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

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  Israel sees nearly 30,000 wounded suffering psychological trauma since Gaza war

  by Mehdi Editor on October 6, 2026

  Israel’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday that nearly 30,000 soldiers and security personnel are facing psychological trauma since the Gaza war in October 2023, Anadolu reports. The ministry said around 30,000 Israeli soldiers and security personnel wounded since the war have been admitted to its Rehabilitation Department. It explained that about 63% of those wounded suffer psychological impact, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and difficulties surrounding reintegration into civilian life. According to the ministry, of those wounded since the war, 63 are classified as having over 100% disability, 249 have severe head injuries, 29 are suffering from blindness, and 106 are amputees. READ: Israeli forces demolish East Jerusalem building as occupiers injure 2 Palestinians in West Bank The ministry said its

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  Yemeni army says 100 Houthis killed, 5 drones downed in southwestern Taiz province

  by Mehdi Editor on October 6, 2026

  The Yemeni army said Tuesday that 100 Houthi fighters were killed and five drones were downed in the southwestern province of Taiz during ongoing military operations in the country, Anadolu reports. The army’s Taiz Military Axis said in a statement that government forces carried out attacks on several fronts as part of the “Dawn of Yemen” offensive. It said five operations were conducted Monday on the Al-Arbaeen front north of Taiz city, Al-Aqroudh to the south, Al-Anin and Jabal Habashi to the west, as well as Al-Bireen on the outskirts of the Al-Kadha front. According to the army, around 100 Houthi fighters were killed and 150 others wounded, while five drones were shot down and six military vehicles and a

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  3 years of Israel’s genocide in Gaza: Women face death, loss, miscarriages

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Three years into Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian and UN data show sweeping consequences for women and girls, from deaths, injuries and disappearances to rising miscarriage rates, unsafe births and malnutrition, Anadolu reports. The collapse of Gaza’s health system has also deprived pregnant women of medical care, forcing some to give birth at home or in displacement shelters, while changes in family structures have left tens of thousands of women responsible for supporting their households. Data released by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics on July 18, 2026, showed that 12,400 women, excluding girls, had been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. The bureau also said women and children accounted for 4,700 of the 11,200 people reported

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with John Fozzie Miller: Is Yemen on the brink of a major change?

  by Mehdi Editor on October 6, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt: Is the US Strategy of Attrition Ill-Suited to Defeat Iran?

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  Israeli forces demolish East Jerusalem building as occupiers injure 2 Palestinians in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on October 6, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished a five-story residential building housing 70 Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday, while two Palestinians were injured in attacks by Israeli occupiers and soldiers carried out raids across the West Bank, according to local authorities and media. Israeli forces demolished the building that contains 10 apartments in the Al-Tur neighborhood, a day after residents were given a final demolition notice, the Jerusalem Governorate said. “Israeli authorities had pursued the residents for years with demolition orders and fines while refusing to issue them building permits,” the governorate added in a statement. Witnesses said Israeli authorities forced residents to evacuate their apartments before the demolition, while extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the site under police

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  Why is oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz increasing — and how might Iran respond?

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Despite Iran’s continued restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, oil flows through and around the waterway appear to be gradually increasing. This is one of the most important developments in the energy situation since the war began in February. Before the conflict, around 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products passed through the Strait each day. Kpler data put the February level at roughly 20.6 million barrels per day. After the war began on February 28 and Iran restricted traffic, flows fell sharply. In March, oil movements through the Gulf were reduced to around 6 million barrels per day. Since then, however, the flow has gradually recovered. By September, crude exports from major Middle Eastern producers

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  Three years after Al-Aqsa Flood and the obligation to defend Palestine

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  On 7 October 2026, three years will have passed since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. The anniversary confronts the world with an imperative to defend Palestinian existence, halt the crimes against the Palestinian people and hold accountable the governments that sustain the occupation. After three years, “Israel” has achieved no victory in Gaza. Its legacy is genocide, devastation and ethnic cleansing. Faced with this reality, no diplomatic declaration can replace concrete measures to protect lives, end the occupation and secure the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. The latest developments demonstrate that the ceasefire has not ended the violence. Gaza’s Ministry of Health has recorded more than 78,000 Palestinians martyred since the genocidal offensive began, including 1,422 since the ceasefire announced in October

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  When diplomacy aligns with the defunct

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  In August this year, the EU’s High Representative Office issued a statement noting that the E1 settlement project which envisages 1,200 housing units, “harms the prospect of the two-State solution.” Yesterday, 500 former politicians and diplomats wrote to the EU to state the same rhetoric. The only difference is that while the EU statement emphasised the illegality of settlements under international law and urged Israel to withdraw the tender, the open letter to the EU cited yesterday urges the EU to take action against Israel. And yet, underpinning both stances, is the two-state paradigm, which both former and current diplomats know is obsolete. Five hundred former diplomats warning the EU to take action is noteworthy for the wrong reasons. “Despite

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  Pakistan’s Mecca Pact: The guns Gaza never got

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Some obscenities are so stark that no language of diplomacy can disguise what they are. For three years, Gaza was destroyed in full view of the world. Children were buried under concrete. Hospitals were bombed. Hunger was weaponised. Entire neighbourhoods disappeared. Palestinians were slaughtered while the Muslim world’s most powerful governments issued statements, convened summits, condemned “escalation,” and perfected the art of looking outraged without doing anything that might actually matter. They had armies, aircraft, missiles and money. What they did not have was the will to use any of it for Gaza. Then Saudi Arabia came under attack, and suddenly the Muslim world discovered urgency. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye moved toward the practical implementation of the Mecca Joint

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  Hamas leader says Gaza situation is a disgrace to international, Arab community

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad said the movement had made major efforts since the start of the war to end the bloody conflict and what he described as the genocidal war against the Palestinian people, working with mediators, the US administration and several other parties to reach an agreement and end the war. Speaking to Al Jazeera on Monday evening, Hamad said Palestinians, political factions and Hamas had done everything possible to reach an agreement, making major concessions and taking significant steps in coordination with Palestinian political factions and mediators. He said Hamas had hoped ceasefire agreements reached in the Egyptian cities of Sharm el-Sheikh and El Alamein would lead to international action to end the genocidal war, but described the

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  Smotrich threatens Egypt, drawing angry response from Egyptians

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said there would be “no Sinai” if Egypt attacked Israel, prompting angry reactions from Egyptian journalists, lawmakers and influencers, some of whom warned that there would be “no Israel” if Egypt were attacked. Smotrich made the remarks in a video interview from his home on Monday, on the eve of Egypt’s 53rd anniversary celebrations of its October 1973 victory over Israel, which led to the liberation of the Sinai Peninsula from Israeli occupation. “What will make Egypt not attack us? If they attack us, there will be no Sinai, at least. But no, it will not happen again,” Smotrich said. There was no immediate official response from the Egyptian authorities to Smotrich’s threat. However,

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  Sudan Joint Force says it has taken control of Bir Saliba in West Darfur

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  The Joint Force of armed movements in Sudan said on Monday that its forces, alongside the Sudanese army, had taken control of the Bir Saliba area in West Darfur following fighting with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The Joint Force, which fights alongside the Sudanese army, comprises Darfur-based armed movements that signed the 2020 Juba peace agreement with Khartoum. They include the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), led by Gibril Ibrahim, and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), led by Darfur Regional Governor Minni Arko Minawi. In a statement, the Joint Force said its fighters and Sudanese army units had engaged in “fierce field battles” along the Bir Saliba and Abu Saruj axis against the RSF. It said its forces had

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  Israeli rabbi: ‘It would have been good if Arabs ruled here’

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Rabbi Dov Lando, leader of Israel’s Lithuanian Haredi community, made controversial remarks on Monday about Zionism and the establishment of Israel state, saying that “it would have been good if Arabs ruled here”. Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Monday evening that Lando said it would have been possible to live peacefully with Arabs without a state. The channel said it had obtained rare footage of Lando during the war, although it did not specify when it was recorded. The footage was filmed at his home in Bnei Brak, central Israel, during a discussion with a small group of rabbis about the crisis over the military conscription of Haredi Jews. “I don’t know what would have happened if there had not

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  Sisi directs Egyptian military to maintain highest level of combat readiness

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Monday instructed the country’s armed forces to maintain the highest levels of combat readiness and preparedness amid what he described as unprecedented regional challenges and shifts. Sisi issued the directive while chairing a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces at the Strategic Command headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, coinciding with events marking the 53rd anniversary of the October 1973 war. During the meeting, Sisi congratulated members of the armed forces on the anniversary and stressed the importance of maintaining combat readiness to enable the military to defend the country, safeguard its assets and protect national security amid rapidly evolving regional developments. The meeting reviewed recent regional and international developments and

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  Pezeshkian says negotiations with US are ‘futile,’ accuses Washington of not seeking dialogue

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that negotiations with the United States were “futile,” accusing Washington of not genuinely seeking dialogue as the war in the Middle East continued into its eighth month without a settlement. Speaking during a meeting with the Armenian foreign minister, Pezeshkian said: “Our problem with the United States is that every time we come to the negotiating table, war is immediately imposed upon us.” “They have attacked us three times following talks so far; this demonstrates that they do not seek dialogue. On the contrary, their goal is to bring down the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency. Pezeshkian added: “With an enemy that resorts daily to

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  Houthis warn airlines against flying in Saudi airspace amid escalating tensions

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group warned international airlines on Monday against flying in Saudi airspace amid an escalating military and security situation in the region. The warning came as the internationally recognized Yemeni government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, announced the launch of a large-scale military operation named “Dawn of Yemen” (Fajr al-Yemen), aimed at retaking the capital, Sanaa, and restoring state institutions. Houthi-affiliated media reported that the group’s Maritime Coordination Authority issued a statement warning that Saudi airspace would not be safe as long as what the Houthis described as “aggression” continued. Meanwhile, Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced the launch of the Dawn of Yemen operation in a post on X. Al-Alimi said the Yemeni people

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  Detainees to begin hunger strike in Egypt prisons

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  The Families of Egyptian Detainees Association (FEDA) have expressed grave concern with the widespread abuse and violations taking place in Egyptian prisons. A press statement issued by the organization on Monday revealed that large numbers of detainees have decided to carry out a hunger strike on 7th, 8th and 9th October in protest against these violations and in demand of their legitimate rights, foremost among them being the right to freedom. In parallel with calls for the hunger strike and the postponement of the implementation of the new Criminal Procedure Law, a number of families of detainees living outside Egypt in several countries took part in an online meeting convened on Sunday by FEDA, with the participation of a number

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  Secret CIA report warns Israel is on brink of civil war, political collapse

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  US sources said a secret assessment by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) warned that Israel risks sliding into civil war or political collapse amid growing political, economic and social divisions after years of wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. According to two sources who spoke to the US-based Drop Site News, the report was prepared in August under the title “Fracture From Within” by experts from the CIA’s Red Cell, a unit that conducts forward-looking assessments and analysis outside traditional frameworks. The assessment appears to focus only on Jewish citizens in Israel and does not take into account Arab citizens, who make up about 20 per cent of the country’s population. The CIA did not respond to a request

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  Western artists step up their support for Palestine

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  The issue of Palestine is no longer represented in the Western arts scene by marginal voices or isolated individual positions. As more artists and celebrities express solidarity with the Palestinian people, stages, concerts and festivals have become platforms for chants of “Free Palestine”, while some artists have faced pressure and attempts to exclude or silence them. In the latest such move, American rapper Chuck D voiced direct support for Palestine during a performance, referring to the controversy that followed American rapper Macklemore’s removal from British star Ed Sheeran’s tour over his pro-Palestinian views. “This concert is not promoted by Ed Sheeran’s promoters. Free Palestine, free Haiti, and please free closed minds,” Chuck D told the audience. He ended his remarks

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  Britain threatens to expel 27 Israeli diplomats as Israel moves to close Jerusalem consulate

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Britain has threatened to expel 27 Israeli diplomats from Israel’s embassy in London if Israel proceeds with its decision to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem, according to reports on Monday. Reuters, citing three informed sources, reported that British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell held talks with Israeli officials during an unannounced visit to Israel last week in an effort to keep the consulate open. The discussions did not result in an agreement. Two of the sources said contacts were continuing and that an agreement remained possible, although they considered it unlikely that one would be reached before the consulate’s scheduled closure on Thursday. Separately, Israeli news website Ynet reported that London, through British Ambassador Simon Walters, had informed

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  MSF warns of deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned on Monday of rapidly deteriorating humanitarian and living conditions in the Gaza Strip, accusing Israel of continuing to destroy infrastructure essential to Palestinian survival as areas available to the population shrink. In a statement, MSF said that “Israel is increasingly strangling Gaza and continuing its genocide,” adding that areas considered habitable for Palestinians were continuing to shrink amid violence, restrictions on essential supplies and the destruction of health services and critical infrastructure. The organization said restrictions on movement within Gaza had intensified over the past year following the establishment of the so-called “Yellow Line,” which it said was initially presented as a temporary Israeli military withdrawal point during the first phase of the ceasefire. According

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  Wired to Steal: Zionism and the Shaping of the Western Mind

  by Marwa A on October 6, 2026

  Wired to Steal: Zionism and the Shaping of the Western Mind (Olive Branch Press, 2026) addresses a gap in analysing settler colonialism and colonial violence. The disruption of humanity through dehumanisation, which can lead to genocide as it did in Gaza, is analysed through a neurobehavioural framework. Using this framework, split in five parts, the book analyses Zionist settler colonialism to explain the cycle of domination and its possible deconstruction. The book commences with behavioural analysis, explaining war as a “collective human cultural construct.” Drawing upon theories that explain warfare through evolutionary roots, or through more recent human evolutionary history, it is noted early on that the latter is also linked to the evolution of war: “As a relatively modern

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  Mecca Defense Alliance agrees to ‘immediately’ implement collective defense commitments

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan agreed Monday to “immediately” implement collective defense commitments and take measures to ensure the “rapid deployment” of agreed military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia, according to a joint statement, Anadolu reports. The decision came during an emergency meeting of the Mecca Alliance’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee in the Saudi capital Riyadh to address security developments and threats facing the kingdom. “The Committee decided to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defense commitments,” said the joint statement of the three member states sitting on the committee. It also agreed “to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom.” READ: Saudi-led

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  US urges citizens in Saudi Arabia to remain ‘vigilant’ over risk of drone, missile attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia on Monday urged American citizens to remain “vigilant” over the current security situation and the potential for drone or missile attacks, Anadolu reports. In a security alert on the US diplomatic mission’s website, the embassy and consulates in the country encouraged US citizens to follow guidance provided through national alerts issued by Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense. The US mission said there had been no change to its security and operational posture. “Regular and emergency consular services are available for U.S. citizens,” it added.​​​​​​​ Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US intends to uphold its bilateral security commitments with Saudi Arabia amid renewed military confrontations involving Houthi forces in Yemen. Yemen

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  US State Department approves arms sales worth $2.27B to Egypt, Kuwait, UAE

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  The US State Department has approved three possible foreign military sales to Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates with a combined estimated cost of about $2.27 billion, Anadolu reports. The largest of the three is a possible sale to the UAE of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II guidance sections and related equipment at an estimated cost of $1.041 billion, the department said in a statement. The UAE “has requested to buy up to ten thousand (10,000) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II guidance sections consisting of a combination of air-to-air and air-to-ground configurations,” it added. For Egypt, the department approved a possible sale of Javelin missile systems at an estimated cost of $832 million. Cairo has requested to buy up

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  1 Palestinian killed, 5 injured in Israeli army, occupier attacks in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  A Palestinian was killed and five others injured Monday in Israeli army and occupier attacks in the occupied West Bank provinces of Hebron and Jenin, according to Palestinian officials and medical sources, Anadolu reports. Israeli forces opened fire on a vehicle carrying three Palestinians near Bani Naim, east of Hebron, killing one and injuring the other two. The Palestinian General Authority of Civil Affairs identified the man killed as Hossam Alaa al-Din Abdul Jabbar Walad Ali, 38, and said Israeli forces withheld his body. The Israeli army claimed that the three Palestinians had attempted to carry out a car-ramming attack against soldiers in the Bani Naim area. In a separate attack, three Palestinians were injured when Israeli occupiers assaulted them

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  Two straits, one pact: what Makkah can and cannot protect

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Two months. That’s how long the Makkah pact has existed, and already it’s being asked to do the thing pacts are least ready for in their early days: handle a real war. On Sunday, Yemen’s internationally recognised government said it was launching a campaign to retake all Houthi-held territory. The Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes on Aramco sites in Riyadh and Khurais within hours. The pact’s strategic political and defence committee was already due to meet in Riyadh on 5 October, with Türkiye’s foreign and defence ministers flying in. Nobody planned that timing, but it couldn’t be sharper. The ministers aren’t just asking whether the alliance can deter an attack. They need to agree where their response ends. Same

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  Armenian, Iranian foreign ministers discuss cooperation in energy, transport, infrastructure development

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held talks Monday with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, during an official visit to Tehran to discuss bilateral cooperation in energy, transport and infrastructure, Anadolu reports. The officials discussed plans to build a second bridge along the Armenia-Iran border and the importance of completing a third power transmission line between the two countries, as well as measures to facilitate freight transportation, according to the Armenian Foreign Ministry. Mirzoyan briefed Araghchi on ongoing work to implement the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project and the opportunities it could create for countries across the region. Iran’s support for the “Crossroads of Peace” project was also emphasized during the talks. The officials discussed continued cooperation

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  US intends to ‘live by’ security pact with Saudi Arabia: Rubio

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  The US intends to uphold its bilateral security commitments with Saudi Arabia amid renewed military confrontations involving Houthi forces in Yemen, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday, Anadolu reports. “The United States has a defense and security agreement with Saudi Arabia, and we intend to live by it,” Rubio told reporters ahead of a European tour including Iceland, Greece, and Portugal, declining to elaborate on operational specifics. Rubio said that in the face of continuous Houthi attacks, Riyadh has “a right to defend themselves,” adding that Yemeni allied forces are trying to recover areas lost during previous clashes. READ: Saudi-led coalition says 100 fighter jets involved in Yemen operation against Houthis Addressing control around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Rubio

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  Israeli math professor charged with plotting to kill hundreds of Arabs, force mass expulsions

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Israeli prosecutors charged a Bar-Ilan University mathematics professor Monday with preparing a terrorist attack, blackmail and obstruction of justice for plotting to kill hundreds of Arab citizens and force thousands more to flee to Jordan, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media. The State Prosecutor’s Office said the suspect, whose identity remains under a gag order, developed a “thorough and detailed” plan over nearly three years and sought assistance from “subversive elements” in the Israeli Air Force, artillery and armored corps, The Times of Israel reported. The suspect, around 60 years old, was arrested Sept. 17 and has admitted to the charges against him, according to prosecutors. The indictment says he spent the past 18 months trying to

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  Netanyahu threatens more assassinations in Gaza as president warns of internal divisions in Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday threatened further assassinations in the Gaza Strip, while President Isaac Herzog warned of deepening internal divisions ahead of the country’s upcoming election, Anadolu reports. “We still have tasks ahead of us, and we are determined to complete them,” Netanyahu said during a ceremony at Mount Herzl cemetery in west Jerusalem, as three years have passed since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. He vowed that Hamas would not be allowed to govern Gaza. Since the beginning of the Gaza war, the Israeli army has assassinated hundreds of Hamas leaders inside and outside the occupied Palestinian territories in operations that have also killed civilians. Since October 2023, Israel’s war in Gaza has

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  Israel prepares for possible military action against Iran with US or independently: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Israel is preparing for possible new military action against Iran, either in coordination with the US or independently, Israeli media reported Monday. The Israel Hayom newspaper said the Israeli army is preparing for a potential attack against Iran while maintaining close intelligence and operational cooperation with the US military. The report said Israel is also getting ready for possible preemptive action or a response to an Iranian attack, although it assessed the likelihood of an Israeli or US attack before the US midterm elections in November as relatively low. Israel continues to view Iran’s nuclear program as a major concern, the newspaper added. Separately, Israeli news website Walla reported Sunday that the US is preparing to send additional forces and

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  The architecture of Oman’s energy power: Resources, ports and global partnerships

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  At Duqm, Kuwait holds a stake in refining and product-export capacity outside the Strait of Hormuz, while European partners envisage a departure point for future hydrogen shipments. Oman is using this coastline to attract industrial investment and connect its energy resources to overseas markets. The challenge for Muscat is to turn those connections into lasting domestic value. Oman has fewer financial resources than Saudi Arabia and the UAE, while its gas exports cannot match Qatar’s scale. Its strategy depends on combining domestic resources, ports and diverse partnerships into a distinctive position in the energy market. Difficult choices arise when export projects and the domestic economy compete for gas, electricity, water and capital. Oil and Duqm: Connecting revenue with geography Oil

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  Israel ‘progressively asphyxiating’ Gaza, continues genocide: Doctors Without Borders

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Monday that Israel was continuing its genocide in Gaza and was “progressively asphyxiating” the region, urging governments to take immediate action, Anadolu reports. In a statement, MSF said the conditions for the people’s survival were being “systematically destroyed” through sustained violence, “deliberate” blockade of essential supplies and the destruction of healtcare as well as infrastructure. “In the past year, the physical trapping of people in Gaza has been made increasingly definitive by the establishment of Israel’s Yellow Line,” the French medical charity said. Recalling that it was originally presented as temporary, MSF noted that the line is now reinforced by military positions, berms and ongoing demolitions while it has continued to move west, “squeezing

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  Iraq to resume direct flights to Iran on Thursday

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Iraqi Airways said Monday it will resume direct flights to Iran on Thursday, with daily services from Najaf International Airport to three Iranian cities, Anadolu reports. The Iraqi national carrier said in a statement that its flight schedule, beginning Oct. 8, will include Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan. It said the move aims to facilitate passenger travel and provide regular air transport between Iraq and the Iranian cities. On Sept. 29, Iraq’s Transport Ministry announced that Iraqi Airways had secured a special exemption allowing it to operate flights to Iran, paving the way for their resumption in October after regulatory and technical requirements were completed. READ: Iraq’s national airline resumes flights between Najaf, Iranian airports The ministry said Iraqi Airways had suspended

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  German Jewish artist Biermann says Israel’s Gaza attacks are a war crime

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  German Jewish singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Israel had committed war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, Anadolu reports. Biermann, who turns 90 next month and whose family members were murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust, spoke to German news agency DPA ahead of his appearance at the Frankfurt Book Fair. “Ah, Netanyahu and his lemures!” he said, using the term for the devil’s helpers in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s “Faust.” “What is happening now in the Gaza Strip is, of course, not genocide, but it is a war crime. No ifs, ands or buts,” he said. “It hurts many people around the world. But for me it is doubly and triply painful.” READ: Israeli

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  Turkiye strongly condemns Israel’s activities in Syria’s Quneitra province

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Turkiye on Monday strongly condemned Israel’s resumption of activities along the so-called “Sufa 53 line” in Syria’s Quneitra province, saying the move was aimed at creating new faits accomplis in the country, Anadolu reports. “We strongly condemn Israel’s erosion of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement by resuming its activities along the so-called ‘Sufa 53 line’ in Syria’s Quneitra province and its attempts to create new faits accomplis in Syria,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It called on the international community to take effective and decisive steps without delay to end Israel’s expansionist policies that escalate tensions in the region and to ensure its withdrawal from occupied Syrian territory. Ankara stressed that it would resolutely continue to support Syria’s

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  Israeli army demolishes home housing two Palestinian families near Hebron

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  The Israeli army demolished a home housing two Palestinian families near Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Monday, leaving both families homeless, Anadolu reports. Heavy machinery tore down the building in Khallet al-Deirat as Israeli soldiers stood nearby and Palestinians watched. Homeowner Faris Mohammed said Israeli forces arrived in the morning and began demolishing the property on the grounds that it lacked a building permit. He said the 130-square-meter home consisted of two sections occupied by two families. “They demolished in 25 minutes the house we spent years building,” Mohammed said. The property was in Area C of the West Bank. Mohammed said Palestinians were denied building permits despite having lived in the area for years, adding that his

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  Israeli army tightens Gaza blockade with ‘wide trench, earthen embankment’: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  The Israeli army is tightening its blockade of the Gaza Strip by constructing a wide trench and an earthen embankment while continuing targeted killings of Hamas members, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said Monday. “Israeli forces are completing an anti-vehicle barrier consisting of a wide trench and an earthen embankment, while drilling into the ground at regular intervals,” the daily said. It claimed that the measures were intended to ensure that no tunnel crossing into Israel had been overlooked. The barrier is being constructed on the eastern side of the yellow line, which divides the Gaza Strip between an area controlled by the Israeli army and another where Palestinians are allowed to move freely. Alongside maintaining control of the territory, operational activity

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  Perilous surrender: The Pentagon falls for artificial intelligence

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  The trend was already tracing itself through the corridors of power, but the world’s most powerful defence department has fallen, most heavily, for the use of artificial intelligence at virtually every level of its operations.  Even before the Pentagon’s intoxicating pursuit of artificial intelligence was announced, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) was already running simulated aerial trials of combat engagements between AI agents and seasoned pilots. In December 2025, the US Department of Defense (DOD) revealed plans for a rapid and extensive release of the generative AI GenAI.mil platform, one utilising advanced models intended for use for over 3 million military personnel, civilian employees and contractors.  Google Cloud’s Gemini or Government products was the first off the rank

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  After years of displacement, Syrian Christians return home as children go back to schools

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Christian schools in Syria are resuming their educational role after years of disruption, as families displaced by the war return to their hometowns following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Anadolu reports. Some of the schools had been seized by the former regime, while others were transformed into shelters for people displaced from their homes by bombardment and security crackdowns. Children from Christian families returning to their communities have also begun re-enrolling in schools where they studied before years of displacement interrupted their education. Christian clergy members say the reopening of the schools can help restore their role in promoting peaceful coexistence, education and development, while expressing hope for a Syria where freedoms and rights are protected. ‘Rights returned

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  Saudi-led coalition says 100 fighter jets involved in Yemen operation against Houthis

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  The Saudi-led coalition said Monday that 100 fighter jets had participated in the ongoing “Dawn of Yemen” military operation against the Houthis, Anadolu reports. The coalition said 324 “high-value targets” had been destroyed since the operation began. In separate statements, it said it was providing round-the-clock air support to Yemeni government forces on the ground and air protection for the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, adding that operations against moving targets were continuing. READ: Saudi-led coalition blames Houthis for drone attack on Medina power station The Yemeni military launched the “Dawn of Yemen” operation against Houthi forces, with government forces advancing in several areas. Yemeni military spokesman Lt. Col. Majid Abdullah al-Nuzayli said government forces, including the pro-government Southern Giants Brigades and Nation’s

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  Israeli forces demolish memorial at Birzeit University, arrest 12 Palestinians in West Bank raids

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished a memorial inside Birzeit University, north of Ramallah in the central West Bank, and arrested 12 Palestinians in separate raids on Monday as occupiers attacked farmers and stole olive harvests in the occupied territory, Anadolu reports. An Israeli force stormed the university campus accompanied by a military bulldozer and demolished the memorial, which bears the names of Birzeit University students killed in Israeli attacks over the years, local sources said. The forces also detained a university security guard, raided several facilities and deployed around the campus during the raid, the sources said. Birzeit University posted a photo on the US social media platform Facebook showing the site where the memorial had stood. On Sept. 26, Palestinian reports

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  Yemeni forces seize Dhubab, strategic sites near Bab el-Mandeb, army says

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  The Yemeni army said Monday that government forces had seized the Dhubab district and strategic positions around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait following clashes with the Houthis, Anadolu reports. Yemen’s official Saba news agency said forces from the Nation’s Shield and the pro-government Southern Giants Brigades, backed by the Popular Resistance, took control of Dhubab in western Taiz province. A military source told Saba that the forces launched a large-scale operation with air support targeting Houthi positions and forces across several areas of the district. The forces advanced and took control of key positions while cutting supply lines and routes leading to Bab el-Mandeb, the source said. The source said an unspecified number of Houthi fighters were killed or injured in

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  Iran says it disabled Starlink terminals during January protests

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Iran claimed Monday that it had successfully disabled Starlink terminals during nationwide protests in January and has other tools to counter the satellite internet service, Anadolu reports. According to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, Mohammad Amin Aghamiri, head of Iran’s National Cyberspace Center, said Tehran had successfully disabled Starlink terminals during the protests. “For the first time, Iran managed to successfully disable Starlink terminals during the coup in January,” Aghamiri said, using the Iranian authorities’ description of the protests. He claimed that Western media had also reported at the time that Iran had successfully carried out an operation to disable Starlink terminals. “That important technical operation, which was completely successful, is one of our tools, and we also have other tools

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  Former European diplomats, ministers, officials urge EU to act against illegal West Bank settlements

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Around 500 former diplomats, ministers and European officials called Monday on the European Union and its member states to take action against Israel’s illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, warning that a planned project near Jerusalem could undermine prospects for a two-state solution, Anadolu reports. The signatories urged the EU, in an open letter cited by Belga news agency, to take measures against Israel’s planned E1 settlement project, which envisages the construction of more than 1,200 housing units near Jerusalem. The signatories include former Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme, former French Prime Ministers Dominique de Villepin and Alain Juppe, former Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema. They said the project would divide

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  Iran threatens to target US bases, warships if Washington launches ground invasion

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Iran will target all US military bases and American vessels if Washington launches a ground invasion of the country, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned, Anadolu reports. Ali Fadavi, head of the advisory group to the IRGC commander-in-chief, made the remarks late Sunday while appearing on an Iranian state television program. “If the Americans launch a ground attack, then we will target every location related to the Americans, American bases and every vessel related to the Americans,” he said. Fadavi argued that the US understands military force, saying Americans “understand missiles hitting their warships” and “missiles hitting their bases.” He also said Iran’s production of military equipment exceeds the rate at which it is being

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  82% of Gaza buildings damaged in Israeli genocide, Palestinian statistics agency says

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Around 82% of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been damaged as a result of Israel’s genocide since Oct. 8, 2023, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Monday, Anadolu reports. The agency said in a statement marking World Habitat Day that around 201,290 buildings in Gaza had been damaged, representing about 82% of all buildings in the enclave, according to figures through June 16, 2026. It explained that 134,422 buildings were completely destroyed, while 13,848 sustained severe damage and around 328,627 housing units were damaged. Since Oct. 8, 2023, Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and injured over 175,000 others, and destroyed around 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure. The destruction has also affected

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  Signing the protocol to surrender the world’s throne

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  When Donald Trump sat in the White House surrounded by Sundar Pichai, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, Greg Brockman, and Dario Amodei, the scene was far more than an administrative meeting between an American president and executives of major tech corporations. It was a grand, awe-inspiring theatrical display laden with questions for the twenty-first century—a formal attempt by the head of history’s most formidable political power to assert his authority before the masters of the incoming economic and cognitive power. These are men who possess neither armies nor legislative mandates, yet they hold the digital keys to human consciousness and the future. Last Tuesday, Trump summoned these titans under his capacity as the world’s reigning political sovereign. He even

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  Eisenkot attacks Netanyahu: Those who evade responsibility cannot prevent the next disaster

  by Mehdi Editor on October 5, 2026

  Gadi Eisenkot, leader of Israel’s opposition Yashar party, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government on Sunday of “evading responsibility” and failing to learn the lessons of the 7 October 2023 events, following an incident involving a Flydubai flight. In a post on X, Eisenkot said: “Netanyahu’s government has learned absolutely nothing from 7 October.” He added: “Those who refuse an investigation and evade responsibility out of fear cannot prevent the next disaster.” READ: Former Israeli premier accuses Netanyahu of preparing ground for war that could delay elections “In a worthy and functioning government, the transport minister would have submitted her resignation last night. Since she did not, the prime minister should have dismissed her immediately,” he said. Addressing Israelis,