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

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  WHO: Israeli attacks cripple health services in Lebanon

  by Marwa A on March 27, 2026

  Israel’s ongoing attacks in Lebanon cripple health services in Lebanon, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Lebanon Emergency Situation Report said, Anadolu reports. Since Israeli attacks on the country expanded since March 2, access to healthcare worsened, the report stated earlier this week. 64 attacks on the healthcare were identified, killing at least 53 healthcare workers and injuring 91 others, it said. Nine hospitals were damaged, 50 primary healthcare centers were closed, and four primary healthcare centers were damaged. Five hospitals, including Bahman Hospital, Al-Sahel Hospital, Bint Jbeil Public Hospital, Mays al-Jabal Public Hospital, and Al-Burj Hospital, were closed, the report added. On Friday evening, the Lebanese Health Ministry announced that the death toll from the Israeli attacks rose to 1,142,

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  Iran holds the keys to victory in the war with USA and Israel

  by Marwa A on March 27, 2026

  “We do not choose between empires -we choose dignity, sovereignty, and freedom.” (Soekarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independence) As of March 25-26, 2026, Iran has rejected U.S. proposals to end the conflict, instead outlining five key conditions, as reported by Iranian state media and Iranian Embassy in South Africa. These conditions, aimed at halting the current hostilities, include: A complete stop to U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran and its allies. The establishment of concrete mechanisms to prevent the re-imposition of war. Guaranteed and clear payment for war damages and compensation. An end to fighting across all fronts involving Iran and its regional “resistance” allies. Recognition of Iranian sovereignty and control over the Strait of Hormuz. These demands are

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  No Kings, no exceptions: How Trump’s Iran war exposes the death of American democracy

  by Marwa A on March 27, 2026

  On 28th February 2026, the United States went to war. No congressional debate. No public deliberation. No formal declaration. Just a midnight operation, with top lawmakers notified only minutes before the bombs fell, announcing that American aircraft were already striking Tehran. This is not how a republic wages war. This is how a king does. The strikes on Iran — codenamed Operation Epic Fury— killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and multiple senior officials, put American lives in harm’s way without a single vote of the people’s representatives, and shook global energy markets to their foundations. Article I of the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to declare war. Trump did it anyway. And in doing so, he

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  US, Israel target Iran’s largest steel companies in new wave of strikes

  by Marwa A on March 27, 2026

  The US and Israel targeted Iran’s Khuzestan and Mobarakeh steel companies, among the country’s most strategic and largest steel companies, in a new wave of strikes amid an ongoing escalation, Anadolu reports. Emergency units arrived at the scene, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Friday, stating that more details will be revealed regarding the development. One person was killed and 15 others were injured during the attack in Isfahan, Iran’s IRIB News Agency reported, citing Mehdi Jamalinejad, the provincial governor. Regional escalation has continued since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with waves of drone and missile strikes targeting

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  US investigating unauthorized drones detected early March over base hosting B-52 bombers

  by Marwa A on March 27, 2026

  US Barksdale Air Force Base in the state of Louisiana detected multiple unauthorized drones flying over the military installation during the week of March 9, with federal and local law enforcement agencies now involved in the investigation, according to an official on Friday, Anadolu reports. The base, which hosts the US Air Force’s B-52 bomber fleet, confirmed the incursions in a statement to Anadolu, saying: “Barksdale Air Force Base detected multiple unauthorized drones operating in our airspace during the week of March 9th.” “Flying a drone over a military installation is not only a safety issue, it is a criminal offense under federal law,” it said. Noting that the base is “working closely with federal and local law enforcement agencies

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  US military assets worth billions damaged or lost in Iran war: Report

  by Marwa A on March 27, 2026

  Billions of dollars in US military equipment have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, mostly due to Iranian missile and drone attacks, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Friday, Anadolu reports. Losses in the first three weeks of the conflict are estimated at $1.4 billion to $2.9 billion, Elaine McCusker, a former Pentagon budget official now at the American Enterprise Institute, told the newspaper. Among the incidents cited, three F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by a Kuwaiti aircraft on March 1, while an F-35 stealth jet made an emergency landing on March 16 after reportedly coming under fire. Iran claims it targeted the aircraft, according to the report.

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  France urges Israel to avoid any ground operations, attacks on civilian areas, densely populated areas in Lebanon

  by Marwa A on March 27, 2026

  France’s foreign minister on Friday called on Israel to refrain from “any ground operations, from any attacks on civilian infrastructure, and from any attacks on densely populated areas, particularly Beirut,” Anadolu reports. Speaking after a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, Jean-Noel Barrot stressed that “a path to peace remains possible” only if escalation is avoided. Barrot said the G7 statement “calls for an immediate halt to attacks against civilian populations and infrastructure,” adding: “There is no justification for deliberately targeting civilians in armed conflicts, nor for launching attacks against diplomatic facilities.” He underlined that France “denounces and mobilizes against violations of international law and international humanitarian law” in multiple conflict zones, citing Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan.

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  Israeli gov’t ‘sending army into multi-front war without strategy,’ says opposition leader

  by Marwa A on March 27, 2026

  Israeli opposition Yair Lapid has warned that the Israeli government “is sending the army into a multi-front war without a strategy, without sufficient resources, and with too few soldiers,” according to local media, Anadolu reports. “The chief of staff laid out before the cabinet a whole series of threats, most of which cannot be detailed on camera, but the bottom line is this: the government is sending the army into a multi-front war without a strategy, without sufficient resources, and with too few soldiers,” Lapid said in a news conference. “This time, the government will not be able to say, ‘I didn’t know,'” he argued, the Times of Israel reported on Thursday. “This is the chief of staff they appointed,

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  Auguries of failure: Israel invades Lebanon, yet again

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  When will Israel realise that invading Lebanon with paralytic compulsion can never be the solution to its security ills?  Having destroyed Gaza with existential, illegal fury, the Israeli Defense Forces have commenced operations in Lebanon with a similar, devastating imprint.  Doltishly assuming that the Lebanon front would stay quiet as it went about its business committing the crime of aggression against Iran, Israel again faced rocket attacks against Hezbollah on 2nd March. The November 2024 ceasefire agreement, rarely observed as it was, had been effectively entombed. Since then, the front has reopened in fury, with Israel targeting Hezbollah positions, frightening the civilian population of south Lebanon into fleeing in anticipation of a military offensive, and targeting bridges across the Litani

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  19,000 children displaced daily in Lebanon amid escalating violence: UNICEF

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  An average of 19,000 children have been displaced every day in Lebanon over the past three weeks amid ongoing Israeli strikes, a UNICEF official said Friday, Anadolu reports. “In just three weeks, more than 370,000 children have been forced out of their homes in Lebanon, an average of at least 19,000 girls and boys displaced every single day,” said Marcoluigi Corsi, UNICEF representative in Lebanon, during a UN briefing in Geneva. To grasp the scale, he explained, this is the equivalent of “hundreds of school buses filled with children fleeing for their lives every 24 hours.” Corsi said the crisis has displaced roughly 20% of Lebanon’s population in less than a month, with more than one million people uprooted. “The

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  Most of Iraq’s oil activities, projects halted due to war conditions, says ministry

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Most of Iraq’s oil activities and projects have been halted due to current war conditions, a senior Oil Ministry official said Friday, as the regional conflict takes a growing toll on the country’s energy sector, Anadolu reports. “Most activities and projects are currently suspended due to the reality imposed by the war,” Bassem Mohammed Khudair, deputy oil minister for extraction affairs, told the official Iraqi news agency INA. Production levels at oil fields could return to previous rates “within days if the crisis ends,” he said, adding that gas projects have not fully stopped but their continuity “depends directly on an end to the ongoing war.” Producing fields that do not rely on imported materials are still being managed effectively

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  Zionism has ‘emptied’ out Judaism as ‘critical mass’ of US Jews breaks with Israel

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Opposition to Israel is hardening into anti-Zionism among a growing number of US Jews, according to Jewish Currents editor Arielle Angel. Speaking to Haaretz, Angel said that a “critical mass” of American Jews is now “disgusted with Israel” and no longer sees Zionism as central to Jewish life.  Angel went on to claim that attachment to Israel among this section of American Jewry is “waning, if not evaporated”. She described the shift as a profound political and moral break with the Israeli state. Angel, who defines herself as anti-Zionist, said the shift goes far beyond criticism of Israeli policy. She described a growing constituency of Jews in the US who see Israel as an apartheid state, believe it is committing

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  No exit: The global stakes of the Iran-Israel war

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  The war consuming the Middle East is, at its core, a zero-sum contest between two incompatible survival imperatives. Israel’s long-term security, as defined by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, requires not merely the degradation of Iran’s proxies but the dismemberment of the Iranian state itself — a fragmentation into six or seven ethnic ministates. Tehran, for its part, frames its own existence as inseparable from the resistance axis it has built across the Levant and Mesopotamia. As the late strategist Edward Luttwak observed, in the Middle East, peace processes tend to freeze conflicts rather than resolve them. Ceasefires here are not endings; they are pauses for rearmament. The structural logic is unforgiving. A pro-Western government in Tehran would sever China’s Belt

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  Sweden calls for immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, urges protection of civilians

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, voicing concern over escalating hostilities and urging all parties to respect international law, Anadolu reports. “I am deeply concerned about escalation of hostilities in Lebanon. Today I have underlined Sweden’s support and solidarity to Lebanon to my counterpart @YoussefRaggi. The Lebanese people deserve peace and security,” Stenergard said on US social media company X. “Sweden calls for an immediate ceasefire. We urge Israel to refrain from further attacks on Lebanese territory. Hezbollah must immediately cease its attacks against Israel. Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected,” she added. READ: Israeli army expands ground offensive in southern Lebanon Stenergard also emphasized the need to uphold legal

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  Israel continues to bar Muslims from Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque for 4th straight week

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Israeli authorities continue to bar Muslims from Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest mosque in Islam, for the fourth consecutive week, keeping the site closed since late February under emergency measures linked to the war with Iran, Anadolu reports. Israeli police kept the mosque’s gates closed and deployed forces across Jerusalem’s Old City to prevent worshippers from entering the compound. Authorities closed the site after the war began, citing Home Front Command directives banning large gatherings. Since then, prayers at the mosque have been restricted to only guards and members of the Islamic Waqf, which oversees the site. Israeli authorities also closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity’s most important holy sites. Witnesses told Anadolu that

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  Spanish premier says Iran war ‘big mistake,’ urges candor with US

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Spain’s prime minister described the war in Iran as “a big mistake,” urging a more candid approach toward the US in an interview published Friday, Anadolu Agency reports. “Good allies are like good friends. We tell each other the truth no matter what,” Pedro Sanchez told The Wall Street Journal, explaining his opposition to US President Donald Trump’s diplomacy, in which he believes the benefits of speaking openly about disagreements with Washington instead of avoiding confrontation. “In my view, this war in Iran is a big mistake for the world and therefore for the US,” he said. Sanchez also framed Spain’s “no to war” approach as a counterweight to what he described as impulsive decision-making. “In this world where decisions

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  China’s biggest chipmaker provides chipmaking tools to Iran, US claims

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  China’s biggest chipmaker, SMIC, sent chipmaking tools to Iran’s military, according to two senior Trump administration officials, drawing attention to Beijing’s role in the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran as the conflict enters its second month, Anadolu Agency reports. SMIC, which has been under US sanctions due to alleged ties to the Chinese military, began sending the tools to Iran nearly a year ago, the officials claimed, adding they have “no reason to believe that any of this has stopped.” The tools, they said, may be used for any electronics that need chips. The partnership “almost certainly included technical training on SMIC’s semiconductor technology,” according to the Economic Times. READ: China ‘appeals’ US, Israel, Iran to engage in talks for peace

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  Israeli occupiers attack Bedouin community in West Bank’s south of Hebron

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Israeli occupiers attacked a Bedouin community south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday, assaulting residents and stealing livestock, Anadolu reports. Sources said occupiers targeted the Wadi Al-Awar area, attacking homes and property, stealing a number of sheep and assaulting residents’ belongings. Surveillance footage showed occupiers entering the area, attacking homes, and taking livestock. Settler attacks in the West Bank have escalated in recent weeks, with eight Palestinians killed by settler gunfire since late February, according to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission. READ: Illegal Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in 13 locations across occupied West Bank About 750,000 Israeli occupiers live in hundreds of settlements across the occupied West Bank, including around 250,000 in East Jerusalem. Occupiers carry out

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  Trump eyes 10,000 more troops as Israeli army is nearing collapse

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  The Pentagon is considering sending up to 10,000 additional US ground troops to the Middle East, according to Defence Department officials cited by the Wall Street Journal, in a move that would hand President Donald Trump broader military options even as he publicly talks up the prospect of negotiations with Tehran. The proposed deployment would likely include infantry and armoured units, adding to the roughly 7,000 extra US personnel already moving into the region, including about 5,000 Marines and sailors and around 2,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division.  The additional troops are expected to be stationed close enough to Iran to widen Washington’s military options, including in the Strait of Hormuz and around Kharg Island, the strategic hub for

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  Trump says seizing Iranian oil is ‘an option’ amid ongoing war

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has said that seizing Iranian oil remains “an option”, as the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran continues. Speaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump told reporters that taking control of Iran’s oil resources is being considered, though he did not provide further details. “It’s an option on the table,” he said, while also referring to previous US involvement in oil sectors such as Venezuela. Trump added that he is uncertain whether a deal can be reached with Iran, claiming that Tehran is seeking an agreement, though Iranian officials have repeatedly denied this. READ: Iran says oil exports reach 1.5M barrels per day despite war “The Iranians are begging for a deal,

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  Iranian parliament speaker praises public steadfastness and military sacrifices

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has praised the steadfastness of the Iranian people and the sacrifices of the armed forces, saying they have created the conditions for a “historic victory.” In a message posted on X platform, Ghalibaf addressed the public, saying “the heroic nation of Iran’s presence in the streets for 25 nights and the sacrifices of the armed forces have created the conditions for a historic victory for our beloved Iran.” He added that no external power can impose ultimatums on Iran, stressing that the country would continue its course until its objectives are fully achieved. READ: Iran bans its sports delegations from competing in “hostile” countries “Your children will not lose this opportunity until victory is fully

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  Israel chief of staff warns army nearing internal collapse amid multi-front war

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has warned that the army is approaching “collapse from within” amid mounting pressures from the ongoing war on multiple fronts, including Iran and Hezbollah. Speaking during a Security Cabinet meeting, Zamir said the military is facing deepening internal crises, particularly linked to severe manpower shortages. According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Zamir warned that reserve forces “will not hold up”, criticising the government for failing to address structural issues such as the conscription of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jews, amendments to the Reserve Law, and the extension of mandatory service periods. “I am raising 10 red flags,” Zamir reportedly said, underscoring the seriousness of the situation. READ: Bennett: Israel not winning on any front, warns army under

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  Hezbollah launches 500 rockets in one day, Israeli media reports

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Rocket fire by Hezbollah has intensified sharply, with Israeli media reporting hundreds of launches per day, including a peak of around 500 rockets in a single day. According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Hezbollah has been carrying out sustained rocket attacks targeting both Israeli army forces operating in southern Lebanon and areas inside Israel. The report said that in recent days, Hezbollah fighters have launched approximately 150 to 200 rockets daily, with around 70% directed at advancing Israeli forces and about 30% crossing into Israeli territory. Most rockets aimed at populated areas are intercepted, according to the newspaper. READ: Hezbollah says 2 ambushes destroyed 10 Israeli Merkava tanks On Wednesday, the pace of attacks increased significantly, reaching an estimated 500 launches, with

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  Egypt denies reports of ship carrying military-use steel to Israel

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  The Egyptian government has denied reports that a ship carrying materials for military use had docked at Abu Qir port en route to Israel, describing the claims as “false rumours.” In a statement issued Thursday, the Ministry of State for Information said it had reviewed reports circulating in some media outlets and on social media alleging that a foreign vessel had arrived at the Mediterranean port carrying steel used in weapons and ammunition manufacturing. The ministry rejected the claims, stating that all port operations in Egypt are conducted under strict monitoring systems and in accordance with international maritime agreements, with real-time tracking in place. READ: Egypt holds urgent talks with five countries to curb regional escalation It urged media organisations and social

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  Israeli media reports consolidation of ‘yellow line’ as Gaza border reality

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that the Israeli occupation forces are consolidating the “yellow line” as a permanent border reality inside the Gaza Strip, based on satellite imagery and security sources. According to the report, the Israeli army has intensified its deployment along this line in recent months, establishing new military positions, expanding infrastructure, and transferring equipment and supplies. A large-scale engineering project is also underway, including the construction of earthen barriers stretching tens of kilometres, reinforcing the permanence of the line. Satellite analysis indicates that more than 17 kilometres of earthen barriers have already been completed — around 40 percent of the total 45-kilometre line — with construction continuing in recent weeks. READ: Gaza children cling to education amid war, displacement

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  Iran bans its sports delegations from competing in “hostile” countries

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  The Iranian Ministry of Sport has issued a directive prohibiting sports delegations from participating in competitions held in countries that Tehran sees as “hostile.” This decision also includes a ban on sending national sports teams to those countries, a move that reflects the impact of current geopolitical tensions on sports. The report did not provide a detailed list of the countries classified as “hostile” under this directive; however, the step raises serious questions regarding the nature of future Iranian participation in international sporting events. This development comes amid broader regional and international dynamics directly affecting Iran’s foreign relations, which may present Iranian athletes with challenges related to qualifying for or competing in continental and world championships hosted by those countries.

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  Iraqi foreign minister: Our country has become part of the geography of the current war

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated on Thursday that Iraq’s geographical position has, “regrettably,” made the country part of the geography of the ongoing regional war, despite a government policy that rejects conflict as a means of resolving disputes. Speaking during a telephone call with the European Union Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, Hussein stressed Iraq’s commitment to dialogue and negotiations as the primary tools for diplomacy. However, he noted that the reality on the ground has forced the nation into the centre of the current hostilities. READ: Iraqi factions announce carrying out 23 military operations targeting US bases According to a statement released by the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the minister said that, as

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  IAEA warns of radioactive leak risk at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi warned that any damage to Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant could cause a severe accident leading to a radioactive leak that would affect a vast area both inside and outside the country. A statement posted on the IAEA’s X account warned that “in the context of the ongoing conflict, IAEA Director General @rafaelmgrossi [Rafael Mariani Grossi] reiterates his deep concern about recent military strikes reportedly occurring near Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the latest on Tuesday evening.” “Given that it is an operating nuclear power plant with a large amount of nuclear material, DG Grossi warns that damage to the facility could result in a major radiological accident affecting a

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  The U.S.–Israeli War on Iran: Gains and Losses

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  On February 28, 2026, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an operation U.S. President Donald Trump said was carried out in direct coordination with Israel. The killing marks a historic rupture, reshaping the very contours of the conflict between Iran, and the U.S.-Israeli axis. For years, Washington leaned on diplomacy, pairing negotiations with a strategy of “maximum pressure” through sanctions to contain Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Israel, by contrast, never concealed its preference for the use of force, repeatedly signaling its readiness to dismantle Iran’s program militarily, and urging the United States to back that course. That posture reflects a long-standing doctrine Israel had enacted before, destroying Iraq’s nuclear reactor in 1981, and striking Syria’s nuclear infrastructure in

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  Bennett: Israel not winning on any front, warns army under strain

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has accused the government of putting political considerations ahead of national security, amid rising worries over the growing pressure on the military. His comments came after Israel’s Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, warned the cabinet that the army could face collapse due to the heavy operational burden and a worsening manpower shortage. In an interview with Channel 12, Bennett said: “There is a political class here that is preventing the Israeli army from winning.” He added that the current leadership “does not know how to win anywhere — not in Gaza, not in Lebanon, and not in Iran.” READ: Iran announces mobilising 1 million fighters to repel potential US ground invasion Bennett said the military is short

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  Iran announces mobilising 1 million fighters to repel potential US ground invasion

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  Iran has announced the mobilisation of one million fighters to counter what it describes as a “suicidal” US ground war on Iranian soil. According to reports, Tehran is particularly focused on defending the strategic Kharg Island, from where nearly 90 percent of Iran’s oil is exported. The Iranian news agency Tasnim quoted a military source stating that as speculation grows regarding a “historical folly” by the United States to engage in ground combat on Iran’s southern front, a wave of enthusiasm has swept through the nation’s land forces, which are prepared to create a “historical hell” for American forces on Iranian soil. In addition to the million-man force already equipped for ground combat, the official noted a massive surge in

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  Gaza children cling to education amid war, displacement

  by MI on March 27, 2026

  In tents that offer little protection from heat or cold, and under the constant sound of conflict far removed from a safe childhood, children in Gaza are trying to live what remains of their days with a measure of hope. School is no longer just a building for them. It has become a simple dream they long to regain, after classrooms were reduced to rubble, books became scarce, and school bags faded into distant memory. Many children now wake up to a reality unlike anything they once knew. There are no school bells or playgrounds. Instead, they sit for hours on hard ground in overcrowded tents, trying to learn letters or solve basic exercises. Some share a single notebook with

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  Yemen’s Houthis say to intervene militarily if needed amid Iran-US war

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  The leader of Yemen’s Houthi group said Thursday that his movement “is not neutral” in the ongoing war between Iran, the US and Israel, warning that his group will intervene militarily if regional developments dictate it, Anadolu reports. “We are not neutral, but our position stems from belonging to Islam and the Islamic nation,” Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech cited by the group’s Al-Masirah television. “Any field developments will be met with military stance if needed, as in previous rounds.” He said the US-Israeli strikes on Iran have harmed the economic interests of the world’s countries and regional security and stability, calling the assault “unjustified.” READ: Yemen’s Houthis warns of action as regional tensions escalate “Developments in the region

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  Israeli army expands ground offensive in southern Lebanon

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  The Israeli army said Thursday it has expanded its ongoing ground offensive in southern Lebanon, as Israel continued deadly airstrikes on the country amid escalating regional tensions, Anadolu reports. A military statement said that the 162nd Division joined the 91st and 36th Divisions in the ongoing assault. The army claimed that the offensive aims to expand a “forward security zone” in southern Lebanon to remove what it calls “immediate threats” and create an additional laywer of security for residents in northern Israel. READ: Israeli strikes kill 22 in Lebanon, death toll exceeds 1,110 Lebanese media reported limited Israeli incursions into border towns, including Khiam, Odaisseh, Kfarkela, and Kfarchouba, and but Hezbollah said that its fighters had pushed back the advancing forces.

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  Iran says oil exports reach 1.5M barrels per day despite war

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  Iran’s oil exports have reached around 1.5 million barrels per day despite the impact of the ongoing war involving the US and Israel, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency on Thursday. Tasnim reported that daily export volumes exceeded 1.5 million barrels during the month of Ramadan, marking a roughly 50% increase in sales compared with earlier levels. The agency said Iran has been selling larger quantities of oil at prices closer to global benchmarks, directly boosting oil revenues. The increase comes as global energy markets experience sharp volatility linked to the ongoing war and Iran’s decision to restrict navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes. READ: Strait of Hormuz situation ‘will not

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  Israeli strikes kill 22 in Lebanon, death toll exceeds 1,110

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  At least 22 people were killed and 110 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on Thursday, taking the death toll to 1,116 since March 2, the Health Ministry said, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry said the tally included 83 women and 121 children, while 3,229 people were injured, including 454 women and 399 children. Israel has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by the Hezbollah group on March 2. The current escalation came amid a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran, which has killed more than 1,340 people since Feb. 28. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, US bases and Gulf countries. READ: Israel using ‘Gaza playbook’

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  Israel is being ‘dismantled’ by practicing apartheid says Tzipi Livni

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  Former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni has said Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is “dismantling the State of Israel”, accusing it of allowing armed settler militias, parallel legal systems and indefinite occupation to undermine the basic foundations of statehood.  In remarks shared on X, Livni wrote in full: “A sovereign state has territory, one law for all, and a monopoly on weapons. Israel has no agreed-upon borders, there is no longer one law and justice for all but a religious system of law and justice in parallel to the state’s laws, and there are armed and violent militias that run rampant as they please. The government of Israel is dismantling the State of Israel.” למדינה ריבונית יש טריטוריה, חוק אחד לכולם ומונופול

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  Torture, genocide and erasure

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  “This is not incidental violence. It is the architecture of settler-colonialism, built on a foundation of dehumanisation and maintained by a policy of cruelty and collective terror.” The concluding sentence to the summary of UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese’s report to the UN Human Rights Council on torture and genocide succinctly sums up how Israel has been using torture as part of its gradual annihilation of the Palestinian people. Since October 2023, torture has become a weapon in Israel’s genocide. Albanese notes that while torture is a crime under international law, the Genocide Convention describes torture as an underlying act of genocide “when inflicted with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a protected group “as such”. Genocide,

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  French students announce legal action over universities’ ties with Israel

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  Several organizations, including Student Solidarity and the French Jewish Union for Peace, have filed a complaint with a French administrative court challenging ties between French universities, two ministries and Israeli academic institutions, Anadolu reports. In a statement published Wednesday, the groups said they are seeking “the disclosure, reassessment and termination of links between French and Israeli universities, due to the active participation of the latter in repeated and blatant violations of international law by the Israeli state.” The French universities cited include Sciences Po Paris, Sorbonne University, Aix-Marseille University, the University of Strasbourg, Grenoble University and others. France’s Ministry of Higher Education and Research and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs are also named in the complaint. READ: French far-right

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  Hezbollah launches 600 projectiles in 24 hours: Israeli media

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  Israeli media reported Thursday that Hezbollah launched about 600 rockets, drones and mortar rounds over the past 24 hours, most of them targeting Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, Anadolu reports. According to Channel 24, the projectiles were fired toward Israeli territory and troops operating in southern Lebanon. “More than half of the launches were directed at Israeli forces,” the channel said. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Wednesday that Hezbollah has launched more than 3,500 rockets, shells and drones toward Israel since the current conflict began early this month. Earlier Thursday, the Israeli military said a soldier was killed in combat in southern Lebanon, where hostilities have escalated since March 2. READ: Hezbollah says 2 ambushes destroyed 10 Israeli Merkava tanks

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  Pentagon getting ready for huge ‘final blow’ in Iran war: Report

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  The Pentagon is preparing military options for a “final blow” in the Iran war, involving the use of ground forces and massive bombing, according to a report by Axios, citing two US officials and two sources with knowledge of the matter, Anadolu reports. According to the report, a “dramatic military escalation” is expected if there is no progress in talks between Tehran and Washington. The sources said that options such as invading the strategically important islands of Kharg, Larak, Abu Musa, and others, along with a blockade of ships carrying Iranian oil east of the Strait of Hormuz, are on the table. The report stated that some US officials believe that a “show of overwhelming force” to end the conflicts

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  Iranian attacks, Hormuz closure ‘crossed all red lines’: Gulf bloc

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) warned Thursday that Iranian attacks on Gulf countries and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have “crossed all red lines,” raising alarm over global economic consequences, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a press conference in the Saudi Arabia capital, Riyadh, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Al Budaiwi said the situation in the Gulf poses an immediate and long-term threat to international stability. “The Strait of Hormuz is closed today, and the results might be limited for some period of time, but on the long run, this will affect the economic growth in the world,” he said. Budaiwi said the escalation has already impacted the global economy, with rising prices and increased transportation costs, while maritime navigation through

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  Iran Is Not Denying Negotiations. It Is Designing Them

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  On 26 March, the most revealing development in this war was not another missile barrage. It was the report that Pakistan had urged Washington to restrain Israel from killing Abbas Araqchi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf because, as a Pakistani source put it, “there is no one else to talk to” if they are gone. If that account is even broadly right, then the meaning of the moment is hard to miss. This is no longer a war with diplomacy running beside it. The struggle over how to end the war is already shaping how the war itself is being fought. That is the frame much of the commentary still misses. Too much analysis remains stuck on a stale question: are

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  Volkswagen considers move into Iron Dome production at German site

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  Volkswagen is reportedly exploring a deal to manufacture parts for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system at a factory in Germany, marking a significant shift by the struggling carmaker towards military production. According to the Financial Times, the German auto giant has held talks with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems about repurposing its plant in Osnabruck to produce key components for the system, including launch platforms, power units and heavy-duty vehicles used to transport missile batteries. The reported move highlights the pressure facing Germany’s car industry as manufacturers struggle to compete with Chinese electric vehicle makers and falling demand in key markets. It also signals a wider turn towards defence production across parts of German industry, backed by increased military

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  Israeli defense minister claims to have killed Iran’s IRGC Navy commander

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  Israel’s defense minister claimed Thursday that the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has been killed in an airstrike, Anadolu reports. Channel 12 quoted Israel Katz as saying that Alireza Tangsiri had been “eliminated,” along with all senior Navy command officials. The claim came shortly after an Israeli official said that Tangsiri was killed in an airstrike in Iran’s southern city of Bandar Abbas, saying the Iranian commander was responsible for closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz. There was no immediate confirmation from Iran of the Israeli claim. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively disrupted since early March. Around 20 million barrels of oil normally pass through it daily, and its disruption has driven up shipping

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  Gaza death toll from Israeli war nears 72,300, Health Ministry says

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  The Palestinian death toll from Israel’s two-year war on the Gaza Strip has risen to 72,267 since October 2023, the Health Ministry said Thursday, Anadolu reports. A ministry statement said that hospitals received two bodies and 17 wounded people over the past 24 hours, including one person who died of previous injuries. It did not specify the circumstances of the latest casualties, but Palestinian officials say Israeli forces have carried out daily violations of the ceasefire in place since Oct. 10, 2025. According to the ministry, at least 691 people have been killed and 1,876 others injured by Israeli fire since the ceasefire. With the latest figures, the ministry said the total number of wounded since October 2023 has reached

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  Many tents of displaced people were damaged by a low-pressure system hitting the Palestinian Territories

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  IMAGES: Dust storm in Gaza

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  Trump says NATO has done ‘absolutely nothing’ on Iran

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  The US’ NATO allies have done “absolutely nothing” to help with the “lunatic nation, now militarily decimated,” of Iran, said US President Donald Trump on Thursday, Anadolu reports. “The U.S.A. needs nothing from NATO, but ‘never forget’ this very important point in time,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. In recent days, Trump has urged both allies and rivals, including China, to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route, as disruptions there have driven up global oil prices. A number of European countries declined, saying the Iran conflict was a war started by Trump without consulting with US allies. Trump previously reiterated that the US does not need NATO, calling the

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  Saudi clubs make huge financial offers for Salah after Liverpool exit

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  Egyptian star Mohamed Salah has received major financial offers from clubs in the Saudi Pro League after confirming he will leave Liverpool FC at the end of the 2025–26 season, bringing a nine-year spell at the club to a close. The decision comes just one year after he signed a new two-year contract worth £400,000 a week. Both sides agreed to terminate the deal by mutual consent, allowing him to leave on a free transfer. Salah had previously been linked with a move to Al-Ittihad, which made a substantial bid for him in 2023, but Liverpool rejected the offer at the time. READ: Israelis attack Salah over post on Palestinian ‘Pele’ According to media reports, and with backing from the Public

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  Iranian parliament considers charging ships passing through Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on March 26, 2026

  The Iranian parliament is reportedly preparing a law to impose fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Fars news agency. The head of the parliament’s Civil Affairs Committee said the plan aims to legally recognise Iran’s sovereignty and control over the strait, while also generating revenue for the country. He added that a draft bill has been prepared but is not yet final. It is expected to be ready for submission to the parliament’s research centre next week, after which the legal team will complete the plan before it is formally considered in parliament sessions. The committee head stressed that Iran should collect fees to ensure the safety of ships passing through the strait. He described the