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

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  Growing international pressure puts Israel under diplomatic strain: Israeli media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Israel is facing mounting diplomatic pressure from several of its traditional partners over its policies in the occupied Palestinian territories and military actions in the region, with Israeli media describing the country’s international standing as increasingly strained. Israeli news outlet Ynet reported Friday that a series of statements and measures from Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany and other countries in recent days had highlighted Israel’s growing international isolation, particularly in its relations with Europe. The report pointed to criticism over Israel’s settlement plans in the occupied West Bank, its decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into the killing of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in Gaza, and its latest military action in Syria. Six European countries condemned Israel’s

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  Gaza ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ undermining support even in ‘pro-Israel’ nations: Poland

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and the failure to ensure accountability for the Israeli military’s “excessive use of force” were undermining public support even in nations supportive of Israel. “Partnership requires mutual respect,” Sikorski said Thursday on US social media company X. “The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, as well as the failure of accountability for IDF’s excessive use of force are undermining public support in even pro-Israel nations,” he added. His comments came as Poland’s Foreign Ministry expressed “great disappointment” over Israeli military authorities’ decision to discontinue proceedings into the April 1, 2024 shelling of a World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid convoy in the Gaza Strip that killed Polish citizen Damian Sobol. READ: UN: 94

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  Iraqi president says some oil tankers being facilitated through Strait of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Iraq’s President Nizar Amidi said Saturday that some vessels carrying Iraqi oil are being facilitated through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that developments in the strategic waterway affect not only Iraq but the entire world, Anadolu reports. Speaking during the eighth Baghdad Dialogue conference in the Iraqi capital, Amidi said Iraq faces difficulties transporting its oil due to the absence of a national tanker fleet, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). “There is facilitation for some ships carrying Iraqi oil in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, without elaborating. Amidi stressed that developments in the strait have repercussions beyond Iraq. “The Strait of Hormuz has an impact on the entire world, not just Iraq,” he said. The Iraqi president

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  Iran claims health of pilots allegedly held in Qatar is deteriorating

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  An Iranian military official claimed Saturday that the health of Iranian pilots whom Tehran says are being held in Qatar is deteriorating, despite Doha’s denial that it has detained them, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency. Mohammad Bagherzadeh, commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff, claimed that the pilots are being held “on the water” in conditions unsuitable for maintaining their health, Fars said. “The physical condition of the Iranian pilots in Qatar is not good,” Bagherzadeh claimed. He called on the Qatari government to transfer the pilots “as soon as possible” to land and to a properly equipped hospital. READ: Iran asks Qatar to allow military team to investigate fate

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  The Foundations of Zionism

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  A witness to the 1948 Nakba in the village of Fassouta in the Galilee at the age of 10, and one of 160,000 Palestinians who remained, Palestinian author and researcher Sabri Jiryis later became involved al-Ard which sought the return of Palestinians and their land. Expelled to Safad after attempting to run for the 1965 Knesset elections, Jiryis started reading about the Zionist movement. It was while working in Lebanon at the Palestinian Research Centre that Jiryis turned his attention to researching the Zionist movement; this time with the realisation that Palestinians with no knowledge of Hebrew had no way of learning about the colonial ideology that dispossessed them. The Foundations of Zionism (Ebb Books, 2025), translated to English by

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  Israeli premier turns to anti-Turkiye campaign as polls show Likud losing ground

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is running his election campaign on anti-Turkiye rhetoric after being forced under US pressure to stop attacks on Iran and Lebanon, Anadolu reports. Netanyahu, whose name has been linked to corruption allegations and whose party has fallen in public opinion polls, has long sought to avoid prison. He became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial for corruption. Netanyahu, the architect of the genocide in the Gaza Strip and responsible for the deaths of more than 73,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, has been criticized even in Israel for “setting the region on fire to protect his seat.” The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on Nov. 21, 2024,

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  Iraq says Sept. 30 coalition withdrawal will mark ‘historic transformation

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Iraq said Saturday that the Sept. 30 withdrawal of international coalition forces will represent a “strategic milestone and historic transformation” for the country, Anadolu reports. Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, said the date would mark “the culmination of a long period of sacrifices and a major shift in Iraq’s sovereignty and stability,” according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). “The selection of this date for the withdrawal of coalition forces and the end of their mission was not an arbitrary decision,” al-Numan said. He said the decision was based on the readiness of Iraq’s armed forces and security agencies, which he said had demonstrated their ability to control territory, counter threats and manage the country’s

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  Kuwait, US review joint cooperation at annual military committee meeting

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Kuwait and the US held the annual meeting of their Joint Military Committee (JMC) at the Pentagon to review joint cooperation, the Kuwaiti military said Saturday, Anadolu reports. The meeting was co-chaired by Kuwaiti Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Khaled Daraj Saad Al-Shuraian and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Middle East and Central Asia Michael DiMino, the army added in a statement. The two sides held a series of workshops during the meeting and reviewed joint cooperation in maintenance and training. They also signed a memorandum of understanding on a strategic partnership with the Maryland National Guard, the statement said. Al-Shuraian was accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior Kuwaiti Army officers, the statement said. In a separate

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  US says intelligence behind Israeli strike on Syria air base was wrong

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  US Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack said Saturday intelligence behind an Israeli attack on a military air base in northern Syria was wrong, Anadolu reports. Barrack, who also serves as special envoy for Syria and Iraq, commented on Israel’s airstrike on the abandoned Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base in eastern Idlib province. Barrack said on social media that he did not know why the attack was carried out, but could share the answers given to him. He said Israel had received intelligence that Turkiye might be moving military assets to the air base in Syria and shared the information with Washington. The US investigated the intelligence, Barrack said. “We consulted our intelligence agencies, and the answer we received was that this

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  Pro-Palestine protesters hold demonstration outside Israeli Consulate in New York

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Protesters gathered outside the Israeli Consulate in New York City on Friday, with some anti-Zionist activists detained by police for disrupting traffic, Anadolu reports. Demonstrators gathered on Second Avenue in Manhattan’s Midtown area, where police detained several protesters as the demonstration disrupted traffic. Since the ceasefire deal was signed last October, the area occupied by Israeli forces in Gaza has increased from 53 percent to 70 percent, according to Israeli officials. More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed across the coastal enclave, mostly women and children, since Israel launched its war in October 2023. READ: UK, Australia, Canada call Israel’s decision to close World Central Kitchen strike probe ‘shameful’

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  Exonerating murder: The IDF and the World Central Kitchen killings

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Being a resident in Gaza has proved lethal not merely for civilians eking out a wretched existence.  Mortality rates among journalists, medical staff, and aid workers have been egregiously high since Israel’s military opened its account after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.  (In truth, Israel’s account regarding striking, bombing and embargoing this little strip of territory has been open for decades.)  The regularity of killings, largely at the hands of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), negatives the claim that there isn’t a policy or approach in place that forgoes the rigours of international humanitarian law in favour of murderous resolution.  The IDF, and its foam flecked supporters, always insist that international law is something observed, though no one

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  Trump says Iran still not ready for ‘right deal’ amid tightening economic pressure

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Friday he still believes Iran was not ready to make “the right deal” with Washington as tightening economic measures have been deployed against Tehran, Anadolu reports. “They would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One for a trip to the state of South Carolina to attend a rally. Denying that the escalation of economic measures meant military options available to the US were limited, Trump said Washington intended to see “what happens” in terms of their effect on the already-strained Iranian economy after nearly six months of war with the US. “They have no money, they have no

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  Iran says new US sanctions violate sovereignty of other states

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Iran on Saturday condemned new US economic sanctions against Tehran, arguing that Washington’s use of secondary sanctions violates the sovereignty of other countries and international law, Anadolu reports. “The United States’ declaration of new economic sanctions on Iran is far more than continued unlawful ‘economic warfare’ against a single country,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on US social media company X. “It is an assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent Member State of the United Nations,” he added. Baghaei argued that no country can lawfully force foreign banks, companies or airports under the jurisdiction of other sovereign states to stop lawful trade with a third country. He said secondary sanctions have “no foundation in international law,” arguing that they

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  Fatah, Hamas set to meet in Cairo next week to resume Palestinian dialogue: Sources

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  The Palestinian Fatah and Hamas groups are preparing to hold a meeting in Cairo next week to resume national dialogue and discuss challenges facing the Palestinian cause, Palestinian sources familiar with the matter told Anadolu Agency on Friday. Delegations from the two groups are preparing for the meeting, which is expected to take place Monday following months of contacts aimed at reviving dialogue, said sources. The planned meeting comes days after Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Khalil al-Hayya led a delegation to Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials and meetings with representatives of Palestinian factions on developments concerning the Palestinian cause. Sources said the talks come amid challenges affecting the broader Palestinian political system and the Palestinian cause, as efforts are

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  Israeli forces used phosphorus shells in southern Lebanon, reports Lebanese media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Israeli forces used phosphorus shells and carried out airstrikes and heavy artillery fire across several areas of southern Lebanon overnight and early Saturday, Lebanese state media reported, Anadolu reports. Heavy Israeli artillery shelling targeted the town of Mansouri, the vicinity of Bayt al-Sayyad and the outskirts of Majdal Zoun early Saturday, according to National News Agency (NNA). Israeli forces also carried out extensive explosions overnight in Mansouri, Majdal Zoun and Bayt al-Sayyad, the agency said. NNA reported that homes in Bayt al-Sayyad had been extensively destroyed, saying that no house in the town had been left undamaged. READ: Israel preventing foreign support for Lebanese army, deputy PM says Similar explosions were reported in the towns of Hadatha, Beit Yahoun and Aita al-Jabal,

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  Lebanon’s president urges Italian premier to pressure Israel to uphold framework agreement

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday to pressure Israel to implement a framework agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv, which was reached under US auspices, Anadolu reports. Aoun made the remarks during a meeting with Meloni in Rome on the second day of his visit, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency. The two leaders discussed Lebanese-Italian relations and ways to develop cooperation across various fields, as well as regional developments, according to the statement. They also discussed the situation in Lebanon, particularly in the south, amid continued Israeli attacks and the need to pressure Israel to comply with the framework agreement. Aoun thanked Meloni for hosting the negotiations in Italy and for Rome’s

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  Israeli security officials warn Netanyahu risks ‘unnecessary’ escalation with Turkiye: Israeli media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Several Israeli security officials warned that attacks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz against Turkiye could lead to an “unnecessary” escalation, according to Israeli media on Friday. The warning came as the Netanyahu government intensified its rhetoric against Ankara ahead of Knesset elections scheduled for Oct. 27, according to Channel 12. According to the broadcaster, several security officials prefer not to push the dispute with Turkiye toward a broader public confrontation. Netanyahu and his Likud party have increasingly brought Turkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan into their election rhetoric and campaigning. READ: Turkiye seeks Interpol red notice for Netanyahu over Gaza aid flotilla case The Channel 12 said that the Israeli military had pushed for an

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  European Commission, 7 more countries join call for Israel to retract E1 settlement plans

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  The European Commission and seven additional countries on Friday joined a call for Israel to immediately retract its plans for the E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, a day after the statement was initially issued by the leaders of seven Western countries, Anadolu reports. Greece, Austria, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and Belgium joined the statement, which was originally issued Thursday by the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Norway. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen separately described Israel’s decision to publish construction tenders for the project as “unacceptable,” warning that it could undermine prospects for a two-state solution. “The Israeli Government’s decision to publish construction tenders for the E1 settlement project is

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  Iranian army says its military doctrine shifting from ‘defensive to offensive’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  The Iranian army said Saturday that its military doctrine is shifting from a “defensive to an offensive” posture, citing lessons from the country’s recent wars, Anadolu reports. Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia, spokesman for the Iranian army, told state news agency IRNA that the shift had gradually taken place during what he described as the 12-day and 40-day wars. “Our country’s military doctrine was defensive in the past, but gradually during these two wars, we witnessed the military doctrine moving from a defensive posture toward an offensive one,” Akraminia said. He stressed that an offensive doctrine does not necessarily mean conducting preemptive operations, but said Iran had adopted such an approach at one point during the war by striking a US base

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  Has US strategy towards the Middle East changed after the war?

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  In recent days, major US and international media outlets, including The Washington Post, Sky News and The Wall Street Journal, have focused on Washington’s reassessment of its military footprint in the Middle East after the Iran war, while Turkey’s Anadolu Agency has closely followed these reports. Reports by these outlets have discussed reviews being conducted by the US Department of War concerning the redeployment of forces in the Middle East, reductions in the US military presence there, and the absence of plans to rebuild bases that were damaged. These reports attribute this undertaking  to the extensive damage sustained by US bases during the war and argue that their presence exposed the vulnerability of the model of large fixed bases located

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  Turkiye slams Israeli Prime Minister’s Office over remarks targeting President Erdogan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Turkiye on Friday strongly rejected remarks by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, describing them as devoid of “historical facts and political seriousness,” Anadolu reports. “The insolent rants of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office targeting our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which are devoid of historical facts and political seriousness, are yet another indication of the helplessness of an administration seeking to evade accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Turkiye’s Communications Directorate said in a statement on Turkish social media company NSosyal. The directorate said what it called the “cheap politics” of Netanyahu and his associates, aimed in part at gaining an advantage in elections, had no standing in Israeli society, the region, the international

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  Israel preventing foreign support for Lebanese army, deputy PM says

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Israel is preventing several countries from providing support to the Lebanese army as the latter deploys in parts of southern Lebanon in line with a US-backed framework agreement signed in June between Lebanon and Israel, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said Friday, Anadolu reports. “Several countries have expressed their readiness to help the Lebanese army as it enters the pilot areas in the south, but Israel is objecting to this,” Mitri said, according to the Lebanese National News Agency. “Pilot areas” refer to parts of southern Lebanon where security arrangements are being made in line with the framework agreement, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces to make way for the deployment of Lebanese troops. Mitri also decried what he described

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  Palestine Action ‘Barclays five’ won’t face terrorism sentences, UK judge rules

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Five members of the Palestine Action group convicted over an attack on a Barclays Bank that caused damage of £200,000 ($280,000) will not be sentenced under terrorism provisions, a judge ruled Friday, Anadolu reports. The five defendants, known as the “Barclays five,” were convicted over the Aug. 5, 2024, attack on the bank’s St James’s Street branch in Burnley, Lancashire. The defendants said the action was intended to pressure Barclays to withdraw financial support for Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems, according to a report by The Guardian. They said they did not know their cases could be considered under terrorism legislation until after their convictions. READ: UK Government condemns Israel’s launch of tender for the E1 settlement project Palestine Action was

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  Attacks on West Bank Palestinians by Israeli occupiers surge in 2026: Commission

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  At least 25 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed in attacks by Israeli occupiers since the beginning of the year, the highest figure since Palestinian authorities began recording the phenomenon in 2019, according to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, Anadolu reports. The commission said Friday that at least 87 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli occupiers in the period from Jan. 1, 2019 to Aug. 21, 2026. Last year, 14 West Bank Palestinians were killed by Israeli occupiers, while 11 were killed in 2024, according to the commission. Since Oct. 8, 2023, 61 Palestinians have been killed in attacks by occupiers, accounting for more than 70 percent of all deaths recorded since 2019, the commission said. The

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  Israeli escalations at Al-Aqsa Mosque won’t alter site’s Islamic character: Hamas

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Hamas said Friday that new Israeli measures at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, including the allowance of Jewish prayer books and organized public prayers inside the mosque compound, would “not succeed in altering the mosque’s Islamic identity,” Anadolu reports. The Palestinian group issued the statement on the 57th anniversary of a 1969 arson attack on the holy site, and days after Israeli police allowed Jewish prayer books to be brought into the mosque compound. “The [Israeli] occupation’s plans will not succeed in Judaizing the Al-Aqsa Mosque, changing its characteristics, erasing its identity, dividing it temporally or spatially, or legitimizing Talmudic rituals in its courtyards,” Hamas said. The group added that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s decision to allow Jewish prayer books into

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  Israeli occupier kills Palestinian teenager outside his home in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  An Israeli occupier shot and killed a 17-year-old Palestinian during an attack near his home in the southern occupied West Bank on Friday, according to his family and a medical source, Anadolu reports. A medical source at Al-Mizan Hospital in Hebron told Anadolu Agency that Karim Sanad Shalaldeh died from a gunshot wound sustained during the attack in the Hamroush area of Sa’ir, north of Hebron. His father, Sanad Shalaldeh, told Anadolu Agency that around 50 Israeli occupiers attacked the family home and that one of them shot his son at close range. “My son was standing in front of the house and did nothing. When he asked them to move away, one of them shot him in the chest

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  Israeli military receives 2nd US-made refueling aircraft out of 6 purchased

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  The Israeli military said Friday it had received the second of six US-made refueling aircraft set to arrive gradually, saying the planes would help extend the operational range of its air force, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the military said a ceremony was held Thursday at Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel to receive the second “Gideon” refueling and transport aircraft for the air force. “A Boeing KC-46 aircraft landed yesterday at Nevatim Airbase and joined the Gideon 46 refueling squadron,” the statement said. The aircraft is the second of six refueling planes purchased through the Israeli Defense Ministry’s procurement mission in the US for the air force, the military said. The aircraft is part of a broader effort by the

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  Turkiye seeks Interpol red notice for Netanyahu over Gaza aid flotilla case

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Turkiye has requested Interpol to issue a red notice for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of an ongoing prosecution over an attack on activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said Friday. In a statement posted on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Gurlek said judicial proceedings were continuing before Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court against 35 defendants, including Netanyahu and Afek Moskovitch, over the incident in international waters. He said arrest warrants issued for Netanyahu and Moskovitch on July 14, 2026, on charges of “genocide” prompted the Justice Ministry to ask the Interior Ministry to seek Interpol red notices for the two suspects. READ: Netanyahu: Israel sent ‘clear warning’ to Ankara,

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  UK, Australia, Canada call Israel’s decision to close World Central Kitchen strike probe ‘shameful’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  The UK, Australia and Canada on Friday called Israel’s decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into the deadly 2024 strike on a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy in Gaza “shameful.” In a joint statement, the foreign ministries of the three countries said they spent more than two years pressing Israel to swiftly and thoroughly examine the case and hold those responsible to account. “The announcement by the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) on 19 August 2026 that it would not pursue criminal investigations into this strike, without further explanation, is shameful,” the statement said. The statement noted that the announcement on World Humanitarian Day, when the world honored the courage and sacrifice of humanitarians, was “particularly egregious.” “This decision is

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  Iraq premier says working to expand oil exports via Turkiye, Syria, Jordan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Iraq is working to expand oil exports through Turkiye’s Ceyhan port and develop export routes via Syria’s Baniyas and Jordan’s Aqaba ports, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said on Friday, Iraqi News Agency reported. Speaking at the eighth Baghdad Dialogue conference, Zaidi said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz poses a “major challenge” for Iraq, and that the government is taking measures to maintain economic stability. Zaidi said Baghdad is also working to increase Iraq’s export quota through OPEC, and aims to raise oil exports to between 8 million and 10 million barrels per day within six years. READ: Iraq asks Iran for special consideration regarding oil exports via Strait of Hormuz On domestic security, the premier said all political forces

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  Iran’s president says war with US should end while Tehran is in position of ‘power, dignity’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday that the war with the US should be brought to an end while Iran is in a position of “power and dignity,” as he defended Tehran’s recent agreement with Washington, Anadolu reports. Speaking at an event, Pezeshkian said the outcome of the negotiations was a “major achievement” approved by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to a statement from the Iranian presidency. “What was achieved during the negotiations was a major accomplishment,” he said, adding that members of the council who were directly involved had firmly defended it. Pezeshkian described the recent agreement as “honorable and valuable,” rejecting criticism that Tehran had made concessions. “They cannot find even a single clause in this agreement

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  UN rapporteur says Israeli occupation, not only E1 plan, ‘must end’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese said on Friday that not only the controversial E1 settlement plan but Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories itself “must end,” urging states to cut trade with Tel Aviv, Anadolu reports. In a post on US social media platform X, Albanese said the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) 2024 advisory opinion made clear that “it’s the occupation itself — not just the E1 plans — that must end.” Albanese criticized continued Israeli attacks and occupier violence in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, saying Israeli soldiers and occupiers cut water pipes in the West Bank while the siege of Qusra continued. “In Gaza the pulverization continues and so the massacres,” she said. “Since the ceasefire Israel

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  More than 1,500 ships stuck in Strait of Hormuz may trigger global biological invasions

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  The marine organisms accumulating on the hulls of more than 1,500 ships stranded due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions between the US and Iran could be transported to different parts of the world once the vessels resume their voyages, potentially creating a global “super-spreader” effect for biological invasions, Anadolu reports. A study published in the journal Biological Invasions found that biofouling, consisting of marine microorganisms, algae, and invertebrates, can rapidly develop on the hulls of ships that remain stationary for extended periods. According to the study, more than 1,500 large commercial vessels have becomes stranded following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 28. The prolonged presence of these ships in the region

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  Qalibaf urges Tehran, Baghdad to use national currencies to ‘deal blow’ to US dollar

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf called on Tehran and Baghdad to conduct bilateral trade using their national currencies to “deal a blow” to the US dollar, Anadolu reports. Qalibaf made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian and Iraqi businesspeople at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad on Thursday, details of which were published Friday by ICANA, the news agency affiliated with Iranian parliament. “Today, we can conduct trade using national currencies and deal a blow to the US dollar,” Qalibaf said. He claimed the era of US dominance over the world has ended, but said Iran and Iraq have failed to sufficiently take advantage of emerging opportunities and continue to conduct trade using methods dating back 50 years. READ: Iraq

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  China urges negotiations over US Treasury chief’s ‘toughest sanctions’ against Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  China Friday reiterated its call for negotiations between the US and Iran to end the conflict, after the US Treasury secretary announced what they called the “toughest sanctions in history” against Tehran, Anadolu reports. “China always believes military actions, sanctioning, pressuring do not help solve the problem, it only builds up the tensions in the current situation,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing. He said such actions do “not fit interests of any party.” “We urge the relevant party to solve the current dispute through negotiations and dialogue,” Lin responded when asked about fresh US sanctions on Iran, which Tehran dubbed “economic terrorism.” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Thursday said Washington will impose the “toughest sanctions in

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  Iraq is negotiating away its militias’ guns. It is not negotiating away their impunity.

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  On 26 June, Faleh al-Fayyad, the chairman of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, inaugurated a new “Department of Human Rights” within the organization he leads. The announcement would be almost darkly comic if it weren’t so consequential. Washington designated Fayyad a human rights abuser years ago for his role in one of the bloodiest episodes in modern Iraqi history: the killing of more than 500 unarmed protesters during the 2019 Tishreen demonstrations, with thousands more wounded and hundreds detained illegally. The officer he installed to run the new department, Abu Muntadher al-Husseini, is accused by the same rights groups of helping carry out that violence. Seven years later, neither man has faced a courtroom. This is the backdrop against which Iraq’s

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  The strait that broke Washington’s illusion of control

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  When the United States and Israel opened their war on Iran on 28th February by assassinating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the calculation in Washington was simple: overwhelming force would force capitulation. Nearly six months later, that calculation lies in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz, where a tugboat sits sunk, a dozen seafarers are dead or missing, and a waterway that once carried a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade has become the clearest evidence yet that American military dominance does not translate automatically into political victory. Iran’s response to the assassination of its own supreme leader was not surrender. It was closure. Tehran shut the strait to foreign shipping, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that

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  Pakistan premier Sharif calls for enhanced cooperation with Syria, invites President al-Sharaa to visit

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called for expanded cooperation with Syria across multiple sectors and invited Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to visit the South Asian country as Islamabad seeks to strengthen ties with Damascus, Anadolu agency reported. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani met Sharif in Islamabad, where the Pakistani premier welcomed the Syrian delegation and conveyed his best wishes to President al-Sharaa, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, including its position on the Golan Heights. Recalling the longstanding ties between the two countries, Sharif called for stronger cooperation in politics, defence, trade, investment, education and human resource development. He also said restoring

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  US may ‘consider sanctions’ against Israeli settlers over Qusra violence

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Washington could consider sanctions against Israeli settlers involved in violence against Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, if they are found responsible for criminal acts. Speaking to Reuters on Thursday, Huckabee said those responsible should face accountability, following days of tensions in Qusra, south of Nablus, where settlers had surrounded several Palestinian homes. One of the affected properties belongs to Palestinian-American Luay Ridi. Huckabee had previously strongly condemned the settlers involved, describing them as “Israeli terrorists” and their actions as intended to intimidate and harass Palestinian residents. He also said the US Embassy had been directly involved in efforts to resolve the situation. The ambassador said Washington was “shocked”

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  A roadmap for Gaza and Palestine

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  The Palestinian people in Gaza are suffering from ongoing genocide in the form of a blockade, starvation, assassinations, and other atrocities. Nothing will stop the enemy from continuing this unless we play our cards right to impose whatever restrictions and conditions we can on them. Furthermore, merely condemning this reality will serve no purpose. What changes reality is not refusing it, but proposing and imposing an alternative to it. On the other hand, the debate surrounding the Palestinian Legislative Council elections centers on whether it is worthwhile to participate or to boycott them. However, elections are a tool in the hands of a political program, and it is noteworthy that no such program has been put forward for Gaza and

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  Israel FM invokes Balfour Declaration in rebuttal to UK criticism of West Bank settlement plans

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar rejected British criticism of Israeli settlement expansion on Thursday, asserting that the West Bank and Jerusalem form part of what he called the “Land of Israel” and that Jews have a right to live throughout the territory. Sa’ar was responding to British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who criticized the publication of tenders connected to the E1 settlement project and said Britain would not accept steps that destroy prospects for a two-state solution. The Israeli foreign minister described Miliband’s remarks as “condescending and biased,” arguing that Jews have the right to live throughout the “Land of Israel” in the same way that British citizens may live anywhere in the United Kingdom. Sa’ar also invoked the 1917

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  Yemen’s Houthis say they ‘successfully’ struck two Saudi targets with drones

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthis said Thursday that they had carried out two separate drone attacks targeting an Aramco facility and a “sensitive” target at the Najran airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia. In a social-media post, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had conducted two “military operations” with a pair of drones, adding that both operations had “successfully achieved their objectives.” “The first targeted a sensitive Saudi enemy target at Najran airport, while the second targeted Aramco Najran,” Saree claimed. The attacks, he added, came in response to an airspace violation by Saudi Arabia — allegedly involving the use of two drones — in Yemen’s northwestern Saada province. Riyadh has yet to respond to the spokesman’s claims. READ: Yemen’s Houthis claim to

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  Ennahda says detained Vice President Monther Ounissi has lost ability to speak

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  Tunisia’s opposition Ennahda Movement said on Thursday that its detained vice president, Monther Ounissi, has been unable to speak since 11th July, raising concerns about his health and prompting renewed calls for medical treatment and his release. In a statement published on Facebook, Ennahda said it was following Ounissi’s deteriorating condition with “grave concern” and called on authorities to provide him with appropriate medical care. There was no immediate response from Tunisia’s General Directorate of Prisons and Rehabilitation to the latest allegations. The prison authorities have previously rejected accusations of medical negligence or mistreatment, saying detainees receive regular medical monitoring. According to Ennahda, Ounissi lost his ability to speak after being informed of a court ruling against him in a

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  Egypt, Qatar renew call to uphold Trump’s plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  Egypt and Qatar on Thursday renewed their call for all concerned parties to honour their commitments under US President Donald Trump’s plan to end Israel’s genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu agency reported. The call came during a meeting in Egypt between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, according to the Egyptian presidency. The two sides stressed “the need for all parties to fulfil their commitments under US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Israeli war, in a way that consolidates stability and contributes to the swift launch of early recovery and reconstruction efforts.” The meeting also addressed regional developments, with Sisi stressing the importance of containing

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  Rowan Williams: Guardian of the soul in an era of commercialised faith

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  In an age when sacred beliefs are traded in the political marketplace and theology is weaponized as a cudgel to intimidate the other, Dr. Rowan Williams—former Archbishop of Canterbury and distinguished scholar—stands as an exceptional moral and human figure. He restores faith to its pure ethical essence, transforming belief into a vehicle for transcendence rather than a tool for coercion. Williams was never merely a high-ranking cleric occupying the pinnacle of the Anglican Church for a decade; he was, and remains, an unwavering moral compass whose intellect is bound strictly to his core principles. Few can forget his courageous opposition to then-Prime Minister Tony Blair during the rush to war in 2003, when Williams unequivocally denounced the invasion of Iraq

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  16 killed by heatstroke in Sudan’s Red Sea state

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  Sudan’s Red Sea state Health Ministry said on Thursday that 16 people have died from heatstroke, amid a sharp rise in cases as temperatures in the state have increased significantly in recent weeks. The Sudan Tribune website quoted the ministry’s Director-General, Ahlam Abdel Rasoul, as saying that 160 heatstroke cases have been recorded in the state, including 16 deaths. She said the ministry has taken precautionary measures, including setting up three cooling centres in the most crowded areas in partnership with the SABA organisation, as well as preparing a centre to receive heatstroke patients. She added that emergency departments have been upgraded to receive cases, inpatient wards have been improved with measures to reduce temperatures, and awareness campaigns have been

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  SDF commander announces ‘new phase’ and integration into Syrian government

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi announced the military, security and administrative integration of the SDF with the Syrian state, saying a new phase would begin with a focus on political efforts to secure Kurdish rights in Syria’s constitution. Abdi, who heads the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, made the announcement on Thursday evening at a ceremony organised in Qamishli to mark the 100th anniversary of the city’s founding, attended by a number of senior local government officials in Hasakah province. “Today, with the completion of the integration phase with the government, we announce that we are entering a new phase and a new process,” Abdi said, adding that “the next battle will be political” and that the SDF would

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  Iran: New US sanctions are ‘economic terrorism, crime against humanity’

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  Iran’s Foreign Ministry has described the new and sweeping package of sanctions imposed by the US administration on Iran as “economic terrorism and a crime against humanity”. In a statement issued on Thursday, the ministry criticised the new US sanctions against Tehran. It said Washington had chosen to impose the sanctions to coincide with the anniversary of the 1953 coup in Iran, which was carried out with US and British involvement, describing the move as an extension of “Washington’s 73-year-long hostility towards the Iranian people”. The statement said that the comprehensive economic and trade sanctions that the United States imposes on Iran “target the basic human rights of Iranian citizens”, describing them as “economic terrorism and a crime against humanity”.

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  UN: 94 % of Gaza residents need shelter and basic household supplies

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Thursday that 94 per cent of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip need shelter and basic household supplies, amid the ongoing Israeli occupation and blockade of the territory. Dujarric made the remarks during a press conference in New York marking World Humanitarian Day, observed on 19 August, where he briefed reporters on developments in the Middle East. Citing reports from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Dujarric said reports continued to emerge of “Palestinian civilians in Gaza being killed, being injured or otherwise being impacted by Israeli air strikes, shelling and gunfire, including children.” He said: “94 per cent of Gaza’s 2.1 million people need shelter and basic household assistance.” The UN official added

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  Israeli army leaders warn of ‘West Bank eruption’ over settler attacks

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  Israeli army leaders on Thursday warned Defence Minister Israel Katz of the possibility of a “widespread eruption” in the occupied West Bank amid a sharp rise in settler attacks against Palestinians. Israel Hayom newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing military sources, that senior army commanders had issued a “strategic warning that the West Bank faces the risk of a major escalation amid a sharp increase in Jewish terrorism”, referring to settler attacks. According to the sources, the warning was issued during a recent closed-door meeting with Katz, where the army leaders, who were not named by the newspaper, said settler attacks were a “major factor in fuelling tensions”. They warned that attacks targeting Palestinian villages “drive Palestinian residents out of a