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

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  Prabowo keeps lying on Palestine

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  This week, at the 28th anniversary celebration of the National Awakening Party (PKB) in Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto reached for a line he’s reached for many times before. Indonesia gets along with everyone, he said, but backing Palestinian independence is the one thing nobody can talk him out of. The crowd ate it up. Crowds always do, when a leader hands them exactly the applause line they came for. But this isn’t a one-off. It’s a habit. Prabowo has said some version of this line at nearly every opportunity for the past two years, and every time he says it, his government is somewhere in the middle of doing the opposite. That isn’t a slip. It’s a method. Indonesians who

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  Netanyahu orders ‘wide-scale’ military offensive in occupied West Bank villages

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said Friday that they had ordered the army to launch a “wide-scale military operation” in Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Katz also said the army had been instructed to demolish the home of the Palestinian accused of carrying out a shooting attack against occupiers near the Palestinian town of Tell in the northern West Bank. A large Israeli military force raided the city of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank, according to an Anadolu correspondent. The measures followed a security incident near the illegal Havat Gilad settlement, close to Nablus, that killed two Israeli soldiers and injured three others, according

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  Russian, Iranian foreign ministers discuss rising tensions in Gulf region

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Friday with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in the Kyrgyz resort city of Cholpon-Ata to discuss rising tensions in the Gulf region, Anadolu reports. Lavrov held separate meetings with top diplomats from Iran, China and Uzbekistan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization foreign ministers’ meeting, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. During the meeting with Araghchi, Lavrov stressed the importance of reaching a lasting agreement to end hostilities and restore stability, security and freedom of navigation in the region, the ministry said. The two also discussed a range of bilateral issues, it added. Regional tensions have escalated over the past two weeks after Trump announced on July 8 that the ceasefire outlined in

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  Guterres to visit Damascus to revive UN efforts in 1st Syria visit by UN chief since 2009

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ expected visit to Damascus on Friday, according to local media reports, marks a significant diplomatic development in relations between the United Nations and Syria. The visit is the first by a UN secretary-general to Damascus since 2009, when former UN chief Ban Ki-moon visited the country. Guterres’ program includes official talks with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, as well as meetings with representatives of civil society and local community institutions. The visit also includes a field tour to inspect the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), stationed in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, as part of efforts to monitor commitments under the ceasefire agreement. On Tuesday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres would

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  Israeli far-right minister calls for Gaza-style destruction in occupied West Bank cities, villages

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Friday called for applying the destructive military approach used in Gaza’s Beit Hanoun to Palestinian cities and villages in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. The cities and villages of Palestinians who carry out attacks against Israelis in the West Bank should be treated “as Beit Hanoun in Gaza was treated,” Ben-Gvir said in a post on the US social media platform X. “I will demand that the Israeli army issue orders to destroy the homes” of Palestinians involved in such incidents and their supporters, the extremist minister said. “For every Jew killed, the enemy must bear the loss of land and homes,” Ben-Gvir added. The statement came after a security incident

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  Iran rapidly rebuilds missile sites, key infrastructure despite months of airstrikes: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Iran is swiftly rebuilding war-damaged infrastructure, from underground missile bases and bridges to production facilities and ports, according to Israeli and Western officials and satellite imagery, a recent report said. The rapid pace of reconstruction has raised concerns among some Israeli officials, who say it underscores Iran’s resilience despite months of intensive airstrikes, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Thursday. Satellite imagery from western Iran showed damaged tunnel entrances and access roads to a missile base in March, but images taken weeks later revealed newly paved roads and rebuilt entrances. In another example, Iranian crews repaired a bridge hit by Israeli strikes within days, according to an Israeli military official, raising questions among Israeli officials about the

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  Iran urges residents in region to stay 500 meters from US troops’ ‘covert accommodation’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Friday urged residents of countries hosting US forces to stay “at least 500 meters” away from buildings it claimed were being used as “covert accommodation by US troops,” Anadolu reports. In a statement, the IRGC alleged that US officers and military personnel “had left their bases and moved into buildings in urban areas to direct military operations.” It urged civilians to “immediately remain at least 500 meters away” from such locations for their safety. The IRGC also accused Washington of targeting civilian infrastructure, including bridges, fishing docks, boats, vehicles and railways in Iran. READ: Trump grows increasingly frustrated as Iran war enters 5th month: Report

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  Regime change or the end of Iran? Washington and Jerusalem are not chasing the same war

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Two words get used as if they mean the same thing. They do not. “Regime change” means new rulers in Tehran. “Dismemberment” means no Tehran to rule at all. Washington has flirted with the first idea for decades. Israel, in its most candid strategic writing, has quietly built the case for the second. The distinction is not academic. It decides whether Iran remains one exhausted, humbled state or becomes six-or-seven-armed fragments, each a magnet for the next war. A mosaic, not a monolith, but not a house of cards either Iran is not Persia with an accent problem. Persians make up roughly 61 percent of its 90-plus million people. Azeris are close to 16 percent, Kurds about 10 percent, Lurs

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  5 Palestinians killed in Israeli forces, occupier attacks in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Five Palestinians were killed and four others injured in separate attacks by Israeli forces and occupiers in the occupied West Bank, according to the Health Ministry and Jerusalem Governorate on Friday. Four Palestinians were killed and four others injured in an attack by Israeli forces and occupiers in the town of Tell, southwest of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank, the ministry said. “The death toll in Tell, southwest of Nablus, has risen to four, with four others injured, three of them critically,” the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement. Local and security sources said Israeli occupiers attacked Palestinian homes in the town and opened live fire toward two houses. The Israeli army said it dispatched troops to

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  WFP warns food insecurity in Gaza ‘will deteriorate’ without more funding, aid, calls recent gains ‘fragile’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  The UN World Food Program (WFP) on Friday warned that food insecurity in Gaza will worsen unless additional funding is secured to sustain humanitarian assistance, describing recent improvements as “fragile” despite signs that emergency aid has helped ease hunger, Anadolu reports. “The situation will deteriorate,” Ross Smith, WFP’s director of emergency preparedness and response, said in response to Anadolu’s question during a UN briefing in Geneva. Smith said the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report showed the number of people facing acute food insecurity had fallen to 1.4 million from 1.6 million, reflecting about a 10% improvement. “But it’s critical that these findings are understood correctly. It’s not a story of recovery; it’s a story that humanitarian assistance

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  Trump grows increasingly frustrated as Iran war enters 5th month: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated and skeptical about the prospects for a lasting peace as the war in Iran enters its fifth month with no end in sight, according to administration officials and people close to the president. According to a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday, some advisers fear the prolonged conflict is weighing on Trump’s presidency by fueling higher prices, eroding his approval ratings and hurting Republicans’ prospects in the upcoming midterm elections. A senior administration official said Trump believes the only thing Iran understands is military force and is in “revenge mode” against Tehran, leaving him with few options other than continuing the strikes. The US is deploying more troops and weapons to the

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  Iraq and Iran agree strategic cooperation document, back dialogue to resolve crises

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Iraq and Iran agreed on Thursday to prepare a comprehensive strategic document to expand cooperation between the two countries, saying regional crises can only be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and respect for the sovereignty of states. The agreement was announced in a joint statement issued during an official visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi to Iran, where he led a delegation of political, security and economic officials. According to a statement published by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office, Al-Zaidi and the accompanying delegation held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and several senior officials on bilateral relations, regional developments and international issues of mutual interest. The two sides agreed to draft a comprehensive strategic document aimed at

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  Israeli warplanes destroy mosque in Bureij and house in Jabalia

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Israeli occupation warplanes bombed a mosque and its surrounding area in the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip on Thursday evening. Safa news agency’s correspondent said Israeli aircraft destroyed Al-Nour Mosque and the surrounding area in Block 9, south-east of Bureij refugee camp. The mosque was reportedly demolished after the Israeli army ordered the evacuation of the surrounding area. In northern Gaza, the correspondent said Israeli warplanes struck a house near the Jabalia refugee camp police station. The correspondent added that Israeli warplanes were flying at low altitude over several areas across the Gaza Strip. Evacuation warnings were also issued for parts of the Zeitoun neighbourhood east of Gaza City, which has been under Israeli military operations for several

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  Kuwait court sentences citizen to life for spying for Iran and Hezbollah

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  A Kuwaiti State Security Court of Appeal has overturned a 10-year prison sentence imposed on a Kuwaiti citizen convicted of spying-related offences and sentenced him to life imprisonment instead. The defendant was found guilty of attempting to spy for Iran and Hezbollah, meeting with their leaders, and receiving training in weapons handling and drone operations in Kuwait under the supervision of members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah in the Iranian city of Qom. The court ruled that his actions harmed Kuwait’s national interests. In a separate case, the court sentenced another Kuwaiti citizen to three years in prison after convicting him of insulting the Prophet Muhammad’s companions, insulting Shia citizens, inciting sectarian strife and spreading panic. The charges stemmed

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  The nuclear leash: Washington’s deal to put Saudi Arabia back in its place

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  The United States has presented its new nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia as a gift: reactors, technology, investment, prestige, and the radiant promise of a peaceful atomic future. Washington is forever giving gifts of this kind. Curiously, they tend to arrive fitted with surveillance equipment, political conditions, and a discreetly concealed choke chain. This is not merely a civil nuclear agreement. It is a disciplinary instrument aimed at Mohammed bin Salman — a strategic summons issued to a crown prince who has recently behaved less like an obedient client and more like the ruler of an indispensable state. Its message is simple: Saudi Arabia may diversify its economy, its diplomatic partners, and even its wardrobe of alliances, but it may

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  Israel warns Saudi-US nuclear deal raises stakes as Iran expands nuclear programme

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Israel Hayom has published an analysis article titled “Saudi nuclear reactor deal poses existential threat to Israel”, following the signing of a nuclear cooperation agreement between Saudi Arabia and the United States. The newspaper said that, while global attention has focused on the wider implications of the agreement, Israel remains primarily concerned with the Iranian nuclear programme. It noted that The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing Israeli sources, that Iran has begun moving centrifuges to an underground facility built into Pickaxe Mountain – known in Iran as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz LA, near Natanz. READ: Under Trump, Saudi civil nuclear talks delinked from Israel recognition, report says According to the report, the site is heavily reinforced with concrete and is considered significantly more

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  Palestinian Authority warns economy could collapse over Israeli banking cut-off

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  The Palestinian Authority has warned that the Palestinian economy could collapse if Israeli banks cut correspondent banking ties with Palestinian financial institutions. Palestinian Monetary Authority Governor Yahya Shunnar warned on Thursday of the serious consequences of Israeli banks ending correspondent banking relationships. Speaking at a high-level international meeting organised by the Palestinian Monetary Authority at its headquarters in Ramallah, attended by ambassadors, representatives of international financial and banking institutions, and international organisations, Shunnar said continued Israeli measures were undermining the Palestinian economy, threatening food security and risking the collapse of essential services. READ: Israel issues military order to seize 5.2 dunams of Palestinian land in occupied East Jerusalem He called for urgent and coordinated international action before the situation reached “the

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  Sudanese man dies after walking 65 kilometres for help in Libyan desert

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  A Sudanese man has died after reportedly walking approximately 65 kilometres through the Libyan desert near Kufra in an attempt to seek help after the vehicle he was travelling in broke down, according to informed local sources. The sources said the man became stranded in the desert when the vehicle stopped unexpectedly. Faced with remaining in a remote area without water or shelter, he reportedly decided to walk in search of a paved road or passing motorists who could assist him. According to the sources, the man died before reaching help as a result of the extreme heat and harsh desert conditions. Rescue teams later recovered his body. The incident highlights the dangers faced by travellers and migrants using the

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  Amnesty International urges Tunisia to protect prisoners during heatwave

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Amnesty International on Thursday called on the Tunisian authorities to strengthen measures to protect prisoners from the effects of the ongoing heatwave, particularly older detainees and those with chronic illnesses or disabilities. In a statement, the human rights organization expressed concern about the impact of high temperatures on vulnerable prison populations, citing what it described as recent testimonies regarding conditions in Tunisian detention facilities. There was no immediate response from the Tunisian authorities to Amnesty International’s statement. The Ministry of Justice has previously said it is committed to respecting human rights in prisons and applying internationally recognized standards and best practices. READ: Daughter of Tunisian opposition figure raises concerns over prison conditions, says Rached Ghannouchi fainted Amnesty International said older prisoners

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  Egypt urges US to accelerate deployment of international stabilisation force in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Egypt has called on the United States to expedite the deployment of an international stabilisation force in the Gaza Strip, facilitate the full delivery of humanitarian aid, and complete the remaining steps of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan. The appeal was made during a meeting on Thursday between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, according to a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry said Abdel-Aty stressed the importance of rapidly deploying the international stabilization force, ensuring unrestricted humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and completing implementation of the first phase of the US-backed plan. According to the

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  Sudanese army says it has made field gains against Rapid Support Forces

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Sudan’s Defence Minister Hassan Daoud Kabroun said on Thursday that the Sudanese Armed Forces had made what he described as “field gains” in the states of Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Darfur, and had inflicted “heavy losses” on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). In a statement, Kabroun said military operations would continue “until the militia (Rapid Support Forces) is eliminated and the entire homeland is secured.” He added that the armed forces were continuing their operations with confidence, citing the determination of military personnel, public support, and what he described as the legitimacy of their mission. Kabroun also claimed that the RSF was at “its weakest point,” arguing that reports of looting and theft in parts of Kordofan and Darfur reflected

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  Brent crude briefly surpasses $100 after reported attacks on oil tankers in the Red Sea

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Brent crude briefly rose above $100 per barrel on Thursday after Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed it had targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, raising concerns over energy supplies and regional shipping routes. By 13:40 GMT, Brent crude was trading at approximately $99.56 per barrel, up 5.84%, after earlier exceeding the $100 mark for the first time since May. West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US benchmark, rose 4.68% to $90.89 per barrel. The Houthis said they had carried out a military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers, identified as the Incilia and the Layla, alleging that the vessels had violated a blockade the group announced earlier this week on Saudi ports. The claims have not been independently verified.

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  Gaza Ministry of Social Development reports increase in number of registered orphans

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  The Ministry of Social Development in Gaza said on Thursday that the number of registered orphans in the territory has risen to 65,279, including 54,468 children who it said lost one or both parents during the war. In a statement, the ministry said 2,039 children had been added to its records after 10th  October 2025. The ministry also reported that the number of registered widows had reached 28,224, including 742 women who were widowed during the same period. According to the ministry, the figures reflect a worsening humanitarian and social situation, which it attributed to the continued conflict, repeated displacement, and the reduction of safe areas for civilians. The ministry said its teams had documented damage to or strikes affecting

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  Tunisia’s Ennahda expresses concern over Rached Ghannouchi’s health in prison

  by Mehdi Editor on July 24, 2026

  Tunisia’s Ennahda movement has held the authorities fully responsible for ensuring the safety of its leader, Rached Ghannouchi, expressing deep concern over what it described as a serious deterioration in his health and the refusal to allow his lawyers and family to visit him. Ghannouchi’s defence team said on Thursday that he suffered a fainting episode and severe exhaustion last week. It also said the Tunisian authorities had refused to allow his lawyers or relatives to visit him, while providing no information about his condition. In a statement, Ennahda said it was “following with deep concern” information provided by the defence team about what it described as a sharp and dangerous decline in Ghannouchi’s health. It said he had suffered

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  UN warns Israeli raid led by minister on Al Aqsa Mosque ‘very dangerous’ for status quo

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  The UN said Thursday that a raid by an Israeli minister, accompanied by an extremist group, on Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem was “very dangerous” for the status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites, Anadolu reports. “There is a status quo regarding the holy sites of Judaism, Christianity, and, of course, Islam in Jerusalem. It is incumbent that that status quo be respected,” spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a news conference when asked about the raid. “It is incumbent on the Israeli authorities to ensure that it is respected, and that the faithful of all religions are able to interact with those sites, their own sites, in a free manner,” he said, stressing that “these sorts of activities that we

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  US Senate rejects resolution to limit Trump’s Iran war powers

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  The US Senate on Thursday failed to advance a resolution that would have directed President Donald Trump to withdraw American forces from hostilities against Iran, Anadolu reports. The Senate voted 47-49 against the War Powers Resolution introduced by Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, falling short of the votes needed to advance. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine broke with her party to vote in favor of the measure, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against it. Senators Katie Britt, Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, and Rand Paul did not vote. The resolution would have required Trump to remove US forces from hostilities “within or against Iran,” absent a declaration of war or specific congressional authorization. Democrats and

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  2 paramedics among 3 injured by Israeli fire in Lebanon despite framework agreement

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Three people, including two paramedics, were injured by Israeli army fire in southern Lebanon on Thursday, as Tel Aviv continued its daily violations of a US-mediated framework agreement, Lebanese media reported. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said a Syrian national was shot and wounded by Israeli forces in the town of Ebel El-Saqi in the Marjeyoun district. In Nabatieh, an Israeli drone hit a vehicle of the Islamic Health Society, a local ambulance service, on a road in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, injuring two paramedics, NNA said. The service said an Israeli strike hit Al-Barid neighborhood in Nabatieh al-Fawqa as paramedics were inspecting the site of an earlier attack in the area, injuring two paramedics and causing damage to

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  Polish foreign minister urges Israel to halt expansion of illegal settlement in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Thursday urged Israel to stop expanding illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, reaffirming Poland’s support for a two-state solution during talks with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a joint news conference in Warsaw, Sikorski called for an end to what he described as the illegal seizure of Palestinian land and settler violence. “The West Bank is not part of Israel,” Sikorski said, calling for “an end to the illegal seizure of land, settler violence and the dismantling of illegal settlements in the West Bank.” He also urged Israel to protect places of worship, ensure unrestricted access for believers of all faiths and release customs and tax revenues collected

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  2026 World Cup fuels online racism, Islamophobia targeting Lamine Yamal

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Spain’s 2026 World Cup triumph was overshadowed by a surge in racist and Islamophobic abuse online, with the tournament emerging as a major trigger for hate speech and teenage star Lamine Yamal becoming one of its most prominent targets, Anadolu reports. According to a social media monitoring bulletin published by the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE), which operates under Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, 40,861 pieces of content linked to hate speech and discriminatory narratives were detected online in June. Sports accounted for 16% of the monitored content, ranking as the second-largest trigger of hate speech after issues related to public insecurity, which accounted for 69% of the detected material. OBERAXE said a “significant” presence

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  Trump weighing ‘massive’ US strikes on Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  US President Donald Trump is considering launching a new military operation against Iran that could surpass the scale of the US strikes from Operation Epic Fury earlier this year, Axios reported Thursday. In an interview with the outlet, Trump said he was nearing a decision on a potential major attack but stressed that no final determination had been made. Two US officials also told Axios that no new military orders have been issued. “I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” Trump said. He also said Israel could join the operation almost immediately if requested, but maintained that the US would not require assistance from

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  A reading of US national security strategies

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  US presidents’ National Security Strategies accurately reflect the direction of their foreign policies, which are governed by American interests that are not always explicitly stated, yet are not difficult to surmise. The National Security Strategy is an official presidential document issued by the President of the United States outlining the country’s national security and foreign policy priorities.These strategies are shaped by political developments around the world and by the ways in which the United States responds to them in pursuit of its objectives, even when this comes at the expense of the countries in the regions concerned, including its own allies. For example, President Joe Biden’s 2022 National Security Strategy, issued eight months after the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine war,

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  Iraq will not allow its territory to be used to threaten Iran: Prime minister

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said Thursday Baghdad will never allow the use of Iraqi territory to threaten Iran, reaffirming his country’s commitment to security cooperation with Tehran, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a joint meeting of senior Iranian and Iraqi delegations in Tehran, al-Zaidi said Iraq will not accept hostile action against Iran by any party. “Iraq will never forget Iran’s support in the fight against the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group,” he said, as cited by a statement from Iran’s presidential office. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, for his part, said that a comprehensive strategic cooperation plan would serve as a roadmap for expanding relations between Tehran and Baghdad, stressing that the security of the two neighboring countries was closely linked. Pezeshkian

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  Turkiye strongly condemns Israeli raid led by minister on Al Aqsa Mosque

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Turkiye on Thursday condemned “in strongest terms” a raid carried out by Israeli minister, accompanied by an extremist group, under the protection of Israeli security forces, on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Anadolu reports. “We condemn in the strongest terms the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by an Israeli minister, accompanied by a group of extremists and under the protection of Israeli security forces,” said the Foreign Ministry in a statement. The statement reaffirmed that the global community has a shared responsibility to prevent the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “provocative acts and attempts to create fait accompli that violate the historical and legal status of the holy sites in Jerusalem, particularly Al-Aqsa Mosque, a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.” More than

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  Over 4.6M displaced people returned to their areas in Sudan: UN migration agency

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Thursday that nearly 4.65 million displaced civilians have returned to their areas in Sudan, as the number of internally displaced people due to the ongoing civil war continues to decline, Anadolu reports. The UN agency said in a statement that the new data was based on surveys done at nearly 13,000 locations across 185 localities in all 18 Sudanese states. The IOM said the number of internally displaced people reached nearly 8.69 million across 185 localities, down 25% from the highest recorded displacement level and around 1% lower than the previous month. According to the agency, nearly 4.65 million people had returned to their areas across 74 localities, with 82% returning from

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  Israel shows there is no limit to the imagination of colonial violence

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Forget the importance of preserving and protecting wildlife. For Israel, certain wildlife also serves a purpose in colonial violence. In December last year, Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir proposed building moats for crocodiles around prisons holding Palestinian prisoners. This month, Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman created a loophole for Ben Gvir’s macabre idea. The Nile crocodile is now classified as a ‘cultivated wild animal kept for security purposes’, according to Israeli media.   A 170 metre long moat is already being dug at Ketziot Prison, which holds Hamas members among other Palestinian political prisoners. The news was confirmed by Ben Gvir’s office. The National Security Ministry allocated a budget of $21 million for the moat construction.  The decision was

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  Israeli forces kill 3 Palestinians, withhold their bodies in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Israeli army forces killed three Palestinians, including a minor, on Thursday and withheld their bodies in the northern West Bank amid ongoing assaults in the occupied territory, the Health Ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said it was informed by the General Authority of Civil Affairs, the official liaison body between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, that Mahmoud Hussein Abu Samra, 20, and Mohammad Samer Mleitat, 16, were killed by Israeli fire in the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus. It said a 24-year-old man was also shot and killed by Israeli forces near Haddad Roundabout, east of Jenin. The official news agency Wafa, citing security forces, said early Thursday that Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinians

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  Riyadh’s energy horizon and the dawn of a more equal future

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  There are moments in international affairs when the tectonic plates of the global order grind against each other, and the resulting tremor is felt not only in chancelleries but in the very architecture of power that has defined the post-war world. The signing of the US-Saudi nuclear cooperation agreement—a thirty-year framework that could place uranium enrichment capability in the hands of an Arab nation for the first time—is precisely such a moment.  This is not merely an energy deal. It is a civilisational rupture. It is the sound of eight decades of Western nuclear double standards shattering against the anvil of a resurgent Middle East. It marks the instant when Riyadh steps onto the stage of sovereign technological power, forcing

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  Tehran warns any UK base used by US to attack Iran will become ‘legitimate target’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned Thursday that any British military base used by the US to launch attacks against Tehran will become a “legitimate target,” while accusing London of playing a major role in recent US and Israeli military operations, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the IRGC said the US had recently resorted to using B-1 bombers flying from RAF Fairford in England after warships operating in the Indian Ocean exhausted their stock of cruise missiles. “Any base used for aggression against Iranian territory is a legitimate target for us,” the IRGC said. It warned Britain “not to further worsen its record,” accusing London of being “a principal architect of instability” in the Middle East, saying it had played

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  Trump says Saudi nuclear deal will be subject to Riyadh joining Abraham Accords

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Thursday that a nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia will be subject to Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords, Anadolu reports. “The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump said that the agreement “is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,” adding that the US “is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities.” The Abraham Accords are normalization agreements signed between Israel and several Muslim-majority countries during

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  UK considered suspending Israel trade agreement last summer: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  The UK government considered suspending its trade agreement with Israel after the Department for Business and Trade conducted an impact assessment on pausing the arrangement last summer, British broadcaster Sky News reported Thursday, Anadolu reports. The assessment, carried out in August, examined the potential effects of suspending the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement, a 2019 post-Brexit continuity arrangement under which Israeli imports receive preferential tariff treatment and mostly enter the UK tariff-free. Impact assessments examine issues including the economic and social effects of potential policy changes and are understood to be frequently conducted as part of trade policy. The assessment was also understood to have been carried out as one of the UK’s responses to the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza

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  1.4M people in Gaza expected to face ‘high levels of acute food insecurity’ by year’s-end: IPC

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  An estimated 1.4 million people in Gaza are expected to face “high levels of acute food insecurity” through December, up from 1.2 million from mid-April to June, despite improvements driven by humanitarian assistance, according to a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released on Thursday, Anadolu reports. The IPC said the number of people experiencing crisis (Phase 3) or worse conditions is projected to rise to 67% of Gaza’s population, while 212,000 people are expected to remain in emergency (Phase 4). All five of Gaza’s governorates are classified as being in crisis. The report said expanded humanitarian assistance following last October’s ceasefire helped improve food security and nutrition, with food aid reaching about 1.49 million people in May.

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  US House passes $1.15tn defence bill embedding Israel’s war machine inside America

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  The US House of Representatives has passed a $1.15 trillion defence policy bill which would embed military support for Israel more deeply within Pentagon research, weapons procurement, technology sharing and the American defence-industrial base. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2027 fiscal year passed yesterday by 216 votes to 212. Six Democrats joined 209 Republicans and one independent in supporting the legislation, while seven Republicans voted against it alongside 205 Democrats. Three representatives did not vote.  At the centre of the controversy is section 219, titled the “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative”. The provision requires the US secretary of defence to appoint an executive agent responsible for synchronising, expanding and accelerating military technology cooperation between the US

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  Met Police reverses decision to close Gaza war-crimes referral against British nationals

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  The Metropolitan Police has withdrawn its decision not to investigate allegations that British nationals committed war crimes while serving with the Israeli army in Gaza, following a legal challenge brought by a British-Palestinian human rights campaigner. The reversal means that the force’s previous decision no longer stands and its War Crimes Team will conduct a fresh assessment of the evidence relating to four identifiable British nationals. British-Palestinian campaigner Lubna Speitan challenged the decision with the assistance of the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC). Lawyers sent the Metropolitan Police a detailed letter before action threatening judicial-review proceedings over its handling of the case. The original referral was submitted by PILC and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) on April, 2025.

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  Wounded Journalists Demand Their Right to Travel for Medical Treatment

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  WATCH: Displaced civilians gather west of Gaza as Israeli forces control 70% of the territory

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  The geopolitics of energy reconstruction: Who will rebuild the Middle East’s damaged energy systems?

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  In the Middle East, war often survives in the electricity grid long after it recedes from the battlefield. It persists through blackouts, fuel shortages, damaged substations, disrupted water supplies and hospitals forced to rely on generators for the basic requirements of life. From Gaza and Syria to Lebanon and Yemen, energy systems have been destroyed, degraded or deprived of investment. Restoring them will require immense financial resources, advanced technology and sustained political coordination. Yet energy reconstruction is not simply an engineering or humanitarian undertaking. Decisions about who finances a power station, supplies its equipment, controls its software and maintains its operations can shape a country’s economic orientation and political relationships for decades. The next phase of Middle Eastern energy diplomacy

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  Palestinian election commission announces timetable for Nov. 28 legislative vote

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  The Palestinian Central Elections Commission on Thursday announced the legal timetable for legislative elections scheduled for Nov. 28, in accordance with a presidential decree and the general elections law, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the commission said voter registration centers in the West Bank will open on Saturday, Aug. 15, for five days, until the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 19. Candidate nominations will open on Saturday, Sept. 26, and continue for 12 days until the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 7, it added. The commission said election campaigning will begin Friday, Nov. 6, and continue for 21 days, ending with the start of the electoral silence period on Friday, Nov. 27. Early voting for security forces will be held Thursday, Nov.

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  Rights groups sue France over failure to stop corporate support for Israel’s occupation

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Five human rights organisations have launched legal action against the French government over its failure to prevent French companies and financial institutions from contributing to Israel’s unlawful occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Jurists for the Respect of International Law (JURDI), the International Centre for Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), La Ligue des Droits Humains (LDH) and Law for Palestine filed the challenge before the Conseil d’État, France’s highest administrative court, on 22 July, 2026.  The organisations want the court to order the French government to introduce effective regulatory and enforcement measures restricting trade, investment and other commercial activities that help sustain Israel’s illegal occupation. The defendants include the French prime minister and ministers

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  Lebanese parliament speaker says success of Aoun-Trump meeting depends on results on the ground

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the success of this week’s meeting between US President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun should be judged by developments on the ground, particularly the implementation of a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. In remarks published on Wednesday by the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Berri said, “What matters now, after the summit between Presidents Trump and Aoun in Washington, are the results on the ground, not just the way things appeared.” He said that the key test would be “establishing a ceasefire and implementing withdrawals,” adding that these objectives had not yet been achieved. Referring to the reported Israeli withdrawal from the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiya on Monday, Berri

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  Gaza: On The Ground with Motasem A Dalloul | Week 22 July

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 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 08 July

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  Modish blockades: The Houthis, Trump and expanding the war

  by Mehdi Editor on July 23, 2026

  The naval blockade has become conveniently modish, particularly when it comes to narrow straits of water where heavy international traffic and cargo pass through.  The Iranians were the first to realise an eventuality long suspected: that the Strait of Hormuz might be feasibly shut for lengthy periods of time with minimum use of force, periodically and selectively opened to balance the strategic books when needed.  It has been seen, no less, as a divine gift with ambrosial properties.  The Iranian-backed Houthis of the Ansar Allah (Partisans of God) movement are now doing much the same thing with their July 20 announcement of a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.  The measure is intended to counter the Saudi blockade of ports and