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

• 
  Trump went to Iran for regime change. Iran delivered it in Washington

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Donald Trump went to war against Iran to demonstrate the invincibility of American empire. Eight months later, Iran has helped deliver one of the most devastating strategic defeats in the history of American imperial power. The battlefield was in Iran. The political earthquake struck Washington. Trump wanted regime change in Tehran. American voters delivered it in Congress. The November midterm elections have demolished Republican control of both the House and Senate. But this is more than an electoral humiliation. It is a historic indictment of the imperial arrogance, Israeli-driven militarism, and political establishment that dragged America into another catastrophic Middle Eastern war. The implications are staggering: Iran survived the American-Israeli assault. Trump’s congressional majority did not. On 28th February, Washington

• 
  Iran says 4 oil tankers destroyed by sea mines in Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Iranian media reported on Wednesday that four oil tankers were destroyed after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Press TV quoted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as saying the vessels had attempted to use a route through the strategically important waterway without obtaining Tehran’s approval. Iran has recently stepped up its attacks on ships, particularly along a southern route through the strait. Last Monday, US media reported that the United States had carried out defensive strikes against several Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz. The US news website Axios quoted a US official as saying that an American military aircraft had carried out a self-defence strike, destroying a missile launcher on Qeshm Island. The official added

• 
  Vance’s remarks raise Israeli concerns over possible decline in US support

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  US Vice-President JD Vance’s remarks on Wednesday about the need to reconsider relations with Israel have raised concerns among political and media circles in Tel Aviv, amid warnings that their implications could go beyond disagreements over the war on Iran to affect traditional forms of US support for Israel, including military aid and political backing in international forums. The comments carry particular significance as they came from one of the most senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration, following the Republicans’ defeat in the midterm elections. Vance outlined four steps to win back voters who have turned away from the Republican Party: ending the war against Iran, addressing the rising cost of living and inflation, adopting an “America First” policy,

• 
  Ethiopia expels six Sudanese diplomats amid accusations of RSF support

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country, a senior Ethiopian official said on Wednesday, in a move reflecting further deterioration in relations between the two countries as each accuses the other of supporting its enemies. Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while Addis Ababa accuses Khartoum of backing rebels in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray. The mutual accusations, which both sides deny, have raised fears that the wars in the two countries could become increasingly intertwined, potentially widening the conflict across the Horn of Africa. The Sudanese government said on Sunday that it had filed a complaint against Ethiopia with the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and

• 
  Netanyahu alleges foreign interference in Israeli elections, calls for broad right-wing government

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday there were “serious suspicions” of foreign interference in the elections, after the results were officially announced and the president began consultations on appointing a candidate to form a government. In a video, Netanyahu said there were “serious suspicions that foreign countries spent huge sums of money to influence the results of the elections in Israel”. He added that “a government relying on parties that support terrorism will not be able to face the challenge of radical Islam, which threatens Israelis from within and abroad”. Netanyahu said only “a broad national government led by the Likud and under my leadership, including all components of the national camp and all Zionist parties that wish

• 
  Hamas urges mediators to pressure Israel to implement Gaza agreement

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem has called on mediators, the US administration and Gaza’s Board of Peace representative Nikolay Mladenov to act immediately to ensure Israel implements the agreements reached under US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan and its roadmap, following the end of the Israeli elections. In a press statement on Wednesday, Qassem said the end of the Israeli elections, which Mladenov had cited as a reason for delaying action, made it necessary for the mediators, the US administration and Mladenov to move immediately to ensure Israel fulfils its commitments under Trump’s Gaza peace plan and its roadmap. He added that the mediators, the US administration and Mladenov must make serious efforts to stop Israel’s continued escalation against the

• 
  Trump says Iran war worth it despite midterm election losses

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the war in Iran was worth the political and economic costs as his Republican Party lost the midterm elections, insisting that the country had “no choice” but to take military action to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Anadolu reports. Asked at the White House whether he believed the conflict was worth it, Trump responded: “I do. Yeah. I mean, well, you have no choice.” “The Iran thing we had to do, and we continue to do it,” he added. Asked about Vice President JD Vance’s suggestion that the war in Iran contributed to Republican losses, Trump agreed, acknowledging that the conflict had pushed gasoline prices higher in the short term. “Well, I

• 
  Israel’s ‘Preferential Democracy’: Accept Inequality or Lose Your Seat | Palestine This Week

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  WATCH: Israel Can’t Vote Its Way Out of Apartheid | Palestine This Week

• 
  Israel’s Eisenkot vows to strengthen ties with US under Trump, form new government

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot pledged Wednesday to strengthen relations with the US under President Donald Trump and form a new government following last week’s parliamentary elections, Anadolu reports. Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, said in a statement on US social media company X that efforts were underway to establish a national emergency government as soon as possible. “Our democracy remains strong and vibrant. We are working to fulfill the will of the Israeli people by forming a new government as soon as possible – a national emergency government,” he said. The former Israeli military chief pledged to introduce new leadership that would serve all Israelis and uphold liberal values and equality. He described the relations with the US

• 
  A historic Arab vote: Can Palestinians disrupt Israel’s apartheid system?

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  The results of Israel’s 27th October elections were welcomed by Palestinian Arab communities in Israel and millions of Palestinians worldwide. Neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor that of his rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured the 61 seats required to form a government. This made the 19 seats won by Arab parties all the more consequential. In a political system structured to marginalise its Arab minority, the electoral achievement of the Joint List and Ra’am cannot be overstated. Through their relative unity and an extraordinary convergence of political circumstances, Palestinian voters have seemingly managed to beat the system at its own game. The achievement came despite fearmongering and outright racist rhetoric by mainstream Jewish political parties,

• 
  From public opinion to political pressure: Gaza and the US midterm elections

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  The genocidal Israeli war on Gaza has contributed to a shift in the American political environment and created an opportunity to strengthen political and institutional pressure within the United States. The US midterm elections, held on 3rd November 2026, witnessed a major political shift, with the Democratic Party securing control of both chambers of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives, in a clear political defeat for the Republican Party and President Donald Trump. This means that Trump’s ability to push through his agenda will be diminished, opposition to his performance is growing, particularly over the economy and the war with Iran. It is widely recognised that several key factors contributed to this outcome. The economy and the cost

• 
  Fetishists for bombing: Resuming the attacks on Iran

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  Tenured insanity is set to return after the midterm elections in the United States.  In October, US President Donald Trump seemed to ice the ongoing conflict against Iran with the dismissive promise that it would be dealt with after 3rd November.  This could involve the renewal of force so far shown to be woefully incapable of bringing Tehran to heel.  “Somebody asked me before, when will the war in Iran end?” He stated during a campaign stop in Lubbock, Texas last month.  “I said, ‘Whenever I want it to end.’  It’ll be very quick, but we have to have it end properly, with total and complete – a total statement they will never have a nuclear weapon.” The Pentagon is

• 
  The bill for the war on Iran is heading to Europe

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  Late on Monday night, residents of Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz reported a series of explosions. US officials later confirmed what they called limited “defensive” strikes, saying they were responding to an Iranian attack on an American aircraft. Hours earlier, Iran said it had shot down two US reconnaissance drones over the same waters, a claim Washington denies. On the same day, Vice President JD Vance told reporters that he and President Donald Trump “feel pretty good about the prospect of reaching a settlement” with Tehran. That sequence captures the war as Americans vote in today’s midterm elections. Talks are moving, strikes are continuing, and the distance between the two can close in a single night. It also

• 
  Palestine is a testing ground for a new type of fascism, artists told at London event

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  Palestine has become a testing ground for a new kind of fascism, and the oppression Palestinians face is a microcosm of what people across the world are up against, the Palestinian writer and organiser Sarona Bedwan told an audience of artists and activists in east London last night. Bedwan chaired Cultural Resistance: From Bangladesh to Palestine, an evening of talks and short films held at Proposition in Bethnal Green. The speakers were the Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam, the London-based curator Rahila Haque and the Iranian artist-filmmaker Maryam Tafakory. Each spoke about the role art has played in resistance in their own countries. The event was co-hosted by Artists for Palestine UK, a network of arts workers launched in 2015 to

• 
  Elections in Israel: The names change, but colonisation continues

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  With every election in “Israel”, the expectation resurfaces that replacing the prime minister will pave the way for Palestinian freedom. History demands a different test: which structures of domination will be dismantled? As long as occupation, settlements, ethnic cleansing and the denial of self-determination persist, changes of government will continue to reshuffle the leadership of the Zionist state without addressing the colonial question. In June 2021, when Naftali Bennett replaced Benjamin Netanyahu, I wrote that the proclaimed “government of change” offered no grounds for expecting a break with colonisation. Bennett supported settlements and opposed Palestinian sovereignty. Opposition to Netanyahu brought together a heterogeneous coalition, but did not turn it into an instrument for the emancipation of an occupied people. That

• 
  ‘Slightest inclination to surrender will embolden’ US, says Iran’s supreme leader

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned Wednesday that the “slightest inclination to surrender” would embolden the US amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions between Washington and Tehran, Anadolu reports. Such a position “will only encourage the arrogant enemy to seek more excesses and further wars and audacity,” Khamenei said in a statement carried by Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB. A renewed conflict “will take on much broader dimensions if the aggressions are repeated,” he said. READ: Iran’s parliament speaker says US voters rejected war, Tehran backs this message The statement marked the supreme leader’s first remarks since the US midterm elections, in which President Donald Trump’s Republican Party lost control of both chambers of Congress. It also came amid diplomatic efforts

• 
  Israeli army arrests 30 Palestinians in new raids across occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  The Israeli army arrested 30 Palestinians, including two women and a journalist, on Wednesday during raids across cities, towns, and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office said the Israeli army carried out a wide-scale arrest campaign in Jenin governorate in the north, detaining 14 Palestinians. The army also rearrested former prisoner Shaima Abu Ghali during a raid on the eastern neighborhood of Jenin city. In Nablus governorate, the Israeli forces arrested five Palestinians from al-Ain refugee camp, a woman during a raid on the Old City, and a former prisoner from his home in Yatma, south of the governorate. In Tulkarem governorate, they rearrested journalist Hazem Nasser after raiding

• 
  Iran threatens to target ‘enemy leaders’ if its commanders are attacked, IRGC adviser says

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  An adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned Wednesday that Tehran would target “enemy leaders” if Iranian commanders and leaders were attacked in any renewed conflict. “If they target our commanders and leaders this time, they should expect their own commanders and leaders to be killed,” Mohammad Moghadamfar said, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency. Moghadamfar said Iran would adopt new methods in confronting any renewed war, warning that its response would no longer be reciprocal or proportional. “Our responses will no longer be reciprocal or proportional. We will go beyond the point of attack and set their assets ablaze, regardless of time or place,” he said. READ: Iranian army orders ground forces to maintain highest

• 
  Human rights discourse serves the two-state paradigm, not the Palestinian people

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Since Israel commenced with its genocide in Gaza, Israeli leaders openly spoke of ethnic cleansing and forced displacement. Protected by a web of international complicity, Palestinians who were not killed during the genocide are now living in around 30 per cent of what remains of Gaza which is not militarily occupied by Israel.  As winter draws near, Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory stated, “Those displaced before the announcement of a ceasefire have little to no prospect of return to the areas they fled, most of which are inaccessible because they fall beyond the so-called yellow line. And they continue to be displaced again and again.”  This is the brutality of colonial violence.

• 
  Turkish court lifts ban on Sayyid Qutb’s Milestones following prosecutor’s review

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  A Turkish court has overturned a nationwide ban on the printing, distribution and sale of Milestones (Ma’alim fi al-Tariq), a book by Egyptian Islamic thinker Sayyid Qutb, following a review that questioned the grounds for linking the publication to the Islamic State (ISIS). The First Criminal Peace Court in Antalya reversed the restrictions on 16th October 2026, after accepting a request submitted by the Antalya Public Prosecutor’s Office, according to Turkish news outlet TRHaber. The prosecutor’s request followed an investigation by the Counter-Terrorism Department of the Antalya Provincial Security Directorate, which identified a chronological inconsistency in claims connecting the book to ISIS. Investigators noted that Qutb was executed in 1966, decades before ISIS emerged in 2013, raising questions about the

• 
  Iranian security chief says US response to Tehran’s demands is ‘not convincing’

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, has said that the US response to Iran’s demands was “not convincing”. In a post on X, Rezaei said: “America’s response to Iran’s rights and demands was not convincing. It must fully and explicitly address Iran’s seven conditions and act accordingly. Only then will the Strait of Hormuz be reopened.” He added: “We have repeatedly stressed the need for Iran’s seven announced conditions to be met. If these conditions are fulfilled, the path to diplomacy will be open.” READ: Iran says US response to its demands ‘not convincing’ Rezaei also warned: “If any action is taken against our country, we will, in accordance with the instructions issued today by the Supreme

• 
  Abdul El-Sayed: ‘Trump can just call me senator now’

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  All the states were on one side of the scale, and Michigan was on the other. Donald Trump did not see the Michigan Senate race as one seat out of a hundred. He made it a personal fight against one man, Abdulrahman “Abdul” El-Sayed. He mocked his name, attacked his religion and questioned his family. Then on Wednesday morning America woke up to the news: the Associated Press called the race for the Egyptian-American doctor. He is now the first Muslim ever elected to the United States Senate. To be honest, El-Sayed did not only beat Mike Rogers. He beat Trump, and he took Michigan from him. A name Trump wanted to turn into an accusation Trump used every tool

• 
  Egypt and Iran discuss regional de-escalation and resumption of negotiations

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held telephone talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Tuesday to discuss regional developments, efforts to reduce tensions and the possibility of resuming negotiations amid concerns over renewed military confrontation. According to a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the discussions took place Tuesday evening as part of ongoing consultations between the two ministers. Ministry spokesperson Nader Zaki said the talks addressed recent regional developments and growing concerns that escalating tensions could trigger further military action. The ministers also discussed diplomatic initiatives undertaken by regional partners to contain tensions, promote dialogue and facilitate a return to negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement that addresses the concerns of all parties. READ: Egypt urges resumption

• 
  Shin Bet seeks to question Arab party leaders over alleged foreign interference in Israeli elections

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) Director David Zini is seeking to question four Arab members of the Knesset, including three party leaders, under caution as part of an investigation into suspected foreign interference in Israel’s parliamentary elections, according to Israeli media reports. The reported request comes amid efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party to challenge aspects of the election results, particularly the Arab vote. Israeli news channel i24NEWS reported Tuesday that Zini had requested the questioning of Ahmad Tibi, leader of the Arab Movement for Change (Ta’al); Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List (Ra’am); and Sami Abu Shehadeh, leader of the National Democratic Assembly (Balad). The report referred to a fourth Arab lawmaker but did not

• 
  Trump says US and Israel agreed to end $3.8 billion in annual military aid

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had reached an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end Washington’s annual military assistance to Israel, estimated at approximately $3.8 billion, by the end of 2026. The announcement reportedly surprised Israel’s security establishment, where senior officials said they had not received advance notice or detailed information about the decision and its potential implications. Israel’s public broadcaster Kan 11 quoted a senior security official as saying the announcement had caught the defense establishment off guard despite ongoing consultations with Washington. “We did not expect this announcement—certainly not today,” the official said. “There is a constant dialogue with the Americans, yet it is fair to say that we were taken by surprise,”

• 
  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Ronnie Chatah: Guns, Threats, Diplomatic Apprach, and the Prospect of War!

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with David Miller: From Israel to the Caribbean: Britain’s Moral Reckonings

• 
  Israeli forces evict Palestinian family and convert home into military post near Hebron

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Israeli forces raided a Palestinian home in the village of Al-Burj, southwest of Hebron, on Tuesday, forcing its residents to leave before converting the property into a military post, according to local sources. The house, located in Al-Burj village in the town of Dura, belongs to Palestinian resident Abdul Jalil Khalil Hassan Al-Talahma. Local sources reported that Israeli soldiers entered the property, evicted Al-Talahma’s family and subsequently used the residence as a military staging post. The incident follows similar operations in Hebron last October, when Israeli forces seized Palestinian homes in several neighborhoods, forced residents to evacuate and converted the properties into military barracks and observation posts. READ: Palestinians report more than 3,100 attacks by Israeli army, occupiers in occupied West

• 
  Gaza Education Ministry says Israeli airstrike kills schoolgirl as University College bombing leaves 15 casualties

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  The Ministry of Education and Higher Education in the Gaza Strip said Tuesday that a 16-year-old Palestinian schoolgirl was killed in an Israeli airstrike while returning home from school, hours after another strike hit a university college in Gaza City, killing one person and injuring 14 students. In a statement, the ministry identified the schoolgirl as Rimas Ismail Al-Madhoun, saying she was killed shortly after leaving Al-Saraya Secondary School for Girls on her way home. Earlier that morning, the University College of Applied Sciences was bombed while students were present on campus, according to the ministry. The attack killed one Palestinian and injured 14 students, the statement said. The ministry condemned the attacks, warning that the killing of students and

• 
  ‘JD, Habibi’: El-Sayed jokes about ‘delicious irony’ of Vance having to swear him into US Senate

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Democrat Abdul El-Sayed took aim at US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during his election victory speech in Michigan early Wednesday, after defeating Republican Mike Rogers in the US Senate race, Anadolu reports. El-Sayed made history as the first Muslim American elected to the US Senate, securing the seat previously held by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. Addressing supporters, El-Sayed mocked Vance over the vice president’s constitutional role in administering the oath of office to newly elected senators. “JD, habibi, there is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January,” he said. READ: Anti-Muslim hate targeting Michigan Senate nominee El-Sayed surged after primary win: Study Beginning his speech with “Michigan,

• 
  Netanyahu’s fall won’t solve Israel’s dilemma, and Eisenkot’s rise won’t solve it either

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Whenever Israeli politics is shaken by an election or a domestic crisis, the same hope resurfaces in Western capitals: perhaps the problem is Benjamin Netanyahu himself, and perhaps his departure could clear the way for a revival of the peace process. Today, with Netanyahu’s camp weakened and former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot emerging as a potential prime minister, that assumption has returned with renewed force. Yet it rests on a growing misunderstanding of how profoundly Israel has changed over the last two decades. Eisenkot is undoubtedly not Netanyahu. The two men differ in temperament, political style, rhetoric, and their approach to governing institutions. But the Israel that produced Netanyahu is largely the same Israel that may now hand power to

• 
  Israeli opposition leaders say Netanyahu cannot remain in power after US midterm elections

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Israeli opposition leaders said Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not remain in power following Democratic gains in the US midterm elections, warning that his continued rule threatens Israel’s international standing and relations with its closest ally, Anadolu reports. Yair Golan, leader of the opposition Democrats party, said the election results had revealed “just how toxic Netanyahu is among both Democrats and Republicans.” In a post on US social media company X, Golan warned that Netanyahu’s continued tenure alongside National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir could lead Israel toward “international sanctions, international isolation, and a clash with the U.S., our friend and most important ally.” He said Israel needed a government “capable of restoring its international standing, pursuing long-term political

• 
  Iran’s parliament speaker says US voters rejected war, Tehran backs this message

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Amid major election losses for the US political party that largely supported the Iran war, Iran’s parliament speaker said Wednesday that Americans had rejected war, adding that Tehran supports this message, Anadolu reports. “Whether out of conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said in a statement through US social media company X. He warned that if the US government betrays the will of its people to serve “international paymasters and blackmailers,” it would face a “nightmare.” Ali Nikzad, Iran’s deputy parliament speaker, also described US President Donald Trump’s election setback as the consequence of his “defeat against the Iranian people.” Speaking before parliament, Nikzad said the election

• 
  Opposition leader says US election results rule out unity government led by Netanyahu

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said Wednesday that the results of the US midterm elections had eliminated the possibility of forming a unity government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Anadolu reports. In a post on US social media company X, Lapid linked the election results to the political situation in Israel, saying they had an unexpected consequence for Netanyahu’s prospects of leading a unity government. “The American election results this morning have an unexpected outcome: they eliminate any possibility of a unity government led by Netanyahu,” Lapid wrote. He also warned against Netanyahu remaining in office, saying it endangered Israel’s security and democracy and would damage the country’s international standing. READ: Israel’s Democrats leader blames Netanyahu for ‘enormous failure’ after

• 
  Gaza doctor wins New Jersey seat in US Congress

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Adam Hamawy, a Muslim American doctor of Egyptian origin who helped treat people wounded during Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, has won a seat in the US House of Representatives in the congressional midterm elections, the Associated Press reported. According to results announced by the news agency, Hamawy won the seat for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, becoming the first Muslim to represent the state in Congress. OPINION: Israel-First: US Congress is quietly merging America’s military with Israel’s

• 
  US senator reveals ‘staggering’ sum AIPAC spent to defeat Abdul El-Sayed: They have the money; we have the people

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Independent US Senator Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the leading pro-Israel lobbying group in the United States, had spent $39 million to oppose Egyptian-American Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate race. Sanders made the remarks in a post on the US social media platform X, as voters headed to the polls in the congressional midterm elections. El-Sayed is running against Republican candidate Mike Rogers. “AIPAC spent $30 million against Abdul El-Sayed in the primary, then poured another $9 million into supporting Mike Rogers,” Sanders said. “Here’s the good news: In response to AIPAC, ordinary Americans donated $12 million to Abdul,” he added. READ: AIPAC signals fresh spending against El-Sayed after humiliating

• 
  Tunisia’s Justice Ministry denies plans to build new prisons

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Tunisia’s Justice Ministry has denied reports in some media outlets and on social media that plans have been made to build new prisons and expand and renovate existing ones at a cost of 566 million dinars ($183 million) under the 2027 budget. In a statement, the ministry said the reports were based on an inaccurate interpretation of the information presented. It explained that, during a meeting of the General Legislation Committee on Monday, 2 November, to discuss the Justice Ministry’s 2027 budget, ministry representatives only outlined the total funding allocated to the prisons programme under the proposed budget for that year. They did not announce allocations specifically for building new penal prisons, as some reports had suggested. READ: Tunisia: Ennahda condemns

• 
  Shin Bet takes over direct protection of Eisenkot after threats against his family

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Israel’s Shin Bet security service will take over the direct protection of Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot from Wednesday, following a fresh assessment of threats targeting him and his family. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the decision was taken on Monday evening, with the Shin Bet’s VIP Protection Unit tasked with implementing the security measures. According to the Ynet news website, affiliated with the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, officers from the unit will replace the private security guards who had been accompanying Eisenkot, marking a change in the arrangements for his protection. READ: Israeli opposition leaders recommend Eisenkot for prime minister, vow to form ‘national emergency government’ Channel 12 reported that the decision followed two consecutive incidents near his home in Herzliya.

• 
  Who pays for Washington’s war?

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last Friday that higher energy prices alone have cost Europe more than €100 billion in eight months. The number landed like a verdict. Not on Iran. On Washington. That figure is the clearest admission yet that the Iran war is no longer an American balance-sheet problem. It is a transatlantic one. And it is only the most visible line item in a ledger that the Pentagon has spent months trying to keep off the books. The U.S. military’s direct costs had already reached $47.1 billion by mid-October, according to an unclassified CENTCOM estimate sent to Congress. Nearly $30 billion of that is not new capability. It is replacement—munitions fired, interceptors spent, equipment turned to scrap.

• 
  Somalia condemns new Israeli move in Somaliland, warning of deeper divisions

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Somalia has stepped up its objections to Israel’s actions in the breakaway region of Somaliland, rejecting the appointment of an Israeli ambassador to the regional authorities and the laying of the foundation stone for an Israeli embassy in Hargeisa. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the moves constituted a clear violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, describing them as “null and void, with no legal effect”, as they had been made without the consent of the federal government. The statement stressed that Hargeisa and the Somaliland region were an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia. It said the establishment of diplomatic relations and permanent missions required the

• 
  UN warns Gaza waste collection crippled by Israeli restrictions

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  The UN on Tuesday warned that public health risks are rising in the Gaza Strip as solid waste collection is hampered by Israeli restrictions, Anadolu reports. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference that “partners supporting the collection of solid waste warn that only half of their vehicle fleet is operational.” “That’s because of persistent Israeli restrictions on the entry of enough engine oil and spare parts required to keep the vehicles running. As a result, public health risks are increasing as only some of the trash can be collected,” he said. “A wider range of critical supplies must be allowed into Gaza, with less red tape and more crossings open for deliveries,” he said. “Humanitarian funding is also critical,

• 
  Israeli opposition leader vows to ‘act quickly’ to form ‘national emergency government’

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said Tuesday that the “change bloc” would “act quickly” to form a “national emergency government,” elect a new parliament speaker and advance legislation, Anadolu reports. Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, made the remarks following a meeting of opposition leaders, Israeli news outlet Ynet reported. He said the bloc’s legislative priorities would include “important legislation and repealing laws that endanger democracy.” “The negotiating teams of the parties will begin working soon on common principles and on implementing the moves in the Knesset,” Eisenkot added. READ: Israel’s Arab Joint List, Democrats agree to coordinate efforts to replace Netanyahu government Tuesday’s gathering marked the first joint meeting of opposition leaders since the Oct. 27 parliamentary elections. The meeting

• 
  China, Oman sign $4.5B currency swap deal to strengthen financial ties

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  The central banks of China and Oman signed a five-year currency swap agreement worth 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) against 1.5 billion Omani rials, China’s central bank said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng and his Omani counterpart, Ahmed bin Jaafar Al Musalmi, signed the agreement Monday in Beijing during Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq’s state visit to China. The signing ceremony was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Omani sultan. The two central bank governors also signed a memorandum of understanding on digital payments and central bank digital currencies. The Chinese central bank said the agreements would deepen monetary and financial cooperation, facilitate cross-border digital payments and help maintain financial market stability. Al

• 
  3 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks amid Gaza ceasefire violations

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  Three Palestinians, including a security officer and a girl, were killed in Israeli attacks and from earlier wounds in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. A Palestinian girl was killed and several others wounded when an Israeli drone struck a tent next to Gaza Municipality Park in central Gaza City, medical sources said. Some of the wounded were in critical condition, the sources added, without providing an exact casualty figure. The attacks came amid daily Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement in effect since Oct. 10, 2025. Earlier Tuesday, a medical source at the nongovernmental Kuwait Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, said an Israeli attack killed Khaled Shalouf, an Internal Security Service officer. The source said 11 other

• 
  Israel-linked entities tied to global anti-Muslim disinformation campaign: Report

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  An influence operation linked to entities based in Israel spent an estimated £6.12 million ($8.2 million) promoting anti-Muslim conspiracy theories across more than 30 countries, according to a new report. The report, Manufacturing The Great Replacement, found that the campaign ran from October 2023 to October 2026, generating an estimated 800 million advertising exposures across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East. Researchers Marc Owen Jones and Sohan Dsouza described the operation as “one of the largest influence and disinformation campaigns ever documented.” According to the report, the campaign spread racist, anti-Muslim, anti-migrant, anti-Qatar and anti-Iran narratives through social media advertisements, AI-generated videos, music, video game parodies and repurposed footage. One campaign, titled Grand Theft Qatar, depicted Emiratis buying

• 
  Israel’s Democrats leader blames Netanyahu for ‘enormous failure’ after Trump announces aid cutoff

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  Israel’s Democrats party leader Yair Golan accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of an “enormous failure” Tuesday after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would end financial assistance to Israel by the end of the year. In a post on US social media platform X, Golan warned that ending US assistance would seriously damage Israel’s security and quality of life, placing the burden of financing its military needs entirely on the Israeli public. “The decision comes at a time when Israel’s defense spending has reached enormous levels and the country needs to replenish its stockpiles of offensive weapons,” he said. “Israel’s air defense capabilities have been depleted after such a prolonged war.” Golan blamed Netanyahu for the development, saying: “Netanyahu

• 
  UN rights chief says ‘unprecedented’ attacks on ICC aim to ‘isolate and paralyze’ court

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  The UN human rights chief warned on Tuesday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is facing “virulent and unprecedented attacks” to “isolate and paralyze” the court, Anadolu reports. Volker Turk said some countries were imposing sanctions on the court, pursuing criminal proceedings against its officials and spreading disinformation about its work. “The goal is the same: to isolate and paralyze the Court,” he said at an event on intergenerational justice in The Hague. He criticized some states that are parties to the Rome Statute for failing to fulfill their obligations to execute arrest warrants and cooperate with the court in specific cases. “Attacks against the ICC are attacks on justice and the rule of law. A world without justice is

• 
  Sudan’s Joint Force says operations commander killed in North Kordofan state

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  Sudan’s Joint Force, an armed coalition fighting alongside the national army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), announced Tuesday that one of its operations commanders had been killed in North Kordofan state. Citing the force, Sudan News Agency reported that Brig. Gen. Haroun Mursal Abu Tikka was killed in the Umm Shaeira area. The force noted that he had taken part in several battles and military fronts, including in Khartoum and North Kordofan, but provided no further details about the circumstances or timing of his death. READ: Sudan accuses Ethiopia of direct involvement in drone war, presents evidence The Joint Force comprises armed movements that signed a peace agreement with the government in Khartoum in October 2020. It has been

• 
  Iran says US response to its demands ‘not convincing’

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  Iran said Tuesday that Washington’s response to its demands was “not convincing,” insisting that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen only after the US fulfilled seven Iranian conditions, Anadolu reports. “The US response to Iran’s rights and demands was not convincing,” Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said on US social media platform X. “They must respond fully and explicitly to Iran’s seven conditions and fulfill them. Only then will the Strait of Hormuz be reopened,” he added. READ: US approves Qatar-presented draft deal with Iran: Sources Tehran’s reported seven conditions include a ceasefire across the Middle East, the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad and the lifting of sanctions on Iran’s oil sector. The demands also include ending the

• 
  Former US general investigated over alleged leaks on Ukraine, Iran: Report

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  A former senior US military official is under federal investigation over allegations that he leaked classified information about Ukraine and Iran to journalists, Axios reported Tuesday. Former Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, who served as the Pentagon’s top military planner, faces a possible court-martial following his dismissal last week by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to the report. Sylvia was dismissed as part of the administration’s crackdown on unauthorized disclosures. According to an internal Pentagon report cited by Axios, Sylvia allegedly failed four polygraph tests and acknowledged the incidents during two video-recorded interviews lasting more than two hours. Investigators reportedly said that Sylvia shared sensitive information with Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Gordon, including details of US military assistance to

• 
  Turkiye’s intelligence chief visits UAE for talks on regional security

  by EditorMehdi on November 3, 2026

  Turkiye’s National Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin has paid an official visit to the UAE, according to a Turkish official on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Kalin was received in Abu Dhabi on Monday by UAE Vice President Mansour bin Zayed, Turkish Ambassador to Abu Dhabi Lutfullah Goktas said in a post on US social media platform X. UAE National Security Adviser Tahnoun bin Zayed and Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security Ali al-Shamsi also attended the meeting, Goktas said. The discussions focused on joint efforts to strengthen regional security and stability, he added. “We believe that our strategic partnership with the UAE will make a significant contribution to strengthening regional security and peace,” Goktas noted. READ: Islamic world must stand firmly