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

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  Iran labels California its ‘new territory’ after Trump’s Hormuz claim

  by Mehdi Editor on August 19, 2026

  An official Iranian social media account labeled California a “new territory” of Iran on Tuesday in response to US President Donald Trump posting an image portraying the Strait of Hormuz as “NEW U.S. Territory,” Anadolu reports. Trump shared the image on his Truth Social account Tuesday, showing a map of the Strait of Hormuz with the strategic waterway circled beneath the words “NEW U.S. Territory,” following up on his earlier remarks saying the strait would be made US territory after the war ends. The White House later reposted Trump’s post on its official account on US social media platform X. In response, the official Iran in Hyderabad account on X posted a map of the US showing California highlighted in blue,

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  9 Palestinians killed, 15 injured by Israeli strike on Gaza police station

  by Mehdi Editor on August 19, 2026

  At least nine Palestinians, including police officers and children, were killed on Wednesday – and more than 15 others injured – when an Israeli airstrike hit a police station in central Gaza City, according to local medical sources, Anadolu reports. A medical source at the Al-Shifa Hospital said the bodies of nine slain Palestinians, along with more than 15 people who sustained injuries, had been brought to the hospital after the strike. The latest deaths bring the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday to 10, after another Palestinian was killed when a strike hit a motorcycle in the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to medical sources. READ: FAO: Only 3 % of Gaza’s agricultural land remains

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  UAE denies providing financial facilities to Iran after suspending trade

  by Mehdi Editor on August 19, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday denied providing financial facilities to Iran, hours after announcing the suspension of trade and financial exchanges with Tehran until further notice, Anadolu reports. UAE presidential diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash rejected the reports as false, describing claims that Abu Dhabi was providing financial facilities to Iran as part of “desperate media campaigns.” The UAE is Iran’s second-largest trading partner globally after China and its largest trading partner in the Gulf and Arab world. The value of non-oil trade between the two countries has recently ranged between $27 billion and $29.1 billion annually, with both sides having previously announced plans to raise the figure to $30 billion. “Some directed platforms are circulating false information about the

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  Hundreds of fighters, including commanders, defect from Sudan’s RSF, army says

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  The Sudanese army has said that hundreds of members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including commanders, have defected from the paramilitary group and joined its ranks, Anadolu reports. In a statement issued late Tuesday, the Al-Dabba locality (located in Sudan’s Northern State), citing Border Guards commander Mohamed Saleh Younes, announced the defection of a large group of RSF members and their decision to join Sudan’s Armed Forces. According to the statement, the group is comprised of 318 personnel – including four commanders – and as many as 50 combat vehicles. “The doors of the homeland are open to everyone who wishes to return to the ranks of the armed forces,” Younes was quoted as saying. He added that Sudan’s

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  Israeli army chief visits troops in southern Syria amid continued violations

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited troops operating in southern Syria on Wednesday, a day after Israel carried out strikes on Syria, including an attack on the Abu al-Duhur military airbase, Anadolu reports. “Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited soldiers in southern Syria this morning,” Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported. “Zamir was accompanied by senior officers, received a security briefing and met with reserve forces operating in the area,” it added. Meanwhile, Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) conducted a field tour in the town of Al-Rafid in the southern countryside of Quneitra to assess conditions and follow up on the repercussions of repeated Israeli violations and incursions. Members

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  Yemen’s Houthis claim to have staged 31 operations against Saudi targets in past month

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  Yemen’s Ansar Allah group, also known as the Houthis, has said that its forces carried out 31 military operations against Saudi targets, including oil tankers and military assets, within the past month, Anadolu reports. In a Wednesday social-media post, Houthi spokesman Ameen Hayyan said the operations were aimed at restricting Saudi maritime navigation, striking Saudi military deployments, and responding to alleged violations of Yemeni sovereignty. In the period from July 20 to Aug. 19, Houthi forces targeted eight Saudi oil tankers, including five in the Red Sea and three in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, according to Hayyan. He also said that the group had prevented 48 Saudi oil tankers from traversing regional waterways, including 14 in

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  ‘The Board of Peace’ Or ‘Broker of Deceit’ | Palestine This Week

  by Mehdi Editor on August 19, 2026

  In this episode of Palestine This Week, we begin with Jared Kushner’s meetings with Hamas political leader Khalil Al-Hayya and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking what the talks mean for the future of the Gaza ceasefire. We revisit the long-debunked claim that Palestine was sparsely populated before early Jewish settlement and ask why this version of history continues to resurface. We also look at changes to Saudi school textbooks, including the removal of the phrase “Muslims will never give up Jerusalem”. The episode also looks at settler violence in the occupied West Bank and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee’s decision to describe Israeli settlers as “terrorists” after American citizens were besieged by Israeli settlers. Finally, we discuss a false quotation

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  Gaza death toll tops 73,400 as Israeli attacks kill 9 more Palestinians in past 24 hours

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  Another nine Palestinians were killed and 23 others wounded in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll from Israel’s genocide in the blockaded enclave since October 2023 to 73,409, the Health Ministry said Wednesday, Anadolu reports. In its daily statistical report, the ministry said hospitals in Gaza received seven bodies and 23 injured people over the past 24 hours. The ministry did not specify the circumstances surrounding the casualties, as the Israeli army continued to violate the October 2025 ceasefire through shelling and gunfire across different parts of the territory. A number of victims remain trapped under rubble and on roads, with ambulance and civil defense crews still unable to reach them, the ministry added.

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  Germany’s Merz ‘strongly condemns’ Israeli minister’s call for daily killings in Gaza

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday strongly condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over his recent call to kill “30 to 40” people in Gaza every night, Anadolu reports. “The chancellor strongly condemns Minister Ben-Gvir’s inhumane appeals, which violate international law. They are unacceptable,” deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille told a press conference in Berlin. Hille said EU heads of state and government agreed at their June summit to prepare sanctions against extremist politicians who advocate violations of human dignity and international law. “The European Union foreign ministers will address this issue in the coming days at their informal Gymnich meeting. The European Union’s High Representative Kaja Kallas will submit proposals on this matter,” he added. Ben-Gvir recently called

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  If Indonesia really supports Palestine, it needs to do something about its pro-Israel politicians

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  Indonesia loves to tell the world it stands with Palestine. The government has no official relations with Israel. Leaders speak about Palestinian freedom at the United Nations. Millions of Indonesians, the largest Muslim population on earth, see the Palestinian cause as their own. But inside Indonesia, elected politicians openly admire Israel and pay no price for it. The clearest example is Arya Wedakarna, a senator from Bali in Indonesia’s regional assembly, the DPD. In 2015, during a public discussion in Denpasar, Wedakarna declared that Bali could become “like Israel” one day, since both are small territories surrounded by bigger neighbors and must fight to survive. He reached for an old Balinese idea, “puputan,” a fight to the last breath, to

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  France denounces Israeli minister’s Gaza remarks as ‘unbearable and inhumane’

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Wednesday condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s call to kill dozens of people in Gaza every night as “unbearable and inhumane.” “What is happening today in the West Bank is truly disgraceful and should revolt us all. That is why we have sanctioned Minister Ben-Gvir, whose recent remarks are unbearable and inhumane,” Barrot told French newspaper La Montagne. Speaking on a podcast broadcast Saturday, Ben-Gvir called for “targeted killings” to be conducted every night in Gaza. “I think targeted killings should be carried out every night in Gaza. Kill 30 or 40 of them,” he said. “Not just those who are putting you in danger right now. These are people who shouldn’t be

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  Israel bars Arab lawmaker from visiting detained Palestinian doctor Abu Safiya

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  The Israeli Prison Service on Wednesday barred Arab Knesset member Ahmad Tibi from visiting detained Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya in line with the hardline policies of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, according to Tibi’s office, Anadolu reports. “Prison authorities prevented MK Dr. Ahmad Tibi, head of the Arab Movement for Change, from meeting Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip, who is being held in Israeli prisons,” Tibi’s office said in a statement. The Israeli authorities have been holding Abu Safiya since late December 2024 amid its ongoing genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that began on Oct. 8, 2023. According to Tibi’s office, the decision to bar Tibi from

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  Palestinian prisoners’ group calls for international action over Israeli execution preparations

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  The head of the Palestinian Prisoner Society, Abdullah al-Zaghari, on Wednesday called for “effective international action” following reports that Israel had begun designating a wing for Palestinian prisoners sentenced to death, including a room for carrying out executions, Anadolu reports. Israel holds around 9,400 Palestinian prisoners, including 94 women, more than 350 children, 3,244 administrative detainees and 1,320 people it classifies as “unlawful combatants,” according to Palestinian figures. Zaghari told Anadolu that the move was part of the “continued determination of the Israeli occupation system” to turn incitement and legislation it had approved into practical measures aimed at executing Palestinian prisoners. He said preparations to implement the “racist” law constituted a “crime against humanity” and were part of efforts to

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  Iraq asks Iran for special consideration regarding oil exports via Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  Iraq asked Iran on Wednesday to give the country special consideration regarding oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf held high-level talks in Baghdad, according to the state-run Iraqi News Agency, Anadolu reports. At a meeting with Qalibaf, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi raised the issue, calling for Iraq to be given “special consideration” regarding oil exports through the strategic waterway. Al-Halbousi said that Iraq remains among the countries most affected by regional developments, stressing the importance of deeper bilateral ties and stepped-up cooperation between Baghdad and Tehran. He also called for the activation of parliamentary “friendship committees” and the enhancement of diplomacy between the two countries’ national assemblies. Qalibaf, for his part,

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  NATO says ‘prepared’ for any threat over possible Iranian strikes on US military targets in Europe

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  NATO said Wednesday that it was prepared to address any threat amid reports that Iran had considered striking US military assets in Europe if US President Donald Trump further escalates the war, Anadolu reports. “NATO is prepared to address any threat and will always do what is necessary to defend all Allies,” a NATO official told Anadolu in a written statement. The official also recalled NATO’s interception of ballistic missiles heading toward Türkiye from Iran on four separate occasions earlier this year. “As demonstrated earlier this year when NATO air defences successfully intercepted ballistic missiles heading to Türkiye from Iran on four separate occasions, our deterrence and defence posture is strong and effective,” the statement noted. NATO’s remarks came as

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  Iran’s supreme leader is back in control. That may be why diplomacy with Washington just collapsed

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  The 60-day window created by the Islamabad Memorandum expired on Monday with no permanent agreement between the United States and Iran. The 14-point framework, brokered principally by Pakistan with Qatar’s involvement, was signed on 17 June in an attempt to convert a fragile ceasefire into something durable. It covered the war’s end, Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions, frozen assets, the US naval blockade and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides had 60 days to reach final terms. Those 60 days are gone. Iran now says it is shifting to a “fully offensive” posture. Washington has ruled out an extension. Tehran says Hormuz stays shut until the US lifts its blockade, ends oil sanctions, releases frozen assets and halts

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  Peace on Israel’s terms: Kushner and Netanyahu’s scheme to redefine the Gaza peace plan

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  In a desperate attempt to salvage what is left of Trump’s “peace deal” in Gaza after it was blatantly rejected by Israel, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, hopped on a plane and embarked on a mission to the Middle East. Bizarrely, this self-proclaimed expert on the region – by virtue of having skimmed through 25 books on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – chose not Israel, the very party that renounced the deal, as his first destination. Instead, on Sunday, 16 August 2026, Kushner went to the Egyptian coastal city of El-Alamein to meet with a Hamas delegation led by its new chairman of the Political Bureau Khalil al-Hayya. Also present were former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Board of Peace

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  The eighth front: How Israel plans to occupy the American mind

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  In December 2025, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Palm Beach, Florida, with evangelical Christian Zionist leaders and university presidents. He told them that Israel had been fighting a “seven-front war,” and warned that there was now an eighth front: the battle “for hearts and minds in the West,” particularly among young people, and, above all, in the United States. And almost two years ago, I wrote how Western media normalizes genocide, not through silence, but through language. Euphemism and clinical jargon do the work: framing Israel’s wars against Palestinians in Gaza and the people of Lebanon as a war with “Hamas” or “Hezbollah,” “clashes” for massacres. Each nuance desensitizes the reader by degrees, and each redirects focus from the

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  Why US-Iran rhetoric blocks the path to peace

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  The escalating conflict between the United States and Iran has reached a dangerous operational and diplomatic impasse where public political posturing continuously eclipses pragmatic strategy. With the strategic Strait of Hormuz effectively transformed into a volatile flashpoint of global economic anxiety, Washington and Tehran remain locked in an uncompromising high-stakes standoff. US President Donald Trump maintains that no conversations are taking place or scheduled with Iranian leadership, while Tehran insists Washington is quietly seeking a strategic exit. This sharp divergence in narrative reflects a broader pattern of dangerous miscalculation where domestic political imperatives systematically override regional stability and international security. At the heart of this standoff lies a fundamental, mutual misjudgment of the opponent’s underlying resolve and structural constraints. The

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  The next phase of US policy in the Middle East

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  In January, I argued that the United States was not retreating from the Middle East but was executing a deliberate shift, transferring security responsibilities to regional allies while reorienting toward the Indo-Pacific. The past several months have confirmed that forecast. The American departure is no longer a vague intention. It is an operational reality reshaping the region. The clearest proof came on 12th August when Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi confirmed that American troops will complete their withdrawal from Iraq by September 30, 2026, ending a presence dating to the 2003 invasion. Al-Zaidi declared 1st October will mark a new era of full Iraqi sovereignty. The United States and Iraq have emphasised that ties will now run through economic and

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  Ben-Gvir escalates: Israel to construct facility designated for execution of Palestinian prisoners

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  Amid widespread legal and political controversy, Israel is moving to construct a specialized wing and facility designed specifically for carrying out execution sentences against Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. According to the Israeli news outlet i24, Israeli authorities have begun preliminary work on establishing a prison wing designated for death row inmates in central Israel. The move follows the passage of legislation permitting the death penalty for individuals convicted of carrying out armed actions against the occupation. The project is part of a broader plan overseen by the Ministry of National Security, headed by far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party. It entails the construction of an isolated compound for those sentenced to death, alongside

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  Tunisia: Rached Ghannouchi returns to prison after 3 weeks in isolation

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  Rached Ghannouchi, the imprisoned leader of Tunisia’s Ennahda party, has been returned to Mornaguia civil prison after spending nearly three weeks in hospital since July 29, according to his defence team. The defence team said Ghannouchi had been kept in complete isolation throughout that period and was denied visits from his lawyers and family, as well as access to news through the means available to other prisoners, despite repeated requests by his defence team to visit him and check on his health. It said Ghannouchi’s continued isolation and deprivation of his basic rights had led him to go on a five-day hunger and medication strike, which he ended at the request of the medical team overseeing his condition. The defence

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  UN: Israel orders 10 Palestinian families to evacuate homes in Tulkarm

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  The United Nations said on Tuesday that Israeli authorities ordered about 10 Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank to temporarily leave their homes amid Israeli military activity at a nearby refugee camp. UN Secretary-General spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a press conference in New York that the United Nations was “deeply alarmed by the continued deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.” Dujarric said about ten Palestinian families living in the Jabal al-Nasr neighbourhood of Tulkarm, in the northern West Bank, were instructed by Israeli forces on Monday to leave their homes “for seven hours”, citing military activity in the nearby area. He said the military activity targeted the nearby Nour Shams camp

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  Araghchi: Iran rejects ceasefire and demands a complete end to the war

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had told mediators that it would not accept a temporary ceasefire, stressing that what was needed was a complete and lasting end to the war. Araghchi said contacts with mediators were continuing, but Tehran distinguished between exchanging messages through mediators and entering into direct negotiations. He had previously said that Iran was not currently holding direct talks with the United States and that resuming negotiations was subject to Iranian conditions. Araghchi’s remarks come as disagreements continue between Tehran and Washington over the nature of previous understandings. Iran insists that what took place was an “end to the war, not a ceasefire”, and is demanding guarantees to prevent military operations from resuming. Israeli general

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  Israeli general close to Netanyahu: Israel preparing for possible pre-emptive strike on Iran

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  Israeli reserve Major General Uzi Dayan, who is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel was, in his assessment, fighting a “war for its existence”, warning that it could not rely entirely on the United States to deal with the Iranian issue. In a television interview, Dayan said Israel was preparing for the possibility of carrying out a pre-emptive strike against Iran, stressing that it needed to retain freedom of action in responding to what it sees as an Iranian threat. His remarks come amid continued tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and military capabilities, and growing debate in Israel over whether it could take independent military action if the United States does not take steps that Tel Aviv considers

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  FAO: Only 3 % of Gaza’s agricultural land remains accessible and undamaged

  by Marwa A on August 19, 2026

  The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said 97 per cent of cropland in the Gaza Strip is now damaged or inaccessible, according to an assessment carried out with the UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) as of 24 June. In a report published on Tuesday, the organisation said only 448 hectares (one hectare is 10,000 square meters) of agricultural land remained accessible and undamaged, down from 601 hectares in October 2025, a 25.5 per cent decrease. Rafah in southern Gaza recorded the highest levels of inaccessibility to agricultural land, while the worst physical damage was concentrated in the northern Gaza and Gaza governorates. The FAO said only 16.6 per cent of the greenhouse area remained accessible and undamaged. The FAO warned that

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  Half a million in London… millions stuffed in water jugs in Baghdad

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The news that Chris Wormald, the former head of the UK civil service, has been awarded £500,000 in compensation—more than half a million dollars—after being forced out of his post without justification, is the kind of story that makes a British reader pause in disbelief. It is a large sum in a country that measures public money with teaspoons of sugar and coffee, where every financial decision is subjected to political, legal, and media scrutiny that rarely shows mercy. But the moment you compare this figure to anything remotely similar in Iraq, the British shock dissolves into a small joke—because in Baghdad, a country governed by what can only be described as state-sanctioned looting, half a million pounds is barely

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  US Amb. Huckabee doubles down on ‘terror’ label for Israeli occupier violence

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The US Amb. to Israel, Mike Huckabee, reaffirmed his condemnation Tuesday of extremist occupier violence in the occupied West Bank, asserting that the actions meet the American definition of terrorism. “Once it involves an American citizen, then our involvement is pretty much automatic and it’s going to be significant because that’s our job,” Huckabee told Channel 12 in Israel. He noted that while Washington would otherwise only express concerns, the targeting of an American’s home in Qusra necessitated direct involvement. Huckabee, a staunch ally of Israel, rejected pushback from Israeli officials about his terminology. “I’ll use the word terror,” he said, explaining that any act intended to put individuals in fear for their lives or force behavioral changes constitutes terrorism

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  Israel issues tender for illegal E. Jerusalem settlement units in breach of promise, rights groups say

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The Israeli government broke a commitment over the controversial E1 illegal settlement project in occupied East Jerusalem by issuing a tender for 1,234 illegal settlement units without notifying petitioners who had challenged the project in court, three Israeli rights groups said Tuesday. In a joint statement, the three groups – Ir Amim, Bimkom, and Peace Now – said the tender was issued while legal proceedings over the project remain before the Jerusalem District Court, and before the government has submitted its formal response to the petition. The E1 plan covers roughly 12 square kilometers (4.6 square miles) east of Jerusalem and aims to link the illegal Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim with Jerusalem via the construction of Israeli housing on

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  Tehran accuses US of ‘squeezing Iran’ in effort to wrest concessions that were ‘never part’ of framework agreement

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf has blasted US officials for “squeezing Iran” with the aim of wresting concessions that he says were “never part” of a framework agreement signed earlier between Washington and Tehran, Anadolu reports. “Americans think squeezing Iran harder will win concessions that were never part of the agreement,” Qalibaf wrote in a Tuesday social-media post. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth are “way out of their league,” he asserted, adding: “Stop waiting for the clown crew to pull a rabbit out of their hat and clean up the mess you made.” In mid-June, Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding – through Pakistani and Qatari mediators – ending hostilities and

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  Israeli drone strike on crowded Gaza cafe kills 6 Palestinians, eyewitnesses say

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Six Palestinians were killed, including a child, and over 12 others were injured Tuesday by an Israeli drone strike that targeted a crowded cafe in the port of Gaza City, Anadolu reports. In the immediate wake of the strike, the bodies of those killed and severely injured were taken to nearby hospitals, a medical source and eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency. The drone attack involved the firing of at least two missiles, witnesses stated. In a statement, the Israeli army claimed the attack had targeted Hamas commanders operating in the Al-Shati area west of Gaza City, further alleging the group had been planning attacks on its forces. Israeli Army Radio, citing an unnamed security source, claimed the strike had targeted four

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  US sanctions International Criminal Court’s president, official

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The US imposed sanctions Tuesday on International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and official Abdoulaye Seye, Anadolu reports. Akane, a Japanese national who has served as ICC president since 2024, and Seye, a Senegalese national, were added to the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List, according to the agency’s website. Both designations were made pursuant to Executive Order 14203, “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court,” which US President Donald Trump signed on Feb. 6, 2025, and which has since been used to designate 10 ICC officials, including former Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan and eight judges. The listing blocks any US assets held by Akane and Seye, and bars Americans and entities from engaging in transactions with them. The

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  UAE says it detected 2 incoming ballistic missiles launched from Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that the country’s air-defense systems had detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran, Anadolu reports. One of the missiles fell inside the UAE’s territorial waters while the other fell outside Emirati territory, the ministry said in a social-media post. The UAE, the ministry added, “remains fully prepared and ready to respond to any threats, and to firmly counter any attempts to undermine the country’s security.” The statement comes shortly after the ministry said in an earlier social-media post that its air-defense systems had detected an incoming missile. READ: UAE-owned oil tanker detained near southern Iran’s Qeshm Island: Report

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  Israeli military patrol approaches Syrian town southwest of Damascus: Local media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  An Israeli military patrol on Tuesday entered the outskirts of Syria’s town of Beit Jinn located southwest of Damascus, local media has reported. According to Syria’s Alikhbariah television channel, the patrol has approached Bat al-Warda, a hill overlooking Beit Jinn. The channel did not provide details on the size of the Israeli force or the ostensible aim of the incursion. The reported incident comes amid repeated Israeli attacks and armed incursions in southwestern Syria, especially areas west of Damascus. Syrian authorities have yet to comment on the latest incident, while Israel has not publicly explained why its forces reportedly entered the area. The reported incursion comes shortly after Israeli warplanes struck the Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in Syria’s northwestern Idlib

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  Pentagon eyes smaller US military presence in Gulf after Iran war: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The Pentagon is reassessing its military footprint in the Middle East, signaling that the Iran war could potentially reshape the US presence in the region, The Washington Post reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the report, Pentagon is considering whether to reduce troops in the Gulf, where major US bases have suffered months of Iranian strikes. The damage has created a rare opportunity to reconsider the US military posture in the region, the report said, with officials indicating that some bases may not be rebuilt in their previous form. The review is being led by the Pentagon’s policy office, while the Joint Staff and US Central Command are also examining the issue, according to the report.

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  Syria grants IAEA access to Deir ez-Zor site for 1st time in 18 years

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Syria has granted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to a site in the northeastern province of Deir ez-Zor for the first time since 2008, when agency personnel visited the site, Anadolu reports. At a joint press conference with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in Damascus, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani said cooperation between Syria and the IAEA had now reached an advanced stage. According to al-Shaibani, Syria’s approach to the nuclear file is based on transparency. Regarding nuclear activities, Damascus is dealing with the legacy of the former regime, he said, adding that what he described as the “new Syria” seeks cooperation with the international community. READ: US envoy says Washington ‘deeply concerned’ over Israeli airstrikes on Syrian airbase

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  Bangladesh seeks stronger energy ties with Qatar amid Strait of Hormuz tensions

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Bangladesh sought stronger energy cooperation with Qatar as Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman led a high-level delegation on a two-day official visit to Doha amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and an energy crisis at home, Anadolu reports. Rahman held separate meetings with Qatari Energy Minister Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi and Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari in Doha, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “During the meetings, the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, with particular focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy and financial sectors,” the ministry said. The two sides agreed to establish joint working groups to follow up on the issues discussed and advance mutually beneficial cooperation in these areas. The

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  US energy stocks hit record as oil tops $91 on Trump’s hard line against Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  US energy stocks approached a record high on Tuesday as rising oil prices and fading prospects for a near-term US-Iran agreement strengthened the earnings outlook for producers and refiners, Anadolu reports. The S&P 500 Energy Sector Index gained as much as 1.8% during trading, putting it on course for its first record close since March 27. The index has rebounded about 20% since hitting a recent low on July 1. Energy shares had fallen 16% from their March peak amid a temporary easing of hostilities and expectations that negotiations between Washington and Tehran could reduce disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Those expectations have since weakened after US President Donald Trump said he was not interested in extending an interim agreement

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  Turkiye ‘strongly’ condemns Israeli attack on military airbase in Syria

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Turkiye on Tuesday “strongly” condemned Israeli airstrikes on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in Idlib province, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Anadolu reports. The ministry said Israel continues to carry out attacks targeting Syria’s infrastructure and capabilities while undermining the country’s territorial integrity and unity. It also urged the international community to adopt a “more resolute stance to put an end to Israel’s aggression against Syria, which is taking on new dimensions with each passing day, and to ensure accountability for these actions, which disregard international law.” READ: Israeli attacks threaten Syria’s stability, undermine Gaza peace efforts: Turkish foreign minister

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  US, Emirati presidents discuss bilateral ties, regional developments

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a phone call Tuesday from US President Donald Trump, Emirati news agency WAM has reported. During the call, the two leaders discussed various aspects of US-UAE cooperation, along with ways to enhance them in line with the two countries’ shared interests, the news agency said. They also reviewed regional developments and various diplomatic efforts that are now underway, according to WAM. The call comes a few days after US CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper completed a 10-day visit to the Middle East, during which he visited Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. READ: US eases export controls on UAE, expands access to military, advanced technology The

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  Israel builds execution chamber for Palestinians convicted of murder: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Israeli authorities are preparing a prison wing – replete with an execution chamber – designated specifically for Palestinian prisoners convicted of murder, Israel’s i24NEWS channel reported Tuesday. The move comes after the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) approved legislation in March that calls for the execution of Palestinian prisoners convicted – by military court – of murdering Israelis. According to the news channel, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has unveiled plans for Israel’s first prison wing designated exclusively for prisoners facing a death sentence. The wing is currently under construction in central Israel, the channel reported. Ben-Gvir’s office said the facility will include an execution chamber, along with areas for families of those Israel describes as “victims” of alleged Palestinian violence,

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  Trump says no talks with Iran underway or scheduled

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that no talks with Iran were underway or scheduled, adding that the Strait of Hormuz remained open under Washington’s naval blockade, Anadolu reports. “There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated,” he added. READ: Trump shares image depicting Strait of Hormuz as ‘US territory’

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  US envoy urges Netanyahu to ‘not create obstacles’ in Gaza peace plan: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  US President Donald Trump’s envoy Jared Kushner urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid hindering the Trump administration’s peace plan for the Gaza Strip, according to US media reports, Anadolu reports. Kushner pressed Netanyahu to move forward with the plan, CNN reported Monday, citing an Israeli source. He specifically told Netanyahu to “not create obstacles” in the implementation of the plan, according to the news outlet. The meeting followed Kushner’s direct engagement with senior Hamas officials in Egypt. Despite a nearly four-hour session, Israeli media indicated that the leaders failed to reach an agreement on several critical issues. Netanyahu reportedly remains unpersuaded and continues to insist on maintaining attacks in Gaza as national elections approach. The Israeli leader previously rejected

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  5,000 displaced people arrive in capital of Sudan’s Blue Nile state: Medical group

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  More than 5,000 people displaced by attacks by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have arrived in Damazin, capital of the southeastern Blue Nile state, amid dire humanitarian conditions, a local medical group said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the independent Sudan Doctors Network said it was following “with grave concern” the arrival of more than 5,000 people recently displaced from Blue Nile state’s Geissan area following RSF attacks there. Displaced people, it said, face severe shortages of food, medicine and shelter, threatening their wellbeing and particularly affecting children, women and the elderly. The group also warned that heavy rainfall in Blue Nile state could aggravate the already dire humanitarian situation and increase health and environmental risks due to the

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  The impunity granted to Israel is as shocking as its violence

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  More incitement to violence from Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir exposes how colonial violence is aimed at the entire colonised population. Speaking on a podcast with former Israeli hostage Rom Braslavski, Ben Gvir said that Israeli forced should kill 30-40 Palestinians each night in Gaza.  Braslavski requested to act as executioner should Ben Gvir’s plan come to pass, to which the security minister replied, “I will turn the world upside down to make that happen. I promise you that I will do everything I can and turn the world upside down until it happens.” As shocking as the comments are, both are the product of an enterprise that knows it can only sustain itself through ethnic cleansing. In 2025,

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  Trump shares image depicting Strait of Hormuz as ‘US territory’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Tuesday shared an image depicting the Strait of Hormuz as US territory, days after saying he would declare the strategic waterway part of the United States, Anadolu reports. Trump posted an image on his social media account showing a map of the Strait of Hormuz labeled “New US Territory,” echoing his earlier remarks about declaring the waterway US territory. Speaking at an event on Aug. 14, Trump claimed that the US Navy was enforcing a complete blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. READ: Trump says he is not seeking extension of framework agreement with Iran “After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of

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  Israeli forces demolish Palestinian homes, shelters in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished homes, shelters, livestock pens and water wells in the Masafer Yatta area of the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The demolitions affected structures belonging to several Palestinian families. Israel continues to demolish Palestinian homes and facilities in the West Bank under the pretext of unlicensed construction. Palestinians say Israeli authorities impose severe restrictions that prevent them from obtaining building permits, while expanding illegal settlements on occupied land. According to the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, Israeli authorities carried out 341 demolitions in the first half of this year, destroying 740 Palestinian structures and affecting 923 Palestinians. It said Israel also issued 254 new demolition notices over alleged unlicensed construction. READ: Israel survey: 38% of Jewish Israelis

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  EU urges Israel to comply with international law after Ben-Gvir’s remarks on killing Gazans

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The European Commission on Tuesday called on Israel to comply with international law following far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s remarks advocating the killing of dozens of Palestinians in Gaza every night, Anadolu reports. “The EU expects Israel to comply with all its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law,” spokesperson Anitta Hipper said during European Commission’s press briefing in Brussels. She noted that the protection of civilians needs to be ensured at all times. “I would also like to recall that we have a proposal currently in the Council to include Ben-Gvir on the sanctions list under the global human rights sanctions regime,” Hipper added. Ben-Gvir recently called for stepped-up airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and for Israel

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  Irish visa refusal rate for Palestinians tops 50% for 1st time in decade: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  The Irish government refused more Palestinian visa applications than it granted for the first time in a decade, surpassing a 50% refusal rate, Irish daily The Ditch reported, Anadolu reports. Government statistics showed that 63% of Palestinians seeking to stay in Ireland on a short-term basis had their applications refused, the report revealed over the weekend. It noted that the rate of visa refusals for Palestinian applicants had risen fourfold since 2023. Meanwhile, more than half of Palestinians applying for long-term visas are now being refused, compared with just 9% last year. The report, citing the University Times, also pointed to a sharp increase in the number of Palestinians refused study visas for Ireland. It further recalled that travelers from Israel

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  47 Palestinian families face imminent displacement in West Bank as Israel cuts water supplies: Rights group

  by Mehdi Editor on August 18, 2026

  Israeli rights group B’Tselem said Tuesday that 47 Palestinian families face the risk of imminent displacement in the Jordan Valley in the northern West Bank after the army and occupiers cut water supplies to their homes, Anadolu reports. “Forty-seven Palestinian families, comprising more than 300 people, nearly half of them children, face the risk of imminent displacement from their homes in the northern Jordan Valley,” B’Tselem said in a statement. The group said Israeli forces and occupiers last week cut the last water pipes supplying families in Ras al-Ahmar, Al-Thaala and eastern Atouf in the area. “In most cases, Israeli forces prevent water from being transported to the area,” it said, adding that the families, who depend on agriculture and livestock