian families of 15 members. Since the start of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the Israeli army and occupiers have intensified attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, killing more than 1,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian figures. READ: Israel plans to build 2,300 illegal settlement units in East Jerusalem, organization warns

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  What Indonesia’s 2027 budget really says about the Middle East

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Read Indonesia’s new budget plan for 2027, called the RAPBN, and one region keeps showing up. Not once. Not as a small note at the end. Again and again, in the numbers, the risks, and the partnerships. That region is the Middle East. Most budget documents talk about growth targets and spending plans. This one does that too. But underneath those numbers sits a simple truth. What happens in the Middle East now shapes how much Indonesia pays for fuel, how strong the rupiah is, and how the government plans to borrow money next year. In 2026, tension between Israel and Iran grew into open conflict. For a while, it looked like Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz, a

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  Arday backed Palestine; man behind witch hunt believes in racial hierarchy and supports Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Online scrutiny has turned towards pro-Israel academic Nathan Cofnas, whose intervention helped propel allegations against the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday into the national spotlight. Social media users have uncovered  his controversial views on race and along with his outspoken support for Israel. Following Arday’s death, users on X have circulated screenshots of comments attributed to Cofnas concerning Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, alongside his well-documented description of himself as a “race realist”. Describing the public furore over the death of Arday one commentator on X said: “A Jewish Zionist academic – Nathan Cofnas, who was suspended due to his promotion of ‘hereditarianism/race realism’ – the kind of racial superiority ‘science’ that claims Black people are inherently ‘BIOLOGICALLY’ less intelligent

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  Eight Arab and Islamic countries say Israel is obstructing Gaza peace efforts

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The foreign ministers of eight Arab and Islamic countries said on Sunday that Israel bears responsibility for obstructing efforts to achieve peace in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories. The statement was issued jointly by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and was published by the Saudi Foreign Ministry. The ministers criticized Israel’s rejection of a roadmap for completing the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza conflict, which was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803. Their statement followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection a week earlier of a 15-point roadmap approved by the Peace Council and accepted by Hamas. Netanyahu

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  Israeli media claims Hamas personnel seized army engineering equipment in southern Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israel’s Channel 14 reported that Palestinians seized drilling pipes and other engineering equipment used by the Israeli military for tunnel-detection operations in southern Gaza, in what it said was the second such occurrence in about a week. According to the Israeli channel, the latest incident occurred on Sunday near the so-called “Yellow Line,” where Israeli forces claimed to have observed armed men approaching engineering equipment being used in an area under Israeli military control. The men reportedly took some of the equipment before returning to another part of the Gaza Strip. Channel 14 cited Israeli security assessments suggesting that the drilling pipes could potentially be repurposed for manufacturing or preparing explosive devices for use against Israeli forces. The report did

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  Report: Hamas leaders meet Kushner in Egypt for talks on Gaza roadmap

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Senior Hamas officials, including the movement’s political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya, held talks with US envoy Jared Kushner in Egypt to discuss disarmament and the future administration of the Gaza Strip, according to Hamas sources cited by Asharq on Sunday. The sources said the meeting took place in El Alamein with the participation of senior officials from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, which have been involved in mediation efforts over Gaza. According to the report, the Hamas delegation discussed its position on a proposed roadmap for Gaza and expressed its commitment to provisions concerning the inventory and storage of weapons and the transfer of governing authority in the Strip. The sources also said Hamas expressed readiness to participate in Palestinian elections

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  Settlers establish new outposts near Ramallah as Palestinian families in Qusra face access restrictions

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israeli settlers have begun establishing new outposts on land near Palestinian villages in the Ramallah area, while three families in Qusra, south of Nablus, are facing restrictions on access to water and other essential services, according to Palestinian and UN sources. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Sunday that settlers established a new outpost near the village of Burqa and erected tents in the Wadi al-Zaytoun area, south of Umm Safa, in preparation for another outpost on Palestinians’ privately owned land. According to WAFA, the establishment of the latter would bring the number of settlement outposts surrounding Umm Safa to six. The area has experienced repeated confrontations and disputes over land amid expanding settlement activity. Data from the Palestinian

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  The empire below deck

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The American aircraft carrier was built to terrify other nations. The USS Abraham Lincoln has instead become something far more revealing: a floating monument to an empire powerful enough to bomb half the world, yet too arrogant, overstretched and politically diseased to care properly for the people it sends to do the bombing. The symbolism is almost vulgar in its perfection. A nuclear-powered supercarrier — one of the most sophisticated instruments of organized violence ever constructed — prowls the waters near Iran, launching aircraft and advertising Washington’s capacity to reach virtually anywhere on Earth. Below deck, meanwhile, sailors endure exhaustion, psychological strain, deteriorating conditions and the torment of a deployment whose end repeatedly disappears over the horizon. Behold American primacy:

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  Israeli authorities issue eviction orders to more than 70 Palestinian families in Lod

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israeli authorities have issued eviction orders to more than 70 Palestinian families in the Al-Mahatta neighbourhood of Lod, ahead of planned demolitions, according to Palestinian local sources. Residents said the orders were issued with short deadlines, in some cases giving families no more than a week to leave their homes. Israeli authorities reportedly justified the measures on the grounds that the properties were built on or occupy what they classify as “state land.” Families in the neighbourhood say they have lived in the area since before the establishment of Israel in 1948, with some describing their homes and community as representing nearly a century of family history. Residents have rejected the eviction and demolition orders, warning that the measures could

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  Lebanon says death toll from Israeli attacks since March exceeds 4,300

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The Lebanese Ministry of Health said on Sunday that 4,346 people have been killed and 12,301 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since 2nd March, following two airstrikes in southern Lebanon that killed 11 people and wounded 19 others on Saturday. The ministry’s Emergency Operations Center said in a statement that the cumulative toll between 2nd March and 16th August had reached 4,346 deaths and 12,301 injuries. According to the ministry, an Israeli airstrike on the town of Deir Zahrani, in the Nabatieh district, killed four people and wounded 17 others. The injured included 11 women and a child. In a separate Israeli strike on the town of Ansar, also in the Nabatieh district, seven people were killed, including three

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  Strait of Hormuz traffic comes to a near standstill as latest 48-hour data shows

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply at the start of the week following attacks on oil tankers, as US-Iran talks aimed at resolving the conflict in the Middle East stalled, according to Reuters.  Ship-tracking data from Kpler showed that only five commodity vessels passed through the strait on Saturday, while none were recorded on Sunday, compared with 31 vessels over the previous weekend, Reuters added.  An Iranian official earlier said the United States had suffered major strategic losses during the latest military confrontations, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian control.  Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, stated that the United States has sustained significant strategic losses, urging Washington to accept this reality and

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  Families of Four Sumud Flotilla Activists Demand Release from Detention in Tunisia

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The families of four Tunisian activists who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla have called on political and judicial authorities to release of their detained sons and drop all charges against them. The Sumud Flotilla is the Gaza-bound group of aid vessels that attempted to break the Israeli-imposed blockade on the Strip before they were intercepted by Israel. The four activists, identified as Nabil Al-Shanoufi, Ghassan Al-Hanshiri, Ghassan Al-Boughdiri, and Wael Nawar, have been held in Tunis’s Mornaguia Prison for more than five months. In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the families detailed the deteriorating conditions surrounding the detention. READ: France investigates alleged torture of French MP and Gaza flotilla participants by Israel “Today marks more than five months

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  Saudi school curricula undergo major changes to references to Jerusalem and Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The Saudi education system is continuing to soften its treatment of Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in school curricula, Hebrew-language newspaper Maariv reported. The newspaper cited a new report by research institute IMPACT-se, which examined Saudi school curricula from 2024 to 2026. It said Saudi Arabia had removed “hostile statements” and made changes to content relating to Israel, Jews and Jerusalem as part of the reform drive adopted by the ruling family under Vision 2030. The report said one of the most notable changes was made to the Arabic-language textbook for Year 11. The 2023-2024 edition included the sentence, “Muslims will not give up Jerusalem”, but the sentence was removed entirely from editions for the 2024-2025 academic year and onwards.

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  Palestine research institute: Netanyahu uses Lebanese, Palestinian blood as a “winning election card”

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is treating Lebanese and Palestinian blood as a winning electoral card, Major General Habis al-Sharouf, director of the Palestine Institute for National Security Research, said. He said Israel had respected neither the ethics of the truce nor the ethics of war, “nor anything”.  “Israel now wants to impose a fait accompli in southern Lebanon. To do so, it does not want residents in the border areas and carries out assassinations and shelling on a daily basis,” al-Sharouf said during an interview on Cairo News programme Midday, presented by journalist Hager Galal. He said Israel aims to displace residents and leave the area empty for several reasons, foremost among them forcing Hezbollah to accept Israeli conditions.

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  El Sisi stresses need to resolve regional crises to preserve stability in meeting with Kushner

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday stressed the need to resolve the various crises in the region to preserve regional stability. Sisi made the remarks during a meeting in the northern Egyptian city of El Alamein with Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.  The two sides discussed “developments in the Middle East and the Palestinian issue”, the presidency said. Sisi stressed the importance of continuing efforts to address common challenges, given the two countries’ commitment to supporting security and stability at regional and international levels. He also underlined “the need to resolve the various crises facing the region in order to preserve regional stability”, according to the statement.

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  Hamas calls for full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and end to killing of Palestinians

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Hamas on Sunday called for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and an end to what it described as Israeli killings of Palestinians. The call came in a statement following talks in Cairo between a Hamas delegation led by its political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya and mediators over a roadmap for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. According to a Palestinian source who spoke to Anadolu on condition of anonymity, the Hamas delegation led by al-Hayya met in Cairo with Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law. In its statement, Hamas said: “Under the generous auspices of Egypt, the Hamas leadership delegation, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, head of the movement, met with

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  Iraq’s electricity crisis: Fifty degrees of cold promises

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  In Iraq, you can replace the name of Ali Falih al-Zaidi—the current prime minister—with any prime minister since 2003, and nothing in meaning or outcome would change. Every leader has made the same promise, every leader has spoken of a “turning point,” and every leader has left office without moving the national power grid a single step forward. Al-Zaidi’s claim that 2027 will mark a doubling of electricity production and transmission capacity is not a vision; it is simply another number added to a long archive of empty promises whose endings Iraqis already know. The irony is scorching. These promises are repeated while Iraqis endure summer temperatures exceeding fifty degrees Celsius, replaying old video clips of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Mustafa