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

• 
  Iraqi armed group warns European states against joining aggression against Iran

  by MI on March 5, 2026

  The group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq early on Thursday warned that the interests of European countries taking part in what it described as “US-Israeli aggression” against Iran would become legitimate targets. In a statement, the group accused what it called “arrogant evil forces” of seeking to suppress the will of free nations and impose their dominance on the region. It said such efforts would fail in the face of what it described as firm resistance on the ground. It added that the “criminal US-Zionist enemy” is still mobilising allies against Iran and the wider region, and seeking the support of some European countries to involve them in what it called an unjust war. The group said any

• 
  Gaza authority warns of catastrophic impact as Israel halts cooking gas supplies

  by MI on March 5, 2026

  The General Petroleum Authority in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday warned of serious and potentially catastrophic consequences following the continued suspension of cooking gas supplies to the territory, saying the move would have humanitarian, economic and social impacts on more than two million residents. In a statement, the authority said Gaza had already been facing a severe shortage of cooking gas, estimated at around 70 per cent of actual needs compared with the quantities allowed in since the ceasefire began. It said the shortfall had deepened the suffering of the population. She stated that with the complete halt of supply, we are facing an imminent disaster that threatens food and health security and disrupts many humanitarian services, especially during the

• 
  Qatar evacuates residents near US embassy in Doha

  by MI on March 5, 2026

  Qatar’s Ministry of Interior announced early Thursday that residents living near the US embassy in the capital, Doha, had been evacuated as a “temporary precautionary measure” to ensure public safety. In a statement, the ministry said the competent authorities were carrying out the evacuation in the area surrounding the US embassy as part of efforts to safeguard the public, amid heightened security tensions in the Middle East. It added that alternative accommodation had been provided for those affected, as part of the necessary preventive measures. READ: Israeli diplomats evacuated from UAE after alleged Iranian targeting attempts Since 28th February, eight Arab countries — Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Iraq — have been subjected to

• 
  The General Who Swallowed His Truth

  by MI on March 5, 2026

  General Dan Cain, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered a private warning to President Trump with the bluntness that democracies depend upon and empires routinely ignore: “We don’t have enough ammunition to win this war. It would not be pretty.” This was not timidity. This was the solitary act of institutional honesty still flickering inside the corridors of American military power. Trump’s response was the response of a carnival barker, not a commander-in-chief. On Truth Social — that funhouse mirror of American political life — he swatted away the warning with a salesman’s swagger: “Oh no, no, no. If we do it, it will be easily won.” A sober assessment became a sales pitch. A caution became a

• 
  Hezbollah says Israeli army withdraws remaining forces after clashes in Khiam

  by MI on March 5, 2026

  Lebanon’s Hezbollah said on Wednesday that the Israeli army had withdrawn the remaining vehicles and soldiers to Tal al-Hamamis following clashes in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam. The group noted that its fighters carried out 18 attacks on Israeli military positions on Wednesday. In a statement, Hezbollah said: “After the heroic clashes by the fighters of the Islamic Resistance with Israeli enemy forces in the town of Khiam, the enemy was forced to withdraw the remaining vehicles and soldiers to Tal al-Hamamis.” The group added that a separate statement detailing the course of the fighting would be issued later. READ: Hezbollah launches 23 attacks on Israeli military sites on Wednesday In a later statement, Hezbollah said its fighters fired a

• 
  Hezbollah launches 23 attacks on Israeli military sites on Wednesday

  by MI on March 5, 2026

  Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said it carried out 23 drone and rocket attacks on Israeli military sites and bases in northern and central Israel on Wednesday. It also reported clashes with Israeli forces who it said were attempting to advance towards the southern Lebanese town of Khiam. In a series of statements issued since early Wednesday, the group said the attacks were part of an escalation that began with Israel at dawn on Monday. Hezbollah said its operations were “in response to the criminal Israeli aggression targeting dozens of Lebanese cities and towns, including Beirut’s southern suburbs”. In its latest statement, the group said it had targeted a military industries complex belonging to the Israeli company Rafael, south of the occupied

• 
  Iran’s Health Ministry says death toll from US-Israeli attacks has risen to 926

  by Marwa A on March 4, 2026

  At least 926 people have been killed in joint attacks by the US and Israel on Iran since Feb. 28, the Iranian Health Ministry announced Wednesday, Anadolu reports. Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said 6,186 people were injured in the strikes carried out between Saturday and 5 p.m. local time (1330GMT) on March 4. In a statement posted on the US social media company X’s platform, Kermanpour said that 2,054 of the wounded are currently receiving treatment in hospitals, while 3,545 people were treated and discharged. Another 552 of the injured received treatment at the scene. He added that 502 surgical operations have been performed on the wounded so far. Women accounted for 13% of those killed, while men made up

• 
  Qatar’s emir orders heightened military readiness to protect country’s airspace amid regional escalation

  by Marwa A on March 4, 2026

  Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Wednesday ordered an increase in military readiness to protect the country’s airspace amid escalating regional tensions, Anadolu reports. The order came during an inspection visit by the emir to the Air Operations Center, where he reviewed the level of readiness of military units, according to a statement by the Emiri Diwan. During the visit, Tamim was briefed on the progress of operations and “the measures taken to enhance the security of vital facilities and protect the country’s airspace and territorial waters as part of efforts to safeguard national security,” the statement said. He stressed the importance of continuing to raise readiness levels and coordination “to ensure the protection and security of the

• 
  UK’s Your Party leader Jeremy Corbyn tables bill to limit government war powers

  by Marwa A on March 4, 2026

  A bill demanding parliamentary approval for the foreign use of UK military bases or the deployment of UK armed forces was tabled Wednesday in the House of Commons, Anadolu reports. Jeremy Corbyn, the MP for Islington North and Your Party leader, has presented the Military Action Bill that requires MPs to be given authority to decide whether UK troops and military equipment should be deployed, with permission from lawmakers also required for foreign militaries to use UK military bases. “The Prime Minister should follow in the footsteps of Spain and say: no way, absolutely not, we will not be involved in this illegal war in any way whatsoever,” Corbyn wrote on US social media platform X. The tabling serves as

• 
  Israel continues to ‘heavily’ restrict shelter supplies as flooding looms in Gaza: UN

  by Marwa A on March 4, 2026

  The UN said Wednesday that Israel is continuing to “heavily” restrict the entry of shelter materials into the Gaza Strip, leaving displaced Palestinians exposed to flooding as the rainy season intensifies, Anadolu reports. “More than 900 out of 1,500 sites across Gaza are at risk of flooding if the rainy season continues,” spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, adding that the sites host “hundreds of thousands of people whose homes have been damaged or destroyed.” Dujarric said eight temporary relocation sites have been established in Gaza, but critical materials remain out of reach. “We and our partners still do not have the tools and the materials to make shelters that are longer lasting,” he said, noting that “the

• 
  Spanish foreign minister rejects White House claims of shift in military base policy

  by Marwa A on March 4, 2026

  Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares “categorically” denied Wednesday that Spain has agreed to military cooperation with the US following tensions over base access amid the ongoing US-Israeli offensive on Iran, Anadolu reports. Speaking at Cadena SER radio, Albares denied claims made by the White House, stressing: “The Spanish Government’s position regarding the war in the Middle East and the bombings in Iran, regarding the use of our bases, has not changed by a single comma.” The denial follows statements from White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, who told reporters Wednesday that Spain had agreed to cooperate after President Donald Trump threatened to “cut off all trade” with the European ally. Trump’s ultimatum came after Madrid prohibited the US from using

• 
  Ex-South Park writer launches website urging Trump’s son Barron to join US military

  by Marwa A on March 4, 2026

  A former writer for the animated television series South Park has launched a satirical website calling for Barron Trump, the youngest son of US President Donald Trump, to enlist in the US military as fighting continues between the US, Israel and Iran, Anadolu reports. Toby Morton, who previously worked on the long-running show, created the site featuring satirical commentary on Barron Trump’s supposed suitability for military service, referring to his father’s “proven genes” and “courage.” The website also includes images of President Donald Trump appearing to nap in an office chair. Additional content on the page features fictional testimonials attributed to Barron Trump’s brothers, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., as well as remarks attributed to the president himself. Morton

• 
  Oman rescues 24 crew members after cargo ship hit by missiles near Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on March 4, 2026

  Oman’s navy on Wednesday rescued the 24-person crew of a cargo ship after it came under attack by two missiles near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Oman News Agency, Anadolu reports. The navy responded to a report that a Malta-flagged cargo ship had been struck by two missiles near the Strait of Hormuz, the news agency said. The naval forces managed to rescue the ship’s 24 crew members and provide them with the necessary medical care, it added. The agency confirmed that all crew members are in good health, with no party named as being behind the attack. No further details were immediately available. On Monday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the closure of the Strait

• 
  ‘Iran cannot outlast us,’ says US defense chief

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that “Iran cannot outlast us” as the US signaled a widening military campaign following coordinated strikes with Israel since Saturday, Anadolu reports. “I stand before you today with one unmistakable message about operation, effort security. America is winning decisively, devastatingly and without mercy, under the direct command of President (Donald) Trump,” Hegseth said at a news conference alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. His remarks came after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top security officials. READ: UK will not join war without lawful basis, clear plan: British premier “More and larger waves are coming. We are just getting

• 
  2 Palestinians killed by Israeli army fire in southern Gaza

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  Two Palestinians were killed Wednesday by Israeli army fire in the southern Gaza Strip, medical sources told Anadolu. The sources said the bodies of Maher Harb Samour and Montaser Saad Samour arrived at Nasser Hospital after they were shot by Israeli forces east of Khan Younis. Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that Israeli forces opened fire and killed the two men in the town of Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis. The attack came amid continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement that has been in effect in Gaza since Oct. 10, 2025. READ: Palestinian report: 1,965 attacks carried out by Israeli forces and settlers in February Earlier Wednesday, heavy gunfire from Israeli military vehicles stationed east of the “Yellow Line,” which separates

• 
  UK will not join war without lawful basis, clear plan: British premier

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he is “not prepared” for the UK to join a war without a clear legal basis and a detailed plan, after facing questions over why Britain has not launched offensive strikes against Iran, Anadolu reports. “What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. That remains my position,” Starmer said during Prime Minister’s Questions Time. “We need to act, therefore, with clarity, with purpose, and with a cool head,” Starmer said. He confirmed that the government will charter flights to evacuate British nationals from the Middle East. The first charter flight “is

• 
  Israel kills head of Iran Revolutionary Guards’ special operations division: Media

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  The Israeli army killed Rahman Moqaddam, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ special operations division, Israeli media claimed on Wednesday. The daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported the killing, without giving any further details. Channel 12 claimed that Moqaddam was allegedly responsible for an assassination attempt on US President Donald Trump in 2024. It came as Israel and the US have continued a large-scale attack on Iran since Saturday, killing nearly 900 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top military officials. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries which are home to US assets. READ: Iran postpones farewell ceremony for slain Supreme Leader Khamenei

• 
  Iran postpones farewell ceremony for slain Supreme Leader Khamenei

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  Iran has postponed a farewell ceremony for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike, Anadolu reports. The ceremony was scheduled to begin on Wednesday evening, but Iran’s state broadcaster said organizers have decided to postpone it in light of the “anticipated unprecedented turnout of mourners.” The new date and time will be announced later, the outlet said. The head of Tehran’s Islamic Propagation Coordination Council, the body responsible for organizing such ceremonies, had earlier said that proceedings would commence at 10:00 p.m. local time (1830GMT) at Imam Khomeini Mosalla, the grand prayer complex where Friday congregational prayers are traditionally held. Organizers said Khamenei’s body would lie in state of honor at the Mosalla, with doors

• 
  EU Council chief voices ‘full solidarity’ with Spain after US threat over Madrid’s stance on Iran

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  European Council President Antonio Costa on Wednesday expressed the EU’s “full solidarity” with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez following threats from the United States over Madrid’s position on Iran, Anadolu reports. “I have just held a call with President @sanchezcastejon to express the EU’s full solidarity with Spain,” Costa wrote on the US social media company X. Sanchez earlier rejected the “unilateral military action” carried out by the US and Israel against Iran, warning that it represents an escalation and contributes to “a more uncertain and hostile international order.” READ: Trump says he will sever trade with Spain in retaliation for base refusal US President Donald Trump then responded with a threat to cut off trade with Spain, calling it a “terrible”

• 
  Gaza’s worsening environmental disaster

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  IMAGES: Gaza fishermen grounded by fear of boat attacks amid Israel’s war on Iran

• 
  Iranian warship ‘attacked by foreign submarine’ off Sri Lanka, 101 sailors missing

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  At least 101 sailors are missing after an Iranian warship was “attacked by a foreign submarine” near the South Asian Island nation of Sri Lanka, local outlet the Daily Mirror reported, citing defense sources. It added that 78 other sailors were wounded in the incident while the identity of the sailors remains unknown. Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath said several dead bodies suspected to be from the submerged vessel were found. “We found people floating in the water and rescued them. Later on, we found upon inquiring that they belonged to the Iranian ship. We swiftly transferred them to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment,” he said, according to News Wire outlet. He added: “We suspect

• 
  Trump’s other endless war: How a strike on Iran betrays his central promise

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  In international politics, starting a war is often easier than ending one. History has repeatedly shown that great powers can pull the trigger with a political decision, yet the trajectory, scope, and ultimate outcome of a war rarely remain under the sole control of its initiator. The United States’ attack on Iran sits precisely at this dangerous juncture: a war of choice launched by Washington, but one whose expansion, duration, and ultimate cost will now be shaped by Tehran. This is not merely an analytical warning; it underscores one of the deepest contradictions in Donald Trump’s foreign policy. A president who rose to power promising to end “endless wars” has now placed the United States on the threshold of what

• 
  Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claim over 680 Israeli casualties

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  The Iranian Revolutionary Guards say that Israeli forces have suffered more than 680 deaths and injuries by the fourth day of the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that the Revolutionary Guards, in their 17th statement on the operation they call “Al-Wa’d al-Sadiq 4” (The True Promise 4), said their aerospace forces carried out a significant missile and drone strike on central and northern occupied territories during the sixteenth wave of the operation. The statement indicated that Iranian missiles and drones targeted Israel’s General Staff of the Army and the Ministry of War in Hakirya, strategic infrastructure in Bnei Barak, military targets in Petah Tikva northeast of Tel Aviv, and a military

• 
  Palestinian report: 1,965 attacks carried out by Israeli forces and settlers in February

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  The head of the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, Moayad Shaaban, said that Israeli forces and settlers carried out a total of 1,965 attacks during February, continuing a series of ongoing violence by the occupation state against the Palestinian people, their land, and property. Shaaban explained in the commission’s monthly report, carried by the Palestinian news agency WAFA on Tuesday, that the Israeli army carried out 1,454 attacks, while settlers carried out 511.  He added that the majority of the attacks were concentrated in Hebron governorate with 421 incidents, followed by Nablus with 340, Ramallah and al-Bireh with 320, and Jerusalem with 210. He said the attacks included physical assaults, uprooting trees, burning fields, seizing property, and demolishing homes

• 
  Islamic Resistance in Iraq says it carried out 27 attacks on “enemy bases” in less than 24 hours

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  The group known as Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it carried out 27 operations targeting what it described as “enemy bases” in Iraq and the wider region in less than 24 hours. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the group said its fighters had launched the attacks from dawn on 3rd March 2026 until the time of the announcement. It said dozens of drones and rockets were used against bases in Iraq and the region. The group also released a video which it said showed the launch of rockets towards what it called “occupation bases”. READ: Israel considers role in protecting US interests in Gulf amid Iran conflict Separately, Security Media Cell in Iraq said on Tuesday that a small drone

• 
  Israel orders residents of 16 towns, villages in Lebanon to evacuate ‘immediately’

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  The Israeli military issued an urgent warning early on Wednesday to residents of 16 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, ordering them to evacuate ahead of planned air strikes. In a statement, the Israeli army spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, addressed residents in the villages and towns of Rab al-Thalathine, Markaba, Houla, Qalaat Dibba, Qabrikha, Touline, Al-Khirbeh, Shaqra, Al-Sawana, Majdal Selm, Al-Tamriyah, Al-Tayri, Tallouseh, Safd al-Battikh, Jmaijmeh and Bani Hayyan. The spokesperson called on residents to leave their homes “immediately” and move at least one kilometre outside their villages. The warning comes as Israel steps up attacks in various parts of Lebanon, alongside its war with Iran. Since early Monday until Tuesday evening, 50 people have been killed and 335 injured, according

• 
  Qatar says it arrests two cells linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  Qatar announced on Tuesday evening that it had arrested two cells it said were operating on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The state news agency (QNA) reported that the State Security Service had detained “two cells working for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Qatar”. It said: “The precision monitoring and tracking operations resulted in the capture of ten suspects, seven of whom were tasked with espionage missions to gather intelligence on the nation’s vital and military infrastructure, alongside three others assigned to conduct sabotage activities and trained in the use of drones.” Authorities said the suspects were found in possession of locations and coordinates of sensitive facilities, as well as communication devices and technological equipment. READ: Israel considers role

• 
  Israeli diplomats evacuated from UAE after alleged Iranian targeting attempts

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  Israeli sources said on Tuesday evening that security agencies had foiled two attempts attributed to Iran to target Israeli diplomats in the United Arab Emirates, prompting Tel Aviv to carry out what was described as a secret military evacuation of some of its diplomatic staff in Abu Dhabi. According to Israel’s Channel 12, the two attempts were not a “theoretical threat” but operations that had “moved into the execution phase”, aimed at assassinating Israeli diplomatic personnel. Reports quoted a senior Israeli official as saying the incident was “a specific hunting attempt against Israeli diplomats”, adding that “the two attacks were carried out and a catastrophe was prevented twice”. Under the Israeli account, security bodies subsequently ordered the immediate evacuation of

• 
  IAEA says no evidence Iran is building a nuclear bomb

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has said there is no evidence that Iran is currently building a nuclear bomb, while warning that unresolved issues surrounding Tehran’s nuclear programme remain a serious concern. Speaking in remarks reported on Tuesday evening, Grossi said Iran possesses a large stockpile of enriched uranium that has reached levels close to weapons-grade. However, he stressed that the agency has not found proof that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon. Grossi noted that Iran’s refusal to grant full access to international inspectors has heightened concerns within the agency. He warned that without cooperation from Tehran in addressing outstanding questions, the IAEA would not be able to provide assurances that Iran’s nuclear

• 
  Spain says US must respect international law after Trump threatens to cut trade ties

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  The Spanish government responded Tuesday to US President Donald Trump’s threat to “cut all trade” with Spain, saying any revision of commercial relations must respect international law and existing agreements. The government said that if Washington seeks to review trade relations between the two countries, it “must do so while respecting the autonomy of private companies, international law, and the bilateral agreements between the European Union and the United States,” public broadcaster RTVE reported, citing a statement. Trump described Spain as a “terrible” ally and criticised Madrid for what he called insufficient cooperation on US military bases amid an escalation in the Middle East. The government rejected the criticism, stressing that Spain is “a key member of NATO” and fulfils

• 
  Israel considers role in protecting US interests in Gulf amid Iran conflict

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  Israel is reportedly considering participating in efforts to protect US interests in Gulf states as Iranian attacks in the region intensify amid the ongoing confrontation involving Iran, Israel and the United States. According to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan 11, discussions are taking place in Tel Aviv about the possibility of assisting in the defence of American assets in the Gulf. An Israeli official quoted in the report said Israel could “help in the American defence effort just as the Americans help in our defence effort”. The broadcaster said that a potential regional alliance is being discussed that would aim to enhance protection for Gulf states facing missile and drone attacks attributed to Iran. Israeli media reports suggest the proposal is

• 
  Hezbollah fires rockets towards Tel Aviv and Haifa as fighting intensifies

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  Hezbollah fired rockets towards Tel Aviv and Haifa on Tuesday evening, triggering air raid sirens across the two cities and nearby areas as cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon intensified. The Israeli military said it detected three rocket launches from Lebanese territory. According to the army, two of the rockets were intercepted by air defences, while the third landed in an open area without causing reported casualties. The launches mark the first time rockets have been fired towards Tel Aviv from Lebanon since the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024. Hezbollah later announced a series of operations targeting Israeli forces and armoured vehicles at several locations along the border. The group also said it launched drones towards Israeli military positions.

• 
  Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments and Affairs: Continued closure of Gaza crossings is preventing residents from travelling to perform the Hajj

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  In a statement, the ministry on Tuesday said it had worked with regional and international parties to secure arrangements that would allow pilgrims from Gaza to travel to Saudi Arabia and return safely. However, it said these efforts had not resulted in guarantees due to ongoing restrictions on movement through the Rafah crossing. According to the ministry, the deadline set in the Hajj protocol signed with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah requires the final Hajj visas to be issued by 20th March 2026. The continued closure of Gaza crossings and the uncertainty surrounding travel arrangements forced authorities to adopt what they described as an exceptional and temporary measure for this year. As a result, the ministry said the

• 
  Instead of defeating China, Trump is accelerating its rise on the global stage

  by MI on March 4, 2026

  If you are not paying attention to the dramatic developments between China and the United States, you must understand that something consequential has just taken place. The US government is backtracking—if not altogether retreating—from the trade war and broader escalation it launched against China. Unlike the hyped language and repeated threats by President Donald Trump to impose massive “reciprocal tariffs,” to “decouple” the US economy from China, and to correct “the greatest theft of wealth in the history of the world,” the retreat is happening in hushed tones and coded diplomatic language. “I think both countries concluded that having an all-out global trade war between the United States and China would be deeply damaging to both sides and to the

• 
  Drone strike causes fire near US Consulate in Dubai

  by Marwa A on March 3, 2026

  A drone strike caused a limited fire in the vicinity of the US Consulate in Dubai on Tuesday evening, local authorities said, Anadolu reports. The Dubai Media Office added in a statement on US social media company X that relevant authorities managed to extinguish the blaze. No… pic.twitter.com/iAzmupEKfp — Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) March 3, 2026 A drone strike caused a limited fire in the vicinity of the US Consulate in Dubai on Tuesday evening, local authorities said, Anadolu reports. The Dubai Media Office added in a statement on US social media company X that relevant authorities managed to extinguish the blaze. No injuries were reported. Tension has escalated across the region when the US and Israel launched large-scale attacks

• 
  CIA station among targets as suspected Iranian drones strike US embassy in Riyadh: Report

  by Marwa A on March 3, 2026

  Two suspected Iranian drones struck the CIA station housed within the US Embassy compound in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday, according to a report Tuesday by The Washington Post citing two people familiar with the matter, Anadolu reports. The report said that while both the US and Saudi governments acknowledged that the drones struck the embassy complex, neither disclosed that the agency’s intelligence hub was among the targets hit. An internal State Department alert obtained by the Post indicated that the attack caused part of the US embassy’s roof to collapse and filled the interior with smoke, leaving the building with structural damage. Embassy personnel were reported to be sheltering in place at the time of publication, as the

• 
  Palestinian activist’s lawyers blast US deportation case as ‘sham,’ appeal to reverse order

  by Marwa A on March 3, 2026

  Lawyers for Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and graduate of New York’s Columbia University, blasted his deportation case as a “sham” Tuesday, vowing to fight the Trump administration’s efforts to remove him from the US through federal appeals, Anadolu reports. Khalil, a spokesperson for pro-Gaza protests at the university and a legal US resident, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2025 and held for 104 days. A federal judge later ruled his detention unconstitutional. However, the Trump administration won an appeal earlier this month, allowing the case to proceed in immigration court. Lead attorney Marc Van Der Hout, a nearly 50-year veteran of immigration law, said during a virtual briefing that the proceedings were fundamentally unfair.

• 
  French president says US-Israel attacks on Iran ‘outside the framework of international law’

  by Marwa A on March 3, 2026

  French President Emmanuel Macron disapproved Tuesday of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, stressing that they were outside the framework of international law, Anadolu reports. The United States of America and Israel decided to launch military operations. They were carried out outside the framework of international law, which we cannot approve of,” Macron said as he was addressing the French nation about the developments in the Middle East. He reiterated his call for an end to all airstrikes and the resumption of diplomatic negotiations to achieve long-term peace. Macron reaffirmed that they strengthened the security of French military bases in the region, as well as embassies. “We must, of course, ensure security on our national soil as well. At my request,

• 
  Trump says he will sever trade with Spain in retaliation for base refusal

  by Marwa A on March 3, 2026

  President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will cut off all trade with Spain after Barcelona prohibited the US form using bases in on its territory to carry out attacks on Iran, Anadolu reports. “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The Spanish government said Monday that the US has neither used, nor will it use, Spanish military bases to conduct attacks against Iran, insisting Madrid maintains full control over its sovereign facilities. READ: Spain says US has not used and will not use bases on its soil to strike Iran

• 
  NATO not involved in Middle East escalation, Iran poses threat beyond region: Alliance chief

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  NATO is not involved in the latest escalation in the Middle East, but Iran’s growing nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities pose a threat not only to the region but also to Europe, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a joint press conference with North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova in Skopje, Rutte stressed that the alliance remains vigilant amid rising tensions. “NATO is not itself involved,” Rutte said, responding to a question on recent developments in the Middle East. “But let’s be absolutely clear … Iran is close to getting his hands on a nuclear capability and on a ballistic missile capability, which is posing a threat, not only to the region the Middle East,

• 
  How US-Israel’s war on Iran may impact Indonesia’s economy?

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  The new round of conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran is not a distant story confined to the Middle East. It carries immediate risks for economies across Asia, none more vulnerable than Indonesia’s. The economic fallout is already visible. If the crisis persists, the consequences could reshape fiscal policy, corporate balance sheets, and everyday prices for Indonesian households. Oil markets have responded sharply. Crude prices climbed after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in early 2026, jumping more than 10 percent in a matter of days and trading near multi‑month highs. Analysts warn that Brent crude could surge to $100 per barrel or more if tensions disrupt flows through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint that handles

• 
  Lebanon arrests 3 foreign nationals for ‘collaboration’ with Israel

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  Lebanon said Tuesday that it had arrested three foreign nationals suspected of involvement in “suspicious activities related to collaboration” with Israel, Anadolu reports. The arrests were “based on precise intelligence and investigations,” the country’s General Directorate of General Security said in a statement. Following the necessary interrogations conducted under the supervision of the judiciary, “the individuals confessed” to providing Israel “with security-sensitive information that contributed to causing severe damage, resulting in significant losses of life and property in Lebanon,” the directorate stated. “After the completion of legal procedures, the detainees were handed over to the competent judicial authorities to pursue legal action against them in accordance with applicable laws,” it added. READ: Death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon rises to

• 
  Trump says US-British relationship ‘not what it was’ after disagreement over strikes on Iran

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said he is “very sad” to see that the UK-US relationship is “not what it was” after criticizing British Premier Keir Starmer for taking “far too long” to allow US forces to use British airbases to attack Iran, Anadolu reports. In a telephone interview with The Sun tabloid published Tuesday, Trump said: “It’s a different world, actually. It’s just a much different kind of relationship that we’ve had with your country before. It’s very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was.” Trump compared Starmer’s actions unfavorably with France’s support for the strikes and with the backing of Mark Rutte, the NATO secretary general. “He has not been helpful. I never thought

• 
  Going native in the Trump jungle: How it became legal to attack Iran

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  The allies of the United States have gone native, feral even, in the jungle of international relations planted by President Donald J. Trump.  While we keep hearing about how awful Russia’s war against Ukraine is, with its shattering of international law and its dismissiveness of the provisions of the United Nations Charter, the Israeli-US attack on Iran has been given the seal of approval by America’s client states and supporters.  Countries such as the UK, France, Germany, Australia and Canada, for instance, were clear in endorsing a UN General Assembly resolution on February 24 supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.  The provision explicitly “prohibits the threat or use of force”, calling

• 
  When humanitarian aid and death are intertwined in Gaza

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  Humanitarian aid for Palestinians has always been a macabre game which the international community has played so well, to the point that aid and death have become intertwined. Not only did the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) face Israel’s political violence while forced to remain steeped in a neutrality clause. To ensure further restrictions on humanitarian aid supplies and delivery of services, Israel banned aid agencies from operating in Gaza, subject to the submission of staff members’ personal details and political affiliations. In Israel’s narrative, humanitarian aid is designated as terror. In the international community’s narrative, humanitarian aid is an escape clause from political accountability.  Israel’s High Court of Justice recently halted the government’s ban on

• 
  Why Iran and Lebanon matter, and who shapes what comes next

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  The Middle East stands again at the lip of an abyss, and the tremor is not regional – it is global. The reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US–Israeli strikes, followed by Tehran’s missile retaliation and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has torn open a conflict long incubated in shadow. What began as a doctrine of deterrence has morphed into a theatre of decapitation, drones, and dread.  For a region already haemorrhaging from two years of humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and deepening instability in Lebanon, this is not merely an escalation. It is a rupture. The moment matters because it shatters the fragile scaffolding of global order — where a regional war

• 
  UK funded Israeli report on alleged sexual violence used to justify Gaza genocide

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  The UK government awarded £90,000 ($114,000) in public funds to an Israeli research initiative whose findings around alleged sexual violence on 7 October were later used to mobilise support for the Gaza genocide, according to reporting by Novara Media. Documents released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request show that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded 75 per cent of a four-month project led by The Dinah Project, a body based at Bar-Ilan University.  The funding application stated that the report aimed to establish the “systematic and premeditated nature” of sexual violence committed on 7 October. The report, published in July 2025 and titled A Quest for Justice: October 7 and Beyond, concluded that sexual violence on 7

• 
  Netanyahu equates Iranian regime to ancient biblical foe

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referenced a Torah command equating the Iranian regime to an ancient biblical foe on Sunday, Anadolu reports. During a visit to a site struck by an Iranian missile, Netanyahu stated: “We read in this week’s Torah portion, ‘Remember what Amalek did to you.’ We remember—and we act.” The Amalekites are identified in the Hebrew Bible as a persistent adversary of the Israelites, linked to a Torah commandment to erase their memory. Specifically, 1 Samuel 15:3 — which mandates the killing of men, women, and infants — has faced international scrutiny for its genocidal language. This biblical rhetoric gained renewed attention in October 2023, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoked the “Amalek” narrative in reference

• 
  Between Palestine and Iran… Zelensky reveals his inconsistent values and alignment with imperialist policies

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  In the complex landscape of international politics, consistency of principle often forms the foundation of a leader’s moral authority. For Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has positioned himself and his conflict with Russia as a heroic defense of sovereignty against aggression, recent developments have exposed what many perceive as a striking inconsistency. By backing the US-Israeli aggression against Iran, Zelenskyy has reinforced the impression that his commitment to international law and human rights is conditional—invoked when it supports his narrative, yet sidelined when it conflicts with the priorities of his Western backers, and even if these priorities are starkly aggressive and of imperialist nature. A celebration of aggression and assassination When the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on

• 
  Wife of Iran’s Supreme Leader dies after reported US-Israeli strike

  by MI on March 3, 2026

  Mansoureh Khojasti Bagherzadeh, the wife of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has died from wounds sustained in a reported US-Israeli airstrike on Tehran, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. Iranian state media said she had been injured during the attack earlier this week. On Sunday, officials also confirmed the deaths of Khamenei’s daughter, granddaughter, daughter-in-law and son-in-law in the same wave of airstrikes. US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday evening that Khamenei had been killed, a claim later confirmed by Iranian state television. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the Iranian leader had been unable to evade American intelligence capabilities. READ: Iranian state TV says Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed in US-Israeli attacks He added that the