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

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  US Rep. Ilhan Omar challenges legality of FBI home search: WSJ

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  The defense of US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar have challenged the legality of a search of her Washington home, demanding that federal prosecutors immediately return all seized property and provide recordings made during the operation, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. In a letter sent late Friday, the Minnesota Democrat’s legal team argued that the search, conducted by Homeland Security Investigations agents early Monday under a federal judge-approved warrant, was “neither justified nor lawful.” According to the Journal, the investigation focuses partly on how Omar, 44, obtained US citizenship after arriving from Somalia decades ago. “There is no legitimate basis for any suggestion that she has violated any law concerning her citizenship status,” the letter said. Her lawyers alleged that

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  Israeli occupiers attack European diplomatic delegation in occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Israeli occupiers attacked a diplomatic delegation comprising representatives from France, Belgium and Poland on Saturday while visiting the town of Taybeh, central occupied West Bank, causing injuries. The attack took place after an official ceremony marking the signing of a twinning agreement between the Palestinian town of Taybeh and the French town of Saint-Pierre, Taybeh Mayor Suleiman Khourieh told Anadolu Agency. The ceremony was attended by the French and Belgian consuls, a Polish representative whose name was not disclosed, and Saint-Pierre Mayor Christian Ravain. The attack targeted the delegation in the western part of the town, as well as Palestinians who were picking olives. It left several town residents injured and shattered the window of a vehicle belonging to the

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  Egyptian parliament to discuss authorizing action to defend Saudi Arabia if requested

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Egypt’s parliament will convene a plenary session on Sunday following a call by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for authorization to provide Saudi Arabia with defensive aid if requested, Anadolu reports. “In light of the president’s request, it has been decided to hold the council’s plenary session at 1 pm (1000GMT) tomorrow, Sunday, 18 October 2026,” Egypt’s Al-Ahram newspaper cited the parliament as saying in a Saturday statement. Speaking at the Egyptian Military Academy’s graduation ceremony in the New Capital on Saturday, Sisi said Egypt would take all necessary measures to defend Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requested assistance. READ: Sisi warns against threats to Saudi Arabia, says Gulf security is linked to Egypt’s national security He noted that any such action would require

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  Iran says renewed talks with US require ‘credible guarantees’ against new attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Iran remains open to negotiations but requires “credible guarantees” before resuming talks, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported. “Iran does not accept coercion, threats and intimidation and will not relinquish its sovereign rights under pressure. But it remains ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and credible guarantees,” Araghchi told the 52nd session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Baghdad. He said Iran negotiated “in good faith” over the past two years, but claimed diplomatic efforts were repeatedly followed by military attacks, creating “deep mistrust” over restarting negotiations without guarantees against a recurrence. Nevertheless, Araghchi said, Tehran has kept the door to diplomacy open. He referred to a

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  Palestinians in Gaza City protest Israeli military’s ‘Yellow Line’ expansion

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Palestinians gathered in eastern Gaza City on Saturday, to protest the Israeli military’s recent expansion of the “Yellow Line” buffer zone into residential neighborhoods, Anadolu reports. The “yellow line” is a notional line inside the Gaza Strip to which the Israeli army withdrew under the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war, under which a ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025. It separates areas in eastern Gaza that remain under Israeli army control from areas west of the line where Palestinians are allowed to move. The line separates areas occupied by Israeli forces in the east from areas where Palestinians are permitted to remain in the west. Israeli ceasefire violations have killed 1,488 Palestinians

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  Iranian lawmaker says indirect talks with US continuing through Qatar, Oman: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Indirect talks between Iran and the US are continuing through mediation by Qatar and Oman, an Iranian lawmaker said Saturday, as Tehran-Washington tensions remain high, according to local media. Yaqoub Rezazadeh, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told the ILNA news agency that both sides had presented conditions through the mediators. “We have presented a set of conditions, and the other side has also presented a set of conditions. We are now waiting to see whether the conditions we announced will be accepted by the Americans,” Rezazadeh said. He said the contacts were being conducted with the involvement of Qatar and Oman. Rezazadeh said the negotiations were being overseen by Iran’s Supreme National Security

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  Israeli forces enter western Daraa countryside in southern Syria

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Israeli forces entered an area in the western countryside of Syria’s Daraa province on Saturday, according to the country’s state-run SANA news agency. A force consisting of two Israeli military vehicles entered the Wadi al-Ruqqad area, SANA reported. The incursion coincided with Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flying over the western part of the Yarmouk Basin, it said, adding that no attacks or arrests had been reported. On Friday, Israeli forces entered an area west of the al-Razaniya farm in neighboring Quneitra province and opened fire toward shepherds to prevent them from grazing before withdrawing. Israeli forces also entered and surrounded the town of Abidin in the Yarmouk Basin in western Daraa countryside on Friday. READ: Damascus rejects Israeli politicisation of Syria’s Druze

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  Iran’s IRGC says 2nd supertanker hits naval mine in Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Saturday that a second supertanker had struck a naval mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the IRGC Navy said the tanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil and had switched off its positioning and radar systems while attempting to use an “unauthorized” route. The mine strike caused a major explosion in the vessel’s engine room, leaving the tanker immobilized, the statement said. The IRGC did not identify the vessel or provide information about its crew, casualties, or possible environmental damage. READ: Strait of Hormuz transits remain 70% below pre-conflict levels: UK maritime agency The latest incident came after the IRGC said

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  Banking sanctions halt Iran’s exports to Pakistan: Official

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Iran’s exports to Pakistan have been “temporarily” halted due to banking sanctions, while imports from Pakistan continue, Iranian media reported Saturday. Peyman Sanandaji, head of the Transportation Commission at the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, told Mehr News Agency that the shared land border remains open, rejecting reports that a border crossing had been closed. He said Pakistani importers are required to submit electronic import forms through Pakistan’s banking system for goods purchased from Iran. Sanandaji said sanctions on Iran’s banking system have made the process difficult, creating problems for Iranian exporters and Pakistani importers. READ: Iran’s navy reports oil tanker fire in Gulf of Oman Imports from Pakistan into Iran, however, continue, he said. Sanandaji warned that if the banking restrictions

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  Israel’s election: The Arab vote and Netanyahu’s politics of exclusion

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Mansour Abbas is offering Israel a practical demonstration that Arabs and Jews can share responsibility for their country. Benjamin Netanyahu presents that possibility as a threat. Too many of his opponents still behave as though he is right. That contradiction could determine whether Israel’s election on 27 October produces a change of government. At a recent Economist conference in Thessaloniki, where I was also a speaker, former Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami highlighted the dilemma: Netanyahu’s opponents may need Arab parliamentary support to govern, yet remain reluctant to accept that partnership. Netanyahu does not necessarily need his opponents to lose. He needs them to remain unable to govern together. The New York Times’ 16 October profile describes Abbas’s partnership with

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  Syria’s Quneitra governor urges UN force to document Israeli violations

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  The governor of Syria’s southern Quneitra province on Saturday called on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to monitor and document Israeli violations in the area, Anadolu reports. Ghassan al-Sayyed Ahmad made the call during talks with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, according to the Quneitra Governorate. The two discussed the situation in the province, UNDOF’s responsibilities, and the impact of Israeli violations on local residents. Ahmad said documenting the violations in line with UNDOF’s mandate could help protect residents and mitigate the effects on local population. The meeting came amid continued Israeli incursions into Quneitra, including raids, searches, detentions, and temporary military checkpoints. READ: Israeli army enters Syria’s Quneitra countryside, blocks construction work A UN report issued on

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  Chile’s Lawyers for Palestine call for investigation into country’s ambassador to Israel

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Lawyers for Palestine in Chile have issued a press statement confirming that they have filed a formal petition with the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic. The petition is requesting an investigation into Chile’s Ambassador to Israel, Gabriel Zaliasnik, over an interview broadcast on 26th August by the US program “Defending Israel” on the Jewish Broadcasting Service (JBS).  Introduced as Chile’s Ambassador, Zaliasnik accused Chile’s Palestinian community of manipulating its numbers: “They play with the number because that’s politics.” In the same interview he conceded that, as to the figure, “we can speculate only.” He was asked only about the community’s size, yet he went on to refer to the “radicalizing” of “some small sectors” of it, without

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  UK security adviser’s wife faces scrutiny over Palestine Action post

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  British police are assessing a social media post by the wife of national security adviser Jonathan Powell that references the banned group Palestine Action, the BBC reported on Friday. Sarah Helm, an author and journalist, wrote on X: “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.” She was responding to a Sky News discussion about author Sally Rooney, whose novels will no longer be supplied to UK booksellers following her announcement that she intends to use royalties to support the group. The Metropolitan Police said it had been made aware of Helm’s post, published Oct. 15. “It is in the process of being assessed to determine whether any further police investigation may be required,” a spokesperson said. READ: Lloyds

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  Beyond oil: The Gulf crisis is becoming a food security crisis

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Ask most people what the Gulf crisis will cost the world and they will say oil. Fair enough. Prices are the part we can watch every morning. But the bill that worries me more will arrive later and quietly: a farmer who buys less fertilizer than he needs, a thinner harvest, a family that can no longer afford a decent meal. Two things are happening at once. The Gulf states import most of what they eat, so every delayed ship is a problem for their own tables. And the same region sells the raw materials that farmers elsewhere rely on to grow food. Block the sea lanes and you hurt the people eating in the Gulf and the people growing

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  Egypt’s Sisi says presidential term will end in 2030, rules out constitutional changes

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Saturday that his presidential term will end in 2030, stressing that the country’s constitution will not be amended to extend his tenure, according to state-run Al-Ahram newspaper. “The year 2030 will mark the end of my presidential term. This matter is completely settled,” Sisi said during a graduation ceremony at the Egyptian Military Academy in the New Administrative Capital. Sisi said the Egyptian constitution “will not be touched,” stressing the need to prevent any violation of constitutional and democratic principles. He said the constitution defines the role of the armed forces in protecting the constitutional order, democracy and the fundamental pillars of the state. READ: Egypt has ‘no hidden agendas,’ ambitions against anyone: President “I

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  OIC foreign ministers discuss regional crises, cooperation at Baghdad meeting

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states gathered in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Saturday for the group’s 52nd session, with regional crises, Palestine, and cooperation among member states high on the agenda, Anadolu reports. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi opened the meeting, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). Welcoming delegates, al-Zaidi said the Islamic world faces growing challenges that test its ability to coexist and adapt to economic, cultural, and media transformations. “What we are witnessing in terms of crises at the regional and international levels calls for greater joint action to protect the interests of our peoples, serve the causes of our nation and ensure the future of our generations,” he said.

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Craig Murray: Should the UK deploy the Royal Navy to Bab Al-Mandeb?

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Scott Ritter: Is Striking Iran Trump’s Only Remaining Option?

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  Repeated displacement leaves Gaza shelters deteriorating ahead of winter: IOM

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Repeated displacement during three years of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has left shelters across the enclave increasingly deteriorated, while restrictions and funding shortages are hampering preparations for winter, a senior UN migration official said late Friday. Karl Baker, regional crisis coordinator for the Gaza response at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said some Palestinians have been displaced as many as eight times, damaging or destroying tents and other temporary shelters each time families are forced to move. “When they move, all those goods that they currently have or did have either get destroyed, or they have to seek new shelter,” Baker told UN News. Even basic materials such as tarpaulins need to be replaced roughly every six months,

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  Morocco forms new government under 1st ever female prime minister

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Morocco announced a new cabinet on Friday, ushering in a historic era with the country’s first female prime minister leading a four-party coalition, Anadolu reports. According to state-run Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), King Mohammed VI received members of the new cabinet, led by Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, and presided over their appointment ceremony at the Royal Palace in the capital Rabat. El Mansouri is the first Moroccan woman to hold the country’s top government post. She will lead a new government formed by a four-party coalition comprising her Authenticity and Modernity Party, the Istiqlal Party, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces and the Party of Progress and Socialism. The new government includes seven women, including El Mansouri, compared with six

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  Vance suggests disagreement with Trump over Iran war

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  US Vice President JD Vance suggested in an interview aired Friday that he may have disagreed with President Donald Trump over the Iran war, Anadolu reports. “Even if you disagree with him on that one issue, you can have that disagreement. And I think I have had that disagreement,” Vance said on a political talk show hosted by former White House spokesman Sean Spicer. Vance was responding to a question about his relationship with political commentator and former Trump ally Tucker Carlson, who has sharply criticized the Iran war, arguing that it serves Israeli rather than American interests and contradicts Trump’s pledge to avoid costly foreign military interventions. READ: Trump says US may have gone too far in targeting Iranian leaders

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  Strait of Hormuz transits remain 70% below pre-conflict levels: UK maritime agency

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained about 70% below pre-conflict levels as attacks on commercial vessels continued, a UK maritime agency said Friday. In its weekly overview, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) reported 125 outbound and 129 inbound transits over the past seven days. The figures marked a decline from 129 outbound and 146 inbound transits recorded the previous week, according to the agency. UKMTO reported 12 attacks on vessels during the week, including 10 in the Strait of Hormuz, one in the Gulf and one in the Gulf of Oman. Six vessels continued or reached port, one was lost, two were disabled or not under command, and three have unconfirmed outcomes. Container ship sinks after

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  Saudi Arabia backs UN Security Council statement urging cooperation to prevent Houthis from acquiring arms

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Saudi Arabia welcomed a UN Security Council presidential statement condemning Houthi attacks against the kingdom and urging cooperation to prevent the group from obtaining weapons, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry welcomed the council’s condemnation of continued and escalating attacks by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia, including attacks targeting airports and energy infrastructure. It also highlighted the council’s condemnation of “ongoing threats to navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.” “The Kingdom affirmed the importance of the statement’s provisions, including its emphasis on the importance of full implementation of Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) and subsequent resolutions, and its call for practical cooperation to prevent the terrorist Houthi group from acquiring weapons and other forms of support,” the

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  Qatar seeks to activate joint energy projects with Lebanon, urges Israeli withdrawal

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Friday that Doha is seeking to provide integrated solutions for Lebanon’s energy sector and activate projects previously agreed between the two countries, Anadolu reports. Speaking after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut, Al Thani said their talks focused on relations and ways to implement joint projects that would contribute to the region’s security, stability and prosperity. “The energy sector is a key priority for Lebanon,” he said, and added that a later meeting with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam would address activating projects previously agreed between Beirut and Doha. Al Thani said he also discussed regional and international developments with Aoun, particularly the situation in southern Lebanon

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  Protest outside Azerbaijan’s embassy in London against hijab ban in schools

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Dozens of people gathered outside the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Holland Park, west London, on Friday evening, 16 October 2026, to protest against the Azerbaijani government’s ban on the hijab in educational institutions. They stood in solidarity with Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab, and with their right to practise their faith and continue their education without pressure or discrimination. The protest was organised by the Association of Students Activism for Palestine (ASAP) and its partners. Protesters rejected a decision they say targets the freedom of female students to choose what they wear and to express their religious identity. They said wearing the hijab is a right, and should never be a reason to deny a woman her

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  Washington condemns violence in West Bank after US journalist attacked by Israeli occupiers

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  The US State Department said on Friday it is “greatly concerned” after The Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine was attacked by Israeli occupiers in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. “The Department of State is aware of these reports. We are greatly concerned when any American is harmed overseas and stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance,” a State Department spokesman said in an emailed statement to Anadolu Agency. “The Department has reached out to the Washington Post to offer consular assistance,” the spokesman added. The department added that the Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, and that Washington remains in regular dialogue with partners on improving stability and security in the

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  14 injured, including 2 foreign journalists, in attacks by Israeli occupiers in West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  At least 12 Palestinians and two foreign journalists were injured Friday in attacks by Israeli occupiers across the West Bank, Anadolu reports. Also, four vehicles, including one belonging to the Palestinian Civil Defense, were set ablaze. The injuries were reported in Abu Falah, Burham, Deir Jarir, Burqa and Turmus Ayya in the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, the Civil Defense and the Palestinian rights group Al-Baydar. In Burham, near Birzeit north of Ramallah, the Red Crescent said its teams treated a 70-year-old man injured in an assault by Israeli occupiers. Three other Palestinians were injured in a similar attack in Deir Jarir, east of Ramallah, and taken to a medical center for treatment, the

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  UN warns Sudan conflict shows no sign of easing, urges parties to pursue peace

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo on Friday warned that the conflict in Sudan continues to deteriorate, with no breakthrough in sight, as civilians face relentless fighting, a deepening humanitarian crisis and severe economic hardship, Anadolu reports. Addressing a Security Council meeting on Sudan, DiCarlo said little had changed since her previous briefings this year, stressing that the Sudanese people continue to endure the devastating consequences of the war, including the collapse of basic services. “Regrettably, today I can report that little has changed. The people of Sudan continue to face the brutal reality of conflict, enduring relentless fighting, a worsening humanitarian crisis, severe economic hardship, and the collapse of basic services,” she said. DiCarlo also expressed

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  China urges Israel to halt ‘forced establishment’ of settlement expansion in occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday urged Israel to halt “forced establishment” of settlements in the occupied West Bank and called for the full reopening of access to the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. Beijing maintains that the Palestinian question is the “biggest historical injustice of this century” and that the two-state solution is the correct path to resolving it, Wang told Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, on the sidelines of the seventh CICA summit. He described the current regional situation as tense and added that peace and tranquility remained far from being achieved. The Chinese foreign minister said the urgent priority was to fully reopen access to Gaza to prevent its two million residents

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  Israeli rabbi permits occupiers to steal Palestinian olive harvest in West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  A prominent Israeli rabbi on Friday issued a religious ruling permitting Israeli occupiers to take olives from Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, claiming that harvesting the crop “demonstrates Jewish ownership of the land,” Anadolu reports. The ruling was issued by Rabbi Dov Lior, one of the most prominent religious authorities among Israeli occupiers in the West Bank, and was published by Israeli Channel 13. It comes amid escalating occupier violence against Palestinians and their property, particularly farmers during the olive harvest season. Lior claimed that Palestinians do not own their land, arguing that they had not purchased it from the “people of Israel” or from any Jewish person and describing the land as “stolen property.” Citing Jewish religious law,

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  Netanyahu, opposition blocs tied as 55% back unity government if election inconclusive: Poll

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  An Israeli opinion poll published on Friday showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and the opposition tied, with neither reaching the majority needed to form a government, while 55% of respondents favored a unity government if the upcoming election produces no decisive result, Anadolu reports. The Maariv poll, published 11 days before the Oct. 27 general election, showed that if voting were held today, both Netanyahu’s bloc and the Jewish opposition would win 51 seats each in the 120-member Knesset. Arab lawmakers, meanwhile, were projected to win 14 seats, while the Reservists Party would secure four, without indicating which bloc it would support. A government requires the backing of at least 61 lawmakers. Otherwise, Israel could face another election. Both

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  Iran’s navy reports oil tanker fire in Gulf of Oman

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  Iran’s navy said Friday that an oil tanker caught fire in the Gulf of Oman while attempting to cross a restricted area east of the Strait of Hormuz with its tracking systems switched off, according to a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, Anadolu reports. The navy’s public relations office said monitoring teams detected the burning tanker during surveillance operations in the eastern part of the strategic waterway. The vessel had disabled its tracking systems and was attempting to navigate a “prohibited area” in the Gulf of Oman, the statement said. The navy warned that unauthorized movements through restricted maritime routes and areas pose security risks to other vessels. The statement did not identify the tanker, its flag or operator,

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  Starvation killed 466 Palestinians since 2024, says Gaza Health Ministry

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  At least 466 Palestinians, including 157 children, have died from malnutrition and starvation since 2024, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Friday, Anadolu reports. The figures were released on World Food Day, observed annually on Oct. 16. At least 189 elderly people died of starvation, representing 40.5% of the deaths, it said. In August 2025, the UN declared famine in Gaza. More than 1.4 million people are expected to face crisis-level food insecurity or worse through the end of 2026, the ministry added. Starvation as a weapon Israeli authorities have used starvation as a weapon during the genocide in Gaza since October 2023, according to Palestinian government bodies and rights organizations. Israel tightened restrictions on crossings in March 2025, preventing thousands of

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  Trump administration reopened citizenship probe into Rep. Ilhan Omar: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  The Trump administration has reopened an investigation into US Rep. Ilhan Omar’s citizenship, seven years after federal officials examined similar allegations and found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing, The Washington Post reported Thursday. Federal agents searched the Minnesota Democrat’s Washington, DC, home on Monday as part of a renewed inquiry into whether Omar or her late father provided false information on immigration paperwork, according to the report. The current investigation focuses on documents submitted after Omar and her family arrived in the US as Somali refugees decades ago, including paperwork used to obtain legal status and eventual citizenship. Omar and her family were granted asylum when they came to the US in 1995, when she was 12 years old, and she

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  Turkiye urges international community to act against Israel’s violations of international law

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  The international community cannot remain silent in the face of persistent Israeli violations of international law, Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said on Friday, Anadolu reports. Addressing a meeting of the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Rome, Kurtulmus said: “We cannot let impunity go unpunished. “ Kurtulmus called upon the international community to take concrete steps to uphold international law. The erosion of the rules-based international order is starkly reflected in the years-long humanitarian catastrophe and genocide in Gaza, he said. “We can no longer turn a blind eye to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the wider region and the blatant human rights violations and crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Israeli government against the people of

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  19 countries condemn Colombia’s opening of embassy in Jerusalem

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  The foreign ministers of Turkiye and 18 other countries on Friday strongly condemned Colombia’s inauguration of its embassy in Jerusalem, Anadolu reports. In a joint statement released by Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry, the ministers expressed their “unequivocal rejection” of the decision. They said the move violates relevant UN Security Council resolutions and undermines international efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution. The statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The ministers reaffirmed that any measure or decision intended to alter the legal or historical status of occupied Jerusalem, or to recognize the city

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  Ousted US general warned before Iran war of missile defense shortages lasting until 2030: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  Ousted US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George warned months before the US-Israeli war against Iran that American missile defense stockpiles were critically low and could take until 2030 to recover, CBS News reported Thursday. George raised the warning in late December, two months before the conflict began, according to US officials familiar with his assessment. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed him from his post in April as the war was underway. The general’s assessment, included in the Pentagon’s fiscal 2027 force allocation planning, identified shortages of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors and Patriot missiles, with supplies expected to remain at strategically low levels until 2030. The officials reportedly attributed the shortfall to weapons transfers to Ukraine,

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  Why Ethiopia and Eritrea’s march to war demands global attention

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  The distant thunder of drones over Adigrat is not merely another African conflict. It is the sound of a continent’s most fragile peace shattering—and with it, the already slender prospects for stability across the Red Sea corridor that carries twelve per cent of global trade. Barely eight years after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Isaias Afwerki embraced in Asmara, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate’s handshake now lies in ruins. Eritrean troops have crossed into northern Tigray, advancing up to sixty kilometres into Ethiopian territory. Ethiopia has responded with multiple drone strikes targeting those forces, destroying lorries and ammunition, witnesses say, amid reports of civilian deaths. Both nations have severed diplomatic ties. Ethiopia calls it an “all-out invasion.” Eritrea calls

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Scott Ritter: Is Striking Iran Trump’s Only Remaining Option?

  by EditorMehdi on October 16, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Kelley Beaucar Vlahos: Target Locked: Is Trump’s Iran Brinkmanship Psy-Op or a Trap?

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  Coercive diplomacy: What does the call between Netanyahu and al-Sharaa really mean?

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  The phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa—following months of firing salvos via fighter jets, missiles, and third-party intermediaries, alongside strikes that targeted the courtyard of the Syrian Ministry of Defence and the perimeter of the presidential palace—was no ordinary diplomatic formality. Rather, it was a condensed moment signalling a tectonic shift in the geopolitics and power balance of the Middle East. When Netanyahu and Sharaa speak directly to discuss sectarian tensions in the Druze-majority province of Sweida, we are not merely witnessing a localised security arrangement dictated by geography and overwhelming force. We are standing before a series of uncomfortable questions shaping the region’s future: Is Syria capitulating entirely to the rhythm

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  The Yemen trap: Why Saudi Arabia should reject Israel’s help

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  If reports are true that Benjamin Netanyahu tried to offer Israeli involvement on Saudi Arabia’s side in the war in Yemen, this should not be read as help. It should be read as a political and strategic trap. Israel does not want to save Saudi Arabia from Yemeni missiles. It wants to insert itself into the heart of Gulf security, connect this role to normalization, and open a new door for political and military pressure. This is exactly what Saudi Arabia should reject. The idea is simple. If Israel enters the Yemen war under the title of “helping Saudi Arabia”, it does not give Riyadh extra strength. It gives Saudi Arabia’s opponents a golden narrative: Saudi Arabia is no longer

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  Human Rights Watch warns 50 detainees face imminent execution in eastern Libya

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that at least 50 detainees face imminent execution at Gernada military prison in eastern Libya, after forces led by Khalifa Haftar reportedly executed at least 31 people following military trials that the organisation described as seriously unfair. In a statement dated 14th October, the rights organization said the Libyan Arab Armed Forces had carried out the executions since late August 2026, raising concerns about further death sentences being implemented. According to HRW, the executions were the first known instances of capital punishment in Libya since 2010, ending a de facto moratorium on executions that had lasted approximately 15 years. The organisation called on authorities in eastern Libya to immediately suspend the implementation of death

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  Sudan’s Burhan says he wrote to Trump reaffirming commitment to US peace efforts

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said on Thursday that he wrote to US President Donald Trump to reaffirm commitment to Washington’s efforts to achieve peace in the war-torn country. “I wrote to President Donald Trump reaffirming Sudan’s commitment to U.S. peace efforts,” Burhan wrote on X, a US social media platform. “The Government of Sudan is ready to work in good faith with all parties for a just, lasting peace that safeguards our sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, & our people’s dignity,” he added. The remarks came days after US senior advisor Massad Boulos condemned a 9th October drone strike that killed at least 12 civilians in An Nuhud, West Kordofan. The Joint Force of armed groups allied

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  Netanyahu rules out giving key ministries to Ben-Gvir, sparking coalition dispute

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he intends to keep the Interior and National Security ministries under the control of his Likud party in the next government, rejecting demands by far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir for a senior ministerial position. Netanyahu made the remarks at a conference in the northern Israeli city of Acre, according to the Hebrew-language newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, triggering a public dispute over the distribution of cabinet portfolios ahead of the Knesset elections scheduled for 27th October. Ben-Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, has said during his election campaign that he intends to seek the National Security portfolio. He has also called for the Justice Ministry to be assigned to Tally Gotliv, the

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  Houthis say Aden palace strike targeted Saudi military headquarters, warn of further attacks

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi movement said Thursday that its missile attack on the Ma’ashiq Presidential Palace in Aden targeted a Saudi military operations headquarters, warning that Saudi military personnel and facilities would remain targets wherever they are deployed. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the operation was consistent with the group’s declared policy of targeting Saudi military concentrations. “The shelling of the Saudi enemy’s military operations headquarters in Aden is part of our declared strategy to strike Saudi military concentrations wherever they are located,” Saree said. He added: “We consider any military presence of the Saudi enemy to be a legitimate target for our forces, wherever it may be.” Earlier Thursday, a Houthi military source told the Sana’a-based Saba News Agency that

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  Sisi warns against threats to Saudi Arabia, says Gulf security is linked to Egypt’s national security

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi warned on Thursday against continued attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, stressing that the security of the Kingdom and the Gulf region is directly linked to Egypt’s national security. Sisi said Egypt and Saudi Arabia occupy central positions in the Arab and Islamic worlds, warning that any threat to either country would have serious consequences for regional security. He emphasised that Egypt’s position on Gulf security reflects shared strategic interests rather than diplomatic solidarity alone. “The security of the Gulf and Saudi Arabia is linked to Egypt’s national security,” Sisi said, describing the relationship as “not merely a gesture of goodwill, but a reality and a shared interest.” The Egyptian president reaffirmed Cairo’s support for Saudi Arabia’s

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  Two guards killed, six wounded in Houthi missile attack on Presidential Palace in Aden

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  Two guards were killed and six others wounded on Thursday in a missile attack attributed to the Houthi movement targeting the Presidential Palace in Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government, according to Yemeni officials. Yemeni Minister of Youth and Sports Nayef al-Bakri confirmed the casualties in statements reported by Al Arabiya, saying the prime minister and other ministers present at the complex were unharmed. Reports indicated that government officials intended to remain in Aden despite the attack. Witnesses told Reuters they heard powerful explosions near the presidential compound, while the Associated Press reported at least six explosions across Aden, Yemen’s interim capital. Local security sources said air defence systems attempted to intercept the incoming missiles. However, the

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  Damascus rejects Israeli politicisation of Syria’s Druze after Netanyahu’s brief call with al-Sharaa

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  Damascus has rejected attempts to draw the Druze community in Sweida into Israeli politics, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that he had held a sharp phone call with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, claiming that he had stopped the bloodshed in the area. A Syrian government official said in a statement carried by the state-run SANA news agency on Thursday that the Druze community in Sweida province has been and will remain an integral part of Syria’s national fabric and rejected any attempt to politicise it or involve it in Israeli propaganda and election campaigns. The official said Israel had played a major planned role in undermining civil peace in Sweida in July last year by arming an outlawed

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  Why a new US–Israeli war against Iran could carry enormous risks

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  In recent days, three developments have emerged as key preliminary indicators that the US may be preparing to step up its military campaign against Iran. First, the dispatch of a third aircraft carrier strike group alongside additional American forces toward the waters surrounding Iran; second, the directive from the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) to achieve full operational readiness; and third, the continuation of economic pressure, sanctions, and blockades, alongside disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic friction surrounding negotiations. While these developments clearly signal an expansion of military options and an intensification of coercive pressure, they do not, on their own, constitute definitive proof of an executive decision to launch a broad war. This new force posture serves

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  Diplomats to MEMO: Colombia’s ICJ withdrawal reflects alignment with US

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  Colombia’s decision to withdraw from South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), followed by the opening of its embassy in occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday, has drawn criticism from former Latin American ambassadors, who see the moves as a significant shift in Bogotá’s foreign policy, particularly its stance on Palestine. Colombia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that it had informed the Court of its decision to withdraw the declaration of intervention filed on 5th April 2024 under Article 63 of the ICJ Statute. The move marks a reversal of the position taken by former President Gustavo Petro, whose government cut diplomatic ties with Israel in May 2024 over its military offensive in Gaza and backed South Africa’s

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  Brazil’s Lula and Bolsonaro face tight run-off as Netanyahu, Trump back latter

  by Marwa A on October 16, 2026

  Brazil’s presidential election is entering its most critical phase ahead of a run-off scheduled for 25th  October, with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva facing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in a close race increasingly shaped by ties with the United States and Israel, Brazil’s role in the Global South and its position on the Palestinian cause. Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, surprised his rivals by finishing first in the initial round on 4 October, securing 47.03 per cent of the vote against Lula’s 45.16 per cent. The narrow margin has set the stage for a highly polarised run-off. Recent opinion polls indicate that the race remains close, with Flavio holding a slight lead in several surveys. However, the