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

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  Israeli economy lost over $57B during 2 years of Gaza war: Central bank

  by Marwa A on March 23, 2026

  Israel’s economy suffered losses exceeding $57 billion during two years of conflict in Gaza, according to a report cited by Bloomberg on Monday, Anadolu reports. Data published in the 2025 annual report of the Bank of Israel showed that the country lost 177 billion shekels (around $57 billion), equivalent to 8.6% of its annual gross domestic product (GDP), between 2023 and 2025. The losses were largely attributed to the war in Gaza, which also includes the cost of Israeli attacks in Lebanon. The report does not include the economic impact of the ongoing conflict involving Iran, which has entered its fourth week, with Israel carrying out airstrikes and facing retaliatory attacks. Earlier this month, the Israeli Cabinet approved a revised

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  How Indonesia’s new trade ties with Washington muted its voice on Iran

  by Marwa A on March 23, 2026

  When the United States and Israel struck Tehran in late February, Jakarta’s response was conspicuously muted, echoing the unusually quiet corridors of diplomacy in Pejambon, typically alive with sovereignty-laden rhetoric. As “Operation Epic Fury” unfolded on February 28, 2026, unleashing precision-guided missiles and reportedly eliminating Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the world expected a forceful reaction from Indonesia, home to the largest Muslim population globally. Instead, what emerged was a tepid expression of “deep regret,” devoid of direct condemnation of Washington or Tel Aviv, and notably absent of any immediate official condolence from the presidential palace. The contrast sharpened as domestic political dynamics took center stage. Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri stepped into the vacuum left by the state’s restrained

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  Bribes, bombs and blind eyes: The West’s war on principle

  by Marwa A on March 23, 2026

  There is something tragic about the present moment, a theatre of contradictions staged around the attack on Iran, so brazen that one is tempted to admire the choreography before confronting the wreckage it produces. At its centre stands Donald Trump, declaring with unflinching confidence that the war has been won, that it is being won, that it requires help to be won, and that it requires no help at all to destroy a nuclear programme he assured the world he had already destroyed last year. Language, once a vessel of meaning, now serves as a revolving door through which claims enter only to negate themselves on exit. Hovering above this spectacle is the memory of an earlier scene, when Gulf

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  Israeli forces raid village, search houses in Syria’s Quneitra

  by Marwa A on March 23, 2026

  An Israeli force advanced on Monday into southern Syria’s Quneitra province, in the latest violation of the Arab country’s sovereignty, Anadolu reports. Syria Alikhbaria TV said that Israeli forces moved into the village of Al-Samadaniyah al-Sharqiya in the Quneitra countryside, searching several houses in the area. The raid came despite an agreement reached by Syria and Israel on Jan. 6 to establish a US-supervised communication mechanism aimed at coordinating information sharing, reducing military escalation, engaging diplomatically and exploring trade opportunities. Israeli forces, however, have continued to target Syrian territory at an almost daily pace, carrying out ground incursions, particularly in the Quneitra and Daraa countryside in southern Syria, detaining civilians, setting up checkpoints to search and question passersby, and damaging

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  Cheerleader of US-Israeli war make U-turn as assault devastates Iran

  by Marwa A on March 23, 2026

  After cheering on a war that is now killing Iranians and tearing apart the country, Masih Alinejad has warned Donald Trump against targeting civilian infrastructure, in a reversal that critics say lays bare the recklessness of those who backed the US-Israeli assault. Before her latest warning, Alinejad had openly cheered the drive to topple the Islamic Republic, arguing that the regime “cannot be reformed” and celebrating the US-Israeli blows against Tehran as the start of a transition to “a secular democracy”. She later urged Trump to “finish the job.” In a major U-Turn, Alinejad addressed to the US president on X and said the Islamic Republic is “a terrorist occupying force that will only respond to strength and decisive pressure”,

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  Prabowo said no $1 billion—but his ministers signalled otherwise on the Board of Peace

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  By any reasonable standard, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s latest clarification should have settled the matter. Indonesia, he now insists, never promised to contribute $1 billion to the U.S.-backed Board of Peace. “We never said we would pay,” he emphasized, noting that Indonesia was absent from the founding donors’ meeting and made no financial commitment from the outset.  But clarity delivered late is not clarity at all. It is damage control. The controversy surrounding Indonesia’s potential $1 billion contribution did not emerge in a vacuum. It was constructed, gradually and visibly, through weeks of inconsistent signaling—much of it from within Prabowo’s own government. Indonesia’s foreign minister openly framed the $1 billion figure as a contribution tied to Gaza’s reconstruction, presenting it

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  Trump says if deal is reached, US will take Iran’s enriched uranium

  by Marwa A on March 23, 2026

  President Donald Trump said Monday that if the US reaches a deal with Iran, the US will take the country’s enriched uranium, Anadolu reports. Asked by reporters how the US will get Iran’s enriched uranium, a years-long bone of contention between the two, he said: “It’s very easy.” “If we have a deal with them, we’re going down, and we’ll take it ourselves,” he added. Saying that the latest round of talks between Washington and Tehran happened late Sunday – talks denied by Iran – Trump told reporters before leaving for a trip to the southern US: “They want very much to make a deal. We’d like to make a deal too.” “We’re going to get together today by probably

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  Germany backs EU sanctions amid Israeli settler pogroms in the West Bank

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Germany on Monday reaffirmed support for EU sanctions against violent Israeli settlers amid the ongoing pogroms on Palestinians in the West Bank, Anadolu reports. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese told journalists in Berlin that his country would “support” EU sanctions against violent Israeli settlers but also made it clear that the decision would be “made in Brussels.” He pointed out that there was one EU member state, alluding to Hungary, that was “blocking” such sanctions. Giese stressed again that it is “clearly the wish of the federal government” to proceed with such sanctions. In other related news, Giese defended German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert, who was lambasted by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar for criticizing the anti-settler violence in the West

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  Israeli opposition leader says Israel must continue Iran war even if US withdraws

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Avigdor Lieberman called Monday for continuing the war with Iran even if the US withdraws, following remarks by US President Donald Trump about “constructive talks” with Tehran. “If the US exits the war, we must continue. From our perspective, toppling the regime is essential,” Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party, said at the opening of his party faction’s meeting, as reported by the daily Yedioth Ahronoth. Lieberman sharply criticized the Israeli government, saying it was focusing on internal legislative issues while security threats persist. “While residents of the north hear an air raid siren every few minutes, the Knesset will discuss the fate of the people of Israel and the expansion of the powers of rabbinical

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  Russian, Iranian foreign ministers discuss Middle East crisis in phone call

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday discussed the situation in the Middle East with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Aragchi over the phone, according to an official statement, Anadolu reports. The contact took place at the initiative of the Iranian side, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “The situation in the Persian Gulf zone, which has deteriorated dramatically as a result of the aggression of the US and Israel, was discussed,” the ministry said. Lavrov said US-Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, including Bushehr, are unacceptable, as they threaten Russian personnel and pose catastrophic environmental risks for the region, it added. “Mutual concern was expressed over the dangerous spread of the conflict provoked by Washington and Tel Aviv to the Caspian

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  Oman says working to secure ‘safe passage arrangements’ through Hormuz

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Oman is working to secure “safe passage arrangements” through the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict in the region intensifies, Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said Monday. In remarks posted on the US social media company X, Albusaidi said the ongoing war is already causing widespread economic disruption, warning that the situation could deteriorate further if fighting continues. “Whatever your view of Iran, this war is not of their making,” he said, adding that it “is already causing widespread economic problems and I fear they promise to get much worse if the war continues.” READ: Oman FM: US has lost control of foreign policy, entered ‘war that is not its own’ He added that Oman is “working intensively to put in place

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  UAE signals war footing against Iran as Gulf focus shifts beyond ceasefire

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  The UAE has signalled that it is moving beyond calls for a ceasefire and towards a more openly confrontational posture against Iran. Abu Dhabi’s comments are the first public indication by a Gulf state that the priority is no longer simply ending the fighting but reshaping the regional balance of power after US and Israeli led war on Tehran.  UAE foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed wrote on X that the Emirates would “never be blackmailed by terrorists”, while presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said Abu Dhabi’s thinking “does not stop at a ceasefire” but instead centres on “sustainable security” in the Gulf. We will never be blackmailed by terrorists https://t.co/gMSjGOII8V — عبدالله بن زايد (@ABZayed) March 22, 2026 Gargash said the

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  Disruptions in Strait of Hormuz ‘unacceptable’: India’s Modi

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are “unacceptable,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. The situation in the Middle East is “concerning,” and the conflict is having a “severe adverse impact on the global economy and on people’s lives,” Modi told parliament. “India has opposed attacks on civilians and on energy and transport infrastructure. Attacks on commercial ships and disruptions in international waterways like the Strait of Hormuz are unacceptable,” Modi said, as Iran maintains control over the critical waterway. The Strait of Hormuz has been at the center of global energy concerns since Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced its closure to most vessels in retaliation for the US-Israeli attacks that began on Feb. 28. Modi

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  Trump pauses strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure for 5 days after ‘productive’ talks

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Monday said he has ordered a 5-day postponement of all strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, citing “very good and productive” talks with Tehran over the past two days. “I am pleased to report that the United States of America and the country of Iran have had, over the last two days, very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social. He added that based on the “tenor and tone of these in-depth, detailed, and constructive conversations, witch [sic] will continue throughout the week,” he has instructed the Department of Defense to postpone all military

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  British Court hears unprecedented case against BBC

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  A British court has begun hearing an unprecedented collective lawsuit accusing the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) of racism, disability-related discrimination, harassment, unfair dismissal, and misleading the audience in its coverage of the Israeli war on Gaza. The employment Tribunal is scheduled to hear the case, filed by five journalists of Arab origin, over ten days. It is the first case of its kind brought by this number of journalists from the BBC Arabic Service of the BBC World Service against the renowned institution. The five complainants are Ahmed Rouaba, of Algerian origin; Dima Ouda, of Syrian origin; Nahed Najar, of Palestinian origin; and Mohamed El-Ashiry and Amer Sultan, both of Egyptian origin. The plaintiffs in the case are represented by

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  “Either with us or against us”: Field Marshal sectarianism in the Zionist war on Iran

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  The first instinct of a discredited regime is not to answer dissent but to classify it. Name the dissenter. Isolate the constituency. Shrink the grievance. In Pakistan, that machinery is again being deployed with familiar malice: mass outrage at imperial war is being recoded as sectarian agitation, and a security state aligned with Washington and the House of Saud is presenting itself as the custodian of national order. The reported message to Shia clerics was blunt: if you love Iran so much, go to Iran. It was not the language of strength. It was the language of a frightened and servile ruling bloc that cannot politically answer opposition to the US-Israeli war on Iran and therefore seeks to criminalise, intimidate,

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  Iranian missiles strike central Israel amid interception challenges

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Iranian missiles struck areas in central Israel on Wednesday, with reports suggesting difficulties in intercepting some of the incoming projectiles. Israeli radio reported that fragments from a cluster missile launched from Iran fell in the Holon area, south of Tel Aviv. Local media said loud explosions were heard across the greater Tel Aviv area, as well as in several settlements in the West Bank, indicating a broad scope of the attack. READ: Iranian president says threats will strengthen national unity At the same time, Iranian state television and the Tasnim news agency reported the launch of a new wave of missile strikes targeting what they described as Israeli territory. Footage circulating online appeared to show missile debris falling in multiple locations

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  Iranian president says threats will strengthen national unity

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has dismissed comments by US President Donald Trump about “wiping Iran off the map” as a “delusion”, saying the remarks reflect weakness rather than strength. In a post on the social media platform X, Pezeshkian said such statements demonstrate “impotence and weakness in the face of a people making history”, adding that threats would only strengthen internal unity. “Threats and terrorism only increase the unity of the Iranian people,” he said. The Iranian president also addressed tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the waterway remains open to international shipping except for countries that attack Iranian territory. READ: Iran warns regional infrastructure will be targeted if its facilities are attacked “The Strait of Hormuz is open

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  Egypt holds urgent talks with five countries to curb regional escalation

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Egypt has intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation in the region, holding talks with five key countries amid growing fears that the conflict could spiral out of control. In a statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the contacts were directed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and reflect concern over the rapidly deteriorating regional situation. Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty held discussions with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Ambassador Tamim Khallaf, the talks focused on the ongoing military escalation and its implications

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  The Spectral Palestinian: Presence Before Politics

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Language in Western discourse abandoned the Palestinian people. In a global framework that renders Palestinians invisible unless visibility is required to satisfy the mainstream narrative, the West has talked about Palestinians in terms of projections that are far removed from the reality of a colonised indigenous population.   “One way to frame this political predicament of Palestinians is as being caught between visibility and invisibility. It captures this peculiar positionality, as both helpless and dangerous, that is then projected out from profoundly confined circumstances, limiting not just movement, but also their political possibilities,” John Randolph Leblanc writes in his introduction to The Spectral Palestinian: Presence Before Politics (Bloomsbury Academic, 2026). Palestinian presence haunts Israel and its settler-colonial enterprise, but Palestinian narratives

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  Palestinian data highlights surge in raids, arrests and settler violence

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  The number of attacks carried out by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank has reached nearly 19,000 since the beginning of the year, according to Palestinian data highlighting a sharp escalation on the ground. Figures released by the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) indicate that approximately 18,595 incidents have been recorded, including raids, arrests and direct assaults targeting Palestinians and their property. According to the data, the attacks have resulted in the deaths of 34 Palestinians and injuries to 616 others. READ: Illegal Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in 13 locations across occupied West Bank The report also documented 3,384 raids across various parts of the West Bank, alongside 1,115 arrests and 449 cases of property confiscation, including homes and other

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  Illegal Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in 13 locations across occupied West Bank

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Illegal Israeli settlers carried out coordinated attacks across 13 locations in the occupied West Bank over the past two days, injuring Palestinians and causing widespread property damage, according to Palestinian officials and witnesses. The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that illegal settlers launched simultaneous assaults since late Saturday across several governorates, setting fire to homes and vehicles and throwing stones at Palestinian cars. The most severe attack targeted the village of al-Funduq near Jenin, where illegal settlers burned homes and vehicles and smashed windows, while residents attempted to confront them and extinguish fires, Wafa said. In the northern Jordan Valley, settlers attacked Palestinians in the Ein al-Hilweh community and sprayed them with pepper spray, according to the agency. Illegal settlers

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  Hezbollah: We will force Lebanese government to reverse ban on our military activities

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  A member of the Hezbollah’s political council, Wafiq Safa, said the group would force the Lebanese government to reverse its decision to ban its military activities. Speaking in a press interview, Safa said: “We will force the government to backtrack on the decision to ban the party’s military activities after the war, regardless of the method.” He added that President Joseph Aoun’s position differs from that of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and communication with the president is ongoing. READ: Lebanese PM: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard directing Hezbollah operations in Lebanon Safa said there would be “surprises”, particularly involving attack drones, adding that the group is prepared for a long war. He also said the priority now is to stop the war, implement

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  Iran warns regional infrastructure will be targeted if its facilities are attacked

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that vital infrastructure across the region could be “destroyed to an irreparable extent” if Iranian energy facilities are targeted by the United States or Israel. In a statement posted on the social media platform X on Sunday, Qalibaf said that any attack on Iran’s infrastructure would trigger a broader response against regional energy and oil installations. “Once our country’s energy production facilities and infrastructure are targeted, vital infrastructure… throughout the region will be considered legitimate targets,” he said. READ: Israel imposes flight restrictions at Ben Gurion Airport He added that such a scenario would lead to oil prices rising “for a very long time”, highlighting the potential global economic impact of further escalation.

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  Lebanese PM: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard directing Hezbollah operations in Lebanon

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, said on Sunday that members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are directing Hezbollah’s operations in the ongoing conflict with Israel. In an interview with Al Hadath TV, Salam again criticised Hezbollah, accusing it of dragging Lebanon into the ongoing Middle East war by launching rockets at Israel. Salam said the conflict had been framed as retaliation for the killing of Ali Khamenei, who he said was killed on the first day of a US-Israeli attack on Iran on 28 February. “This means the war was imposed on us,” he added. Referring to a drone strike earlier this month that hit a British military base in Cyprus, Salam said the Iranian Revolutionary Guard had launched the drones

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  Israel imposes flight restrictions at Ben Gurion Airport

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Israel’s Transport Minister, Miri Regev, has announced restrictions on air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, as Iranian missile attacks on Israel continue in response to its ongoing offensive since 28th February. In a statement late on Sunday, Regev said: “In order to safeguard lives, I have decided to temporarily reduce the number of takeoffs and landings, as well as the number of passengers at Ben Gurion Airport,” according to The Times of Israel. She added: “Starting from 5pm tomorrow (Monday, 15:00 GMT), only one flight will operate each hour. Aircraft will run on the basis of one incoming flight without a passenger limit, followed by one outgoing flight carrying no more than 50 passengers.” READ: Iran says US and Israel responsible

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  Trump calls Israeli President Herzog ‘weak and pathetic’ for not pardoning Netanyahu

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack Sunday on Israeli President Isaac Herzog, calling him “weak and pathetic” and accusing him of lying about a promise to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “He told me many times, more than once, that he would pardon him, and he lied to me,” Trump told Israel’s Channel 14, adding that Herzog was “not a leader.” He argued that Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial was a distraction from the war effort. “Bibi needs to focus on the war, not on nonsense,” he said. Trump has repeatedly pressed the issue. He previously called Herzog “a weak and useless person” and accused him of using the pardon question as political leverage. READ: Ahead of Netanyahu visit, Human

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  Yemen’s Houthis warns of action as regional tensions escalate

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Yemen’s Ansar Allah (Houthis) group said it “will not stand idly by” in response to developments in the region, warning that “any attempt to expand the scope of the aggression will have negative consequences for supply chains, energy prices and the global economy as a whole”. The statement was issued by the group’s foreign ministry and published by the Saba news agency on Saturday, amid the continuing US-Israeli war on Iran. The statement said that “through its aggression against the people of the nation, the United States has placed itself in a major strategic dilemma and is trying to draw others into the quagmire it has entered, while some parties are attempting to pull it out”. READ: Yemen’s Houthi leader signals military readiness amid

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  Iran says US and Israel responsible for any escalation

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the United States and Israel would bear responsibility for any further escalation in the region. It said what it described as a US-Israeli military attack on Iran had created a dangerous situation in the Strait of Hormuz. The ministry added that shipping through the Strait has not been fully halted, but is continuing under special measures that take into account current conditions. “We are following a responsible approach to avoid exposing international navigation to additional risks,” it said. It stressed that measures had been taken to protect commercial vessels and shipping routes in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman. READ: Oil prices rise amidst Middle East tensions and war extension fears The ministry held

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  US says Iran war may last longer than planned: Report

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  The US has informed Israel that the war against Iran is likely to last longer than originally anticipated, with operations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz expected to take several more weeks, Israel’s Channel 12 reported Sunday. Washington’s objective goes beyond simply reopening the waterway, according to the outlet, as the US also aims to eliminate Iran’s alleged broader influence over global energy prices. US officials were cited as saying that they wanted a strategic change, even if it takes time. US President Donald Trump initially suggested that the military campaign, which has entered its fourth week, would last four to five weeks and has repeatedly said that operations were running “ahead of schedule.” READ: Oil prices rise amidst Middle

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  Oil prices rise amidst Middle East tensions and war extension fears

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  Oil prices rose at the start of trading on Monday after mutual threats by US President Donald Trump and Iran to launch attacks on energy facilities in the Middle East. The increase also followed statements by the United States and Israel over the weekend that the ongoing war since 28th February — which has disrupted fuel shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — is expected to continue for several more weeks. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for May delivery rose by 1.78 per cent to $100.10 a barrel. North Sea Brent crude for May delivery also increased by 1.73 per cent to $113.44 a barrel, minutes after trading began on the Chicago exchange. On 27th February, on the eve

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  America’s proxy war expands: The Strait of Hormuz and Israel’s hidden agenda

  by MI on March 23, 2026

  The recent Israeli attack on the South Pars gas field was a calculated move to deepen American entanglement, and provoke a direct confrontation between Iran and the Gulf Arab states. Announcing the raid, Israeli officials claimed the strike was coordinated with, and approved by the U. S., implicitly tying Washington to this action. Yet within hours, Donald Trump pleaded ignorance and, for the second time, demanded that Israel halt its targeting of energy facilities. Soon thereafter, Benjamin Netanyahu hastily convened a press briefing, professing that the attack did not involve the U.S.. This contradiction indicates either another Israeli-manufactured lie, or a calculated division of roles that allows Trump to deny foreknowledge and thereby assuage Gulf states’ concerns over targeting energy

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  Iran says Strait of Hormuz ‘open,’ but ships fear passage

  by Marwa A on March 22, 2026

  Iran’s foreign minister on Sunday said that the Strait of Hormuz is open, but ships fear passage over a US-Israeli offensive against Tehran, Anadolu reports. “Strait of Hormuz is not closed. Ships hesitate because insurers fear the war of choice you initiated—not Iran,” Abbas Araghchi said on US social media company X. “No insurer—and no Iranian—will be swayed by more threats. Try respect,” he added. “Freedom of Navigation cannot exist without Freedom of Trade. Respect both—or expect neither.” In a statement released on X, the Iranian Foreign Ministry also said the Strait of Hormuz is “not blocked.” However, it added that the vessels “belonging to the aggressor parties cannot be considered as normal and non-hostile passage, and will be dealt

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  Iran’s strike near Dimona raises old questions about Israel’s nuclear secrets

  by Marwa A on March 22, 2026

  Iran’s missile strike near Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility on Saturday night was more than a dramatic escalation in the shadow war between the two nations. It was a reminder of the fragility of Israel’s decades-long policy of “nuclear ambiguity,” a strategy designed to keep adversaries guessing about the country’s ultimate deterrent while avoiding direct confrontation with allies who have long opposed nuclear proliferation. The missiles landed just 14 kilometres from the reactor, damaging nearby buildings and injuring at least 20 people. The facility itself was untouched, but the symbolism was unmistakable: Iran had demonstrated its ability to reach Israel’s most sensitive site, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration only a day earlier that Iran’s missile capabilities had been “destroyed.” A

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  Israel’s destruction of infrastructure in southern Lebanon could precede ground invasion, warns Lebanese president

  by Marwa A on March 22, 2026

  Israel’s destruction of infrastructure and vital facilities in southern Lebanon could precede a ground invasion by the Israeli army, the Lebanese president warned on Sunday, Anadolu reports. Condemning the attacks, Joseph Aoun said they “constitute a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and are a prelude to a ground invasion, which Lebanon has repeatedly warned against through diplomatic channels.” These actions constitute collective punishment and violate international law, he stressed, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. Targeting the Litani River bridges aims to cut off southern Lebanon, hinder humanitarian aid, and advance plans to solidify the Israeli occupation, Aoun stated. The president expressed Lebanon’s call on the international community, notably the UN and the UN Security Council

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  Water on the brink: A warning to the Gulf in an age of American militarism

  by Marwa A on March 22, 2026

  The warning issued by Iran—that desalination infrastructure across the Gulf could become a target if conflict escalates—must not be dismissed as rhetorical excess. It is, instead, a stark signal of how far the region has drifted into a dangerous architecture of dependency and exposure. At stake is not merely infrastructure, but the survival of entire urban populations across the Gulf Cooperation Council. The cities of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait exist on an engineered lifeline. Desalination is not a supplementary system in these states; it is the condition of existence itself. To disrupt it is to trigger a cascading collapse—of public health, of governance, and of social order. Water, in this context, is not a resource. It

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  Iran war strategy: Peace through resistance

  by Marwa A on March 22, 2026

  Three weeks into the war, Donald Trump finds himself trapped in a conflict of his own making. What was framed as a campaign of rapid coercion—measured in hours and ultimatums—is now unfolding on a timeline defined not in Washington, but in Tehran. For years, the conventional wisdom in Washington and Tel Aviv held that Iran could be contained through a combination of economic strangulation and targeted assassination—a “decapitation” strategy designed to decapitate the Islamic Republic’s command structure without triggering a full‑scale war. That assumption is now being tested to destruction. What we are witnessing is not a random escalation but a collision of two fundamentally different strategic logics. The United States and Israel are fighting in the domain where they

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  Iran warns regional energy infrastructure will be ‘legitimate targets’ if own facilities hit

  by Marwa A on March 22, 2026

  Iran warned Sunday that energy and critical infrastructure across the region would become “legitimate targets” if its own facilities are attacked, Anadolu reports. “Immediately after the power stations and infrastructure in our country are targeted, the critical infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and oil facilities throughout the region will be deemed legitimate targets,” Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said in a statement posted on the US social media company X. These targets “will be destroyed in an irreversible manner,” he added, warning that “the price of oil will remain elevated for a long time.” The threat came after US President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum Saturday, giving Tehran 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on its power

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  UK dismisses Israel’s claim that Iran could hit London

  by Marwa A on March 22, 2026

  A British minister on Monday rejected Israeli claims that Iran could target London, saying there is “no assessment to substantiate” this suggestion, Anadolu reports. There was “no specific assessment that Tehran is targeting the UK or even could if they wanted to,” Housing Secretary Steve Reed told the BBC after the Israeli army claimed on Saturday that Iran had weapons that could reach up to 4,000 km (2,485 miles). His remarks came following reports that Iran targeted the joint US-UK military base on the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, which is some 3,800 km (2,361 miles) from Iran. Meanwhile, he refused to say how close the missiles came to the British territory, mentioning he could not share “operational details.”

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  Iran “gone wild” in Dimona: Is Tehran using Israel-US ‘Madman Doctrine’?

  by Marwa A on March 22, 2026

  The wording is familiar. The urgency is always absolute. The implication is unmistakable: Israel is not choosing war. It is forced into it. For many, the claim is inherently contradictory. How can a state initiate war—and in Gaza’s case, sustain a genocide—while insisting that it is merely defending itself from annihilation? Yet within Israeli political discourse, and across much of Western media, this contradiction is rarely interrogated. It is normalized. That normalization is not incidental. It is foundational. Dimona is not an ordinary town. It lies adjacent to the Negev Nuclear Research Center, widely understood to be central to Israel’s nuclear weapons program. Located deep in the Naqab desert, the facility has long been treated as one of Israel’s most

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  BBC “imposed restrictions” on its journalists during coverage of the Gaza war, UK Court hears

  by Marwa A on March 22, 2026

  A British court has heard evidence that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) “misled” its audience during the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. The evidence was presented as part of documents in a case being heard by a UK employment tribunal, in which five journalists of Arab origin accuse the BBC of discrimination and of unfairly dismissing four of them for refusing what they described as racist and discriminatory practices within BBC Arabic service. The five complainants are Ahmed Rouaba, of Algerian origin; Dima Odeh, of Syrian origin; Nahed Najar, of Palestinian origin; and Mohamed El-Ashiry and Amer Sultan, both of Egyptian origin. The claimants are represented in the case by John Barnes from Albertson Solicitors. This is the first

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  UN nuclear watchdog says no damage detected at Israeli nuclear center after Iran strike

  by Marwa A on March 21, 2026

  The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Saturday it received no indication of damage to Israel’s Negev Nuclear Research Center following an Iranian missile strike on the city of Dimona, Anadolu reports. No abnormal radiation levels had been detected in the region, it added. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stressed that “maximum military restraint should be observed, in particular in the vicinity of nuclear facilities,” as the agency said he was closely monitoring the situation. Dozens were injured in Dimona, a city in southern Israel that is home to the Negev Nuclear Research Center, after a barrage of Iranian missiles struck the area Saturday. The strikes were part of Iran’s retaliatory campaign against Israel following US-Israeli joint attacks on Iran

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  Iran denies responsibility for missile attacks on Diego Garcia

  by Marwa A on March 21, 2026

  A senior Iranian official told Al Jazeera on Sunday that Iran was not responsible for and was not behind missile attacks on the Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, Anadolu reports. The denial came after the Wall Street Journal reported Friday that two intermediate-range ballistic missiles had been fired toward the base, with neither striking it. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to Anadolu’s request for comment. Diego Garcia is one of two bases the UK has authorized the US to use as part of the campaign against Iran. The reported incident had drawn attention because Diego Garcia lies 4,000 kilometers (2.485 miles) from Iran, double the 2,000-kilometer limit Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Tehran had deliberately imposed

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  Saudi Arabia gives Iranian military attache and 4 other embassy staffers 24 hours to leave country

  by Marwa A on March 21, 2026

  Citing Iran’s recent attacks, Saudi Arabia has declared the Iranian military attache, assistant attache, and three other Iranian Embassy staffers persona non grata, giving them 24 hours to leave the country, Anadolu reports. In a statement late Saturday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said it condemns Iran’s attacks on the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Iran’s attacks targeting Saudi Arabia represent “a flagrant violation of all relevant international conventions, the principles of good neighborliness, and respect for state sovereignty.” They also violate “the Beijing Agreement, UN Security Council Resolution No. 2817, and contradict Islamic brotherhood and the values and principles of the Islamic religion that the Iranian side constantly speaks of, confirming that these are merely words not reflected by actions,” it

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  Bahrain, Egypt call for int’l cooperation to protect Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on March 21, 2026

  Bahrain and Egypt on Saturday called for international cooperation to protect the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the importance of “stopping Iran’s threats to disrupt freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. The call came during a meeting between Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who arrived in Bahrain after visiting Qatar and the United United Arab Emirates amid rising regional tensions, according to the Bahrain News Agency. The two leaders “affirmed that protecting maritime routes is a shared international responsibility requiring cooperation from all in the region and the world,” the media outlet said. They also called for the “immediate” cessation of all attacks by Iran on the Gulf countries and Jordan,

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  Turkiye condemns surge in Israeli settler terrorism in West Bank

  by MI on March 21, 2026

  Turkiye on Saturday condemned the escalation in settler terrorism and illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. “We condemn the settler terrorism and settlement activities in the West Bank, which have intensified further in recent times, as well as the pressure exerted by Israeli security forces on Palestinians,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry said Israel’s annexation practices seek to weaken chances for a two-state solution, which Turkiye called the key to lasting peace in the region, and that settler terrorism is targeting the fundamental rights of Palestinians, “especially the right to life.” It added that an immediate halt to both the annexation practices and settler terrorism is “a fundamental requirement under both international law and

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  Moscow will not shed political tears for Tehran

  by MI on March 21, 2026

  The Nowruz  greeting Vladimir Putin sent to Iran’s leadership and people is little more than a seasonal postcard—politically meaningless in a time of war. The Kremlin announced that Putin had extended congratulations to Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian on the occasion of the Iranian New Year. But anyone familiar with Moscow’s strategic mindset knows that Putin does not shed political tears for anyone—not for Khamenei, not for Bashar al‑Assad, and certainly not for Nicolás Maduro. He does not see these figures as “allies,” but as expendable assets to be used and discarded. The language claiming that “Russia will remain a loyal friend and reliable partner to Iran” belongs to the lexicon of public relations, not to the vocabulary of

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  War on Iran is U-turn from Trump’s previous pledges: American journalist Carlson

  by MI on March 21, 2026

  Recent US attacks on Iran show President Donald Trump doing a U-turn from his previous pledges, a prominent right-wing journalist said Friday. “I think that this war is something that he promised he wouldn’t do, not once but countless times,” said Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News commentator and sometimes Trump supporter. “The idea behind it is not only contrary to America first. It may be its inverse,” said Carlson, who now posts his shows via US social media platform X. Claiming that a regime change in Iran would benefit the US, Carlson said no one disputes this. But he criticized Trump’s claims that an Iranian attack on the US was imminent, saying: “I’ve heard … the kind of tiresome

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  Iranian parliament considers imposing fees for ‘safe passage’ through Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on March 21, 2026

  With the Strait of Hormuz largely blocked, impacting the world economy, Iran’s parliament is preparing to pass a law that would impose fees on ships for “safe passage” through the waterway, according to Iranian media. Citing a member of the parliament’s economic committee, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported Saturday that a bill has been prepared to charge vessels transiting the strategic strait. Saeed Rahmatzadeh said imposing fees on maritime passage through straits is “a common practice in many important sea lanes around the world.” He added that the measure could help boost Iran’s revenues and improve maritime security and services along the route. READ: Iran does not seek conflict with neighbors: President Pezeshkian On March 2, Iran announced restrictions on

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  Russia says attacks on Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities violate international law

  by MI on March 21, 2026

  Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday that attacks on Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities constitute a violation of international law and risk triggering a major catastrophe in the Middle East, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Zakharova condemned what she described as massive strikes by the US and Israel on Iranian military, civilian, and nuclear infrastructure, accusing them of disregarding civilian casualties and potential radiological and environmental consequences. She said the uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, which operates under safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was targeted again on the morning of Saturday, despite earlier claims that Iran’s nuclear program had been destroyed by US airstrikes last year. “This is a brazen violation of international law, the charters of the