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

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  Indonesia must respond more forcefully to Israel’s detention of its journalists at sea

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Indonesia has condemned Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Officials have demanded access to detained Indonesians and called for their release. That response is necessary. But it is not remotely sufficient for the gravity of what has happened. Five Indonesians — including journalists from major national media outlets — were detained after Israeli forces intercepted civilian vessels attempting to reach Gaza. According to organizers and international media reports, the flotilla was operating in international waters when Israeli forces boarded the ships and detained activists from multiple countries.  Indonesia should treat this not as a routine diplomatic inconvenience, but as a direct challenge to its credibility, its sovereignty and its long-declared commitment to Palestine. Because what happened was not isolated.

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  87 Gaza-bound aid flotilla activists launch hunger strike over Israeli detention

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Eighty-seven activists aboard the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, who are being held by Israel, have begun a hunger strike to protest their detention and show solidarity with Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, Anadolu reports. In a post on US social media company X on Tuesday, the flotilla said that for the second time in three weeks, the Israeli army, which claims to be “the most moral army,” had abducted their companions from international waters. It added that “in protest of their illegal abduction and in solidarity with the over 9,500 Palestinian hostages held in Israeli dungeons, at least 87 flotilla participants have committed to a hunger strike until they are released.” The flotilla called for the release of all detainees

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  US imposes sanctions on aid flotilla activists, some based in Europe

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  The United States on Tuesday placed several individuals linked to the Global Sumud Flotilla on its sanctions blacklist. The flotilla aims to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians, with some of the targeted individuals based in Europe. In a statement, the US State Department said “Today’s designations target three categories of Hamas enablers: organizers of a Hamas-backed flotilla attempting to reach Gaza; operatives within Hamas-aligned Muslim Brotherhood networks that facilitate violent terrorist attacks; and coordinators of Samidoun, a front organization for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).”   Among those sanctioned were several activists living in European countries, including Spain and Belgium. The sanctions list included Mohammed Al-Khatib, the European coordinator for the

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  US claims bombed Iranian girls’ school was inside active missile site

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), told Congress on Tuesday that the US military’s investigation into the bombing of a girls’ school in Iran was “complex” because the school was located inside an active Iranian cruise missile launch site.  In March, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the forces behind the deadly attack on the girls’ school in Iran to investigate the incident and provide information about it, without saying who it believed was responsible.  Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN human rights office, told a press conference in Geneva: “The High Commissioner (Volker Turk) calls for a prompt, impartial ​and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the ⁠attack.

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  Smotrich announces retaliatory measures against Palestinian Authority after ICC developments

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a series of measures targeting the Palestinian Authority after revealing that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court had allegedly submitted a request for a secret international arrest warrant against him. During a press conference on Tuesday, Smotrich described the move as a “declaration of war” and linked it to what he characterised as efforts by the Palestinian Authority to pursue Israeli officials through international legal institutions. Smotrich said the alleged request followed earlier arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant. READ: Israeli finance minister says ICC arrest warrant issued for him Rejecting the legitimacy of the ICC proceedings, Smotrich accused the Palestinian Authority of being behind

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  Israeli forces burn several homes in Jenin refugee camp

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Israeli forces on Tuesday evening burned several homes in the Jenin refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank. Local sources said Israeli forces set fire to a house in the Tal’at al-Ghabr area and another belonging to the Al-Rashid family. The sources said the Israeli army had been using the homes as military barracks for more than a year and a half. The sources added that Israeli forces also burned another house in the camp later in the evening, although its ownership was not immediately known. The Israeli army launched a large-scale military operation in the city of Jenin and its refugee camp on 21st January 2025, displacing all residents of the camp and surrounding areas, estimated at around

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  Iranian source claims Israel carried out drone attack on UAE

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  An informed military source told Tasnim News Agency that the recent drone attack targeting the United Arab Emirates was carried out by Israel rather than Iran. According to the source, Israel is allegedly attempting to provoke the UAE into taking a more hostile regional stance against Iran and other countries in the Islamic world. The source claimed that while Iran has acknowledged carrying out some retaliatory measures against the UAE during the regional confrontation, certain attacks attributed to Tehran were in fact conducted by Israel. READ: UAE says Iran targeted ADNOC tanker with drones in Strait of Hormuz The Iranian source also stated that Tehran does not seek hostility with neighbouring countries and believes regional states should cooperate to secure the

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  UAE says drones targeting Barakah nuclear plant were launched from Iraqi territory

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  The UAE Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that the drones involved in the recent attack targeting the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant were launched from Iraq. According to the ministry, the incident likely involved armed groups operating from Iraqi territory, amid accusations that Iranian-backed militias have repeatedly carried out drone attacks against Gulf states since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran on 28th  February. Emirati officials said the attack struck a power generator near the Barakah facility but caused no injuries or radiation leaks. The UAE has recently accused Iran of continuing drone and missile attacks despite the ceasefire that took effect in April. READ: UAE says it needs no protection from outside, vows to defend sovereignty Regional tensions

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  Government Media Office warns of sharp decline in aid entering Gaza

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  The Government Media Office in Gaza warned on Tuesday of what it described as a dangerous decline in humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip due to the siege and restrictions imposed by Israel. Office director Ismail al-Thawabta said that since the ceasefire agreement came into force, only 48,636 aid trucks had entered Gaza out of the 131,400 trucks that were expected under the agreement, representing what he described as a compliance rate of 37 percent. According to al-Thawabta, more than 63 percent of Gaza’s basic humanitarian needs have therefore not been met. He added that between the beginning of May and 18th May 2026, only 2,719 trucks entered the territory out of 10,800 scheduled trucks, which he said represented a

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  Hamas rejects Peace Council report on Gaza ceasefire implementation

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Hamas rejected a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council by the so-called “Peace Council” concerning implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, accusing the report of distorting facts and adopting Israeli conditions. In a statement, Hamas said the report absolves Israel of responsibility for daily violations of the ceasefire while placing blame on Hamas for delays in reconstruction. The movement argued that Israel continues imposing severe restrictions on crossings and preventing the entry of shelter materials and infrastructure repair equipment needed for reconstruction efforts. Hamas said it is “not the obstacle” to rebuilding Gaza and described accusations against it as false because they ignore Israel’s failure to fulfil most of its obligations during the first phase

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  US lawmakers press CENTCOM chief on deadly Iran school strike

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  The top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee pressed the CENTCOM chief on Tuesday for answers about a strike that killed more than 150 girls at an Iranian school on Feb. 28, Anadolu reports. During a US House committee hearing on US posture in the “Greater Middle East and Africa” Rep. Adam Smith urged Adm. Brad Cooper to acknowledge US responsibility for the strike on the school, which Iranian officials say killed 175 people, including more than 150 schoolgirls. “It’s really pretty clear what happened there,” Smith said, noting that in previous incidents the US military has moved quickly to acknowledge mistakes even while investigations were still ongoing. “Can you, at this moment, acknowledge that that mistake was made,

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  Trump says he was hour from resuming Iran strikes before postponing offensive Monday

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would have resumed strikes on Iran within an hour had he not postponed them earlier in the week at the request of regional allies, as Tehran revealed details of a new proposal to end the war launched by Washington and Israel in February, Anadolu reports. “They knew that we were very close. I would say that I was an hour away from making the decision to go today,” Trump told reporters at the White House. He said the US may deal Iran “another big hit” if the sides fail to reach a permanent agreement in the coming days. “They’re begging to make a deal. I hope we don’t have to do the

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  Israel targets farmers with phosphorus shells in southern Lebanon

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  The Israeli army targeted farmers in southern Lebanon’s Tyre district with phosphorus shells on Tuesday, while detaining three civilians and wounding another person, according to Lebanese media reports. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said Israeli forces fired three phosphorus shells near farmers harvesting watermelons in fields near the Mansouri junction in Tyre district. The farmers fled the area immediately after the shelling and no injuries were reported, the agency said. Israeli aircraft also struck the towns of Hanawieh and Maarka in Tyre district, according to NNA. In the same district, the Islamic Health Committee said it recovered the body of a civilian from beneath the rubble of a house in the town of Qana that was hit by Israeli

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  UK foreign secretary warns world is ‘sleepwalking’ into food crisis over Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  The world risks “sleepwalking into a global food crisis” and the global economy is being “held hostage” because Iran has “hijacked an international shipping lane,” UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Monday, Anadolu reports. Speaking at the Global Partnerships Conference in London, Cooper said daily shipping traffic through the crucial waterway has plummeted from 90 ships a day to just five over the last three months, leaving 20,000 seafarers and 800 ships “just stuck.” She warned that the blockage of heating oil, gas, and fertilizer is devastating the Global South and threatening the agricultural calendar. Citing World Food Program data, she stated that 45 million people are at risk of acute hunger this year. “The world risks sleepwalking into

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  Qatar backs US-Iran talks, calls for reopening of Hormuz Strait

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  Qatar expressed on Tuesday its support for the Pakistan-mediated diplomatic talks between the US and Iran, and called for reopening the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic, Anadolu reports. Doha “supports the Islamabad negotiations aimed at reaching a solution between Washington and Tehran,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari told a news conference. He said two Qatari gas tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz on May 10 and 11 en route to Port Qasim in Pakistan through contacts with the Pakistani side and as part of regional coordination efforts aimed at reopening the waterway to navigation. However, this “does not mean navigation has returned to normal or that the strait has been reopened,” he added. READ: US says 88 commercial vessels redirected

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  Palestinian Forum honours ‘Nakba witnesses’ in Britain, supported by Corbyn

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  In a first-of-its-kind event in the UK, drawing attention to the vital importance of documenting historical narratives and honoring those who lived through them, the Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) held a prestigious ceremony on Monday evening, May 18, in West London. The ceremony was organized to honor a number of Nakba witnesses who survived the 1948 massacres committed by occupation gangs. The event was held under the auspices of MP Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of the Labour Party and the parliamentary leader of “Your Party”. Massive Political and Solidarity Turnout The event witnessed an outstanding turnout of political figures and activists. Leading the attendees were Independent MPs Ayoub Khan and Iqbal Mohamed, alongside several Green Party representatives from

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  Israeli police bar foreign journalists critical of Israel: Report

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  Israeli police monitor foreign journalists who criticize Israel and recommend barring them from entering the country, Israeli daily Haaretz said Tuesday. “Israeli police monitor articles by foreign journalists and recommend denying entry to reporters critical of Israel,” the paper said, citing documents. Haaretz said one of the documents it obtained included a review of articles by Italian journalist Alessandro Stefanelli, who was denied entry to Israel last July. The review was carried out by the Israeli police’s Judea and Samaria District unit in charge of nationalist crime, the newspaper said. Stefanelli, a freelance journalist, has published articles in The Atlantic, Libération in France, and La Repubblica and La Stampa in Italy. The Italian journalist contacted the Israeli Embassy but received

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  US says 88 commercial vessels redirected from transiting Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  The US said Tuesday that it has so far redirected 88 commercial vessels and disabled four others to enforce President Donald Trump’s blockade on ships traveling to and from Iranian ports via the Strait of Hormuz. “CENTCOM forces have redirected 88 commercial vessels, and disabled 4 to ensure total compliance,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on US social media platform X. Regional tensions have remained high since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran against Israel and US allies in Gulf countries, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement.

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  Syrian soldier killed, others injured in car bombing in Damascus

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  A Syrian soldier was killed and several others were injured Tuesday in an explosion near a Defense Ministry building in Damascus, according to the SANA news agency, Anadolu reports. An army unit discovered an explosive device prepared for detonation near one of the ministry’s buildings in the Bab Sharqi area of Damascus, the media and communications department at the Syrian Defense Ministry told SANA. Forces immediately moved to deal with and dismantle the device before a car bomb exploded in the same area, killing one soldier and wounding several others, the source added. Najib al-Naasan, director of ambulance and emergency services in Damascus, told Alikhbariah TV that the explosion resulted in one death and 12 injuries. No group claimed responsibility

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  Global Sumud Flotilla says Israeli army vessels attacking Gaza aid fleet 2nd time

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  The Global Sumud Flotilla said Tuesday that Israeli military vessels were continuing to attack and board its humanitarian aid fleet in international waters as the convoy headed toward the Gaza Strip, Anadolu Agency reports. “Interception continues. IOF (Israeli army) military vessels are currently illegally boarding our fleet,” the flotilla said in a statement. “We are on high alert as we continue towards Gaza. We refuse to be intimidated.” Organizers also said 10 humanitarian boats had “escaped 22 hours of Israeli attacks in international waters” and were sailing toward Gaza. “The boats are currently just 121 nautical miles from Gaza’s shores,” the statement read. Earlier Tuesday, Israeli news website Walla, citing an unnamed security source, reported that the Israeli army had

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  Israeli army records sharp rise in sexual assault complaints in 2025: Report

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  The Israeli army received 2,420 complaints related to sexual assaults and harassment within its ranks during 2025, marking a significant increase from the previous year, according to data presented to the Knesset on Tuesday. Israel’s Channel 12 said the figures were presented during a meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which discussed the military’s handling of sexual harassment cases. According to the data, the army’s Yahalom unit received 2,420 reports of sexual assaults within the military during 2025. More than 700 complaints ended only with what were described as “command meetings,” while 42 indictments were filed against suspects and 21 others were subjected only to disciplinary measures, according to the figures. The military also barred 60 civilian

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  Iranian army warns of opening ‘new fronts’ if attacked again

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  Iran on Tuesday warned of opening “new fronts” if the US and Israel launch new strikes on the country. “We will open new fronts against them with new tools and methods” if attacked again, Iran’s army spokesperson said in a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official news agency ISNA. Regional tensions have remained high since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran against Israel and US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. US President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade

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  Israeli finance minister says ICC arrest warrant issued for him

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Tuesday that he had been informed of an international arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC). “Last night I was informed that a request for a secret international arrest warrant was filed against me by the prosecutor of the antisemitic court in The Hague,” Smotrich told a news conference, as cited by the daily Yedioth Ahronoth. Smotrich described the move as an attempt “to impose a policy of security suicide on us through sanctions and arrest warrants.” “We will not accept hypocritical dictates from biased bodies that repeatedly stand against the State of Israel,” he added, saying that “a large part of European countries have never excelled in love of

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  Dishonouring Palestinian memory of the Nakba at the UN

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Another Nakba commemoration has passed. At the UN, the rhetoric remains unchanged. It is chilling that even after a colonial genocide which Israeli officials called Nakba 2.0, the UN is determined to never mention colonialism. The UN will never, not even on the anniversary of the Nakba, face the Palestinian people and admit its complicity by endorsing the 1947 Partition Plan for Palestine’s colonisation. No matter how much the UN maintains its self-imposed relevance when it comes to the Palestinian people’s fate, the Palestinian people should not be subjugated to the UN. And neither should Palestine’s history, culture and collective memory be exploited for UN commemorative speeches. Last week, the UN General Assembly’s President Annalena Baerbock, delivered a speech for

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  How does the petrodollar finance and encourage the US’s bullying?

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  It is impossible to understand the logic of America’s exorbitant military expenditures and successive wars in various countries – from Vietnam, Iraq to Venezuela and Iran – without understanding the international monetary system. By designing a global mechanism, the United States has been able to shift the “costs of war” onto other countries and continue endless military interventions without suffering major chronic inflation or crippling budget deficits. This structural framework is a prerequisite for analysing many ambitious wars the United States has waged – including the recent invasion of Iran. The starting point of the dollar’s dominance over the global economy was the Bretton Woods Conference at the end of World War II. According to the final agreement, the value

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  Amnesty International condemns Israel’s move to block Gaza aid flotilla as “shameful and inhumane”

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Amnesty International has said Israel’s insistence on stopping the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was heading towards the coast of the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade, is “shameful and inhumane”. In a post on X on Monday, the organisation said Israel is “once again using military force to stop solidarity activists from delivering aid to the occupied Gaza Strip, all while continuing to commit genocide and inflict immense suffering on Palestinian civilians there.” It warned, “Israel’s cruel and shameless determination to crush solidarity efforts with Palestinians is aimed at tightening the grip of its unlawful blockade and isolating Gaza from the rest of humanity,” stressing that “cutting off essential supplies to civilians under occupation is a

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  Reports say RSF commander Abu Lulu returned to battlefield after release, group denies claim

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Abu Lulu had reportedly been released from prison and “returned to fighting on the battlefield”, while the RSF denied the reports and described claims of his release as “completely baseless”. Nine sources told Reuters that a Sudanese paramilitary commander arrested late last year after widespread international outrage over videos showing him executing unarmed civilians in El Fasher had been released from prison and returned to active combat. Two of the sources identified the commander as Abu Lulu. A military officer told Reuters that RSF officers had called for Abu Lulu to return to the battlefield to boost the morale of fighters involved in heavy clashes there. Reuters said it had spoken to 13 sources aware

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  Beijing does not obey the empire, Tehran resists

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Donald Trump returns from his visit to China without the display of strength he had hoped to project to the world. No meaningful public concessions, no visible strategic alignment from Beijing against Tehran, and no image of a leader capable of forcibly reshaping the global geopolitical chessboard. That alone would already be telling. But placed within the broader context of Iran’s growing strategic resilience and Washington’s increasing inability to impose its political will on key adversaries, the episode becomes symbolic of something much larger: the exhaustion of the old unipolar illusion. For decades, the United States built its international hegemony on a simple premise: any state daring to challenge its architecture of power would pay an intolerable price. Devastating economic

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  Israeli cabinet discusses possible resumption of Iran war for second time in 24 hours

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of resuming the war against Iran during a meeting of the security cabinet on Monday evening, according to Hebrew media reports. The privately owned newspaper Israel Hayom said Netanyahu held another meeting of the mini-security cabinet on Monday evening, with discussions focusing on the possibility of a new round of fighting with Iran. The newspaper said it was the second cabinet meeting held by Netanyahu within the past 24 hours. On Sunday evening, Netanyahu reportedly held a cabinet meeting following a phone call with US President Donald Trump to coordinate the “next step on Iran”, according to the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. Israel Hayom quoted a source familiar with US movements as

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Jamil K. Mroue: Netanyahu’s Pipe Dream of Disarming Hezbollah

  by MI on May 19, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Mark Pfeifle: Trump Goes to China as Dealmaker or Supplicant?

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  Iraq says April oil revenues exceeded $1 billion

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Iraq announced that oil revenues for April exceeded $1 billion, according to figures released by the state-owned SOMO on Monday. In its monthly report, SOMO said total Iraqi crude oil exports for April surpassed 9.88 million barrels from fields in Basra, Kurdistan Region and Kirkuk. The company stated that these exports generated revenues of more than $1.087 billion, with an average daily export rate exceeding 329,000 barrels. According to the report, exports of Basra crude exceeded 4.58 million barrels during the month. SOMO added that exports of Kurdistan crude through the Port of Ceyhan amounted to 339,064 barrels, while Kirkuk crude exports via Ceyhan reached approximately 4.95 million barrels. The figures were released amid continued regional disruptions affecting energy markets

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  Ben-Gvir criticises ICC and vows further escalation

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attacked the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday and vowed to continue escalating measures against Palestinians, following reports that the court is considering issuing an international arrest warrant against him. Earlier on Monday, British news website Middle East Eye reported that a request had been submitted to the ICC seeking a secret arrest warrant for Ben-Gvir and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The website did not identify the party that submitted the request. Neither the ICC nor the Israeli government had issued an official comment as of 20:00 GMT. In a statement, Ben-Gvir said: “I am not afraid

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  Iran warns of swift response after Trump says he halted planned attack

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader for military affairs said US President Donald Trump sets a date for an attack and then cancels it himself “in the hope that our nation will surrender”. According to Iranian media reports, the adviser added that “the iron fist of our armed forces and our nation will force them to retreat and surrender”. Meanwhile, the commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters said: “Our forces are fully prepared and will respond quickly and firmly to any new aggression by the enemies.” Earlier on Monday, Trump said he had ordered a halt to a military strike on Iran that had been scheduled for Tuesday. Trump said he had instructed the military to remain ready to launch

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  Poll shows majority of Americans oppose aid to Israel

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  A majority of Americans oppose providing economic and military aid to Israel, according to a poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena Research Institute. The survey found that 57 per cent of Americans oppose giving assistance to Israel, while 37 per cent support it. It also showed that 37 per cent of respondents sympathise more with Palestinians, compared with 35 per cent who said they sympathise more with Israelis. The poll was conducted between 11th and 15th May and included more than 1,500 American adults. The margin of error was about 2.8 percentage points. A previous poll by Gallup found that 41 per cent of Americans said they sympathised more with Palestinians, compared with 36 per cent who

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  UN urges Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza and condemns signs of ethnic cleansing

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  The United Nations called on Israel to take all necessary measures to prevent acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip, while also condemning what it described as indications of ethnic cleansing in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank. In a new report released in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged Israel to ensure that its forces do not commit acts of genocide and to take immediate steps to prevent incitement to genocide. Türk also called for accountability mechanisms to address alleged violations. The report further criticised developments in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, referring to what it described as growing signs of ethnic cleansing linked to displacement, military operations and changes on the ground

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  Israel’s ruling coalition submits bill to dissolve Knesset

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Israel’s ruling coalition submitted a bill Wednesday evening to dissolve the Knesset (parliament) amid a Haredi conscription crisis, in a move seen as an attempt to thwart a similar step from the opposition. Ofir Katz, chairman of the coalition and a member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, along with all leaders of the coalition parties, “submitted this evening a bill to dissolve the 25th Knesset,” said the public broadcaster KAN. According to the bill, the election date will be determined during discussions in a Knesset committee. The measure aims to regulate and streamline the process of dissolving the Knesset, KAN said. On Tuesday, Netanyahu informed Haredi members in the Knesset that he was facing difficulty in passing

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  Bennett and Eisenkot hold talks amid efforts to unseat Netanyahu government

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Israeli media reported on Monday that former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett held a political meeting with opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot to discuss potential alliances aimed at bringing down the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. According to reports, the meeting focused on possible cooperation within what was described as a “Reform and Hope Camp” ahead of potential early elections and efforts to dissolve the Knesset. A statement from Bennett’s office said the discussions addressed strategic steps needed for the opposition to win power and form a government based on what was referred to as a “service alliance”, a reference to support for mandatory military service, including for ultra-Orthodox communities. The meeting was reportedly Bennett’s first since announcing the establishment of the

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  Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it foiled alleged plot to transfer US weapons to armed groups

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on Monday that it had thwarted what it described as a plot by armed groups based in northern Iraq to smuggle new American weapons into Iran. In a statement, the Revolutionary Guard said it carried out operations in the city of Baneh in Kurdistan province, targeting what it called “counter-revolutionary groups” allegedly operating on behalf of the United States and Israel. According to the statement, Iranian forces seized large quantities of weapons and ammunition that were allegedly intended for transfer across the border into Iran. The Guard said the groups had planned to smuggle a shipment of newly supplied US weapons and ammunition into the country, adding that the operation was foiled through what

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  Report: Croatian president refuses to approve new Israeli ambassador

  by Marwa A on May 19, 2026

  Croatian president Zoran Milanović is refusing to approve the appointment of a new Israeli ambassador to Croatia, in what Israeli sources described as an unprecedented diplomatic dispute between the two countries, Israeli media outlets reported. According to the Hebrew news site Ynet, Israeli diplomat Nisan Amdor, who was selected last November to replace Ambassador Gary Koren in Zagreb, will instead arrive as chargé d’affaires after Koren’s term ends later this month, since that role does not require presidential approval. The report said Milanović’s refusal marks the first time a Croatian president has declined to approve the appointment of a foreign ambassador, describing the move as a serious departure from diplomatic protocol. According to the report, Milanović is also refusing to

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  Spain summons Israeli envoy over Gaza flotilla interception, calls it ‘new violation of int’ law’

  by Marwa A on May 18, 2026

  Spain on Monday summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires and lodged what Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares described as a “formal and forceful protest” over Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla, calling it “a new violation of international law,” Anadolu reports. Speaking at a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelaty in Madrid, Albares said Israeli forces had intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla and that Spanish authorities were closely monitoring the situation, El Mundo reported. “I do not have the exact number of Spaniards, but it would be around 45,” Albares said, adding that between “one and two dozen” Spanish nationals aboard the vessels may currently be detained by Israeli authorities. Albares said Spain had already established contact with other

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  2 Palestinians killed, 4 injured from Israeli fire in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by Marwa A on May 18, 2026

  Two Palestinians were killed and four others wounded by Israeli gunfire in the Gaza Strip on Monday, in the latest violation of an ongoing ceasefire agreement, medical sources said, Anadolu reports. The sources said the body of a Palestinian man and two injured people arrived at Nasser Medical Complex, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, after an Israeli strike near the Bani Suheila roundabout in the city. Witnesses said an Israeli drone shelled a group of civilians near Bani Suheila, causing the casualties. A Palestinian child also breathed his last from injuries sustained from a drone strike in Bani Suheila on Thursday. Two young Palestinians were also injured, including one critically, in Israeli shelling of the Jabalia refugee camp

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  Italy hit by mass strike over rearmament and in solidarity with Gaza

  by Marwa A on May 18, 2026

  A nationwide general strike took place in Italy on Monday in protest against rearmament policies and in support of Palestinians in Gaza, Anadolu reports. The strike was organized following a call from the USB union and other civil society groups under the slogan “We block everything.” Participants opposed rising living costs, increased military spending, and what they described as government priorities favoring armament over healthcare and education. They also expressed opposition to Israel’s attacks in Gaza and voiced support for the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” a civilian aid initiative attempting to reach the territory. Demonstrations were held in multiple cities, including Rome, where protesters gathered at Piazza Cinquecento. Many displayed Palestinian flags and demanded that the Italian government reduce or end

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  Irish president’s sister among Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel: Reports

  by MI on May 18, 2026

  Irish President Catherine Connolly’s sister is among the Gaza-bound Global Sumud flotilla activists detained by Israeli forces, according to media reports Monday. Margaret Connolly was among at least six Irish citizens aboard the aid flotilla detained by Israel, the Irish Independent reported, citing activists. According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, 10 boats from a 60-vessel convoy were intercepted in international waters and boarded by Israeli forces earlier Monday. Organizers said the interception took place around 70 nautical miles off the island of Cyprus, with at least six of the 15 Irish participants detained. The flotilla released videos from Connolly and five other activists that appeared to have been recorded before the interception. “If you are watching this video, it means

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  UAE paid $6m to reputation firm tied to Epstein whitewashing to bury damaging report on ambassador

  by MI on May 18, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates paid more than $6 million to a secretive US reputation management firm tied to whitewashing a client’s link to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to manipulate Google search results and suppress damaging reporting about its ambassador to Washington, Yousef Al-Otaiba, according to a New York Times investigation. The revelation appears in a wider investigation into Terakeet, a Syracuse-based firm that specialises in search engine optimisation and online reputation management for powerful clients facing public scrutiny.  While the New York Times investigation focuses mainly on Terakeet’s failed attempt to repair the reputation of Goldman Sachs general counsel and supporter of Israel,  Kathryn Ruemmler, over her links to Epstein, one of its most striking revelations concerns the firm’s

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  Ongoing Return: Mapping Memory and Story Telling in Palestine

  by MI on May 18, 2026

  “The geography of Palestine is one, from the river to the sea. The settler military works in different ways to create a fragmented reality for Palestinians,” Rana Barakat writes in the preface to her book Ongoing Return: Mapping Memory and Story Telling in Palestine (University of North Carolina Press, 2026). In the fragments that Zionist settler-colonialism imposed on Palestine, return is inseparable from the continuity of the 1948 Nakba.  Barakat notes that uncovering stories is essential to the Palestinian return to Palestine. The book centres on Lifta’s history and stories, notably those relating to the author’s grandmother, ’Arifa. “Walking through stories is the process – through landscapes, through time and with people, a we continue to return to Lifta and

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  The UAE’s Fujairah bet: Export flexibility, energy security, and regional leverage

  by MI on May 18, 2026

  The UAE’s planned second Fujairah, or West-East, pipeline marks a major shift in Gulf energy security and export strategy. It matters not only because it reduces dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, but because it gives Abu Dhabi more freedom to manage exports, expand production, and strengthen its economic leverage. Announced for acceleration in May 2026 by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, with operations targeted for 2027, the project would expand ADNOC’s ability to move crude directly to Fujairah beyond the existing Habshan-Fujairah pipeline’s capacity of about 1.8 million barrels per day. Reducing Exposure to Hormuz The timing is critical. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran-related conflict disrupted roughly one-fifth of

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  Israeli court postpones Netanyahu corruption hearing for ‘security’ reasons

  by MI on May 18, 2026

  The Tel Aviv District Court accepted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request Monday to postpone his hearing to respond to corruption charges until Tuesday, citing “political and security” reasons. The public broadcaster KAN said Netanyahu requested the delay Monday morning for “political and security reasons,” without giving further details. The court and the public prosecutor’s office approved the request, and the next hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, KAN said. The delay came as the Israeli army on Monday began attacking the Gaza-bound Global Sumud humanitarian flotilla carrying activists from 39 countries in international waters. Live broadcasts from the flotilla showed Israeli naval forces attacking the boats one after another. The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli army detained

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  Why the US–China Summit may decide the Middle East’s next war

  by MI on May 18, 2026

  There are moments in international politics when geography becomes destiny. The Strait of Hormuz—barely 33 kilometres wide at its narrowest point—is once again one of those places. Nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil passes through that narrow artery every day, carrying not just energy, but the fragile assumptions of global order. Today, it is no longer merely a shipping lane. It is the stage upon which the United States, China, Iran, Israel, and the Gulf monarchies are performing a dangerous new act of strategic theatre. The recent US–China summit, overshadowed by Donald Trump’s provocative diplomacy toward Iran, revealed something deeper than another round of transactional great-power bargaining. It exposed the quiet collapse of the old American-led Middle East

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  US bases in Germany allegedly used for large-scale arms shipments to Israel

  by MI on May 18, 2026

  Large-scale shipments of weapons and ammunition were allegedly transported to Israel over the past 24 hours through US military bases in Germany using dozens of cargo aircraft, Anadolu reports. Israel’s Channel 13 reported Monday that dozens of cargo planes arriving from Israel at US bases in Germany were reloaded with ammunition before returning to Israel shortly afterward. The report said the Israeli army remains on high alert over the possible resumption of attacks on Iran and that a timeline has been set for completing military preparations. It added that there is a growing belief within the Israeli administration that US President Donald Trump could soon give the “green light” for renewed attacks on Iran. On April 30, Israel’s Defense Ministry announced

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  After the war on Iran, the Transatlantic alliance rift grows wider

  by MI on May 18, 2026

  For decades, the Transatlantic alliance was presented as the cornerstone of the so-called liberal international order—a partnership portrayed by shared values, mutual defence, and coordinated foreign policy. However, the recent US-Israeli war on Iran, which erupted on 28th February 2026, has contributed greatly to shattering that illusion. As the repercussions of such conflicts still cast its effects on the world, the divisions between Washington and its European allies have widened into a chasm, exposing a Western world more fractured and less cohesive than at any time in recent memory. The war itself was considered perhaps the most significant rupture in the alliance between Washington and Europe. Multiple European leaders have confirmed that they were not consulted before the US and