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

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Col. Lawrence Wilkerson: Will the US and Israel Attack Iran Before the Israeli Election?

  by EditorMehdi on October 26, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with John Kiriakou: Mossad US Operations: How Extensive and Long-Running? 

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  A Movement’s Promise: The Making of Contemporary Palestinian Theater

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  When Palestinian negotiators returned from the Madrid peace talks in the early 1990s, they briefed the press at a theatre in East Jerusalem. It seems an odd setting for news of talks that held the world’s attention, until you discover the role theatre had played in Palestinian life since the Nakba. A burned-out cinema until 1984, the Palestinian National Theatre was where the negotiator Hanan Ashrawi and the Jerusalem leader Faisal Al-Husseini accused Israel of ignoring its commitments. It also hosted a festival for local schools and a literary festival marking twenty years since Ghassan Kanafani’s assassination. In Al-Saber’s words, the theatre “stepped into the role of an acting ministry of culture”. That a theatre could take on such a

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  Israeli media highlights Egypt’s Rafale deployment as part of broader regional deterrence strategy

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  Israeli media have highlighted the deployment of Egyptian Rafale fighter jets on the eastern front, describing the move as part of a broader military strategy aimed at strengthening Egypt’s deterrence capabilities and maintaining operational readiness across multiple regional fronts. The Israeli platform Ntziv.net reported that Egypt possesses an advanced network of modern airbases, challenging the assumption that its most sophisticated fighter aircraft are positioned toward Israel because of insufficient infrastructure elsewhere in the country. According to the platform, Egypt’s deployment of modern combat aircraft, particularly the French-made Dassault Rafale, reflects a strategy of multi-front deterrence, strategic independence and regional power projection extending beyond its eastern border. The report identified Gabal al-Basur Air Base, northwest of Cairo, as the principal operating

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  Riyadh airport partially resumes flights after Houthi attacks

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh resumed some flights on Sunday after a suspension lasting roughly two weeks following attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group. Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya reported the return of flights, airing footage from inside two terminals that had reopened. The state-run AlEkhbariya television said Terminal 1 resumed operations for domestic flights, while Terminal 2 reopened for international flights operated by Saudi carriers. The resumption followed intensive coordination between the General Authority of Civil Aviation and security and technical agencies to ensure the airport’s readiness and compliance with safety and security standards, it added. The announced resumption covers only the two terminals, with no announcement of a return to full operating capacity. Airport management did

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  Arab parliament launches international initiative to support Palestinian rights and pursue accountability

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  The Arab Parliament has launched an international parliamentary initiative aimed at mobilizing legislative bodies worldwide to increase pressure to end the Israeli occupation and hold those responsible for violations against Palestinians accountable. The initiative was announced by Arab Parliament Speaker and Chairman of its Palestine Committee, Saad bin Salib Al-Otaibi, during the committee’s first meeting of the third session of the fourth legislative term. Al-Otaibi called for moving beyond expressions of political solidarity with Palestinians toward coordinated international parliamentary action capable of translating political positions into concrete measures. He emphasized that the Palestinian issue would remain a central priority for the Arab world, stressing the need to transform parliamentary resolutions and declarations into practical steps that could be monitored and

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  Jordanian court sentences seven Muslim Brotherhood leaders in fundraising and money laundering case

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  A Jordanian court on Sunday sentenced seven leaders and members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, including the group’s General Supervisor Murad Al-Adayleh, to prison terms ranging from six months to three years in a case involving illegal fundraising and money laundering. According to Jordanian media reports, the verdicts are subject to appeal within one month. Al-Adayleh and fellow Brotherhood leader Tariq Al-Raqab were each sentenced to six months in prison after being convicted of the misdemeanour of illegal fundraising. Al-Adayleh was acquitted of charges related to violations of Jordan’s Anti-Money Laundering Law. Five other Brotherhood leaders and activists received three-year prison sentences, including Ahmed Al-Zarqan, who was responsible for overseeing the organization’s financial affairs. Al-Zarqan was convicted of violating the

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  Hamas condemns Israeli airstrikes on Islamic University in Gaza, calls for mediators to intervene

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  Hamas on Sunday condemned Israeli airstrikes on the campus of the Islamic University in Gaza City, describing the attack as a war crime and urging mediators and guarantor states of the ceasefire agreement to intervene immediately. In a statement, the movement said the strikes occurred while students were present on campus, killing three university staff members and injuring several others. Hamas described the attack as a “clear-cut war crime” and accused Israel of continuing its military operations against civilian institutions despite the ceasefire agreement. The movement said the bombing was part of what it described as an ongoing campaign of destruction and attacks against Palestinians in Gaza. Hamas also accused the Israeli government of repeatedly violating the ceasefire through continued

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  Palestinian Rights Commission calls for international investigation into home demolitions and forced evacuations in Hebron

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  The Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) has condemned Israeli military operations in Hebron, warning that the demolition of homes, forced evacuation of residential neighbourhoods and restrictions imposed on civilians may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, Anadolu reports. In a statement issued Sunday, the commission, also known as the Ombudsman, called for an immediate halt to the measures and an urgent international investigation, urging that those responsible be held accountable before international courts. The commission said Israeli forces had maintained closures around Hebron and its entrances following an armed operation on Friday, 23rd October, while ordering hundreds of Palestinian families to evacuate their homes. According to the statement, Israeli forces have demolished residential buildings and commercial facilities,

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  Palestinian president’s adviser accuses Israel of ethnic cleansing in West Bank

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  Israel has displaced more than 3,000 Palestinians from their homes in the northern occupied West Bank over the past two years, particularly in the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s adviser Mahmoud al-Habbash said, warning that the same scenario could be repeated in Hebron. Speaking to Cairo News Channel presenter Yasser Rushdi, al-Habbash said hundreds of Palestinian families, including shepherds, tribal communities and Bedouin families living in the mountainous areas of the West Bank, had been forced to leave their homes and prevented from grazing their sheep, threatening their livelihoods and stability. He said these developments raised concerns about a systematic plan to remove Palestinians from their land, adding that such fears had grown amid

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  7-year-old girl among 4 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  Four Palestinians, including a 7-year-old girl, were killed and 14 others injured in attacks by the Israeli army and Israel-backed gunmen in the Gaza Strip on Monday, amid daily violations of last year’s ceasefire agreement, a medical source said, Anadolu reports. The source at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza told Anadolu that the bodies of two young men and a girl were brought to the hospital following an airstrike and gunfire in the Bir 19 area west of Khan Younis. An Israeli drone carried out several strikes on Bir 19, an area housing tents for displaced Palestinians, killing a young man and moderately injuring four others, witnesses said. Israeli military vehicles also opened heavy fire toward the displacement tents as

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  Israeli army chief clashes with Netanyahu over toppling Iran’s regime

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  Israeli media reports have highlighted growing divisions between Israel’s political and military leadership over how to deal with Iran, with security officials and allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believing that Iran’s regime cannot be toppled through direct military action. Israel’s Channel 12 reported an “unprecedented” confrontation between army chief Eyal Zamir and Netanyahu, which escalated in recent hours over their positions on Iran and related developments. According to the report, Zamir and several senior security officials fear that the political leadership’s approach could lead to a serious miscalculation and trigger a dangerous military escalation with Iran ahead of Israel’s elections. Concerns are also growing within the military that the Iran issue could be used for political purposes. Meanwhile, Israel’s

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  Iranian parliament speaker threatens ‘unpredictable’ response to any attack, warns US

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  Iran is prepared to respond in “unpredictable” ways to any attack on its territorial integrity, the Iranian parliament speaker said, warning that threats of all-out war or assassination operations would not force the Iranian people to abandon their rights and interests. In remarks carried by the Iranian Tasnim news agency, the speaker said Tehran would not allow any foreign power to impose its will on the country or dictate its choices. He added that military threats would not change Iran’s position. The United States would not be credible in Tehran’s eyes unless it honoured its commitments in a genuine and tangible way, changed its behaviour and abandoned what he described as US ambitions, he said. The Iranian official accused Washington

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  PLO rejects plans to lay off UNRWA staff, calls for urgent funding

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Executive Committee on Sunday firmly rejected any plans to lay off large numbers of staff at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), calling on donor countries to provide adequate and sustainable funding. The committee discussed the issue at a meeting in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, following remarks on Friday by Riyad Zeighan, head of the General Conference of Local Staff Unions at UNRWA, who said the agency planned to lay off large numbers of employees across its areas of operation due to a lack of funding. The committee called for urgent international action to provide about $70 million to cover immediate funding needs and ensure UNRWA staff receive their salaries in November

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  Iraq suspects Israel behind attack on weapons depots and military systems inside Iraq

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  An attack targeted military facilities in Iraq last week, including Chinese-made air defence systems and ammunition depots reportedly recently delivered from Iran for Shiite militias in the country, Iraqi sources said, with suspicions that Israel was behind the strike. Saudi media quoted two Iraqi sources as saying that authorities in Baghdad had indications pointing to Israel’s involvement, but had yet to determine how the attack was carried out or whether it involved warplanes or drones. The attack wounded five people, who sustained minor injuries, according to the sources. Iraqi authorities are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The developments come amid previous reports of possible Israeli military activity inside Iraq. About six months ago, US media reported that Israel

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  Netanyahu’s inner circle doubts military action can topple Iran’s regime

  by Marwa A on October 26, 2026

  Sources close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior security officials believe military action will weaken Iran’s regime but will not topple it, Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 reported. One of Netanyahu’s allies recently said he did not believe military action could replace Iran’s regime, but could only weaken it. A senior Israeli security official was also quoted as saying that “a military attack will not topple the regime, but will weaken it”. These assessments contradict Netanyahu’s own statements in recent days, when he said the mission must be completed and Iran’s regime toppled during the remaining two years of US President Donald Trump’s term. About six months ago, Netanyahu said that toppling the regime was a matter for

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  Untold Palestine document stories of 1,000 martyrs told by their loved ones

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026
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  Why is the Middle East waiting out the Trump presidency?

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  There appears to be little prospect of lasting peace between Iran and the United States while Donald Trump remains in the White House. This is a view that an increasing number of serious actors across the region now seem to share. Eight months into Iran war, Washington has neither broken Tehran’s resolve nor found a clear path out. The president’s own remarks point to a narrowing set of options. Trump told TIME he does not believe peace with Iran is ever possible, a striking admission from the leader still expected to negotiate one. Tehran, for its part, has set conditions it knows this administration cannot meet, insisting that sanctions and threats be lifted before talks resume and that not a

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  Opposition leader says Netanyahu ‘no longer fit’ to lead Israel

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  Just days before pivotal Israeli elections, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said Saturday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “no longer fit” to lead the country, warning that his economic plan to counter potential international sanctions threatens national security, Anadolu reports. On US social media company X, the Yashar party leader accused Netanyahu of turning his attention to “dismantling the Israeli economy for generations ahead” after “dismantling Israeli society and weakening the army.” Eisenkot said Netanyahu’s recent remarks are “conclusive proof that he has lost touch with reality and moved into a world of delusions,” accusing him of proposing preparations to disconnect from the global financial system in response to Israel’s declining international standing. “This is the madness of a man

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  Israeli army turns Palestinian homes into military posts in West Bank city of Hebron

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  Israeli forces turned Palestinian homes into barracks and observation posts after forcing residents to leave the city of Hebron on Saturday, day two of a military operation in the southern occupied West Bank, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported, Anadolu reports. Troops took over homes in the Khallat Manna and Dahiyat al-Zaytoun areas of southern Hebron to be used as barracks, official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported, citing sources. They also forced residents from homes in other neighborhoods and used the properties as observation posts, said sources. The evictions follow the forced displacement of hundreds of families since Friday, amid extensive raids, road closures, and tight restrictions on movement. Near Bethlehem, Israeli forces blocked dirt roads leading to the

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  UK urged to impose ‘full sanctions and political isolation’ of Israel over situation in West Bank

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  A ruling Labour Party lawmaker on Saturday urged the British government to act on the situation in the occupied West Bank, saying “full sanctions and (the) political isolation of Israel” must be led by the UK, Anadolu reports. “As Netanyahu starts the process of turning the West Bank into a second Gaza our government has to act,” John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes & Harlington, wrote on US social media platform X. “The message needs to go out that this extension of the genocide will not be tolerated.” McDonnell’s remarks came after reports that Israel had launched a campaign of collective punishment of Palestinians in the city of Hebron after gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers and injured three near a

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  Saudi-led coalition intercepts 10 Houthi ballistic missiles targeting southern Saudi Arabia

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said Sunday that it intercepted and destroyed 10 ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group from Yemen toward Saudi Arabia’s southern region, Anadolu reports. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said on US social media company X that the missiles were shot down, without giving any details about injuries or damage. His announcement came after he said earlier in the day that the coalition intercepted and destroyed a Houthi cruise missile that targeted the southwestern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait. Maliki also said that coalition forces had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and two drones launched by the Houthis toward Riyadh. The developments came amid escalating hostilities involving attacks on Saudi aviation and energy infrastructure and

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  Iran says ‘nothing will be same’ in region after war with US

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that “nothing will be the same” in the region after the recent war with the US and Israel, including the management of the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. “The current war has changed everything. We must acknowledge that new realities have emerged,” Araghchi said in a speech at the Foreign Ministry, as cited by Iran’s Press TV. “The shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz will no longer be the same as before, nor will the strait be managed as it was in the past,” he added. The top diplomat stressed that Tehran would welcome “any security plan originating from within the region itself.” Iran and the US remain at odds over

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  Could Hormuz become America’s Suez?

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  In 1956, Britain was forced to abandon the Suez Canal and withdraw from Egypt after a humiliating political and financial defeat. The crisis did not end the British Empire overnight, but it exposed the decline of a power that had dominated much of the world for more than two centuries, in an empire on which the sun famously never set. Britain could still fight wars, but it could no longer act as an independent global power without facing the economic and political limits of its strength. Now, nearly seventy years later, the question is whether the war with Iran and the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz could become America’s Suez. When war becomes too expensive After Egyptian President Gamal

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  Senior Iranian lawmaker threatens to target Israel if Iran comes under attack

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  The head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee warned Saturday that a “single miscalculation” could render Israel uninhabitable in less than an hour, posting a map marking infrastructure sites across the country, Anadolu reports. “A single miscalculation is all it takes: the occupied lands rendered uninhabitable in under an hour,” Ebrahim Azizi wrote on US social media company X. بدانید در صورت هرگونه اقدام علیه امنیت و منافع ملی ما، غیرمسکونی سازی سرزمین های اشغالی کمتر از یک ساعت زمان می‌برد. https://t.co/UIwf6PTNop — ابراهیم عزیزی (@Ebrahimazizi33) October 24, 2026 The map identified desalination plants, power stations, oil facilities, bridges, and transport routes, as well as the Dimona nuclear research center in the Negev desert in southern

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  Cryptocurrencies cannot circumvent sanctions: Bank of Israel responds to Netanyahu

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  The Bank of Israel said Saturday that cryptocurrencies cannot be used to circumvent potential economic sanctions in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to prepare alternative financial arrangements, according to a media report. The public broadcaster said the central bank’s response followed Netanyahu’s interview on Friday with an Israeli business channel, during which he proposed using cryptocurrencies as part of contingency plans for possible economic and banking sanctions, Anadolu reports. The bank said cryptocurrencies “cannot be used as a route for bypassing sanctions,” according to the broadcaster. “The right thing for Israel’s economy is preserving the economic relationships with our principal trade partners and focusing on preventing sanctions and their negative influence on the economy,” said the bank. It

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  Terrorists in the West Bank: Settler violence and the excusing hand

  by Marwa A on October 25, 2026

  The persistent violence from Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied territories of the West Bank has become such common fare it risks becoming banal. Unfortunately, it takes events such as those befalling veteran photojournalist Heidi Levine of The Washington Post and European diplomats to return the attention to something that is not only grotesque but programmatic. On 16th October, while covering the annual olive harvest in the West Bank Levine, fellow journalists and a group of Palestinians became the ripe targets of Israeli settlers.  The auguries of violence were already present: over the course of 24 days since the season commenced, 125 physical attacks on Palestinian olive harvesters had been reported.  After an initial gathering at a hilltop in

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  Chile passes law establishing annual day of friendship and solidarity with Palestine

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  Sixteen years after recognising the State of Palestine, Chile will mark its first official Day of Chilean-Palestinian Friendship and Solidarity on 7th January 2027, following the passage of a new law celebrating the historic ties between the two peoples. Published in Chile’s Official Gazette on Thursday, 22nd October 2026, Law No. 21,843 officially designates 7 January as an annual day of friendship and solidarity with Palestine. The move also reaffirms Chile’s commitment to Palestinian human rights, going beyond a symbolic celebration of the longstanding relationship between the two countries. The move goes beyond celebrating the historic friendship between the two peoples. It also reaffirms Chile’s commitment to protecting human rights, particularly those of the Palestinian people, in line with UN

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  Gwadar in the regional energy equation: Strategic opportunity or costly promise for Pakistan?

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  Marine bunkering services have begun at Gwadar. Meanwhile, according to reporting in June 2026, the proposed $10 billion Saudi refinery announced for the port in 2019 had yet to attract the promised investment. These contrasting experiences raise a fundamental question: where should Pakistan begin with Gwadar’s development? The strongest starting point is commercial activity with existing customers and measurable revenue. That can provide a foundation for larger investments. Pakistani fuel, a new market According to a July 2026 announcement by Pakistan’s Port Community System, Gwadar’s inaugural commercial bunkering operation delivered 2,500 tonnes of very low sulphur fuel oil produced by Cnergyico. Vitol conducted the operation with Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation (NLC). Cnergyico’s coastal refining complex is located in Hub, Balochistan.

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  Amnesty Indonesia is right, the Foreign Ministry is wrong: Quit Trump’s Board of Peace

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  On Thursday, Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry defended the country’s seat on the Board of Peace. Ministry spokesperson Vahd Nabyl Mulachela said joining the Board is part of Indonesia’s effort to support Palestine and help rebuild Gaza. He hoped the Board could lead to an independent Palestine living next to Israel. He was answering Amnesty International Indonesia. A day earlier, its director, Usman Hamid, said the Board was a mistake from the very beginning and that Indonesia still has time to leave. He spoke in Jakarta after an event with Francesca Albanese, the United Nations expert on the occupied Palestinian territories. Usman said the Board is controlled by the United States, a country that fully supports Israel and its military campaign that

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  Elections must not deflect attention from Israel’s international crimes, rights group warns

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  Amnesty International on Saturday warned that upcoming elections must not deflect attention from Israel’s international crimes, urging continued scrutiny and accountability, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s senior director for research, policy, advocacy and campaigns, said Palestinians have little reason to expect the outcome to deliver positive human rights change as much of the world’s attention focuses on Israel’s upcoming parliamentary elections on Oct. 27. Explaining this, she pointed out that electoral candidates have “shamelessly exploited” anti-Palestinian sentiment or even threatened to step up human rights violations and crimes under international law in a bid to score political points. “Candidates have used dehumanizing rhetoric against Palestinians, promised to further entrench Israel’s illegal annexation measures in the

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  Iraq says no US troops left in the country, not even advisers

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  Iraq’s prime minister said Friday that no US troops are left in the country, including in advisory roles, as Baghdad moves to bring all weapons under state control by next June, Anadolu reports. Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the absence of foreign forces had removed the justification armed factions previously cited for retaining their weapons. He stressed that the government’s decision to restrict weapons to state institutions was final and irreversible. “By June 30, 2027, there will be no weapons outside the framework of the state,” he said. Al-Zaidi said the government reached agreements concerning weapons held by three armed factions and is negotiating with four others to complete the process. “Iraq is a state

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  2 children killed, 3 civilians wounded in Houthi attacks in Yemen’s Taiz: Rights group

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  Two children were killed, three civilians wounded and four people abducted in Houthi attacks in Yemen’s southwestern Taiz province over 24 hours, a rights group said Saturday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Yemen Network for Rights and Freedoms said it had “documented 21 crimes and violations by the Houthis over the past 24 hours in Taiz governorate,” including the firing of around 213 projectiles at residential areas. “Three civilians, including two women, sustained various injuries, while four other residents were abducted and taken to unknown locations,” the group said. The network also accused the Houthis of continuing their siege and restrictions on civilian movement and the delivery of essential supplies. It said the Houthis raided and looted three homes

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  Israeli army continues Hebron siege for 2nd day, arrests 19 Palestinians in West Bank

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  The Israeli army continued its siege of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank for a second consecutive day on Saturday, forcing dozens of Palestinians from their homes, according to Palestinian media, Anadolu reports. Israeli forces raided the al-Jilda and Deir Bahha areas in central Hebron and placed them under a complete siege, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. The army also forced dozens of residents to leave their homes and stand outdoors in the early morning hours, according to the news agency. The incursion involved the deployment of additional military vehicles and bulldozers, the closure of main entrances and roads leading to Hebron, and the isolation of the city from surrounding areas, Wafa said. It said Israeli forces

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  Saudi Arabia says danger has passed in 4 areas after warning alerts

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense announced Saturday that danger has passed in four areas of the kingdom following earlier alerts warning of a “potential danger,”  Anadolu reports. The all-clear covered the Jeddah, Taif and Yanbu governorates, as well as Mecca province, according to statements issued by the Civil Defense on US social media platform X. The agency urged people to follow its instructions and “avoid gathering and filming” in the affected areas. The warnings came amid escalating hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi group, including missile and drone attacks targeting the kingdom. The new Arab bargain: When Egypt offers to protect Saudi Arabia

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  Jordan declares 3 days of mourning after church attack kills 8 in Karak

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  Jordan declared three days of national mourning Friday for the victims of a terrorist attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Hamoud village in the southern Karak governorate that killed eight people, Anadolu reports. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan issued a directive declaring nationwide mourning starting Oct. 23, 2026, and ordering flags to be lowered to half-staff at ministries, government departments and public institutions. The government said the decision reflected “the grief of all Jordanians and their solidarity in this painful tragedy,” offering condolences to the victims’ families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. Government spokesman and Communications Minister Mohammad Momani attributed the attack to “extremist takfiri ideology,” which brands others as unbelievers. He said investigators were still examining whether

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  Pakistan can mediate between Washington and Tehran, but it cannot manufacture trust

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  When Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, met Iranian leaders in Tehran last Tuesday, he heard a familiar message in a harder form. President Masoud Pezeshkian said Washington must lift sanctions and pressure before talks resume. Security chief Mohsen Rezaei said no enriched material would leave Iran. After Munir left, a Qatari delegation arrived, a reminder that Islamabad no longer carries this file alone. The real test is not whether Pakistan can soften Tehran’s opening position. It is whether it can help two adversaries negotiate commitments neither believes the other will honour. The Islamabad Memorandum, signed on 17 June, extended the ceasefire for 60 days and promised to reopen Hormuz and lift the US blockade. It also pledged oil-export

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  Trump’s Iran pause is for November

  by Marwa A on October 24, 2026

  President Trump’s pre-midterm pause on strikes against Iran landed as a claim of diplomatic momentum, not a concession of failure. The pause was framed as proof that negotiations are working. Look closer, and a different mechanism appears. The war meant to project strength has become an electoral liability, and the president’s response is to bury its most visible costs until voters have finished deciding. Then the option can reopen. The White House insists Washington is negotiating from strength. Military options remain on the table. The blockade stays in force. The administration has not ended the war, only hidden its sharpest edges from the campaign season. That sequence matters. It allows Republican candidates to campaign without the immediate risk of new

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  Yemen’s peace process has a structural blind spot: The south’s political future

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  Yemen’s prolonged conflict is frequently discussed through the familiar language of ceasefires, military de-escalation, humanitarian assistance and negotiations between the principal armed parties. These are important elements of any effort to end the war. Yet they do not fully explain why successive political initiatives have struggled to establish a durable settlement. The deeper problem is structural: Yemen’s crisis is not simply a contest over who controls the central government. It is also a dispute over the nature of the state, the distribution of political authority and the future status of its different regions. Among these questions, the Southern Question remains one of the most consequential and least adequately resolved. A peace process that postpones this question risks producing an agreement

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  The new Arab bargain: When Egypt offers to protect Saudi Arabia

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  When Egyptian officials signalled their readiness to support Saudi Arabia against attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, the announcement was presented as a familiar display of Arab solidarity. Yet beneath the diplomatic rhetoric lies a much more significant story, one that says less about military cooperation and more about the changing balance of power in the Middle East. The immediate question appears straightforward: What kind of protection can Egypt realistically offer Saudi Arabia? The more important question is whether Egypt’s offer reveals that the traditional hierarchy of the Arab world has been quietly reversed. For decades, Egypt occupied a unique position in Arab politics. It was the state that projected military weight, diplomatic influence, and cultural authority across the region. Saudi

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  Iran’s new military doctrine is designed to make victory meaningless

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  Iran’s latest military doctrine rests on a dangerous proposition: a country does not have to defeat a superior enemy on the battlefield to deny it a meaningful victory. By threatening broader retaliation, expanding the geography of conflict and exploiting vulnerabilities in regional trade, Tehran is attempting to make the political rewards of military action increasingly difficult to secure. On Oct. 21, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that Iran’s military doctrine would move beyond retaliatory strikes towards offensive and asymmetric operations. The declaration reinforced earlier statements by Iranian military officials that the country was shifting away from a predominantly defensive posture. Although official announcements do not establish how comprehensively this change has been implemented, they reveal the direction in

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  A cable across contested waters: The great sea interconnector’s promise and risks

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  A seabed survey is usually an engineering step. For the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), it has become a test of how far Greece, Cyprus and Türkiye can manage their maritime dispute without letting it derail a major infrastructure project. In mid-October 2026, the GSI developer applied to resume surveys for the planned undersea electricity cable linking Greece and Cyprus, with a possible extension to Israel. Türkiye says the survey area overlaps with claims set out in its 2019 maritime agreement with Libya. Greece says it can proceed. The application has brought that agreement back into focus because someone must map the seabed before the cable route can be finalized and the parties disagree over who has the right to do

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  3 Palestinians killed, others injured in fresh Israeli attacks on Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  Three Palestinians were killed and others injured in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip on Friday as violations of the October 2025 ceasefire continue unabated, Anadolu reports. Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike targeting a motorcycle in the al-Nasr neighborhood, west of Gaza City, medical sources told Anadolu. In a separate incident, the sources said several Palestinians were wounded in a strike on Gaza City’s al-Rimal neighborhood. On Friday morning, another Palestinian was killed and others injured when a drone targeted a bicycle on al-Qubba Street in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, a medical source and local sources told Anadolu. Meanwhile, the Israeli army expanded the areas under its control east of al-Masdar

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  Turkish foreign minister warns new attack on Iran would escalate regional conflict

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  The Turkish foreign minister warned on Friday that a new attack on Iran would further spread war and conflict across the region, Anadolu reports. “Military intervention in Iran is by no means a solution. No one supports this at the moment,” Hakan Fidan told reporters after an R4+E3 meeting in Istanbul, the first-ever meeting in this format. The US and Israel are said to have developed plans for renewed strikes against Iran after the American midterm elections. The war that began in late February has yet to be settled despite a ceasefire and a memorandum of understanding to finalize a peace deal. Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine war, Fidan said: “Either the war must stop, or, if it does not, parties

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  UN rights chief ‘strongly’ condemns surge in drone strikes across Sudan

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Friday “strongly” condemned the escalation of drone attacks across Sudan, which have killed at least 306 people and injured hundreds more in the first three weeks of October, Anadolu reports. “The increasing use of drones, already accounting for the majority of conflict-related civilian deaths in Sudan this year, is deeply disturbing and is exacting a horrifying toll,” Turk said. “Scores of civilians have been killed and vital infrastructure and services on which they depend eviscerated, driving further displacement and deepening the already severe humanitarian crisis,” he said, reiterating his call on the parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under international law. Turk said his office had documented strikes attributed to both

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  Israeli airstrikes, artillery shelling hit southern Lebanon amid intensified drone activity

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes and artillery shelling in southern Lebanon on Friday, while drones flew intensively at low altitude over the capital Beirut and the southern city of Tyre, Lebanese state media reported, Anadolu reports. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said Israeli fighter jets struck the vicinity of Ali al-Taher hill on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in the Nabatieh district. The agency reported intermittent Israeli artillery shelling near the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiya in the same district before noon. In Kfar Shouba, in the Hasbaya district, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade in the Khallet Zuhair area on the outskirts of the town. The agency also said Israeli forces carried out a large explosion overnight in

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  Saudi Arabia postpones UN data, Saudi statistics forums until 2027 amid Houthi attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Saudi Arabia announced Friday that the UN World Data Forum and the Saudi Statistics Forum, scheduled for November in Riyadh, have been postponed until 2027, Anadolu reports. The Saudi General Authority for Statistics said in a statement on US social media company X that the decision was made “in coordination with the United Nations Statistics Division.” Both forums were due to take place from Nov. 9 to 12. New dates will be announced later through official channels, it added. The authority said the postponement reflects its commitment to delivering an experience that meets the expectations of the data and statistics community and enables broad international participation by speakers, experts and partners. READ: Saudi Arabia postpones future investment initiative until 2027 following

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  Brent crude hits highest since June 2022 on fears of renewed US strikes on Iran

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Oil prices rose on Friday as fears of renewed US strikes on Iran and escalating regional tensions heightened supply concerns, pushing Brent crude to its highest level since June 2022, Anadolu reports. International benchmark Brent climbed 2.7%, or $3.06, to $116.20 per barrel as of 1350GMT, surpassing the peak recorded at the start of the war. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) advanced 3.04%, or $3.02, to $102.50 per barrel, its highest level in five weeks. Brent has gained around 5% this week, while WTI has risen about 3%, putting both benchmarks on course for a third consecutive weekly advance. The rally came as expectations grew that Washington could resume strikes against Iran in the coming weeks. READ: Trump accuses Iran

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  Iranian army orders ground forces to maintain highest combat readiness amid tensions with US

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Iran’s Army Ground Forces commander Brig. Gen. Jahanshahi has ordered military unit commanders to maintain the highest level of combat readiness, warning that negligence during wartime could have serious consequences, Tasnim news agency reported Friday. “In wartime conditions, any negligence or carelessness can carry heavy costs,” Jahanshahi said, according to Tasnim. He stressed that maintaining effective operational readiness requires continuous training, accurate assessments of military capabilities, coordination among units and the rapid identification and correction of shortcomings. Jahanshahi also instructed commanders at all levels to strengthen combat capabilities through careful planning, continuous supervision and effective follow-up. The remarks come amid heightened military tensions between Iran and the US following months of hostilities and ongoing disputes over security and maritime navigation

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  Israeli elections: Arab voters weigh participation against abstention in bid to oust Netanyahu

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Amid fears over hardline Israeli policies, Palestinian citizens of Israel see the upcoming Israeli elections as a chance for change, with calls for higher Arab turnout to prevent incumbent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from forming another government, Anadolu reports. In a series of field interviews conducted by Anadolu on the streets of various Arab cities and towns in Israel, citizens emphasized that participating in this election is particularly crucial, given the “worsening racism and marginalization” against them. While some plan to vote for the first time in hopes of bringing about political change, others continue to abstain, questioning whether elections can alter their circumstances and arguing that successive governments have failed to address their demands. Arab citizens make up

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  Lewis Hamilton calls for freedom for Palestine, Congo, Sudan and Syria

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has called for efforts to secure freedom for Palestine, Congo, Sudan and Syria, saying he hoped peace would eventually prevail, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a news conference Thursday ahead of the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, the British driver said: “I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine. I think there’s a lot of peace that I’m hoping we get to at some stage.” Hamilton made the remarks while discussing Formula 1’s planned return to Africa and concerns surrounding Rwanda, which is expected to host a Grand Prix on a purpose-built circuit in the early 2030s. The 41-year-old said holding a race in the country