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

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  Rubio says Iran talks have never stopped, stresses US preference for diplomacy

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that diplomatic contacts with Iran have continued despite escalating tensions in the Middle East, stressing that Washington remains open to a peaceful solution provided its core security concerns are addressed, Anadolu reports. Speaking to reporters in Atlanta, Rubio said there was no set timetable for the ongoing diplomatic efforts, but emphasized that communication channels remained open. “There are multiple talks. Talks have actually never stopped,” he said, adding that conversations were taking place both directly and, more often, through intermediaries. “The president’s preference in any challenge around the world is to try to solve it diplomatically and peacefully, if possible,” Rubio said, referring to President Donald Trump’s approach. He added that Washington

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  Police detain Palestine Action supporters outside US Embassy in London

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  British police arrestes protesters outside the US Embassy in London on Saturday, during a demonstration against the government’s ban on the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action, Anadolu reports. More than 100 people gathered in Nine Elms, south London, carrying placards expressing opposition to genocide and support for the banned organization. Around 400 participants had been expected at the demonstration. The protest was organized by Defend Our Juries, which also planned a separate demonstration outside the US Consulate near Holyrood in Edinburgh. Ahead of the gathering, London’s Metropolitan Police warned that participants could face arrest for expressing support for Palestine Action, including those who did not carry placards. Palestine Action was formally banned under the UK’s Terrorism Act on July 5, 2025,

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  Iran war damage to US bases may cost billions in reconstruction: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  The financial toll of the Iran war is mounting beyond battlefield losses, with hundreds of buildings at US military installations across the Middle East damaged in Iranian strikes, potentially adding billions of dollars to the cost of the conflict, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. An analysis of satellite imagery found that 274 structures at 24 installations with a US military presence sustained damage during the war’s first six months. Among the hardest-hit sites was Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, where an Iranian strike on July 17 killed three American service members and damaged at least 19 buildings, including facilities where troops sleep. READ: Iran warns war could spread ‘much wider’ if US launches ‘another military adventure’ The Washington-based Center

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  Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supplying RSF with arms

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Sudan accused Ethiopia on Saturday of using one of its military bases to supply the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with weapons and equipment and facilitate the passage of foreign fighters and mercenaries into Sudan, Anadolu reports. There was no immediate response from Ethiopia or the RSF. Addis Ababa has previously denied supporting the paramilitary group or allowing drones to launch from its territory, affirming its respect for Sudan’s sovereignty. During a meeting held by Sudan’s Foreign Ministry with diplomatic missions accredited to the country in the eastern city of Port Sudan, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Muawiya Osman Khalid said: “The Asosa base in western Ethiopia has become a hub for supplying the rebel militia with weapons and equipment and facilitating

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  Iran has no plans for talks with US officials: Foreign minister

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Tehran has no plans to hold talks with US officials, dismissing reports suggesting otherwise as unfounded. Araghchi said Iran had carefully examined a message sent by US Vice President JD Vance to senior Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei and that the matter remained under review by the relevant authorities, according to the official Iranian news agency IRNA. He stressed that no talks with US officials were planned and that claims to the contrary did not reflect the truth. The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, previously reported that Vance had sent a message to Rezaei at President Donald Trump’s direction to revive peace talks. Trump denied the report, saying Vance’s role was

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  Demonstrators reject possible sale of Lavrio Port to Israeli firm

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Protesters gathered at Lavrio Port in Greece on Saturday, to oppose its planned privatization and possible sale to an Israeli company, Anadolu reports. Demonstrators voiced opposition to the involvement of Israel Shipyards Industries, an Israeli company linked to the country’s defense industry and among the firms interested in acquiring the port. They demanded that the privatization decision be canceled and that the port not be used to transport weapons or military equipment. Speaking to Anadolu, protester Sofia Topalidu said the demonstration aimed to send a message to the Greek government opposing the sale of Lavrio Port to an Israeli company and its potential use in wars and what she described as genocide. Topalidu expressed strong opposition to the sale and

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  Iran’s supreme leader says Tehran will decide when conflict ends if ‘enemies resume attacks’

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Saturday that Tehran would determine “the time and conditions” for ending the conflict “if the enemies resume attacks,” Anadolu reports. “If the enemies once again launch military or terrorist attacks, it is the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation that will determine the time and conditions for their end,” Khamenei said in a statement carried by state-run broadcaster IRIB. The statement came after Khamenei met with senior military officials, the broadcaster reported. Iran’s supreme leader instructed senior commanders to deliver an “immediate and effective response, without geographical restrictions to any potential enemy threat,” the statement said. READ: Report: US deploys 10 military cargo planes to Israel amid preparations for possible strike on

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  Syria says discussions underway on joining Mecca pact

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Saturday that “discussions are currently underway to evaluate Syria’s entry into the Mecca alliance,” a regional pact that brings together Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Anadolu reports. Shaibani’s remarks came during a session on regional security at the Manama Dialogue 2026, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). He said Damascus was an “integral” part of regional security and would support any framework aimed at protecting regional stability. The minister stressed that the region was “in greater need than ever” of developing joint deterrence and defense systems. Addressing the conflict in Yemen, Shaibani reaffirmed Syria’s support for the Yemeni government in restoring its sovereignty and stability across the country. He also urged all

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  Iranian delegation arrives in Qatar for talks: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  An Iranian delegation, including a deputy to Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, is in Qatar for talks following a reported breakthrough in indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, a Qatari newspaper reported Saturday. Citing an Iranian source, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said the delegation was in the Qatari capital, Doha, “to facilitate engagement with the Qatari mediator.” The visit followed “intensive discussions held by a Qatari negotiating delegation in Tehran, which resulted in a breakthrough in indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington,” the newspaper reported, citing the source. The discussions also paved the way for the Iranian negotiating team to accompany the Qatari delegation on its return trip to Doha, according to the report. READ: Iran warns war could spread ‘much wider’ if US

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  Israel carried out over 1,000 attacks on Syria in less than 2 years, says Syrian foreign minister

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Saturday that Israel had carried out more than 1,000 attacks on his country in less than two years, killing dozens of people, Anadolu reports. Shaibani’s remarks came during a session on regional security at the Manama Dialogue 2026, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). “Our territory has been subjected to more than 1,000 Israeli attacks in less than two years, killing dozens. “How can calls for border control and placing weapons exclusively under state control be justified while Syrian sovereignty is violated and targeted on a daily basis?” he asked. READ: Israeli forces blow up abandoned house, open fire on farmland in southern Syria Expressing Damascus’ condemnation of the Israeli attacks, Shaibani called

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  Israeli army launches fresh airstrikes, machine-gun fire in southern Lebanon

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  The Israeli army carried out fresh airstrikes, an explosion and machine-gun fire across southern Lebanon early Saturday, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported. The attacks came despite a US-brokered framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel in June and renewed diplomatic efforts to address security disputes between the two sides. Israeli strikes and military operations targeted several locations across southern Lebanon, including the districts of Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil and Marjayoun, according to the news agency. In Nabatieh district, Israeli warplanes struck an area between the towns of Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Kfar Tebnit. Another Israeli airstrike targeted the outskirts of Baraachit in Bint Jbeil district, the agency said. In Marjayoun district, Israeli forces carried out an explosion in the town of

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Ray McGovern: Trump Extends an Olive Branch and the MOAB to Iran, What Should They Believe?

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  WATCH:  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Mark Pfeifle: Netanyahu is Thrashed, Will Trump be Clobbered Too?

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  Israeli army tightens restrictions in occupied West Bank’s Hebron as offensive enters 9th day

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  The Israeli army tightened restrictions in residential neighborhoods of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Saturday as its military offensive entered its ninth consecutive day, witnesses said, Anadolu reports. The offensive, which began Oct. 23, has displaced thousands of Palestinians, led to dozens of arrests and resulted in the demolition of homes and other structures. On Friday evening, Israeli forces imposed a military closure on the Ein Deir Bahha neighborhood, raided homes and detained several young men, witnesses told Anadolu. They said Israeli military vehicles entered the neighborhood before soldiers announced through loudspeakers that it had been designated a “closed military zone,” prohibiting residents from remaining in or moving through the area. Footage shared by local media showed Israeli

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  2 Palestinians killed in Israel’s ongoing violations of Gaza ceasefire

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  A Palestinian was killed in an Israeli strike in central Gaza early Saturday, while another died of wounds sustained in an earlier attack, medical sources told Anadolu Agency. The deaths came amid continued Israeli army violations of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip that has been in effect since October 2025. A medical source at Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza said Diaa Abu al-Rous was killed in an Israeli strike north of the Nuseirat refugee camp. Witnesses told Anadolu that an Israeli drone carried out the strike near the headquarters of an electricity company north of the camp. Separately, Arafat al-Arair died of serious wounds sustained several days earlier in an Israeli strike targeting a vehicle in the Tel

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  Iran warns war could spread ‘much wider’ if US launches ‘another military adventure’

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia, spokesperson for the Iranian army, said Saturday that renewed war would “engulf a much wider area” if US President Donald Trump “resorts to another adventure in the region” alongside Israel, Anadolu reports. “If the US president once again embarks on another military adventure in the region under pressure from and inducement by the Zionists, the flames of war will undoubtedly engulf a much wider geographical area,” Akraminia wrote on US social media company X. “And the end of the conflict will not be in his (Trump’s) hands,” he warned. READ: Iran’s Parliament Speaker says negotiations cannot advance without acceptance of Tehran’s seven conditions Citing “the US President’s track record of betraying diplomacy,” Akraminia said the Iranian army

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  Trump administration plans to deport Afghan refugees to Pakistan: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  The Trump administration is preparing to deport Afghan refugees to Pakistan as early as Monday, despite concerns that they could subsequently be returned to Afghanistan under Taliban rule, media reports said Friday. The proposed deportation flight has not been publicly announced, but rights advocates and families of detainees said it could take place in the coming days, according to NBC News. The reported plans come amid continued uncertainty surrounding Afghan refugees housed at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar, where the US government has repeatedly extended deadlines for removing residents. The State Department initially announced that everyone would be removed from the facility by March 31, but the deadline was subsequently extended to Sept. 30. In September, the Trump administration postponed

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  US rapper Macklemore wraps up Free Palestine Tour with concert in London

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  US rapper Macklemore concluded his Free Palestine Tour with a concert in London, UK, on Friday, pledging to donate the proceeds to organizations supporting the Palestinian people, Anadolu reports. Macklemore, who was removed from British singer Ed Sheeran’s tour following his statements in support of Palestine, was joined at the event by prominent singers, poets, activists and Palestinian supporters who had survived the Holocaust and the Nakba. The performers and speakers took the stage ahead of Macklemore’s performance. READ: Hozier, Kneecap join Macklemore at sold-out launch of Free Palestine tour

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  Trump may order major Iran strike if Republicans suffer losses in midterm election: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  US President Donald Trump may be more inclined to approve a large-scale military operation against Iran if Republicans fare badly in the midterm elections next week, according to a report on Friday. “If he feels embarrassed or disenfranchised, he will do something bold,” a US official told Axios, adding that it is the message being passed to Iranian officials, who are being told their best chance for a deal is now. A White House official rejected the idea, telling the outlet that election results will not factor into Trump’s decisions on Iran. The report said Qatari mediators spent more than 12 hours on Friday in Tehran, staying in regular contact with the White House, to restart direct talks between Washington

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  Iran says 4th oil tanker hit mine, caught fire in Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Friday that a fourth oil tanker had struck a mine and caught fire while attempting to pass through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. The navy’s public relations office said the supertanker, carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil, ignored repeated radio warnings against using the southern passage through the strategic waterway. The vessel was struck by a mine, triggering a powerful explosion and leaving it burning, according to the statement. The IRGC said the tanker was attempting to exit the strait through what it described as an unauthorized southern route. It claimed the incident marked the fourth time a tanker had caught fire in the

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  Polymarket probing suspicious bets on Israeli election: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Polymarket is looking into suspicious bets placed on this week’s Israeli election, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing a person familiar with the investigation, Anadolu reports. The trades, which generated significant profits and appeared to be unusually well-timed, come as prediction-market platforms such as Polymarket face growing scrutiny over possible insider trading. The bets were placed shortly before voting ended and involved predictions that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would outperform his opponent, said the report. READ: Israel’s election committee rejects claims of systematic breaches of electoral integrity Concerns about insider trading on Polymarket have reportedly continued to mount. Authorities in the US and Israel have charged military personnel with allegedly using confidential information to profit from bets placed on

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  Israeli army declares Hebron neighborhood closed military zone amid raids

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  The Israeli army declared the Ain Deir Baha neighborhood in Hebron, in the southern occupied West Bank, a closed military zone late Friday as troops carried out raids and detained several young Palestinians, Anadolu reports. The move came as an Israeli military offensive in Hebron entered its eighth day, displacing thousands of civilians, detaining dozens and demolishing Palestinian homes and structures. Witnesses told Anadolu that Israeli military vehicles entered the neighborhood and announced over loudspeakers that the area had been designated a closed military zone, prohibiting residents from entering or moving within it. Videos circulated by local media outlets showed Israeli troops deployed in the neighborhood, warning residents that remaining in the area had become dangerous. Other footage shared on

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  Israel blows up homes, shells towns in southern Lebanon

  by EditorMehdi on October 31, 2026

  Israeli forces intensified attacks in southern Lebanon on Friday, blowing up homes and other structures while carrying out artillery shelling and machine-gun fire in several areas, according to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA). Israeli forces carried out extensive machine-gun fire in the towns of Khiam and Qantara, while homes were also set on fire in Qantara, the NNA said. The agency said the Israeli army carried out an explosion in the town of Tayri in the Bint Jbeil district, while artillery fire targeted Wadi al-Hujeir toward the town of Touline with 155-millimeter shells. Artillery shelling also struck areas around Kfar Shuba in the Arqoub region, the outskirts of Hadatha in the Bint Jbeil district and Wadi Zibqin in the

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  US orders non-emergency personnel to leave Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  The US State Department has ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group, the US Embassy said Friday, Anadolu reports. In a security alert, the US Mission to Saudi Arabia said the departure order took effect on Oct. 23 due to safety risks. The mission warned that Houthi attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure had caused casualties and major travel disruptions, adding that hostilities could escalate rapidly. US government employees must obtain special authorization to use airports in Saudi Arabia following recent missile and drone attacks, the statement said. The embassy said Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport had partially reopened, while airports in Jeddah and Dammam remained operational with

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  US denies Iran’s claim that it destroyed US sea drone in Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) on Friday denied an Iranian claim that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had destroyed an unmanned US military surface vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. “All U.S. military unmanned surface vessels in the Middle East are accounted for, including a squadron of advanced sea drones on patrol in the Strait of Hormuz supporting CENTCOM’s defensive layer,” CENTCOM said on US social media company X. Earlier Friday, the Iranian Navy said it had destroyed an “enemy unmanned vessel” operating east of the strait, without identifying the vessel or its operator, according to a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency. READ: Report: US deploys 10 military cargo planes to Israel amid preparations

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  Match between Turkish football side Besiktas and Israel’s Hapoel Beer-Sheva to be played in Georgia

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  Turkish football side Besiktas announced on Friday that their UEFA Europa League home match against Israeli side Hapoel Beer-Sheva will be played in the country of Georgia, Anadolu reports. According to a club statement, the 5th round of the Europa League match against the Israeli club will be held on Thursday, Nov. 26, at Batumi Stadium in the coastal city of the same name. The match will be open to Besiktas fans, with further details on ticket sales to be announced at a later date, the Istanbul club said. READ: UEFA probes Israeli player for allegedly spitting at Ireland coach

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  UN warns of deepening displacement ‘nightmare’ in Gaza amid concerns of ‘ethnic cleansing’

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  The relentless contraction of Palestinians’ living space has caused a new “nightmare” of displacement in Gaza which is both “acute and chronic,” the UN rights office warned Friday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the OHCHR said that Israeli forces continue to push Palestinians into ever-smaller areas of the Gaza Strip while destroying civilian infrastructure and attacking displacement sites “amid concerns of ethnic cleansing.” It said the relentless contraction of space has caused new displacement in areas adjacent to the “yellow line” demarcation boundary. “Over the past two weeks, OHCHR documented the westward expansion of Israeli military deployment areas in Al Shujaiyeh, Gaza City, and in three locations in Middle Gaza – eastern Al Bureij, eastern Deir Al-Balah and eastern Al

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  Yemeni army claims 336 Houthis neutralized in ‘Dawn of Yemen’ operation

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  Yemen’s armed forces said they had neutralized around 336 Houthi fighters and commanders during ongoing military operations under the “Dawn of Yemen” offensive, Anadolu reports. On US social media company X, military spokesman Col. Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili said government forces had carried out 1,087 strikes in recent hours using warplanes, drones, field artillery, and rocket launchers. He said the strikes targeted Houthi command and control centers, troop concentrations, reinforcements, firing positions, fortifications, and supply routes. In the southwestern province of Taiz, government forces and allied Popular Resistance fighters continued raids and counterattacks on strategically important Houthi positions, he added. Al-Nuzaili said warplanes also carried out concentrated strikes on Houthi troop concentrations, reinforcements, and military positions in the province. In the

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  Saudi-led coalition intercepts Houthi ballistic missile, drone near Riyadh

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile targeting southern Saudi Arabia and a drone in the Riyadh region amid escalating hostilities with the Yemeni group, Anadolu reports. In separate statements, the coalition said its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed the ballistic missile launched toward the kingdom’s southern region. It also reported intercepting and destroying a drone in the Riyadh region, without specifying its origin. The announcements come amid a surge in missile and drone attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi group. Earlier Friday, coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki announced the interception and destruction of a Houthi cruise missile launched toward western Saudi Arabia. READ: Yemen’s Houthis claim missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s Ras

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  Saudi Arabia suspends travel, entry from Kenya over Ebola concerns

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  Saudi Arabia on Friday announced additional precautionary measures against the Ebola virus, including suspending travel to and entry from Kenya, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The measures, introduced following an assessment of the epidemiological situation by health authorities, include suspending travel by Saudi citizens to Kenya and halting the issuance of all types of visas to travelers from the East African country. The kingdom will also prohibit entry to travelers arriving from Kenya, including those traveling through third countries who have stayed in Kenya or other Ebola-affected countries during the 21 days preceding their arrival. The restrictions are part of preventive measures introduced in 2019 and strengthened this May for travelers arriving from countries facing Ebola outbreak risks,

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  Israel blows up homes of Palestinians accused of killing 2 soldiers

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  The Israeli army demolished the homes of two Palestinians accused of carrying out a shooting attack that killed two Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, Anadolu reports. Israeli forces used explosives to destroy the two homes in the Ain Deir Baha area on Friday, according to local sources. The Israeli military had accused the two Palestinians of carrying out an attack at a military checkpoint near the Farsh al Hawa area west of Hebron on October 23. Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in the shooting, while Israeli forces killed the two suspected attackers, according to Israeli authorities. READ: Israeli military demolishes homes of two Palestinian prisoners in West Bank village of Beita

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Mark Pfeifle: Netanyahu is Thrashed, Will Trump be Clobbered Too?

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with John Fozzei Miller: Why Strategists Think Trump Has Lost The War?

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  Palestinians forcibly displaced by Israeli army rally in Hebron, demand return home

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  Dozens of Palestinians forcibly displaced by the Israeli army rallied Friday in the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron, demanding to return to their homes as Israeli raids and closures continued for an eighth consecutive day, Anadolu reports. The protesters, including women, children and elderly people from displaced families, gathered near Al-Jalda Square, which remains closed off by Israeli forces, an Anadolu correspondent reported. They called for an end to the military closure and forced displacement and demanded access to their homes in the Al-Jalda and Ein Deir Baha areas. Israeli forces continue to seal off the two areas while raiding and damaging Palestinian homes. The military campaign began last Friday following an attack by two Palestinians that killed

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  Iran’s Parliament Speaker says negotiations cannot advance without acceptance of Tehran’s seven conditions

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf said Thursday that progress in ongoing negotiations depends on the acceptance of seven conditions put forward by Tehran. Ghalibaf stated that Iran had clearly and repeatedly communicated its demands to mediators, emphasising that negotiations could not move forward unless those conditions were met. He reiterated that Tehran’s position had been conveyed to the parties involved through diplomatic channels, leaving no ambiguity regarding its requirements for further progress. The remarks come amid continuing diplomatic efforts to reach an understanding between the parties, with attention focused on the outcome of ongoing contacts and their responses to Iran’s demands. Ghalibaf did not provide further details about the seven conditions or indicate whether mediators had received any commitments

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  Saudi Arabia Urges Trump administration to prioritise diplomacy amid fears of renewed conflict with Iran

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  Saudi officials have urged US President Donald Trump’s administration to “give diplomacy a chance” before pursuing renewed military confrontation with Iran, amid concerns that another conflict could expose Saudi oil and energy facilities to Iranian missile attacks, according to Israeli news network i24News. The report said Riyadh’s message to Washington followed a visit to Tehran by Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, accompanied by Pakistan’s army chief and Turkey’s intelligence chief. The visit was reportedly part of a diplomatic initiative aimed at facilitating mediation between Washington and Tehran and reaching an agreement that could prevent another round of hostilities. According to the report, Saudi Arabia is concerned that renewed US-Iranian military confrontation could trigger retaliatory strikes against critical energy

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  Arab Joint List accuses Netanyahu of incitement following Israeli election results

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  The Arab Joint List has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition partners of conducting an incitement campaign against Arab voters following the Knesset elections, arguing that the campaign reflects concerns over the growing political influence of Arab citizens. In a statement issued Thursday, the Joint List said the campaign was intended to delegitimize Arab political participation following what it described as unprecedented voter turnout and a significant electoral achievement. The List said Arab voters had mobilized in response to the policies of Netanyahu’s government and its coalition partners, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, citing the war, home demolitions, displacement, incitement and rising crime in Arab communities. It described election day as a demonstration of political determination, saying

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  Israel’s next government must end Gaza’s catastrophe

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  Israel’s Arab voters have made themselves impossible to ignore. The question now is whether the country’s political leaders will accept their elected representatives as partners in shaping its future. The answer will shape both the next government and the prospects for peace. By the morning of 29 October, reporting on the unfinished count converged on 53 seats for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp, 48 for the opposition grouping led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot and 19 for Arab-led parties. These are provisional figures, not a final allocation or a coalition agreement. Netanyahu remains in office, and neither principal camp has secured an absolute parliamentary majority. Before the election, I wrote: “Netanyahu does not necessarily need his opponents to lose.

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  Report: US deploys 10 military cargo planes to Israel amid preparations for possible strike on Iran

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  The US has transferred 10 military cargo aircraft to Israeli air bases in the southern Negev region amid preparations for a possible military strike against Iran, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported Thursday, Anadolu Agency reported. The broadcaster said the aircraft landed at Ovda and Nevatim air bases, while additional US military planes were reportedly dispatched to bases in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. According to KAN, the planes departed from Fort Bliss in the US state of Texas, which houses one of the US military’s largest air defense centers, including facilities associated with interceptor missiles and air defense batteries. There was no immediate US confirmation of the reported deployments, and it remained unclear what cargo the aircraft were carrying

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  The 19 seats Netanyahu cannot ignore: Israel’s election deadlock

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  Israel has finished counting the votes, but its political leaders now face a more difficult question: will they accept the political power of the Palestinian citizens who cast them? The election on 27 October produced no clear winner. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot has 48. The two Arab parties, the Joint List and the United Arab List (Ra’am), won a record 19 seats between them. Neither Jewish-led bloc has the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu has survived another difficult election, but Palestinian citizens of Israel have changed the political equation. This is where the real test of Israeli democracy begins.

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  Flydubai extends suspension of Tel Aviv flights until Nov. 30: Israeli media

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  UAE carrier Flydubai has extended its suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until Nov. 30, Israeli Channel 12 reported Friday, Anadolu reports. The broadcaster did not specify the reason for the extension, and the airline had not issued an official announcement. Flydubai initially suspended the service on Sept. 30 after an alleged attempt to take control of one of its aircraft traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 Israeli passengers aboard. Passengers and crew members reportedly thwarted the attempt, and the plane was diverted to Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing. Authorities subsequently launched an investigation into the incident. On Oct. 9, UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigators had

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  The inherent violence in the two-state paradigm

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  Regardless of the Israeli election result, France will still pursue the two-state paradigm. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot completely missed the point with this statement. The Israeli elections did not factor in two-state politics. Neither did Zionist colonialism. Colonial expansion has one aim: to displace the indigenous population and replace it with settlers. Whoever triumphs at the polls, Israel is determined not to veer from that course. “Our course is very clear, and our position remains unchanged,” Barrot told the French broadcaster France 2. “What we want is security for Israel, but also the prospect of two states living side-by-side – recognised, respected in their rights, and at peace.” What France says it wants is contradictory. Two states living side

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  The Knesset election and the prospect of meaningful Palestinian political participation

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  Could this election usher in a new era of meaningful Palestinian political participation? Tuesday’s election took place amid deep polarisation in Israeli society between those seeking to keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in power and those determined to remove him. This divide may make little difference to Palestinians on fundamental issues concerning the future of their cause, but it could bring immediate changes to their living conditions, both within the Green Line – the 1949 armistice line separating Israel from the territories it occupied in 1967 – and beyond it. These changes chiefly concern a reduction in the current escalation, which Netanyahu’s government has fuelled since taking office in 2022, particularly following the events of 7 October the following year.

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  Gaza: On The Ground with Motasem A Dalloul | Week 29 Oct

  by EditorMehdi on October 30, 2026

  MEMO spoke to Motasem A Dalloul, a survivor of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, in the first of a new series of regular updates from the ground. Dalloul describes the daily struggle to survive: hunger, cold, the collapse of healthcare, and ongoing Israeli violations despite the so-called ceasefire. WATCH: Gaza: On The Ground with Motasem A Dalloul | Week 22 July

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  WHO: Yemen escalation leaves over 9,000 dead or injured, displaces 276,000

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the death and injury toll from the latest military escalation in Yemen has reached 9,072, warning that health services are deteriorating and medical supplies, fuel and water are in short supply, particularly in Taiz governorate. In a report released on Thursday, the WHO said 1,677 people had been killed and 7,395 injured as of 25 October, with 559 casualties recorded over six days. The average number of casualties during the reporting period stands at 93 a day, almost half the daily average of 168 recorded in the previous report. However, deaths and injuries continue to be reported across several governorates. Marib has recorded the highest number of deaths among the governorates covered by the

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  Israeli settler fires at children, homes in Hebron village

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  An Israeli settler opened fire at a group of children and residents’ homes in the village of Sikka, south-west of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, on Thursday evening. Waleed Hashish, head of the Sikka village council, told the Palestinian news agency WAFA that the settler, who was driving a vehicle, fired live ammunition at children playing football in the school playground east of the village. He also fired at residents’ homes, frightening the children. Hashish said the settler also deliberately shot guard dogs near residents’ homes, killing three of them. He added that villagers face daily attacks, which have increased significantly and now pose a serious threat to their lives. The attacks escalated after settlers seized an old house

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  Iraq sentences 3 French nationals to 20 years in prison for Islamic State membership

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  An Iraqi court on Thursday sentenced three French nationals to life imprisonment, equivalent to 20 years in prison, for membership of the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. The ruling by the Third Karkh Criminal Court in Baghdad applies to Amir Abdelkader, known as Abu Baraa al-Faransi, who was born in the French city of Lille in 1989 and is of Algerian origin; Kamal Habib Ahmed, 42, a French national of Tunisian origin known as Abu Sumayya al-Muhajir; and Charlie Saint-Raymond, 32, who was born in Paris and is of Vietnamese origin and known as Abu Sufyan. On Tuesday, the same court sentenced six other French members of Islamic State to 20 years in prison and another to 15

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  Israel’s election committee rejects claims of systematic breaches of electoral integrity

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  Israel’s Central Elections Committee said on Thursday there was no basis for claims of systematic breaches of electoral integrity. Israel’s Channel 12 reported the committee as saying in a letter that the integrity of the election had been maintained and that claims of systematic breaches were unfounded. “The numerous media reports are unfounded,” the committee said, adding that it had received confidential and sensitive information that raised suspicions requiring further examination to determine whether there was evidence to support the allegations. Meanwhile, Israel’s domestic security agency, Shin Bet, said a limited investigation should not be used to discredit an entire community that had voted democratically and legally, referring to Arab citizens. “Action will be taken only against those who break

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  Joint Arab List accuses Likud of trying to undermine election results by inciting against Arab voters

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  The Joint Arab List accused Likud on Thursday of trying to undermine the election results through incitement against Arab voters and attempts to delegitimise their political representation. In a statement, the list said a campaign led by Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition reflects their fear of Arab voters’ political strength and their inability to accept their unprecedentedly high turnout, which it said helped prevent Netanyahu’s bloc from securing the 61 seats needed to form a government. The list said Arab voters turned out in response to the government’s policies of war, demolition, displacement and incitement, as well as its failure to curb rising crime in Arab towns. It said attempts to question Arab voters’ participation are part of an organised

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  Egypt, US discuss Sudan crisis and efforts to end conflict

  by Marwa A on October 30, 2026

  Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Arab and African affairs, Massad Boulos, discussed developments in Sudan and efforts to reach a comprehensive political settlement to end the crisis. The talks took place during a phone call on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Thursday. The statement said the call was part of ongoing consultations and coordination between Egypt and the United States on issues of mutual regional interest and efforts to promote security and stability in the region. Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s firm support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing the need to preserve its national institutions. He also stressed the importance of intensifying regional and

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  UN says Israeli operations in occupied West Bank disrupt Palestinians’ access to livelihoods

  by Marwa A on October 29, 2026

  The UN said Thursday that 3,000 Palestinians remain displaced from two neighborhoods in the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. In a news conference, UN spokesperson Shirin Yaseen, citing humanitarian partners, said that “about 3,000 Palestinians remain displaced from two neighborhoods in Hebron city, according to the latest figures provided by the municipality.” “Israeli forces are still operating in these neighborhoods, blocking the way in, and imposing tight movement restrictions across the governorate,” she said. “The Israeli operations are disrupting Palestinians’ access to livelihoods, education, and services such as healthcare,” said Yaseen. “We call once again for the protection of Palestinians across the West Bank.” Asked about a recent report by the Office for the Coordination

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  Israeli opposition leaders Bennett, Eisenkot discuss forming government ‘as quickly as possible’

  by Marwa A on October 29, 2026

  Israeli opposition leaders Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot met Thursday to discuss ways to form a new government “as quickly as possible” following parliamentary elections that left neither main political bloc with a majority, the Ynet newspaper reported, Anadolu reports. Bennett, a former prime minister and leader of the Together party, and Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, held talks at Bennett’s home in Ra’anana. In a statement issued on their behalf, the two leaders said they discussed “ways to establish a good government in Israel as quickly as possible.” It did not indicate whether the two had reached an agreement on forming a coalition. The meeting came as the Central Elections Committee announced the completion of the counting of