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

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  Gulf countries, Jordan condemn Iranian attacks, affirm right to self-defense

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  The Gulf countries and Jordan on Wednesday strongly denounced Iranian attacks as a “flagrant violation” of their sovereignty and territorial integrity, affirming their full right to self-defense, Anadolu reports. In a joint statement, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan said attacks carried out by Iran or its proxies constitute “a violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the United Nations Charter.” They particularly cited attacks launched by Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq as “a breach of international laws and conventions,” and “a blatant violation” of UN Security Council 2817, which demands Iran cease all assaults and threats against neighboring countries. The statement called on the Iraqi government to take “the necessary measures” to halt

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  Trump prefers peace but ready to ‘unleash hell’ in Iran: White House

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  US President Donald Trump favors a peaceful resolution with Iran but is prepared to escalate sharply if Tehran fails to accept the “reality of the current moment,” the White House said Wednesday, Anadolu reports. Washington postponed planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure after “productive conversations” in the last three days, spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters. She said if Iran fails to accept that it has “been defeated militarily,” Trump will ensure the country is “hit harder than they have ever been hit before.” She added that the president “does not bluff and he is prepared to unleash hell.” Leavitt also warned Tehran against “miscalculation,” claiming its last miscalculation had cost Iran its senior leadership, navy, air force

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  Tehran says US, Israel planning to occupy one of Iran’s islands

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Iran’s parliament speaker accused the US and Israel on Wednesday of planning to occupy one of the country’s islands, with support from one country in the region, Anadolu reports. “Based on some data, the enemies of Iran, with the support of one of the countries in the region, are preparing an operation to occupy one of Iran’s islands,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said in a post on US social media company X. He, however, did not name this regional country. Qalibaf said that all “enemy movements” are being monitored by Iran’s armed forces. “If they take any step, all vital infrastructure of that regional country will be targeted without restrictions by relentless attacks,” he threatened. The US and Israel have been

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  Strait of Hormuz situation ‘will not return to the past,’ Iran says amid escalating Mideast tensions

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  The situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its previous state, an Iranian military spokesman said on Wednesday, asserting Tehran’s control over maritime access as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, Anadolu reports. In remarks carried by Iran’s Mehr News Agency, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Iranian military’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said new rules governing transit through the strategic waterway have been established, stressing that passage would depend on Iran’s authorization. “The situation in the strait will not return to the past,” the spokesman said, adding that “permission for transit will be determined by us.” He added that “the fire beneath oil prices has been ignited, and its level is in our hands,” describing

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  Israeli parliament rejects bill to label Qatar as ‘enemy state’

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Israel’s parliament on Wednesday rejected a bill proposed by opposition leader Yair Lapid to classify Qatar as an “enemy state,” according to Israeli media. Channel 12 reported that 28 lawmakers supported the bill while 45 voted against it. The report did not specify total attendance in the 120-member Knesset. The Blue and White party, led by Benny Gantz, boycotted the vote, the channel said, adding: “It was not appropriate to raise political issues during wartime.” Lapid had introduced the bill last month, according to the same source. On Sept. 9, 2025, the Israeli army carried out an airstrike targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, an attack Qatar condemned and said killed a member of its internal security forces and five Palestinians,

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  UN chief warns Iran war ‘out of control,’ world staring down barrel of wider conflict

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday that the Iran war has spun beyond all boundaries, declaring the conflict “out of control,” cautioning that the world faces the prospect of a far broader confrontation, Anadolu reports. “More than three weeks on, this war is out of control,” Guterres told reporters at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, adding that “the conflict has broken past the limits even leaders thought imaginable.” “The world is staring down the barrel of a wider war, a rising tide of human suffering, and a deeper global economic shock,” he said, stressing that it “has gone too far.” Calling for an end to the military escalation, Guterres said. “It is time to stop

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  Al-Sudani deserves political pity

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  The statement issued by the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, announcing the summoning of the US chargé d’affaires and handing him a “strongly worded” protest note, as reported by Reuters, appears in the balance of realpolitik closer to a performance of sovereignty in a country that does not possess the actual tools of sovereignty. A state that cannot control armed factions within its own borders, nor prevent drones launched from its territory, inevitably finds itself in an extremely fragile position when it tries to address a superpower in the language of protest. The talk of a “firm and solid stance in preserving sovereignty” seems detached from a reality documented daily in the Western press: sovereignty fragmented between

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  Israel extends closure of Ben Gurion Airport until April 16 amid regional escalation

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Israel’s Transport Ministry informed airports and foreign airlines of an extension of the closure of Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv until April 16, Israel’s Channel 13 reported on Wednesday. The ministry issued an official notice stating that the airspace closure would remain in effect until that date. In its notice, the ministry said the closure period could be shortened and full flight operations could be resumed earlier if the security situation improves or the ongoing war ends. According to the channel, the directive effectively requires foreign airlines that have not yet canceled their April flights to and from Israel to formally announce their position. READ: Israel imposes flight restrictions at Ben Gurion Airport The move came as part of ongoing

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  Iran ‘more resilient’ in war with US than anyone expected: ex-British spy chief

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Iran’s regime has been more resilient than anyone would have expected, said a former head of British foreign intelligence agency MI6, adding that options for the US and Israel are “pretty limited and not great,” Anadolu Agency reports. “The reality is that the US underestimated the task, and I think as of about two weeks ago, lost the initiative to Iran,” Alex Younger told The Economist Wednesday, mentioning that Iran has the “upper hand” in the war. Younger said that Iran took some “good decisions” as early as last June about dispersing their military capability and delegating the authority for the use of those weapons, adding that this move has given them “significant extra resilience” against an incredibly powerful air campaign.

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  The relentless war on Iraq

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  For months, a war has been unfolding across Iraq with little of the fanfare that once accompanied American military campaigns in the region. There are no embedded journalists photographing convoys rolling through the desert, no prime-time presidential addresses. Instead, American warplanes and drones have been systematically dismantling the infrastructure of the Popular Mobilization Forces. American forces have carried out repeated airstrikes on P.M.F. headquarters in Baghdad, Mosul, and Anbar Province, assassinating senior commanders and reducing fortified compounds to rubble. The targets have included logistics networks, weapons depots, and command-and-control nodes that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spent the better part of a decade constructing. General Michael Kurilla, Admiral Cooper’s predecessor at CENTCOM, had for years warned that Tehran was systematically

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  After months of delay, British Government finally face Hamas in court

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Hamas’ appeal against the British government’s decision to maintain its proscription of the movement is set to begin at the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC) on Thursday 26th March 2026, following more than seven months of unexplained delay. Dr Mousa Abu Marzouk, the head of Hamas’ International Relations and Legal Office in the Political Bureau, is expected to appear at the hearing by video-link. Despite the appeal being lodged over half a year ago, there has been little to no meaningful progress. The present directions hearing has been listed at Hamas’ request in an effort to compel movement in a process that has been marked by inertia and a lack of transparency.  In contrast, the current Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood

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  Germany slams Israeli threats to annex southern Lebanon

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Germany on Wednesday criticized Israeli threats to annex southern Lebanon, Anadolu reports. Berlin wants to stress that “an annexation of Lebanese territory by Israel would, of course, be contrary to international law and would not be accepted by the Federal Government,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Giese said at a media briefing in Berlin. “What I can tell you is that we have noted these remarks by certain Israeli ministers ‌– one of whom you mentioned – with great concern,” he said, referring to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. On Monday, Smotrich said Israel should extend its border with Lebanon up to the Litani River deep inside the country’s south, as Israeli troops bombed bridges and destroyed homes in an escalating

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  Knesset committee approves bill legalising death penalty for Palestinian convicts

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  The Israeli Knesset’s National Security Committee approved a bill late Tuesday introducing the legalization of the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of taking part in operations that kill Israelis.  The parliamentary committee’s approval paves the way for voting on the bill in its final second and third readings next week. The National Security Committee’s approval came despite more than 2000 objections submitted against the bill, signifying a remarkably expedited process for a controversial bill. The National Security Committee is headed by MK Tzvika Foghel of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, led by Itmar Ben-Gvir. The bill was initiated by the party’s Limor Son Har-Melech. The bill imposes the death penalty for those who “intentionally cause the death of a person

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  Trump, Iran and Israel’s War Without End | Palestine This Week with Mouin Rabbani

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Is Trump really in control? In this episode, we break down the US and Israel war on Iran, the false intelligence and bad-faith negotiations behind it, the UAE’s harder line, the plagiarised report used to sell the case for war, whether Israel’s project of regional hegemony is coming to an end, and the growing backlash to settler violence.   WATCH: The Global Cost of Israeli Domination | Palestine This Week with Mouin Rabbani

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  Geopolitical, economic and humanitarian implications of the 2026 US–Israel–Iran conflict

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  The escalation of hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran in February 2026 represents one of the most significant geopolitical crises of the contemporary era. What began as targeted military operations has rapidly evolved into a wider regional confrontation with global repercussions. This article argues that the conflict is not merely a regional security issue, but a transformative event likely to reshape global energy markets, intensify geopolitical rivalries and deepen humanitarian crises. The origins of the conflict are deeply rooted in tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and its regional influence. For decades, the United States and Israel have perceived Iran’s nuclear ambitions as a direct threat to international security (Council on Foreign Relations, 2026). Simultaneously, Iran’s support for non-state

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  Iran calls for regional “security union” independent of United States, Israel

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  The spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters called on Arab and Muslim states to forge a “security union” independent of the United States and Israel. “What have the US military bases brought to the region?” Ebrahim Zolfaghari asked in a rhetorical question directed at the US and Israeli allies in the region. “If you were to be attacked by the Zionist entity’s army, would the Americans fire one bullet in your defence?”  He called for founding a collective security charter “based on Islam and the Quran” as its frame of reference. He added that the Islamic Republic of Iran is willing to forge a security and military union with its regional neighbours, independent of the United States and Israel.

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  Iraqi factions announce carrying out 23 military operations targeting US bases

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  The Islamic Resistance in Iraq said on Wednesday that it carried out 23 military operations in one day targeting American bases inside Iraq and in other countries in the region. The group added in a statement that it used drones and rockets in its operations. The statement did not provide details on the targeted bases and the results of the attacks. War has been escalating in the region after the US and Israel, on 28th February, launched attacks on Iran, prompting Iran to retaliate with missiles and drones targeting Israel as well as American military bases in Arab Gulf states. READ: Germany evacuates troops from Iraq as Middle East security situation deteriorates

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  Emirati security officer urges Arab Gulf to further strengthen ties with Israel

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  The Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai police in the United Arab Emirates urged Arab Gulf nations in a series of X posts on Tuesday to further strengthen their relations with Israel and to have no hope in the region’s fellow Arab nations beyond the Gulf peninsula. “To the people of the Arab Gulf, strengthen cooperation with Israel. My advice is that the states of the region are no good,” Dhahi Khalfan Tamim wrote, implicitly praising his country’s alliance with Israel and criticizing Arab states outside of the Gulf area. Tamim’s posts came during the regional war that began in late February when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, leading to the latter’s retaliation, including through attacks on the

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  Russian UN representative says “no signs” of implementation of Trump’s Gaza plan

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, said Tuesday that the peace plan for the Gaza Strip proposed by US President Donald Trump, and subsequently endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, has not been implemented on the ground.  “Overall, it has to be acknowledged that we do not see the signs of implementing Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, which was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803,” Nebenzia told the United Nations Security Council during a session dedicated to the escalating situation in the Middle East. Speaking during a Security Council session dedicated to the escalating situation in the Middle East, Nebenzia offered a blunt assessment of the diplomatic stalemate, noting that Moscow sees no evidence

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  Israeli army demolishes Palestinian park, car showroom in occupied West Bank

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Israeli army bulldozers demolished a park and a car showroom owned by Palestinians in the northern West Bank on Wednesday, in the latest wave of demolitions in the occupied territory, Anadolu reports. Local sources said Israeli forces raided the “Mansour Land” park along the Nabi Ilyas Jayyous road in Qalqilya and began leveling the site, which spans about 8,000 square meters. The sources estimated the demolition losses at around $1.5 million. In a separate incident, army bulldozers demolished part of a home wall and a section of a car showroom in the village of al-Zawiya, south of Jenin, according to the sources. The demolitions were carried out on claims of construction without permits in Area C, as defined under the 1995

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  French far-right leader Le Pen says US made ‘mistake’ by attacking Iran

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday that the US has “clearly made a mistake” in attacking Iran, Anadolu reports. “What I see is that the United States clearly made a mistake, thinking the Iranian regime would fall within a few days. It has not fallen. The Iranian regime is extremely strong,” Le Pen, head of the National Rally (RN), told France Inter radio. She said Trump’s war goals are “erratic” and questioned the ultimate objective of the conflict, adding that “no one knows” what he seeks to achieve. Le Pen underscored that the war has affected several Gulf countries and caused a heavy imbalance in energy supplies. READ: French president says US-Israel attacks on Iran ‘outside the framework of

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  Iranians holding valid visas blocked from entering Australia for 6 months

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Australia on Wednesday announced temporary travel restrictions for Iranian visa holders currently outside the country, Anadolu reports. The ban will be in place for six months starting Thursday under tough new immigration laws. In a statement, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said: “The conflict in Iran has increased the risk that some temporary visa holders may be unable or unlikely to depart Australia when their visas expire. However, the restrictions will not apply to individuals already in Australia, close family members of citizens or permanent residents, or those granted special travel permission under limited circumstances. READ: Iran’s army claims missile attack on USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier Burke said during this period Iranians can continue to apply for visa and parents of

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  From Palestine to Iran: What Arab and Muslim silence really reveals

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  I have always found it interesting, and at times revealing, when seasoned activists and intellectuals in the West, including those who see themselves as deeply committed to Palestine, raise the same familiar point: Arab governments must stand up to Israel and the United States in solidarity with their brethren in Palestine. The argument often comes wrapped in a perplexed question: why are Arabs and Muslims not doing anything for Palestine? What makes this particularly puzzling is that the question is often posed by respected analysts and historians—people who should recognize that the issue is far less sentimental than structural. At first glance, the question may not seem bizarre. Palestinians are tied to their neighbors through history, geography, demography, religion, language,

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  Iran’s army claims missile attack on USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Iran’s army claimed Wednesday that it targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with coastal cruise missiles, according to state media. Press TV published a video stating that armed forces fired missiles at the US carrier, while the state-run IRNA news agency cited naval officials describing the operation. According to IRNA, the commander of the Iranian Navy, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, said the movements of the “enemy” aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln are under continuous monitoring and would be targeted once it enters the range of Iran’s missile systems. The agency said that cruise missiles capable of striking coastal targets were launched toward the US carrier group, forcing it to change position. There was no confirmation from the US. The US

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  Israeli occupiers seize 13 Palestinian apartments in occupied East Jerusalem

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Israeli occupiers seized 13 Palestinian apartments Wednesday in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, bringing the total to 15 homes taken over the past four days, according to witnesses and rights groups, Anadolu reports. Israeli police escorted occupiers from the Ateret Cohanim organization into the Batn al-Hawa area of Silwan, where two families were forced out of their apartments, witnesses told Anadolu. The Wadi Hilweh Information Center said in a statement that the operation began with the eviction of the families from two apartments, followed by Israeli enforcement teams emptying 11 apartments belonging to Al-Rajabi family in preparation for their takeover. The process was ongoing as authorities cleared the apartments to hand them over to settler organizations, citing claims that

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  Protesters target Rheinmetall headquarters in Berlin over defense exports

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Activists from the group Peacefully Against Genocide staged a protest at the Berlin premises of Rheinmetall on Wednesday, targeting one of Germany’s largest defense and automotive technology companies, Anadolu reports. During the demonstration, several protesters climbed onto the roof of the building to unfurl a Palestinian flag. Others poured red paint down the facade of the headquarters. In Gaza, Israel’s military campaign, which lasted two years, has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and wounded around 172,000 others, and caused widespread destruction affecting about 90% of the infrastructure. A ceasefire agreement was reached in October 2025, but Israel has continued near-daily gunfire and strikes that have killed 687 Palestinians and wounded 1,849 others. READ: Germany backs EU sanctions amid Israeli settler pogroms in

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  Iran hardens negotiating stance amid deepening distrust of US

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Iran has significantly hardened its position on negotiations with the United States, citing a deep lack of trust and growing influence of the Revolutionary Guard in decision-making, according to senior sources. Three high-level sources told Reuters that Tehran would require major concessions if mediation efforts lead to serious talks, including conditions that may be unacceptable to Washington. According to the sources, Iran will demand not only an end to the war, but also binding guarantees against future military action, compensation for war damages, and recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz. READ: Iranian commander says Trump seeking exit from war after setbacks They added that Iran will refuse to negotiate any limits on its ballistic missile programme, describing it

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  Israeli court says Palestinian minor likely died of starvation in custody

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  An Israeli court has concluded that a Palestinian minor who died in custody most likely succumbed to starvation, despite the formal closure of the investigation into his death. According to details reported by the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, Judge Ehud Kaplan ruled that Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmed, a 17-year-old from Silwad, suffered from severe malnutrition while held in Megiddo prison, and that starvation was the most likely cause of death. “The fact that he suffered from malnutrition cannot be concealed,” the judge wrote, referring to the teenager’s extreme weight loss. While the investigation was closed due to a lack of definitive evidence directly linking his condition to the cause of death, an autopsy indicated that he died from an intestinal infection

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  Genghis Khan is in the Cockpit

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  When a man with an active arrest warrant for war crimes stands at a podium and explains   that  ‘Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan’,  because, in the end, ruthlessness beats goodness, you might expect a reaction. A gasp . A shudder. Perhaps even a word of reproach from the leaders who still supply his weapons. What you should not expect is silence. Yet silence is precisely what Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest descent into moral depravity  produced-  from the very western capitals that claim to defend the civilization he just insulted.  The United States? Nothing. The United Kingdom? Crickets. Germany, France, the European Union? A diplomatic black hole where condemnation should at least have been expected.  But social media

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  Settler group seizes two apartments in Silwan, displacing Palestinian family

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  A settler organisation has taken control of two apartments in the Batn al-Hawa neighbourhood of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, displacing a Palestinian family, according to local sources. The apartments belonged to Jerusalemite brothers Raed Basbous and Muhammad Basbous, and were seized by the Ateret Cohanim association, which claims the land is historically owned by Jews of Yemeni origin. The operation resulted in the forced displacement of 10 family members, who were removed from their homes. Witnesses said settlers, accompanied by Israeli forces, entered the building — which contains four residential units — changed the locks, and installed metal fixtures on the windows, effectively taking control of the property. The incident is part of ongoing tensions in Batn al-Hawa, where

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  Iranian commander says Trump seeking exit from war after setbacks

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  A senior Iranian military commander has claimed that US President Donald Trump is seeking a way out of the conflict with Iran after failing to achieve his objectives. Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said Washington had become deeply entangled in the confrontation and was now turning to regional leaders to facilitate an exit. “After realizing the realities on the ground and failing to achieve his objectives, Trump turned to the leaders of some countries to extricate himself from the war,” Abdollahi said, according to Iranian media reports on Tuesday. READ: Iran calls for urgent UN Human Rights Council meeting over school bombing He described this development as “a source of pride

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  Iran calls for urgent UN Human Rights Council meeting over school bombing

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Iran has requested an urgent session of the UN Human Rights Council to discuss a deadly airstrike on a primary school, according to a letter revealed on Tuesday. In correspondence dated 23rd March, Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, described the strike as a “blatant attack on children, education, and the future of the entire society.” Iranian officials said the attack targeted the Shajara Tayebah School with two consecutive missile strikes, resulting in the deaths of 168 children, most of them girls. According to Reuters, US military investigators believe American forces may have been responsible for the strike, although no final conclusion has been reached and the investigation remains ongoing. The Pentagon has since intensified its inquiry.

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  Is Latin America paying the price for a war it had no say in?

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  When tensions escalate between Iran and the United States, attention usually turns to the Gulf, Israel, maritime routes, and oil markets. But that focus obscures a quieter and more complex arena: Latin America. The region may lie far from the immediate battlefield, yet it is not insulated from the fallout. For Latin America, a war involving Iran is not just a distant geopolitical crisis. It quickly becomes an economic one, driving up fuel costs, disrupting shipping, threatening fertilizer supplies, unsettling agricultural trade, and adding fresh pressure to inflation and growth.  How a region far from the conflict still ends up paying part of its price. Brazil stands out in this regard, not because its economy is the weakest in the

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  Palestinian factions warn against gangs accused of collaborating with Israeli occupation

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  Palestinian resistance factions have warned of the “criminal role” of gangs accused of collaborating with the Israeli occupation, saying such groups operate outside national values and societal norms. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the factions said these groups are exploiting the current conditions to attack civilians, describing their actions as criminal and widely rejected by Palestinian society. They accused the Israeli side of using such gangs as field tools to target civilians and undermine the social and national fabric in Gaza, with the aim of spreading instability. The factions stressed that public unity and awareness remain key to confronting such threats, warning that any tolerance toward these groups would weaken the broader societal front. READ: Palestinian factions back efforts to

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  The Strait of Hormuz crisis is Indonesia’s economic test

  by MI on March 25, 2026

  With the Strait of Hormuz now effectively disrupted, the world is entering a new phase of energy insecurity. For Indonesia, the consequences are not hypothetical. They are already unfolding—through rising fuel costs, a weakening currency, and mounting pressure on a fragile fiscal system. Roughly a fifth of global oil supply passes through Hormuz. Any sustained disruption sends immediate shockwaves through crude markets, and those shocks are now feeding directly into Indonesia’s domestic economy. Despite years of subsidy reform, the country remains structurally exposed to global oil price volatility. As prices climb, the government faces mounting pressure to adjust fuel prices, subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)—especially the widely used 3-kilogram cylinders—and potentially electricity tariffs. The result is a rapid escalation in

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  Trump says US talking to ‘right people’ in Iran, Tehran sought deal ‘so badly’

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington is in contact with the “right” Iranian interlocutors and that Tehran is eager to reach a deal to end the ongoing war, Anadolu reports. “Nobody knows who to talk to, but we’re actually talking to the right people,” Trump said at the swearing-in ceremony for the US Secretary of Homeland Security. “They want to make a deal so badly, you have no idea how badly they want to make a deal.” Trump said Iran sent a “big present worth a tremendous amount of money” and it showed that the US was in contact with the “right” people. The president did not specify what the gift was but said it was not related

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  US aircraft carrier that left Middle East because of fire has other issues: Report

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier arrived at a port on a Greek island after leaving Middle East operations against Iran due to a laundry-area fire, but the vessel faces broader underlying problems, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. The aircraft carrier arrived Monday at Crete’s Naval Support Activity Souda Bay for “maintenance and repairs following operations in the Red Sea,” the US Navy said Monday. Earlier this month, a fire broke out aboard the carrier in its main laundry area, prompting a large damage control response. US officials said the blaze was not combat-related and was contained, but reports said more than 600 sailors were displaced from their sleeping quarters. Bloomberg reported that the concerns around the aircraft carrier range from

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  Israel using ‘Gaza playbook’ in Lebanon, destroying water infrastructure: Report

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  Israel’s military blueprint of attacking water infrastructure, used throughout its genocide in the Gaza Strip, is now being rolled out across parts of Lebanon, Oxfam said Tuesday. The charity found in its analysis that Israeli forces are destroying water and sanitation infrastructure, including strikes near sites that were being rehabilitated after having been destroyed or damaged in the last war. Noting that the Geneva Conventions prohibit attacks on water installations and other objects that are critical for people to survive, it highlighted that using deprivation of water as a method of warfare is outlawed. “Any intentional deprivation of water or obstruction of aid may constitute a war crime,” said Oxfam. It noted that in a span of four days in

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  UK’s Royal Navy set to lead coalition to reopen Strait of Hormuz: Report

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  The UK’s Royal Navy is preparing to take a leading role in potential coalition operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report Tuesday by The Times. It said UK defense officials are considering plans to deploy a Royal Navy vessel or a leased commercial ship to serve as a “mothership” for autonomous, uncrewed systems designed to detect and neutralize naval mines in the strategic waterway. The initiative would form part of a broader multinational effort involving allies, including the US and France, to ensure safe passage for commercial shipping through the strait, one of the world’s most critical transit routes. Officials cited by The Times said the operation could unfold in multiple phases. The initial stage would

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  Iranophobia and the hardliners delusion

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  The laziest word in Western commentary on Iran is not “theocracy,” “proxy,” or even “threat.” It is “hardliner.” Its compulsory twin, of course, is “moderate.” Together they form one of the most intellectually threadbare binaries in contemporary foreign-policy discourse: a childish morality play masquerading as analysis, a vocabulary of caricature presented as expertise. The terms do not clarify Iranian politics; they flatten it. Worse, they do political work. They convert a complex debate inside the Islamic Republic into a fairy tale for foreign consumption, one in which “moderates” long nobly for Washington’s embrace while “hardliners” snarl irrationally at the gates of diplomacy. It is a taxonomy built less for understanding Iran than for absolving the United States of understanding it.

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  UN experts urge Israel to release detained Gaza doctor after reports of ‘severe torture’

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  UN experts demanded Tuesday that Israel immediately release a detained Palestinian doctor from the Gaza Strip, citing reports of torture and serious health risks, Anadolu reports. “We have received reports that Dr. Abu Safiya has been subjected to torture and other cruel and degrading treatment, and that his health condition remains dire,” the experts said in a statement. The statement was signed by Tialeng Mofokeng, the UN special rapporteur on the right to physical and mental health, and Ben Saul, the UN special rapporteur on protection of human rights while countering terrorism. Safiya, the former director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, has been held by Israel since Dec. 27, 2024, under Israel’s unlawful combatant law, despite being

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  Lebanon says Israeli strikes have killed 1,072 since March 2

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Tuesday that the death toll from ongoing Israeli strikes on the country has risen to 1,072, with 2,966 people wounded since March 2, Anadolu reports. In its daily report, the ministry said 33 people were killed and 90 others wounded in the past 24 hours. Earlier, the ministry said that at least 17 people were killed and 20 others injured Tuesday in Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling targeting residential buildings and areas across Lebanon. An Israeli strike on the town of Bashamoun in the Aley district of Mount Lebanon killed two people and injured five others in a preliminary toll, the ministry said in a statement. The NNA reported that Israeli warplanes destroyed a house in

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  Saudi prince said to push Trump to continue Iran war in recent calls: Report

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been pushing US President Donald Trump to continue the war against Iran, the New York Times (NYT) reported Tuesday. Bin Salman sees a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East, the NYT said, citing people briefed by American officials on the conversations. They said the prince conveyed to Trump that he must press toward the destruction of Iran’s “hard-line” government. Per the report, the prince also argued that Iran poses a long-term threat to the Gulf that can only be eliminated by getting rid of the government. READ: Pakistan ‘ready’ to host ‘conclusive’ US-Iran talks to end Middle East war, says Premier Sharif Meanwhile, according to the report, Saudi officials rejected the idea

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  US denies report of Vance clash with Netanyahu on illegal Israeli settler violence

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  The US rejected an Israeli media report Tuesday that claimed Vice President JD Vance confronted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about escalating violence by illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu Agency reports. “This story is completely false,” Taylor Van Kirk, spokeswoman to Vance, wrote on US social media company X. Van Kirk said Vance’s discussions with Netanyahu in the past week had been “solely focused” on US and Israeli strikes against Iran that were launched Feb. 28, adding that the subject of the Israel Hayom article “was not even discussed.” The news outlet reported that Vance was furious about mounting violence and vandalism by illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, and pressed Netanyahu to resume

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  China ‘appeals’ US, Israel, Iran to engage in talks for peace in Middle East

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  China’s top diplomat on Tuesday appealed to the US, Israel, and Iran to engage in talks and seize every opportunity for peace, according to the state-run Xinhua News. Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, and discussed the latest situation in the Middle East. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Yi reiterated Beijing’s principled stance, emphasizing that all hotspot issues should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, not through the use of force. “Talking is always better than fighting,” Wang said, adding that this approach is in the interests of Iran and its people and reflects the general aspirations of the international community. He expressed hope that all parties would seize every opportunity for peace

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  Israeli gunfire kills Palestinian child in southern Gaza

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  Israeli gunfire killed a Palestinian child Tuesday after he was shot inside a tent in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, according to medical sources. The body of 13-year-old Khaled Saif al-Din Suleiman Arada arrived at Nasser Hospital after he was struck by an Israeli bullet, medical sources told Anadolu. The child was hit by a stray Israeli bullet that struck the tent where he was sheltering, killing him instantly, the sources said. Israeli forces have carried out daily violations of the ceasefire in place since Oct. 10, which have killed 677 people and wounded 1,813 others as of March 18, according to Health Ministry data. Israel launched a war on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000

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  The UN leaves UNRWA isolated, and Palestinians prone to genocide

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  The most exalted UN creation – the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees – is being isolated by the UN. While Israel destroyed UNRWA’s infrastructure several times and more severely during the genocide that started on 7 October 2023, the UN has failed its own humanitarian paradigm not only through funding, but now through collaboration with the US Board of Peace.  Two diverging statements within days of each other – one by UNRWA’s Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini and the other by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, portray the divide between the humanitarian agency and its creator.  In his final letter to the UN General Assembly, Lazzarini declared, “It is therefore incomprehensible to record here that, without immediate political

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  Israel plans to call up 400,000 reservists amid possible expansion of Lebanon offensive

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  Israel plans to call up around 400,000 reservists soon amid a possible expansion of ground attacks in southern Lebanon, Israeli media reported on Tuesday. The public broadcaster KAN said the move is expected to be approved by the government in the coming period, without giving an exact date. “The expected move comes with the expansion of the ground maneuver in Lebanon and continued military operations against Iran,” KAN said. READ: US embassy in Lebanon offers help to Americans seeking to leave region The broadcaster said the actual number of reservists to be called up, however, is likely to be lower than the announced figure. Regional escalation has continued since the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on

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  Pakistan ‘ready’ to host ‘conclusive’ US-Iran talks to end Middle East war, says Premier Sharif

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said Islamabad was “ready” to host “meaningful and conclusive” talks between the US and Iran for a “comprehensive settlement” to end the war in the Middle East, Anadolu reports. “Pakistan welcomes and fully supports ongoing efforts to pursue dialogue to end the WAR in Middle East in the interest of peace and stability in region and beyond,” Sharif said on the US social media company X. “Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict,” he added. The statement came amid reports that Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Asim Munir spoke to

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  3 Palestinians injured in attack by Israeli occupiers in West Bank

  by MI on March 24, 2026

  Three Palestinians were injured Tuesday in an attack by Israeli occupiers near the village of Beit Imerin, northwest of Nablus in the northern West Bank, local sources said. The sources told the official news agency Wafa that a group of Israeli occupiers attacked three young men on board of two vehicles, and damaged their cars. In the southern West Bank, Israeli occupiers set fire to a home in the village of Al-Tuwani in the Masafer Yatta area, south of Hebron. No injuries were reported. Fouad Amour, an activist documenting settler attacks, told Anadolu that Israeli occupiers burned the house and sprayed racist graffiti on its walls. READ: Illegal Israeli settlers attack Palestinians in 13 locations across occupied West Bank Palestinians have