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

• 
  Congress Is Not a Cheering Section: What the Midterms Owe the Middle East

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  On 3 October, 2026, the Washington Stand, the publishing arm of the Family Research Council (FRC), ran an article under the heading “The Midterms and the Middle East.” Strip away the pieties and the argument is short. The White House has a Middle East policy. That policy needs a Congress willing to fund it and stay out of its way. Voters must deliver one in November. Nowhere in the piece does the author pause to ask what the policy is for, how much it costs or when it ends. Those questions, apparently, belong to a less loyal class of citizen altogether. An odd thing to publish in a country whose founding document gives the legislature, not the executive, the power

• 
  Over 800 Palestinian teachers killed by Israel since Gaza war: Education Ministry

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  Israel has killed more than 800 Palestinian teachers and injured over 3,300 others since the start of its war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the Palestinian Education Ministry said Sunday, Anadolu reports. In a statement ahead of World Teachers’ Day, observed annually on Oct. 5, the ministry said educators across the occupied Palestinian territories are fighting “a real battle for survival” to protect the right to education amid systematic targeting. The education sector in Gaza and the West Bank has suffered “comprehensive genocide” since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, the ministry said. The ministry said more than 170 teachers remain detained “in harsh conditions.” It said movement restrictions and harassment at hundreds of checkpoints have

• 
  Angelina Jolie highlights Gaza destruction with Google Earth satellite images

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  Actor Angelina Jolie, a former longtime UN special envoy, highlighted the scale of destruction in the Gaza Strip, sharing before-and-after satellite images showing extensive damage caused by the Israeli genocide across the Palestinian enclave, Anadolu reports. “You can now open Google Earth and see what was done to Gaza,” Jolie wrote on Instagram on Saturday alongside images comparing areas in Gaza before the war with their appearance this summer. The images show areas near the Al-Qadisiyah School in the city of Rafah, Khan Younis in southern Gaza, and Omar Mukhtar Street in Gaza City, with large sections of previously dense urban areas lying in ruins. “Whole neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble,” Jolie said, adding that homes, schools, universities, hospitals,

• 
  Israeli media says attempt to assassinate senior Hamas figure likely failed in Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  Israeli assessments indicated that an attempt to assassinate senior Hamas figure Ali al-Amoudi in an airstrike on Gaza City likely failed, Israeli Army Radio said Saturday evening, Anadolu reports. “Assessments are leaning toward the failure of the attempt to assassinate Ali al-Amoudi, a prominent leader in Hamas’ political wing in Gaza, last night,” according to the radio. Israel’s Channel 12 said it was too early to reach a definitive conclusion but Israel was struggling to obtain confirmation that the assassination attempt had succeeded despite the hours that had elapsed. Earlier Saturday, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that the Israeli army had attempted to kill al-Amoudi in a strike overnight Friday into Saturday. It described him as Hamas’ de facto leader

• 
  Yemeni army says 700 Houthi fighters killed in 257 operations across country

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  The Yemeni army said on Saturday it killed at least 700 Houthi fighters in 257 operations across several fronts, Anadolu reports. In a statement on social media, military spokesman Col. Majed al-Nuzaili said government forces carried out the operations using warplanes, drones, artillery, missiles and rocket launchers. The operations covered Sanaa, Midi, Baqim and fronts in Al-Jawf, Marib, Al-Bayda and Lahj, with the main operational effort concentrated on Taiz fronts, he added. Targets included command and control centers, troop concentrations, combat buildups and reserves, weapons and ammunition depots, and military supply routes and transport. According to preliminary battlefield estimates, the operations “neutralized at least 700” Houthi fighters and destroyed strategic and high-value military targets, along with 170 combat vehicles and

• 
  Trump says Iran has ‘virtually given up’ any plans for nuclear weapons

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  US President Donald Trump suggested on Saturday that Iran has “virtually given up” any plans to develop nuclear weapons, one of his administration’s most frequently stated objectives in the war with Tehran, now in its eighth month, Anadolu reports. Trump also claimed oil prices were currently decreasing, long elevated after Israel and the US launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. “Oil is coming down. Oil is right now lower, and it’s been lower than it was under the Biden administration, and they did nothing about the fact that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House to attend a rally in the state of Ohio. “By the way, Iran, as you know,

• 
  Israeli army shells village, opens fire on residential areas in southern Syria

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  The Israeli army on Saturday shelled a village in southern Syria and later opened fire on residential areas during a separate ground incursion, Alikhbaria TV reported, Anadolu reports. Israeli artillery struck the outskirts of Abidin village in western Daraa province. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Abidin lies in the Yarmouk Basin in western Daraa, and was repeatedly targeted by Israeli artillery in September. Israeli forces also entered an area west of Sayda al-Hanout village in southern Quneitra province with two tanks and other military vehicles, and opened fire toward residential neighborhoods. Israel continues violations on Syrian territory since the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024. Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa raised the issue at the

• 
  One Palestinian killed, 15 others wounded in Israel’s Gaza truce violations

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  The Israeli army’s renewed attacks in the Gaza Strip killed a Palestinian and injured 15 others on Sunday, medical sources told Anadolu. The attacks come despite a ceasefire deal that has been in place in the strip since Oct. 10, 2025, Anadolu reports. One Palestinian was killed and 10 others injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle in Al-Hawouz, central Gaza, south of Deir al-Balah, the sources said. Five others were wounded, including one in critical condition, when Israeli shelling targeted an individual passing near the Engineers Syndicate headquarters in northwest Gaza City, they added. Earlier on Sunday, Israeli artillery shelled eastern areas of the Al-Maghazi refugee camp and southern parts of the city of Khan Younis, according to

• 
  The US Primaries: What they reveal about November

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  Foreign policy is rarely the principal factor shaping how Americans vote in congressional primaries or midterm elections. The 2026 cycle, however, appears to be different, as crises abroad increasingly spill over into concerns at home. The issues emphasised by Republican and Democratic candidates, the results of the primaries and shifts in public opinion suggest that Iran and the Palestinian question have emerged as additional factors in the domestic political contest. Iran has entered the electoral calculus through the economic costs of the war and majority opposition to military action, while the Palestinian issue has gained salience amid a discernible shift in American attitudes towards Israel and the Palestinians. These developments could influence the outcome of November’s midterms, against a backdrop

• 
  Gaza residents face another winter amid shelter shortages, dwindling aid

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  Displaced Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip appealed on Saturday for tents, blankets and basic supplies ahead of winter, warning that shelter shortages and dwindling humanitarian aid could leave thousands exposed to rain, cold and strong winds, Anadolu reports. Dozens of displaced residents staged a protest in the Fash Farsh area in Khan Younis, urging international organizations and donors to provide shelter materials, food and essential supplies amid Israel’s blockade. “Our tents are torn and our stomachs are empty. Do not leave us to the unknown,” read one of the signs by protesters. Families said they fear a repeat of previous winters, when heavy rains flooded and damaged tents, leaving them exposed to harsh weather. Deaths, including of children, were

• 
  Serbian Orthodox Church says Christians in Palestine face persecution, discrimination

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  The Serbian Orthodox Church said on Saturday that Christians in Palestine face persecution and discrimination, warning against attempts to marginalize their historical presence, Anadolu reports. In a letter to Palestinian official Ramzi Khouri, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people, as well as concern on worsening conditions facing Christians and other residents in the region. The church said the community was facing “suffering, persecution and discrimination,” stressing that the suffering of civilians regardless of their faith or background was incompatible with human dignity. It urged the protection of Christian communities, noting that Christians have maintained a continuous presence in the region for more than 2,000 years and remain an integral part of its history and heritage. The church

• 
  Iran ready to ‘both fight and negotiate,’ says parliament speaker

  by Marwa A on October 4, 2026

  Iran’s parliament speaker said Sunday that Tehran is “neither excited nor intimidated” by the US’ actions, stressing that Iran is prepared to “both fight and negotiate,” Anadolu reports. “We are present in the military battlefield with all our strength and we will face them with new surprises, and we use the tools of diplomacy to establish our superiority in the military field and impose the rights of the Iranian people,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf told parliament, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. Noting that Washington conveyed some proposals through mediators after Tehran put forward a seven-day roadmap for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, he reiterated Iran’s position that the strait will not reopen “until our seven conditions based on the

• 
  Hundreds protest in Israel against Netanyahu’s push for judicial changes

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Hundreds of Israelis demonstrated at dozens of locations across northern and central Israel on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and its push for changes to the judiciary, Israeli media reported. Channel 12 said protests took place in Haifa, Nahariya, and Western Galilee. Demonstrators also gathered on several bridges in the coastal areas of Maagan Michael and Neurim in central Israel. Protesters chanted slogans against Netanyahu and his government and held signs blaming him for the failure to prevent the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, according to the channel. They also criticized the judicial changes being advanced by Netanyahu’s government. READ: US senator says AIPAC plans to spend $233M to defeat candidates critical of Netanyahu gov’t Since early 2023, the government

• 
  Hundreds protest Israeli attacks on Palestine, Lebanon in Stockholm

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Hundreds of people gathered at Odenplan Square in Stockholm on Saturday to protest Israeli attacks on Palestine and Lebanon, Anadolu reports. The demonstrators, responding to calls from several civil society organizations in the Swedish capital, condemned Israeli strikes in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon, as well as violations of ceasefire agreements. They carried banners reading “Children are being killed in Gaza,” “Schools and hospitals are being bombed,” “Stop the attacks on Lebanon,” “Doctors are not targets. Stop killing our doctors,” and “Give back to Palestinians their land, homes, properties and resources.” The protesters called for an immediate end to Israel’s attacks on Gaza and urged the Swedish government to stop arms sales to Israel. Swedish activist Hakan Larsson

• 
  Portugal investigates US use of Lajes Air Base ahead of Iran war

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Portugal’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an inquiry into the legality of US military use of Lajes Air Base ahead of its war against Iran, according to media reports. The inquiry follows a complaint filed by the Left Bloc in April, which called for an investigation into whether the use of the base violated domestic and international law, broadcaster RTP reported Friday. The party then asked the Attorney General’s Office to investigate whether the use of the base complied with the law, arguing from the outset that it constituted a “gross violation of International Law.” The coordinator of the Left Bloc, Joss Manuel Pureza, stated at the time that “either the Government” was “in agreement with the gross violation of

• 
  Israeli occupiers injure 16 Palestinians, burn 55 olive trees in West Bank attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  At least 16 Palestinians, including a woman, were injured and 55 olive trees were burned Saturday in attacks by Israeli occupiers on olive harvesters across the occupied West Bank, according to medical and local sources, Anadolu reports. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said five Palestinians were beaten by occupiers while picking up olives in a field in Sebastia, north of Nablus. The society also said three Palestinians were injured in an occupier assault in Asira al-Qibliya, south of Nablus, while two others were injured after being sprayed with pepper spray in nearby Beit Imrin. A farmer also suffered bruises after occupiers attacked him while he was harvesting olives in Arrabuna, east of Jenin, the same source said. In Rantis, northwest

• 
  Dual UK-Iranian national arrested over suspected RAF Fairford plot released on bail

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  A 25-year-old dual British-Iranian national arrested earlier this week as part of an investigation into a suspected plot involving Royal Air Force Fairford has been released on bail, police said Saturday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Counter Terrorism Policing said the suspect was arrested in Westminster on Thursday “on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.” It said the suspect has been released on bail, adding that searches of two properties in the same area have concluded. “The investigation into the circumstances surrounding events in Gloucestershire is continuing,” the statement said. The arrest came after five UK nationals in their mid-20s were previously detained on suspicion of explosives offenses and terrorism. READ: UK government

• 
  Around 5,600 children among 22,000 Gaza patients awaiting medical evacuation, official says

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  About 5,600 children in Gaza are among approximately 22,000 patients awaiting urgent medical evacuation abroad, according to a senior hospital official, Anadolu reports. Dr. Ahmed Al-Farra, director of the Children’s and Maternity Building at Nasser Medical Complex, said ongoing delays and border crossing closures have left critically ill and injured patients without access to essential life-saving treatment outside the enclave. Al-Farra reported that two to three patients die daily while waiting for transfer approvals. He called on the United Nations and international organizations to facilitate the immediate reopening of border crossings to allow medical evacuations. READ: Displaced Palestinians in Gaza call for humanitarian aid as winter approaches The Israeli army has killed more than 1,400 Palestinians and wounded over 5,000 others

• 
  Displaced Palestinians in Gaza call for humanitarian aid as winter approaches

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip staged a protest on Saturday, calling for urgent humanitarian assistance as aid supplies dwindle and winter approaches, Anadolu reports. Protesters called on international organizations and donors to provide tents, shelter materials, food, clean water, hygiene supplies and heating equipment. Displaced Palestinian Iyad al-Shair said many tents in Rafah and Khan Younis provide inadequate protection from cold, rain and wind, while Ahmad al-Najjar said thousands of displaced families are facing shortages of shelter, food and hygiene supplies. READ: Funeral ceremony for two Palestinian Christians after an Israeli attack in Gaza

• 
  Egyptian president rejects use of Nile water for political gains, urges peaceful solutions to African crises

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday rejected the use of the Nile water for political gains and called for peaceful solutions to Africa’s conflicts, amid escalating tensions with Ethiopia, Anadolu reports. Sisi made the remarks during a meeting with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union chairperson, on the sidelines of the Alamein Africa Forum in New Alamein city in northern Egypt, according to a presidency statement. The Egyptian president reaffirmed his country’s commitment to coordinating with Burundi and supporting the African Union’s role in resolving conflicts and crises through peaceful means. “Such efforts would help strengthen stability and fulfill African peoples’ aspirations for development and prosperity,” he said. READ: Egypt denies any role in Ethiopian conflict The two

• 
  Houthis claim Saudi airstrikes targeted Sanaa, telecom network in Yemen

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  The Houthi group claimed Saturday that Saudi airstrikes targeted the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and the northern Saada province amid escalation in the Arab country, Anadolu reports. In a post on the US social media company X, the group’s Al-Masirah TV said Saudi aircraft fired missiles at a telecommunications network in Saqain district in Saada as well as Maran in the same province. Meanwhile, the independent Al-Masdar Online website reported hearing the sounds of eight explosions resulting from airstrikes on sites inside Sanaa, accompanied by the sound of aircraft flying overhead. No details were provided about injuries or damage. There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities or the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government regarding the Houthi claims. READ: Yemeni

• 
  Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem mourns 2 Christian women killed by Israel in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, on Saturday mourned two Palestinian Christian women killed by Israel in an airstrike on Gaza City, Anadolu reports. The Israeli army struck an apartment in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, killing five people, including a Christian mother and her daughter, and injuring several others, medical sources told Anadolu. Pizzaballa expressed “deep sorrow and grief” over the death of the two Christian women and offered his condolences to their families. He said a funeral service will take place at 12:00 local time (09:00 GMT) on Saturday at the Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza City. READ: Israeli opposition leader says young Israelis backed killing ‘everyone’ in Gaza Earlier Saturday, Porphyrios Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza

• 
  Egyptian president calls for peaceful solutions to conflicts in Africa

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called Saturday for prioritizing peaceful solutions to conflicts and crises in Africa, supporting state institutions and respecting state sovereignty, Anadolu reports. ​​​​​​​“Economic development cannot be built in unstable countries, and stability is not a luxury but a fundamental pillar sought by investors, manufacturers and farmers so they can operate in a safe environment,” Sisi said in his opening speech at the Alamein Africa Forum that opened on Friday in the northern Egyptian city of New Alamein. “Across our African continent, we fully understand that security begins with supporting the national state and its institutions, respecting its unity and sovereignty, prioritizing peaceful solutions to conflicts and crises, and upholding the principle of good neighborliness,” he added.

• 
  Funeral ceremony for two Palestinian Christians after an Israeli attack in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  WATCH: Gaza holds funeral for 100 Palestinians recovered from rubble of destroyed homes

• 
  What Indonesia’s new foreign minister must do in the Middle East

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  On October 1, President Prabowo Subianto named Arrmanatha Nasir as Indonesia’s new foreign minister. Unlike Sugiono, the politician he replaces, Arrmanatha is a career diplomat who once served as Indonesia’s ambassador to the United Nations. Analysts have said the foreign ministry was pushed aside in recent years while the president made most decisions himself. Many now hope the ministry will have a stronger voice again. One of the first places to use that voice is the Middle East and North Africa, the region from Morocco to Iran. Indonesians are tied to it through faith, work, trade and energy, and almost all of these ties are now under strain. Here are six things the new minister should do. First, he should

• 
  Egypt denies any role in Ethiopian conflict

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Egypt denied any role on Saturday in the escalating conflict in northern Ethiopia, Anadolu reports. “The current crisis in Ethiopia is an internal one with which Egypt has no role, and that one should not be swayed by attempts to divert attention from the true internal motives behind the events unfolding in Ethiopia,” Egypt’s state news agency MENA said, citing an official source. The source expressed surprise at Thursday’s statement by the African Union Commission that called on Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from actions or statements that could worsen tensions and undermine regional peace and stability. READ: Egyptian irrigation minister: Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is illegitimate Cairo “views the statement as an inexplicable attempt to

• 
  Israel’s ongoing truce violations kill 5 in Gaza Strip

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  The Israeli army killed five Palestinians and wounded six others in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in Tel Aviv’s continuing violations of a ceasefire in place since October 2025, Anadolu reports. Four women, including two Christians, and a young man were among the victims of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a residential apartment in western Gaza City, a medical source at Al-Shifa Hospital told Anadolu. Local sources and eyewitnesses also said that Israeli warplanes launched at least two missiles at an apartment in the Asala residential building early Saturday, destroying the targeted apartment and causing extensive damage to neighboring homes. A fire also broke out as a result of the bombardment. READ: Large volumes of medical supplies for Gaza face wait

• 
  Yemeni army carries out 71 operations against Houthi positions in country’s southwest

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  The Yemeni army announced on Saturday that it had carried out 71 operations targeting Houthi positions in Yemen’s southwestern province of Taiz, Anadolu reports. “Our armed forces carried out 71 precise targeting operations against combat gatherings, military buildups, and reinforcements belonging to the terrorist Houthi militia” in Taiz, army spokesman Col. Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili said in a statement on US social media company X. Al-Nuzaili said the operations focused on the areas of al-Aqrood, Sama’, al-Ahkum, al-Akboush, Jabal Rasin, Jabal Jardad, Bani Omar, Bani Bakari, al-Kaawash, and al-Athawir. The operations “resulted in the destruction of a number of hostile transport and support vehicles, the neutralization of militia members, and the stripping of their formations of the ability to continue fighting,”

• 
  US Muslim group urges White House, Congress to demand release of American teen held by Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on Friday called on the White House and Congress to demand the release of Abdalkareem Issa Ahmed Safi, an American teenager held in an Israeli prison for nearly four months without charge, Anadolu reports. “It should be unacceptable to the White House and Congress for the Israeli government to continue kidnapping Americans and disappearing them into prisons known for torture, all without any criminal charges or other due process,” Nihad Awad, CAIR’s national executive director, said in a statement. “The Trump administration has a legal and moral obligation to protect American citizens overseas, especially from rogue governments funded by American taxpayer dollars,” he added. Awad urged Congress “to exercise its oversight authority and demand

• 
  Why Afghanistan is becoming a pressure point for Pakistan’s Middle East ambitions

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  When Russia convenes the Moscow Format on 5 October, the worsening confrontation between Pakistan and the Taliban will be among the issues on the table. Moscow says it hopes to encourage a “reasonable compromise”, bringing Afghanistan and Pakistan together with China, India, Iran, Russia and the Central Asian states. The immediate dispute concerns Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). But its significance is becoming larger than another Afghanistan–Pakistan crisis. Islamabad is undergoing two strategic transformations simultaneously: Taliban-controlled Afghanistan has become a growing source of insecurity on Pakistan’s western frontier, while Pakistan itself is becoming more consequential farther west through its expanding defence relationship with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. The two developments were not caused by one another. Increasingly, however, they act upon the

• 
  US senator says AIPAC plans to spend $233M to defeat candidates critical of Netanyahu gov’t

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is set to spend $233 million to defeat candidates in this fall’s congressional midterm elections who speak out against the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warned US Senator Bernie Sanders, Anadolu reports. The top pro-Israel lobbying firm in the US “plans to spend $233 million to defeat candidates who dare to speak out against Netanyahu’s extremist government,” Sanders said on US social media platform X on Friday. “They spent $33 million to defeat Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan primary. They lost. They are going to keep losing,” he said. El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate in this year’s senatorial race in the state of Michigan, strongly opposes unconditional US military aid for Israel

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

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Retired Col. Bill Keegan: How Are The Two Antagonist Using Time?

• 
  Trump’s national security team holds unannounced Camp David talks on Iran war, Yemen: Axios

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  US President Donald Trump’s senior national security officials gathered on Friday at Camp David for closed-door discussions on the Iran war and the Saudi-Houthi conflict in Yemen, Axios reported. Citing three American officials, Axios said Vice President JD Vance presided over the undisclosed meeting, which ran for hours. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, special envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA chief John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine also took part. One official said issues were settled or discussed at length. READ: Trump willing to offer Iran sanctions relief for nuclear progress: Reports With talks stalled, Trump is weighing a return to large-scale combat operations against Iran. The Pentagon, according to the Wall Street Journal, is preparing

• 
  30 Palestinians killed in Israeli occupier attacks in West Bank since start of 2026

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Thirty Palestinians have been killed in attacks by Israeli occupiers across the occupied West Bank since the beginning of 2026, official Palestinian figures showed on Friday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said the number of Palestinians killed by occupiers had reached 30 as of Oct. 2, exceeding the annual toll recorded in any year since 2022. The 2026 toll, with the year still ongoing, is already more than double the total for all of 2025, an increase of around 114%, it said. The commission described the figures as “a dangerous escalation in the deadly consequences of attacks by occupiers.” According to the commission, the deaths were heavily concentrated in the Ramallah and Al-Bireh

• 
  Former Israeli premier accuses Netanyahu of preparing ground for war that could delay elections

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Former Israeli Premier Ehud Barak accused on Friday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “laying the groundwork” for a war that could delay the general elections on Oct. 27. “Netanyahu is preparing the infrastructure to go to war in a way that would postpone the elections,” Barak told Channel 12. Barak sharply criticized Netanyahu, saying he “lies as he breathes, as he eats French fries, and as he leaves a restaurant without paying.” Barak said “we must do everything to remove him from power on Oct. 27, once and for all.” His remarks come amid an intensifying domestic debate about the use of security issues in the election campaign. Netanyahu warned earlier this week that Israel could face attacks ahead of

• 
  US senator urges Congress to cut off funding for Iran war

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  US Sen. Chris Van Hollen said on Friday that President Donald Trump is preparing to expand the country’s military presence in the Middle East, accusing the administration of concealing service member casualties and pursuing an “illegal war of choice” in Iran, Anadolu reports. “The President, who continues to hide service member casualties, is now sending up to another 10,000 troops to his illegal war of choice in Iran,” Van Hollen wrote on US social media company X. “When Trump says he’s planning on renewing his war next month, believe him. Congress must cut off funding.” The remarks came after reports said the Pentagon is preparing to deploy a third aircraft carrier strike group and additional Marine Corps ships to the

• 
  Israeli minister says entire West Bank ‘belongs to Israel,’ threatens to dismantle Palestinian Authority

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir claimed that all three administrative areas of the occupied West Bank “belong to Israel,” contradicting arrangements established under the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, Anadolu reports. Under the 1995 Oslo II Accord, the West Bank was divided into Areas A, B and C. Area A is under full Palestinian control, Area B is under Palestinian civilian and Israeli security control. Area C, which accounts for around 60% of the territory, is under full Israeli control. “There is no difference between Areas A, B and C. The entire land is ours. This is our country,” Ben-Gvir told Israel’s right-wing Channel 14 on Thursday. Ben-Gvir also threatened to dismantle the Palestinian Authority,

• 
  Israel’s ‘arbitrary’ checkpoints ‘choking’ Palestinian life in West Bank: UN special rapporteur

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  Israel’s growing network of checkpoints and road barriers in the occupied West Bank is increasingly restricting the daily lives of Palestinians and dividing the territory, a UN special rapporteur said on Friday, Anadolu reports. “Arbitrariness itself becomes a form of torment when every journey, every appointment and every family visit depends on whether a gate is open or a soldier allows passage,” Francesca Albanese, special rapporteur on the situation of occupied Palestinian territories, said in a statement. UN figures cited in the statement found that 925 checkpoints and other movement obstacles were in place in West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as of December 2025, affecting the movement of 3.4 million Palestinians. That was the highest number documented in two decades,

• 
  Ending the war requires accepting Iran in the Middle East

  by Mehdi Editor on October 3, 2026

  The hardest question about ending the war with Iran belongs in Washington. What place can Iran occupy after the fighting stops? A country left economically excluded, unable to rebuild and exposed to renewed attack has little reason to regard a ceasefire as a durable ending. The war cannot be politically settled while Iranian recovery remains an unacceptable outcome. The latest diplomacy leaves that question unresolved. Tehran has received US feedback, through Qatar, on a seven-day trust-building proposal. Yet on 1 October, the US Treasury expanded sanctions against Iran’s automotive and rail sectors, alongside manufacturing and steel networks. Talks about ending the confrontation are proceeding alongside measures that further restrict Iran’s capacity to sustain its economy. Behind this tension lies a

• 
  Türkiye denounces Houthi strike on infrastructure serving Prophet’s Mosque

  by Marwa A on October 2, 2026

  Türkiye’s Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran on Friday condemned the attack by Yemen’s Houthi group targeting the civilian infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia, Anadolu reports. “Any attack targeting the sanctity, peace, and security of the Two Holy Mosques is an unacceptable affront directed at the shared sensitivities of the entire Islamic world,” Duran said on US social media company X. He expressed hope that such attacks, which threaten peace and stability in the region, will come to an end as soon as possible. “Under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Türkiye will continue to stand by Saudi Arabia,” Duran added. READ: Saudi security detains man after false claims of suicide bombing at Mecca Grand

• 
  UAE warns UK over potential fallout from Manchester City sanctions: Report

  by Marwa A on October 2, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates has warned the UK government that sanctions facing Manchester City could affect its interest in future major investments in Britain, Bloomberg reported Friday, Anadolu reports. Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City was found guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules following a four-year investigation. An independent commission’s findings, published Sept. 29, said the club artificially inflated its financial results by more than £900 million ($1.1 billion) and used “sham contracts.” Manchester City has denied wrongdoing. The dispute has also prompted calls from UK lawmakers and tax experts for further scrutiny. They said the club could owe more than £20 million and potentially face a criminal investigation. According to Bloomberg, British government

• 
  Israeli forces detain 2 Syrians during incursion into southern Syrian village

  by Marwa A on October 2, 2026

  Israeli forces detained two Syrians during an incursion into Maariya village in the western countryside of Daraa province in southern Syria, later releasing one of them, according to Syrian Arab News Agency on Friday, Anadolu reports. An Israeli force comprising 12 military vehicles entered the village overnight through the northern road known as Wadi Road, coming from the direction of the plain, the news agency reported, citing local sources. The force entered several residential neighborhoods, raided and searched homes and detained two residents, the sources said. Israeli forces later released one of the detainees, while the fate of the other remains unknown, according to SANA. Syrian Alikhbariah TV had earlier reported that Israeli forces detained a young man during the

• 
  Iraq allows 40 daily flights by Iranian airlines to and from Najaf airport

  by Marwa A on October 2, 2026

  Iraq on Friday announced an agreement allowing Iranian airlines to operate up to 40 flights daily to and from Najaf International Airport, except for Mahan Air, the Iraqi News Agency reported, Anadolu reports. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi welcomed what he described as the US government’s positive response to Iraqi efforts and its cooperation in granting the requested exemption. Zaidi said the measure would facilitate travel, particularly for patients, religious pilgrims and tourists. “Air travel does not merely represent transportation between two airports, but rather a bridge of communication between peoples,” he said. He said Iraq conducts its foreign relations based on the interests of its people and seeks balanced and positive ties with different countries. The announcement came a

• 
  3 Palestinians killed, 4 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza despite ceasefire

  by Marwa A on October 2, 2026

  Three Palestinians were killed and four others, including a child, were injured Friday in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip amid continued violations of a ceasefire that took effect Oct. 10, 2025, Anadolu reports. In the latest attack, a Palestinian was killed in an Israeli drone strike targeting the courtyard of a residential home behind the Al-Razi Medical Complex in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Medical sources told Anadolu that the body of Ibrahim Abu Uwaimer was brought to Al-Awda Hospital in the camp following the strike. Earlier, a medical source told Anadolu that Ahmed al-Ramlawi was killed in an Israeli strike targeting a tent on the rooftop of a home near Palestine Stadium west of Gaza City.

• 
  Mecca pact strategic political defense committee to meet ‘soon’: Pakistan’s foreign minister

  by Marwa A on October 2, 2026

  Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Friday that the Strategic Political Defense Committee (SPDC) established under the joint defense pact between Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia will meet “soon” in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Anadolu reports. Dar said the committee has three members from each country – the foreign ministers, defense ministers and chiefs of General Staff. The three military chiefs met in Riyadh on Sept. 25 for a special meeting, while the foreign ministers met in New York on Sept. 24. “Very soon, a meeting of the whole SPDC … has been agreed to in principle, to take place in Riyadh,” Dar said amid Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Later, according to the daily Dawn, he said that the

• 
  Flydubai suspends Tel Aviv flights until further notice at authorities’ request: CEO

  by Marwa A on October 2, 2026

  Dubai-based carrier Flydubai temporarily suspended flights to Tel Aviv at the request of authorities following this week’s cockpit incident aboard one of its aircraft, the airline’s chief executive said Friday, Anadolu reports. “At the request of the authorities, we have temporarily suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice,” CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said in a statement carried by the Dubai Media Office. He said the airline’s teams are working to assist passengers affected by the suspension and help them reach their final destinations. Al Ghaith also provided an update on flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Sept. 30 when it was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following a “safety incident in the flight deck.”

• 
  Over 11,400 Israeli occupiers storm Al-Aqsa during Jewish holiday season

  by Mehdi Editor on October 2, 2026

  A total of 11,409 Israeli occupiers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem during the Jewish holiday season between Sept. 12 and Oct. 1, Palestinian authorities said Friday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Jerusalem Governorate said the figure covered incursions from the start of the holiday season through Thursday. It said 593 occupiers entered the mosque compound on Sept. 13 after it was closed to incursions the previous day, a Saturday. Another 1,678 occupiers entered on Sept. 20 and 21, including 992 on the first day and 686 on the second, according to the statement. The governorate said 9,138 occupiers entered the compound during the first five days of “Sukkot,” from Sept. 27 to Oct. 1. It said incursions

• 
  From Barakah to Masdar: The architecture of the UAE’s new energy leverage

  by Mehdi Editor on October 2, 2026

  For decades, the United Arab Emirates’ energy standing was measured primarily by its capacity to produce and export oil. That baseline remains vital, but it no longer captures the multi-layered character of Abu Dhabi’s evolving energy strategy. ADNOC still plans to raise crude production capacity to five million barrels per day by 2027, while the country is simultaneously expanding nuclear generation, LNG, overseas renewables and the electricity infrastructure required by an increasingly digital economy. Rather than marking a conventional transition away from hydrocarbons, this strategy is widening the range of assets through which Abu Dhabi can exercise energy leverage. Oil remains the foundation, while technology, capital and cross-border infrastructure are being layered onto it. Barakah and the 24/7 Electricity Economy

• 
  Around 79,000 children displaced in western Yemen in less than a month: UNICEF

  by Mehdi Editor on October 2, 2026

  Around 79,000 children have been displaced in western Yemen in less than a month amid escalating fighting between government forces and the Houthis, UNICEF said late Thursday, Anadolu reports. “Across western Yemen, renewed hostilities and shifting frontlines have deepened an already devastating humanitarian crisis,” the UN children’s agency said in a report. It said fighting in Taiz and Al Hudaydah provinces, the western coast and surrounding areas have forced families to flee once again, leaving behind their homes, belongings and livelihoods. “Between 3 September – 30 September, more than 145,000 people have been displaced, including an estimated 79,000 children,” UNICEF said. The agency warned that the latest escalation comes amid an already severe humanitarian situation in a country where needs

• 
  Top UAE adviser calls flydubai cockpit incident ‘terrorist act’

  by Mehdi Editor on October 2, 2026

  UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash on Friday described an incident aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv as a “terrorist act,” praising the captain for his actions during the emergency, Anadolu reports. “Indian captain Smit Machchhar deserves every appreciation,” Gargash said on US social media platform X, describing him as a “true hero.” “In confronting a serious terrorist act and a potential disaster, he embodied the true meaning of courage and responsibility,” Gargash said. He also praised the pilot’s professionalism and “moral sense in the darkest circumstances.” READ: Israel’s airline El Al cancels Dubai evacuation flights after UAE withdraws landing permits Flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was granted permission to make an emergency