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

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  US Embassy in Baghdad says leaving Iraq ‘best option’ for Americans

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  The US Embassy in Baghdad said on Wednesday that “for many” US citizens in Iraq, leaving the country is “the best option” if they can safely do so, Anadolu reports. “US citizens in Iraq are strongly encouraged to review their personal security situation. For many, departing Iraq as soon as they are safely able to do so is the best option,” the embassy said in a statement. “Americans choosing not to depart should remain vigilant, keep a low profile, and be prepared to shelter in place in a secure location for extended periods.” It warned that Iran and Iran-aligned groups “continue to pose a major threat to public safety.” READ: Trump threatens to cut off trade with Spain for its opposition

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  Trump threatens to cut off trade with Spain for its opposition to Iran war

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  President Donald Trump threatened to cut off trade with Spain on Wednesday, accusing Madrid of failing to cooperate with NATO after it barred the US from using jointly operated bases on its territory for strikes against Iran, Anadolu reports. “I think they’re not cooperating at all. Spain. I think they’ve been very bad, very bad, not good at all. We may cut off trade with Spain,” Trump told reporters, adding that Madrid has been “very bad to NATO” and does not want to “pay their fair share.” Trump questioned Madrid’s policies toward the alliance, saying Spain benefits from NATO protection but has long resisted increasing defense spending. READ: Spain’s ‘no to war’ stance rooted in principles, not politics: Premier Sanchez The

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  Labour MP leads cross-party push for UK sanctions on Israel

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  A senior Labour Member of Parliament has led a cross-party push for the UK to impose comprehensive sanctions on Israel, citing concerns about military actions in the Gaza Strip and the potential annexation of the West Bank, Anadolu reports. Richard Burgon, the MP for Leeds East, announced more than 60 parliamentarians have formally backed a parliamentary motion demanding a significant shift in diplomatic and economic policy. “After the genocide in Gaza, the Israeli government is moving to annex the West Bank. Only sanctions – on arms, trade, the economy & Israeli officials – can stop these war crimes,” he wrote Tuesday on social media. The motion references a statement backed by 85 UN member states, including the UK, opposing the

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  US likely used AI in airstrike that killed 160 schoolgirls: Report

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Artificial intelligence helped the US identify targets in the opening phase of Washington’s war against Iran, British newspaper The Times reported Wednesday, raising questions about a strike that killed more than 175 students and staff at a girls school, Anadolu reports. The newspaper reported that in the first 24 hours of Operation Epic Fury, US forces struck more than 1,000 targets in Iran with the assistance of AI systems designed to analyze large volumes of intelligence data and suggest potential strike locations. The pace, about 42 suggested targets per hour, has led analysts to question whether the speed of automated systems may be outstripping the ability of humans to fully verify targets. The scrutiny follows a strike on the Shajareh

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  Even off-hand talk about Israel’s nuclear option is obscene

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  The “real” chances of a nuclear hit-back from Israel, driven by desperation in an existential crisis, are generally considered low due to conventional military superiority and US backing, but are not zero. Such a move is associated with the Samson Option – an unconfirmed, last-resort doctrine of massive retaliation, named after the biblical figure who died while destroying his enemies.  As of March 2026, amid intense, multi-front conflict involving Iran, the “Samson Option” has returned to focus as a potential, though catastrophic, tool of last resort.  The “Samson Option” doctrine suggests that if Israel’s existence is threatened, or its conventional defenses fail against a massive, overwhelming attack, it would use its nuclear arsenal rather than face destruction. The doctrine is specifically

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  21,720 buildings in Iran hit by ongoing US-Israeli strikes: Iranian Red Crescent

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Some 21,720 buildings in Iran were hit by the ongoing US-Israeli strikes since Feb. 28, including 4,122 commercial establishments and 17,353 homes, as well as health centers, schools, and humanitarian infrastructure, the Iranian Red Crescent said on Wednesday. According to the Iranian government’s Telegram channel on Wednesday, the Iranian Red Crescent said over 56,000 people contacted its hotline to receive psychological support during the same period. Regional tensions escalated when the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, which have killed over 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as over 150 schoolgirls. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that are home to US

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  Over 1,500 Palestinians displaced by Israel in occupied West Bank in 2026: UN

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  The UN on Wednesday warned that more than 1,500 Palestinians have already been displaced in the occupied West Bank in 2026, reaching 90% of the total figure recorded in 2025, Anadolu reports. Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference that “new figures indicate that more than 180 Palestinians have been displaced due to settler attacks and access restrictions across the West Bank since the onset of the regional escalation,” bringing “the total number of Palestinians displaced within this context so far this year to more than 1,500 people, 90% of the number for all of last year.” “Palestinians’ access to their places of work and where they receive

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  Dutch premier condemns Israel’s expansion activities in West Bank

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten said Wednesday that the Netherlands condemns Israel’s expansion activities in the West Bank, Anadolu reports. Jetten wrote in a post on social media platform X that he spoke by phone with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and reaffirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to a two-state solution. He also said he expressed satisfaction with reform efforts by the Palestinian Authority. “We discussed the catastrophic situation in Gaza and the developments in the West Bank, which are becoming more worrying day by day,” Jetten wrote. “The Netherlands condemns Israel’s expansion activities in the West Bank. I emphasized that it is important to pay attention to this situation amid the conflict with Iran,” he noted. READ: Israeli forces seize

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  Iraq says will not allow any party to use its territory as base for attacks on Iran

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Iraq will not allow any party or anyone to use Iraqi territory as a base for attacks against Iran, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over a phone call on Wednesday, Anadolu reports. While Iraq is committed to Iran’s security and sovereignty, attacks targeting Iraqi territory constitute a violation of sovereignty, and undermine Baghdad’s efforts to end the war and return to dialogue, Sudani said, according to a statement by his office on US social media company X. He also expressed Iraq’s “rejection and condemnation of the unjust war targeting Iran, emphasizing Iraq’s concern for the security and peace of the region and its brotherly peoples.” READ: Iraqi factions threaten to target US interests, vow to protect

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  Iran will not take part in FIFA 2026 World Cup co-hosted by US, says sports minister

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Iran will not take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the co-host US carried out airstrikes on the country that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s sports minister said on Wednesday, Anadolu reports. “Considering that this corrupt regime has come and assassinated our leader, we are not in a position to participate in the World Cup,” Ahmad Donyamali told state TV. “A hostile country is hosting the World Cup, and we expect FIFA to respond to this issue,” he added, arguing that the Iranian team members are “not safe.” READ: US says 5,500 targets hit in Iran as operation continues The World Cup will be jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico in June and July.

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  UN warns mass displacement accelerating in Lebanon amid escalating conflict

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned Wednesday that mass displacement in Lebanon is accelerating rapidly as ongoing hostilities force hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, Anadolu reports. “Mass displacement is accelerating, with over 750,000 people now registered with the Government of Lebanon as on the move,” Fletcher told an emergency session of the UN Security Council in a virtual briefing. He said nearly 84,000 Syrians and more than 8,000 Lebanese have crossed into Syria since March 2. Fletcher said the humanitarian crisis has intensified quickly after months of violence, with casualties continuing to rise. “Over 570 people reported killed, and over 1,400 injured since 2 March,” he said. READ: Israel moves Golani Brigade from Gaza to Lebanon border as

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  US says 5,500 targets hit in Iran as operation continues

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  The US has struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran, including dozens of naval vessels and missile facilities, as part of the ongoing operation, US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said on Wednesday, Anadolu reports. “Every day, we’re striking hard at Iranian ballistic missile and drones. To date, we have struck more than 5,500 targets inside Iran, including more than 60 ships using a variety of precision weapon systems,” Cooper said in a video message shared on the US social media company X. Regional tensions have escalated since Feb. 28, when the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran that has killed more than 1,300 people, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with

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  Iran says vessels must obtain its permission to pass through Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Any vessel seeking to pass through the Strait of Hormuz “must obtain permission from Iran,” navy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday, Anadolu reports. “Were ships given assurances that they could pass through the Strait of Hormuz? This should be asked from the crews of the ships Express Rome and Mayuree Naree, who today, trusting empty promises, ignored the warnings and attempted to pass through the strait — but ended up being caught,” Alireza Tangsiri wrote on the US social media company X. The US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, which have killed more than 1,300 people, including Ali Khamenei, Iran’s former supreme leader, as well as over 150 schoolgirls.

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  Israel’s Dystopian Vision: From Gaza to Iran | Palestine This Week

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  We begin this week’s episode with a tribute to the late Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi before turning to the stories being overshadowed by the war on Iran. Muhammed Shehada unpacks what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank while global attention shifts elsewhere, and explains why rising settler violence and deepening Israeli control should not be ignored. We also examine his report on Trump’s dystopian vision for Gaza, ask whether that plan can survive the regional fallout from the Iran war, and explore the disturbing similarities between Israel’s conduct in Iran and its genocidal war on Gaza. From Israel’s wider regional strategy to the religious rhetoric driving this conflict, this is a sharp and essential conversation you do not

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  Middle power nonsense: Australia, Canada and capitulating to the Iran War

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  In his January speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave the impression of a banker turned soothsayer, a Daniel coming to judgment.  Here was a born-again man of international relations who would rally the middle powers (from the middle) and try to assert influence and power in a way deemed fit for this rule-torn world. So far, the middling powers have not gotten far.  In fact, they have shown themselves despicably fawning and incapable of taking a stance on the legality of the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.  Even worse, acts of predation and villainy in breach of the United Nations Charter have received the seal of approval.  Suggestions that they can

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  Trump says Iran war will end ‘soon’: ‘Any time I want it to end, it will end’

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the US and Israeli war against Iran will end “soon,” because strikes have left “practically nothing left to target” in the country, Anadolu reports. “Little this and that — any time I want it to end, it will end,” the president said during a brief telephone interview with US outlet Axios. Trump’s emphasis that the end of the war is his alone to decide came after he said any decision on the conclusion of the war would be made mutually with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli and US officials told Axios that they are preparing for the war to last at least two more weeks. US Central Command Commander Brad Cooper said

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  Israel’s UN envoy dodges question about white phosphorus use in Lebanon

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon on Wednesday avoided responding to reports about Israeli use of “white phosphorus munitions over homes” in southern Lebanon, Anadolu reports. “We do everything we can to minimize civilian casualties, and we are very precise ammunition, and we are very good in intelligence,” he said at a media briefing at UN headquarters in New York, adding that he is also not “familiar” with white phosphorus. “That’s why we actually asked the people from southern Lebanon, south of the Litani, to move to the north, to avoid civilian casualties,” he said. A report by Human Rights Watch indicated that the Israeli army was using “white phosphorus munitions over homes” in southern Lebanon. It said Israeli

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  Saudi Arabia seeks military support from Belgium after Iranian missile attacks

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Saudi Arabia has requested military support from Belgium after being targeted by Iranian retaliatory missiles, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said Wednesday, Anadolu reports. Speaking in parliament, Francken said the Saudi military attache in Belgium is holding talks with Belgian authorities to determine how such assistance could be provided, the daily La Libre reported. The minister did not give further details about the potential support. Tensions escalated across the region on February 28 when the US and Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran that have so far killed over 1,200 people, including Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader. Tehran has responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries that host US assets. READ: Saudi Arabia: Limited

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  Turkish president calls for end to US-Israeli war with Iran before it escalates

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday called for an end to the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran before it escalates and engulfs the region, stressing that a diplomatic solution remains “completely possible” if given a chance, Anadolu reports. Speaking at his party’s parliamentary group meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said Turkiye is “patiently continuing efforts to return to the negotiating table and revive diplomacy.” He added that, given the sensitivity of the situation, Turkiye is speaking cautiously and taking careful measures to protect itself from the conflicts around it. READ: Israel reports missile attack from Iran as conflict continues to widen The president also emphasized that Turkiye is not indifferent to crises in the region and does not turn its back

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  Spain dismisses ambassador to Israel after months-long diplomatic rift

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Spain has formally dismissed its ambassador to Israel, Ana Salomon, several months after she was recalled to Madrid amid a diplomatic dispute with the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Anadolu reports. The decision was published on Wednesday in Spain’s official state bulletin, confirming that Salomon’s dismissal was approved by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday at the proposal of Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares. Salomon had served as Spain’s ambassador to Israel since July 2021 but was called back for consultations in September after tensions escalated between the two governments. The move followed what Madrid described as “slanderous accusations” against Spain and “unacceptable measures” taken by Israel against Spain’s labor minister, Yolanda Diaz, and Youth Minister Sira Rego,

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  Israel reports missile attack from Iran as conflict continues to widen

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  The Israeli military said Wednesday it identified missiles launched from Iran as the military conflict between the two rivals continued to widen, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the army said missiles were launched from Iran toward Israel, with air defenses working to intercept them. Incoming missile sirens sounded across central Israel, according to the daily Yedioth Ahronoth. There were no immediate reports of casualties following the missile launches. Regional escalation has flared since Feb. 28 when Israel and the US launched a joint attack against Iran, killing more than 1,200 people and injuring another 10,000, according to Iranian authorities. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that are home to US military

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  Iraq’s militias: From guns for hire to checkbooks of power

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Iraq’s militias cannot be understood as mere security actors or as simple extensions of regional power politics. Rather, they represent a fully formed political economy that emerged from the wreckage of the state and evolved into a cross-border network of interests. This network is not governed by ideology or loyalty, but by the logic of the market.  Iraq’s militias are no longer part of the chaos; they have become its very architecture. From the moment they appeared as parallel forces to the state, it was clear that they were not founded on doctrine or political vision, but on the vacuum left by collapsing institutions. Starting as mercenaries carrying out sectarian killings and kidnappings, they grew into networks feeding on institutional

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  Israel moves Golani Brigade from Gaza to Lebanon border as tensions spike

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Israel’s army chief ordered the transfer of the Golani infantry brigade from the Gaza Strip to the border with Lebanon, the military said on Wednesday, as Tel Aviv continues to expand its offensive in its northern neighbor, Anadolu reports. A military statement said Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir ordered the Golani Brigade transferred from the Southern Command, which oversees Gaza, to operate under the Northern Command, which includes Lebanon. The army said additional reinforcements to the northern sector will be considered based on further assessments. Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that the decision effectively moves the Golani Brigade from Gaza to the Lebanese front. The Israeli army said last week that forces under the Northern Command were positioned at

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  Germany’s top diplomat sees no quick end to Iran conflict

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Germany’s foreign minister cautioned against expectations of a swift end to the Iran conflict, saying the US and Israel intend to continue their military campaign until achieving their strategic objectives, Anadolu reports. Speaking to public broadcaster ARD on Tuesday evening after his visit to Israel, Johann Wadephul said his discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar indicated that airstrikes will continue for the foreseeable future. “I get the impression that both sides are still essentially focused on destroying the arsenal that Iran has amassed,” Wadephul said. “This applies to the nuclear program, of course, but also to ballistic missile capabilities that threaten not only Israel and the region, but also Europe.” Wadephul expressed

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  Italy ‘does not want to enter war’ despite sending defense assets to Gulf, premier says

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Wednesday that Italy “does not take part” in the US-Israeli military strikes against Iran and “does not want to enter” the war, Anadolu reports. Addressing the Senate, Meloni described the conflict as “one of the most complex crises in recent decades” and said it required “serious action,” according to Italian news agency Rai. Referring to the US-Israeli operation, she said it was “an intervention in which Italy does not take part and does not intend to take part.” “We are not at war and we do not want to enter a war,” she added. Meloni also said the US and Israeli intervention against Iran had been conducted “outside the framework of international law,” placing

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  Netanyahu’s lifelong obsession with striking Iran and his looming spectacular defeat

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  For almost four decades, Benjamin Netanyahu has defined his politics by his singular, animating idea: that Iran poses an existential threat to Israel, and only he possesses the vision and courage to confront it head-on. On February 28, 2026, in front of television cameras in Jerusalem, he made it official: “If we do not stop nuclear and missile programs now, they will become immune.” The war he had been urging, preparing for, and promising his country for so long was finally here. It was to be brief, it was to be decisive, it was to be Netanyahu’s vindication. But weeks into the war, Israel finds itself in precisely the war it had hoped to avoid—a war of attrition, of prolonged

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  Planned Al Quds Day march banned in UK, 1st time over decade

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  The British home secretary said Wednesday she approved a police request to ban the upcoming Al Quds Day march, marking the first ban on the protest march in the UK since 2012, Anadolu reports. “I am satisfied doing so is necessary to prevent serious public disorder, due to the scale of the protest and multiple counter-protests, in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” Shabana Mahmood wrote on the US social media company X. She noted that her decision came following the Metropolitan Police’s request to ban the Al Quds march. “I expect to see the full force of the law applied to anyone spreading hatred and division instead of exercising their right to peaceful protest,” added

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  Oil rises despite reserve release talks, Trump suggesting Iran war nearing end

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Oil prices continued to climb on Wednesday despite growing calls for an emergency release of strategic crude reserves and remarks by US President Donald Trump signaling the war with Iran may be nearing its end, Anadolu reports. International Brent crude futures traded above $90 per barrel, extending gains amid ongoing market volatility triggered by the Middle East conflict, after retreating to around $80 and then rising 12.5%. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also advanced, holding around $88 as traders weighed the risk of supply disruptions against signs that the military confrontation could soon ease. Trump told CBS News on Monday that the war with Iran was “very complete, pretty much,” suggesting that the conflict may end soon and helping

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  Spain’s ‘no to war’ stance rooted in principles, not politics: Premier Sanchez

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez defended Madrid’s opposition to the war involving Iran, saying the government’s “no to war” stance is based on principles and respect for international law, Anadolu reports. In an interview published Wednesday by El Diario, Sanchez said Spain’s position reflects a consistent foreign policy approach and has resonated beyond the country. “When we said ‘no to war,’ there was a wave of pride in being Spanish not only within our country, but also among many societies across the world,” he said. Sanchez rejected criticism from opposition parties who accuse his government of taking an electoral stance against the conflict. “This war was not provoked by Spain. It was a war driven unilaterally by two nations,” he

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  The objective of the Iran war is not regime change but complete dismantling of the Iranian state

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  We may be witnessing the final round of a great power contest unfolding in the Middle East. At its center lies Iran, now under sustained assault by the United States and Israel in what appears to be a determined effort to cripple its military capabilities, dismantle the state and neutralise it as a regional power. The objective is to defang Iran and render it toothless in a region where it has long positioned itself as a principal challenger to Israeli dominance. The US-Israel attack on Iran is not an isolated event – it was years in the making, as four-star general Wesley Clark revealed in 2007, citing a post-9/11 Pentagon plan to “take down” seven countries, starting with Iraq and

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  Netanyahu warns war with Iran would be ‘extremely costly’

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged that a war with Iran would carry a heavy financial cost, saying the government will need to allocate a special wartime budget worth tens of billions of shekels. In a joint statement with Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday evening, Netanyahu said the government considered the confrontation unavoidable but warned that the financial burden would be significant. “There was absolutely no doubt that we had to fight this battle, and we are doing everything we can with our soldiers and pilots,” Netanyahu said, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. “But there is a major obstacle: it is costly, extremely costly. Therefore, we are required to allocate a special budget during the war,

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  Iran says Israeli strike in Beirut killed four of its diplomats

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has accused Israel of killing four Iranian diplomats in an airstrike that targeted a hotel in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. In a letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General and the presidents of the Security Council and General Assembly, Iran’s UN envoy Amir Saeed Irvani said the attack took place in the early hours of Sunday, 8 March 2026. According to the letter, cited by the Iranian news agency Tasnim, Israeli forces struck the Ramada Hotel in central Beirut, resulting in the deaths of four Iranian diplomats. “The Israeli regime carried out a deliberate terrorist attack on the Ramada Hotel in Beirut, resulting in the death of four Iranian diplomats,” Irvani wrote. The identities of

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  Palestinian community in Chile condemns killing of Lebanese priest in Israeli strike

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  The Palestinian community in Chile has condemned the killing of Maronite Catholic priest Father Pierre al-Ra’i during Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the community said the 50-year-old priest was fatally wounded in the town of Qlaiaa while attempting to assist a person injured in an Israeli strike near his parish. According to the statement, Father al-Ra’i went to help the wounded after a nearby house was bombed. The area was then struck again shortly afterwards, leaving him critically injured. He later died in hospital. The Palestinian community in Chile said the incident should not be viewed as an isolated case, arguing that civilians from different religious backgrounds across the region have been affected by

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  Death toll from Israeli bombardment of Lebanon rises to 570

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  The death toll from ongoing Israeli bombardment across Lebanon has risen to 570 people killed and 1,444 wounded, according to the latest update from the Disaster Risk Management Unit at the Lebanese Prime Minister’s Office. The report also indicated that approximately 759,300 people have been displaced, with many registering in shelters across the country as the conflict intensifies. Israeli forces continued their air campaign on Tuesday, striking multiple locations across Lebanon and causing further casualties and widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure. READ: Houthi- and Hezbollah-linked group threatens to target Barakah nuclear facility in Abu Dhabi Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut as well as several towns in southern Lebanon, including Qana, Tyre, Hanawiya, Adloun, Adshit,

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  The Iran War: A product of American delusions and Zionist ambitions

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  “We only have to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down!” Adolf Hitler, On the eve of his attack on the Soviet Union in 1941 Most wars are the product of ambitions and delusions. However, usually belligerents are armed with both. For example, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union under the delusion that it was an empty shell and would easily be crushed under German boots. Success in that war would have achieved Hitler’s ambition of gaining Lebensraum (living space) and creating a “Greater Germany” that would have stretched from Alsace to the Urals. In contrast, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu’s war on Iran is a peculiar war. Only one belligerent (the USA) seems to

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  Israeli forces seize Palestinian homes in West Bank and convert them into military posts

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Israeli forces have intensified a practice of seizing Palestinian homes in parts of the occupied West Bank and converting them into temporary military outposts, according to local residents. In the early hours of the morning, Israeli troops reportedly stormed the home of Ahmed al-Nawaj’ah in the town of Yatta, south of Hebron, ordering his family to leave immediately before using the building as a military position. Speaking to local media, al-Nawaj’ah said soldiers entered the house at dawn and instructed the family to evacuate within minutes. “They forced us out within minutes. They didn’t allow us to take almost anything,” he said. READ: Israeli forces raid Balata refugee camp in occupied West Bank According to al-Nawaj’ah, soldiers then moved to the

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  Iran launches largest wave of missiles, drones at Israel and Gulf states

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Iran’s armed forces have launched a new wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and several Gulf countries. The Times of Israel reported on Wednesday morning that the missiles fired at Israel were either intercepted or landed in uninhabited areas. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked Tasnim News Agency said this wave of strikes was the largest since the start of the war. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said it intercepted seven ballistic missiles and seven drones over different areas of the kingdom. In Kuwait, the defence ministry said four drones were intercepted, while another fell in open areas. Air raid sirens were also heard in Bahrain. READ: Houthi- and Hezbollah-linked group threatens to target Barakah nuclear facility in Abu Dhabi

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  Houthi- and Hezbollah-linked group threatens to target Barakah nuclear facility in Abu Dhabi

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  A group calling itself the “Brigades of the True Promise in the Arabian Peninsula” has threatened to target al Barakah nuclear facility in Abu Dhabi. In a statement issued early on Wednesday, the group said: “In fulfilment of our duty in the battle of Islam against the Jews and their followers, and as a continuation of our operations that struck the fortresses of the enemies in the Arabian Peninsula, al Barakah nuclear facility in Abu Dhabi will be our next target, God willing.”  The “Brigades of the True Promise” are widely regarded as an alternative front used by the Iran-backed Houthi movement to carry out cross-border operations. After five years since its first appearance, on 23 January 2021, the group

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  US sources: Trump administration misjudged Iran’s response and war’s impact on oil markets

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  American sources familiar with the matter have told The New York Times that Iran’s aggressive response forced Washington to revise its plans and begin evacuating embassies across the region. The sources said there is growing pessimism inside the administration of Donald Trump due to the absence of a clear exit strategy from the war with Iran. They added that Trump’s administration and advisers had misjudged both Iran’s likely response and the impact the conflict would have on global oil markets. According to the sources, President Trump has publicly insisted the war is succeeding, while his advisers have avoided directly confronting him with their concerns about the increasing complexity of the military operations in Iran. READ: Iran’s military threatens attacks on US,

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  Iran’s military threatens attacks on US, Israeli banks after strike on Iranian lender

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Iran’s military threatened Wednesday to launch retaliatory attacks on American and Israeli banks in the region following an airstrike on a bank in Tehran, Anadolu reports. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command of Iran’s armed forces, said that a bank in the Iranian capital was struck by the US and Israel on Tuesday. The spokesperson described the attack as an “illegitimate and unconventional act of war,” adding that it has left Iran’s armed forces with the right to target economic centers and banks belonging to the US and Israel across the region. “The Americans should await our painful retaliatory action,” he warned. The spokesperson also urged people in countries hosting US and

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  Brazil´s Lula Warns the Middle East War Will Not Stop at the Region’s Borders

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned that the escalation in the Middle East represents “a serious threat to international peace and security,” stressing that its repercussions do not stop at the region’s borders, but extend to energy, input, and food supply chains. Lula made the remarks while receiving South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Brasília on March 9, 2026, saying he had conveyed to his counterpart his “deep concern” over the escalation of the conflict, describing its humanitarian and economic effects as “far-reaching,” and arguing that “dialogue and diplomacy” remain “the only viable path” toward a lasting solution. “I expressed to President Ramaphosa my deep concern over the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, which represents

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  Media: Drone attack targets US diplomatic facility in Baghdad

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  A drone targeted a US diplomatic facility in Iraq on Tuesday in an attack believed to have been carried out by Iran-aligned armed groups, the Washington Post reported. The newspaper, citing an Iraqi security official and an internal alert from the US State Department, said one of six drones struck the US Diplomatic Support Centre near Baghdad International Airport. Air defences shot down the other five drones. The centre is an important logistics hub supporting the work of US diplomats in Iraq and is located near Iraqi military bases. There were no confirmed reports of casualties. The White House, the US State Department and the Pentagon declined to comment on the attack. READ: France ‘cannot approve’ US-Israeli strikes on Iran: Foreign

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  Netanyahu, Smotrich announce freeze on bill exempting Haredim from military service

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday evening that the government would suspend efforts to advance a bill exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service for now, citing the demands and financial pressures of the war. In a joint video statement, Netanyahu and Smotrich said they had decided to “set the law aside at this stage” as the government prepares to approve a major increase in the defence budget, including the transfer of tens of billions of shekels to the military. Netanyahu said the war required directing large financial resources to defence spending. “There was no doubt that we had to go out to this battle,” he said, adding: “But war costs money, a lot

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  Hamas warns of ‘dangerous precedent’ as al-Aqsa mosque closure enters 11th day

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, warned on Tuesday of the consequences of the continued closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the 11th consecutive day and the prevention of worshippers from performing Taraweeh prayers and religious retreat during the holy month of Ramadan. In a statement, the movement said the closure represents a “dangerous historical precedent” since 1967 and described it as a “blatant violation” of freedom of worship and a provocative escalation against Islamic holy sites. Hamas said the continued closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by what it called the “fascist occupation government”, and the prevention of worshippers and those guarding the site from accessing it to perform Taraweeh prayers and observe itikaf during Ramadan, was happening for the

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  A colonial choice: The Board of Peace, or the UN?

  by MI on March 11, 2026

  A report presented to the UN Human Rights Council last month noted that Israel destroyed 92 per cent of Gaza’s housing units and displaced over 90 per cent of Palestinians, while 86 percent of the territory was under orders for displacement or incorporated into military zones. Based on the evidence and statistics, the reported stated that “these violations of the right to adequate housing may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and may be considered as part of the crime of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.” The report was compiled by Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, who also proposed domicide, which is the destruction of civilian infrastructure, to be considered as an

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  France ‘cannot approve’ US-Israeli strikes on Iran: Foreign minister

  by Marwa A on March 10, 2026

  France “cannot approve” strikes by US and Israeli forces on Iran as they are being carried out outside international law and without clearly defined objectives, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Speaking on France 2, Barrot said the strikes lacked clear strategic goals and did not comply with international legal standards. Barrot stressed that France is not involved in the conflict. “We do not approve of this war, and we are not participating in it,” he said. He also called for rapid de-escalation in the Middle East, urging Iran to change its regional posture. “We expect Iran to renounce being a destabilizing and dangerous power,” he said. READ: Emirati billionaire rebukes US senator over call for Gulf states

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  Trump warns of consequences at levels ‘never seen before’ if Iran does not remove mines from Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on March 10, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened Iran with unprecedented military consequences if it had placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz and failed to remove them, Anadolu reports. “If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. He added that removing the mines would be “a giant step in the right direction.” Trump, however, also noted that US has “no reports of” Tehran putting out mines in the waterway. The warning came after a CNN report that Iran has begun laying mines in the strait. Sources told the news outlet that only a

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  MEMO in Conversation with Raouf Farrah

  by Marwa A on March 10, 2026

  In this conversation with Raouf Farrah, lead Africa analyst at SecDev and co-editor of Rising for Palestine, we discuss his new book and its call for renewed Africa-Palestine solidarity. We also discuss the Sumud convoy, a North African solidarity initiative organised to challenge Israel’s siege on Gaza. Farrah reflects on the political obstacles the convoy faced and what they reveal about the regional response to Palestine. Raouf Farrah is the Lead Africa Analyst at the SecDev Group, a risk analytics firm working at the intersection of technology and human behaviour. In 2025, he was instrumental in organising  The Sumud Convoy, an attempt to break Israel’s siege on Gaza This year, Farrah co-edited a book, Rising for Palestine. MORE >>> MEMO in

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  Aramco warns of ‘catastrophic’ consequences for oil market if Hormuz closure persists

  by Marwa A on March 10, 2026

  Saudi oil giant Aramco warned Tuesday of “catastrophic” consequences for global oil markets if the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues amid a US-Israeli offensive on Iran, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a press conference, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said a prolonged shutdown of the strait “could lead to catastrophic consequences for global oil markets,” according to the Saudi television Al Ekhbariya. On March 2, Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, announced that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed, warning that any ships attempting to pass through would be targeted. Nasser described the current crisis as “by far the largest challenge ever faced by the oil and gas sector in the region.” He said

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  Indonesia’s cautious response to the U.S.–Israel war on Iran

  by MI on March 10, 2026

  After days of silence, Indonesia has finally issued a statement on the war between the United States, Israel and Iran. The response, however, is strikingly cautious. President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia is “on the right track” by refusing to take sides. Speaking on March 9, he emphasized that Indonesia should remain committed to its long-standing policy of nonalignment and respect for all countries. Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry echoed this position, calling on the United States and Israel to stop attacks on Iran while also urging Iran to halt strikes on neighboring states and return to negotiations. The tone is diplomatic. But the wording is also careful. Indonesia’s official statements repeatedly refer to “tensions” and “escalation.” They avoid stronger language about the