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

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  3 Palestinians injured in Israeli drone strike in central Gaza despite ceasefire

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  Three Palestinians were injured on Saturday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. The attack was the latest Israeli violation of a ceasefire agreement in effect since Oct. 10, 2025. A medical source at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza said that three injured people were brought to the facility, one of them in serious condition, after an Israeli drone struck a motorcycle on Salah al-Din Street, east of Deir al-Balah. Early Saturday, the Israeli army carried out large-scale demolitions in areas under its control in Rafah in southern Gaza and east of Gaza City in the north. Witnesses told Anadolu that they heard powerful explosions caused by Israeli

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  EU faces criticism for secret police data talks with Israel: Report

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  The European Commission has been negotiating a secret agreement to share sensitive personal data with Israel’s police service, despite internal legal warnings that the deal could violate international law and put Palestinians at risk, according to a new report by civil rights group Statewatch published by Novara Media, Anadolu reports. The draft agreement, originally negotiated with the European police agency Europol, would allow the exchange of biometric data, genetic information, location data, political views, and personal details. Critical research indicates the deal has progressed despite a 2022 ruling by the Council of the EU’s Legal Service which deemed the proposal legally untenable. It warned that the agreement risks legitimizing Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and would undermine the Palestinian

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  UAE says tanker belonging to national oil company targeted in Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  The UAE said Friday that a tanker belonging to its national oil company ADNOC was targeted while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. No injuries were reported in the attack, and the situation was brought under control, according to a report by the UAE’s official news agency WAM, citing the state oil company. The company emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of seafarers, maintaining freedom of navigation, and safeguarding maritime security. ADNOC urged the public to follow information only from official sources and refrain from spreading unverified information or rumors. Two ADNOC tankers were also targeted Thursday while passing through the strait. No deaths or injuries were reported in that incident. Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations

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  22 oxygen stations out of service in Gaza amid Israeli blockade: Health Ministry

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  At least 22 of the Gaza Strip’s 34 oxygen stations have been forced out of service, the Palestinian Health Ministry warned Saturday, saying the remaining facilities also risk shutting down amid the Israeli blockade and a severe shortage of spare parts, Anadolu reports. The ministry said in a statement that the 12 stations still operating are working under “extremely complex technical and mechanical conditions,” making it increasingly difficult to meet the oxygen needs of health facilities and medical service providers. It added that the stations’ operational capacity has been “completely depleted” and that they are running beyond maximum capacity amid increasingly frequent breakdowns. Only four of the 30 devices used to fill oxygen cylinders remain operational, the ministry said, warning

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  Israeli airstrikes kill 9, including 3 children, in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  At least nine people, including three children, were killed and 11 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon early Saturday, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry and the National News Agency (NNA), Anadolu reports. Seven people were killed, including two women and three children, and two others injured when Israeli warplanes struck a house on the outskirts of the town of Ansar, in the Nabatieh district, toward the nearby town of Zrariyeh, destroying the building, NNA reported, citing the ministry. The attack on Ansar was the first Israeli airstrike to reach this geographical depth inside Lebanon since a ceasefire took effect two months ago, according to NNA. Later, the Israeli army claimed in a statement that it struck Hezbollah infrastructure

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  Children among Palestinians suffering from gas inhalation in Israeli raid on West Bank village

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  Several Palestinians, including children, suffered from tear gas inhalation on Saturday, when Israeli forces raided the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said. Israeli occupiers attacked the Shaab al-Lawz neighborhood northwest of the village and attempted to storm several homes, Wafa reported. Israeli forces then raided the area and fired tear gas canisters, causing several Palestinians, including children, to suffer from gas inhalation, it added. Wafa also said villages and towns northeast of Ramallah have been subjected to repeated Israeli military raids and occupier attacks targeting Palestinians and their property. On Wednesday, the UN warned that occupier violence in the West Bank had reached unprecedented levels, saying it

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  Trump was ‘joking’ about declaring Strait of Hormuz US territory: US media

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  US President Donald Trump was “joking” when he said he would declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory after the war with Iran, US media reported Friday, Anadolu reports. Trump has not met with his advisers to discuss such a move, Wall Street Journal reporter Brian Schwartz said through US social media platform X, citing an unnamed senior White House official. “President Trump has not met with his advisers about declaring the Strait of Hormuz a US territory post the war and was joking during his speech today in New York,” Schwartz wrote. Trump made the remark during a political rally at the Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City, New York. “After we finish defeating Iran, which is

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  The Saudi–Turkish–Pakistani Security Agreement: A Preliminary Assessment

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  The Mecca Agreement, signed on 7 August, may not be the first step in a series of moves that key states in the region have begun to take, reflecting significant strategic shifts. Although the challenges facing the countries of the region are not new, they have intensified markedly in recent years. The Israeli war on Gaza, and its expansion into the US-Israeli war on Iran during the current presidency of Donald Trump, have undoubtedly provided the most significant impetus for countries in the region to reconsider their external strategic calculations, their roles, and their standing within the region. The collective security and deterrence nature of the agreement between these states carries a particular significance and represents an important development in

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  Aid access hampered by more than 900 obstacles in West Bank: UN

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  Humanitarian operations in the occupied West Bank are being delayed and restricted by a network of more than 900 physical obstacles, including checkpoints, gates and roadblocks, the UN said Friday, Anadolu reports. Daniela Gross De Almeida, an associate spokesperson, told reporters that the restrictions are limiting humanitarian access and leaving people in need without adequate assistance. “Our humanitarian partners warn that aid work is being delayed and limited by a network of over 900 physical obstacles including checkpoints, gates, roadblocks, and other restrictions. This hinders humanitarian access and leaves people in need underserved,” De Almeida said. In the village of Qusra, near Nablus, aid and municipal workers have been unable to reach three Palestinian families who have been trapped in

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  Flags, Field Marshals, and foreign masters: Pakistan’s independence pageant

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  Every August 14, Pakistan performs sovereignty like a state auditioning for the role of itself. Flags breed on rooftops. Fighter jets carve patriotism into the sky. Politicians discover freedom for twenty-four hours. Generals appear beneath enough ribbons to upholster a sofa and assure 250 million people that Pakistan bows before no one. Then the ceremonies end, the bunting droops, and the rulers return to asking Washington, Riyadh and assorted creditors what sovereignty should look like this quarter. Seventy-nine years after 1947, Pakistan’s problem is not that it lacks the legal furniture of independence. It has borders, embassies, nuclear weapons and an anthem thunderous enough to frighten colonialism retroactively. Its problem is that the ruling order has repeatedly treated sovereignty not

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  If Indonesia’s support for Palestine never changes, why is Israel’s ZIM shipping company still reaching its ports?

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  On 14 August 2026, the Speaker of Indonesia’s People’s Consultative Assembly, Ahmad Muzani, stood before parliament in Jakarta and said something Indonesians have heard many times before. He said that Indonesia’s support for Palestine has never wavered. He tied it to Indonesia’s own history of colonization and to the country’s constitution, which calls on Indonesia to help build a world order based on freedom, lasting peace, and social justice. These are strong words, and many Indonesians believe them sincerely. Indonesia has no diplomatic relations with Israel. Indonesian passports state they are not valid for travel to Israel. Indonesian leaders, from Sukarno to Prabowo Subianto, have repeated the same message for decades: Palestine must be free, and Indonesia stands with it.

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  Ireland’s university leaders must step up where the Irish government has failed

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  For many in Ireland the refrain of being the most pro-Palestine supporting country in Europe is a badge of honour (although perhaps the Spanish would have something to say about that). However, those of us who have been at this work for a long time know that rhetoric and reality rarely match up. As an educator and someone who has been involved in strengthening partnerships between the Palestinian and Irish academy for over a decade, the news that another group of Palestinian students seeking to take up their positions at Irish universities have had their visa applications rejected is particularly galling. Education, as Nelson Mandela once opined, is “the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” In

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  Morocco tightens security ahead of calls for mass crossing into Spain’s Ceuta

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  Morocco stepped up security measures Friday in the northern city of Fnideq and other areas ahead of social media calls for a mass attempt to cross into the Spanish-administered enclave of Ceuta, Anadolu reports. An Anadolu correspondent said authorities reinforced checkpoints leading to Fnideq, as well as the northern cities of Tetouan, Tangier, and Nador. Authorities also installed barbed wire along the border crossing between Fnideq and Ceuta while deploying large numbers of security personnel and auxiliary forces across the city. The measures came ahead of Aug. 15 after Morocco’s Interior Ministry said it had detected anonymous social media calls urging a mass illegal crossing into the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. On Wednesday, Interior Ministry spokesperson Rachid El

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  ‘Syria is Gaza on steroids’: Israeli minister says war with Damascus is ‘absolute certainty’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  “Syria is Gaza on steroids, and that is the next war, with absolute certainty”, said Amichai Chikli Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister. “There is no avoiding it.”  Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli on Syria: Syria is Gaza on steroids, and that is the next war, with absolute certainty. There is no avoiding it. pic.twitter.com/KbH0KndkWG — Clash Report (@clashreport) August 13, 2026 Chikli’s remarks come as Israel is already waging military campaigns across multiple fronts in the region, including Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, while carrying out attacks elsewhere in the Middle East. Israeli leaders have themselves described the conflict as a war on seven fronts The remarks are not the first time Chikli has openly threatened war against Damascus. In

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  Palestinian says Israel plan for occupier policing entrenches West Bank annexation

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh said Friday that Israel’s plan to transfer law enforcement powers over occupiers in the West Bank to Israeli police is an attempt to impose sovereignty on the territory and entrench its illegal annexation, Anadolu reports. In a statement, al-Sheikh strongly condemned Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s intention to transfer law enforcement powers over occupiers to Israeli police. “The move constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, international legitimacy resolutions and signed agreements,” he said. “It represents a new attempt to impose Israeli law and sovereignty on the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and to entrench the illegal annexation of Palestinian land,” al-Sheikh said. “Settlement in all its forms is illegal and Israel has no sovereignty

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  Lebanese PM, speaker urge clear timetable for Israeli withdrawal

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri discussed the military track of the negotiation framework and developments in southern Lebanon with US officials on Friday, Anadolu reports. The Lebanese Presidency of the Council of Ministers said in a statement that Salam received US Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa and Gen. Joseph Clearfield, head of the military coordination group for Lebanon. The meeting addressed the military track of the negotiation framework, along with the latest developments in southern Lebanon, the presidency added. “Salam stressed the need for Israel to stop destruction operations, expand the scope of pilot areas, and set a clear timetable for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory,” the statement said. In a related development, Berri met in

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  Israeli occupier opens fire at Palestinian, Israeli peace activists in southern West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  An armed Israeli occupier opened fire Friday at Palestinian and Israeli peace activists during a joint event near Beit Sahour in the southern occupied West Bank, with no injuries reported, an Israeli group said, Anadolu reports. Combatants for Peace, a left-wing Israeli organization, said in a statement that the shooting took place during a joint activity organized by its activists and Palestinian landowners on the outskirts of Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem. “Heavily armed settlers opened fire in our direction to force us to leave. The army quickly intervened, not to stop the settlers, but to push our group of activists and journalists out of the area, while the settlers were allowed to stay,” the statement said. No injuries were reported. The

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  UK signs $22M agreement to support Lebanese army, security forces

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The UK has signed a memorandum of understanding worth £16.3 million (approximately $22 million) to support the Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces, the British Embassy in Beirut said Friday, Anadolu reports. The memorandum was signed Thursday with Lebanon’s Interior and Municipalities Ministry and National Defense Ministry under the 31-month Internal Security Assistance Programme for Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces, the embassy said in a statement. Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar, Defense Minister Michel Menassa and British Ambassador Hamish Cowell signed the memorandum at the Interior Ministry in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. The program aims to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces, enhance security and stability, consolidate state authority, and increase the resilience of security institutions,

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  Iran says it downed US-made MQ-9 drone over southern Hormozgan province

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Iran said Friday that its forces had intercepted and destroyed an US-made MQ-9 drone over the southern province of Hormozgan. “An MQ-9 drone was intercepted and shot down over Iran’s Hormuzgan Province by the IRGC’s new advanced air defense system,” state broadcaster Press TV reported. Citing three officials, The Washington Post reported Thursday that the US military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, or roughly 25% of its fleet, during its war with Iran. The losses involve an aircraft used for surveillance and targeted strikes that can cost between $30 million and $50 million depending on its equipment, according to the report. The newspaper said the potential cost of the lost Reapers exceeds $1.3 billion. READ: US says lower

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  France condemns Israeli occupiers’ seizure of Palestinian homes in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  France on Friday condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the Israeli occupiers’ seizure of several Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, Anadolu reports. “France condemns in the strongest possible terms the occupation by Israeli settlers of several Palestinian homes in the village of Al-Qusra in the West Bank, as well as the violence perpetrated against Palestinian civilians,” a French Foreign Ministry statement said. The statement called on Israeli authorities “to arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of these acts.” READ: Palestinians, foreign and Israeli activists protest in West Bank town, head to besieged homes by Israeli occupiers “As acts of violence committed by settlers multiply in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, France calls on the Israeli

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  1,100 Sudanese return home from Egypt under voluntary repatriation program

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  A total of 1,100 Sudanese nationals returned home from Egypt under a voluntary repatriation program, the state-run Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported. The returnees departed Cairo aboard 22 buses organized by the Al-Amal Committee for Voluntary Return, the group said in a statement Thursday. The Al-Amal Committee is a community-led humanitarian initiative that coordinates with Sudanese state institutions to facilitate the safe and dignified voluntary return of citizens. Committee Executive Secretary Montaser Osman said voluntary return journeys would continue for those wishing to return and contribute to “rebuilding and reconstruction.” He said the convoys would continue until the last Sudanese national wishing to return had done so. READ: IOM: 2,500 people displaced by clashes in Sudan’s Blue Nile state Osman described

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  Italy monitors situation in Israeli-besieged Palestinian village where 5 Italians reported present

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Italy is closely monitoring the situation in the occupied West Bank town of Qusra, which has been under siege by Israeli occupiers for five consecutive days, while five Italians were also reported to be under siege, ANSA news agency reported Friday. The Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed that five Italian nationals were also in Qusra, which is under siege by Israeli settlers. The ministry also reaffirmed that it was following the situation closely. The five Italians — four women and one man — were reportedly inside isolated homes. The ministry is in coordination with their consulate in Jerusalem and the embassy in Tel Aviv as well as its crisis unit. Attacks by Israeli occupiers against Palestinians and their property have intensified

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  Huckabee brands Israeli settlers ‘terrorists’ over siege of Palestinian-American family

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  “Israeli terrorists” have been slammed by US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee after settlers laid siege to Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, including one belonging to a Palestinian-American family. In an unusually strong condemnation, Huckabee, who has described himself as a Zionist, said the US Embassy had pressed Israeli forces and police to remove those responsible for the siege, which began on Sunday and has left Palestinian families trapped in their homes with restricted access to essential supplies. “The US Embassy has been VERY involved and the IDF and Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this,” Huckabee wrote on X on Thursday. The US ambassador’s comments came response

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  Heavy rains, flooding displace 975 families, damage 1,348 homes in western Sudan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Heavy rainfall and flooding displaced 975 families and completely or partially damaged 1,348 homes in North Darfur state in western Sudan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Thursday, Anadolu reports. The flooding struck Tawila town and the villages of Masal, Marar, Katur and Tabsa in Tawila locality on Wednesday, the UN migration agency said in a statement. IOM field teams reported that 975 homes were completely destroyed and another 373 were partially damaged. The displaced families sought temporary shelter in open areas within the same locality, the agency added. READ: UN warns Sudan war is robbing millions of children of education On Wednesday, the IOM said heavy rainfall and flash floods had destroyed 108 homes and displaced dozens of families in

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  Over 27 Houthis killed, 19 injured in Taiz strikes over 3 days: Yemen’s gov’t-aligned forces

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  At least 27 Houthi fighters were killed and 19 others injured in strikes on the Al-Barh front in Yemen’s southwestern Taiz province over the past three days, the government-aligned National Resistance Forces said Friday, Anadolu reports. “More than 27 members of the Houthi militia were killed in National Resistance strikes on the Al-Barh front in western Taiz province during the past three days,” the forces’ affiliated 2 December news agency reported. The National Resistance Forces are led by Tareq Saleh, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council. The strikes also injured 19 Houthi fighters, the agency said. Several Houthi military vehicles were set ablaze or disabled in the attacks, it added, without specifying the number. READ: Yemen’s Houthis bury 57 fighters, including

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  Israeli army attacks southern Lebanon, demolishes buildings despite framework deal

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The Israeli army carried out fresh attacks and demolition operations in southern Lebanon early Friday, accompanied by tank movements, machine-gun fire and artillery shelling, despite a framework agreement providing for its withdrawal, Anadolu reports. Israeli warplanes struck the Masha al-Mansouri area, while forces dropped explosive-filled canisters and opened machine-gun fire on the outskirts of Majdal Zoun and al-Mansouri and in surrounding valleys, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported. The towns of Beit Yahoun, Haddatha and Kounine in the Bint Jbeil district were rocked by a “series of large explosions whose echoes were heard in coastal villages,” the agency said. The explosions coincided with continued flights by Israeli warplanes and drones over the area. READ: Israel blows up school, strikes religious commemoration

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  Protest held over Israeli cruise ship’s arrival at Greek port

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  People held a protest at the port of Piraeus near Athens, Greece, on Friday, against the arrival of the Crown Iris cruise ship carrying Israeli tourists, Anadolu reports. The arrival of an Israeli cruise ship at a port near Athens in June was also met with protests by pro-Palestinian activists. Last summer, visits by the same ship, the Crown Iris, to several Greek ports, including Syros, Rhodes, Agios Nikolaos in Crete and Volos, were similarly met with protests. Since Oct. 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza, backed by the US, has killed around 73,000 Palestinians and injured more than 174,000, most of them women and children. The offensive has also damaged or destroyed nearly 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure. READ: Pro-Palestinian protesters march through

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  3 Palestinian fishermen injured by Israeli naval fire off Gaza City despite ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Three Palestinian fishermen were injured Friday when Israeli naval vessels opened fire on them while they were working off the coast of Gaza City, a local union official said, Anadolu reports. The attack was the latest Israeli violation of a ceasefire agreement in effect in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 10, 2025. The violations have killed 1,260 Palestinians and injured 4,154 others, according to Palestinian figures. Zakaria Bakr, coordinator of the Fishermen’s Committees Union in Gaza, said in a Facebook post that Israeli naval vessels fired machine guns at a fishing boat, injuring three fishermen. Bakr said the incident came amid continuing attacks against Gaza’s fishermen that endanger their lives and deprive them of their livelihoods. READ: MSF warns restrictions on engine

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  Palestinians, foreign and Israeli activists protest in West Bank town, head to besieged homes by Israeli occupiers

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Palestinians, along with foreign and left-wing Israeli activists, held a protest Friday in the occupied West Bank town of Qusra before heading toward three Palestinian homes that have been besieged by Israeli occupiers for five consecutive days, Anadolu reports. The protesters gathered in the Ras al-Ain area of Qusra, south of Nablus, before moving toward the besieged homes to check on the residents and deliver essential supplies, an Anadolu correspondent reported. Israeli troops prevented the activists from entering the homes, claiming the area was a “closed military zone.” The protesters, however, managed to deliver food, water and other essential supplies to the residents. Earlier, Israeli occupiers re-erected a tent outside the homes of three Palestinian families in the Ras al-Ain area

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  Iran war hits Americans at gas pumps as conflict drives up energy cost

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Nearly six months into the US war with Iran, its most visible impact for ordinary Americans is increasingly being felt far from the battlefield — at gas stations, airports and in household budgets, Anadolu reports. The national average retail price for regular gasoline stood at $4.006 per gallon as of Aug. 10, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), keeping fuel around the politically sensitive $4 threshold. The increase is particularly striking compared with expectations before the conflict. In January, the EIA forecast that US gasoline prices would fall 6% in 2026. Its latest outlook instead projects an average price of $3.78 per gallon for the year, compared with $3.10 in 2025. Government inflation data also reflects the scale of

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  Trump adviser, Board of Peace envoy to visit Israel for talks on US Gaza plan: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, plans to visit Israel next week with Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, for talks on advancing the US plan for the enclave, Axios reported Thursday. The planned trip would be Kushner’s first visit to Israel since January, the news outlet said in a report citing five sources familiar with the plan. Kushner and Mladenov intend to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in an effort to reach understandings on implementing the plan’s next stages over the coming months, it added. Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a 15-point Gaza plan approved by the Board of Peace and accepted by Hamas, insisting that the Palestinian

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  On 13th anniversary of Rab’a massacre, HRW says crimes against humanity were probably committed

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  A new report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that the systematic and widespread killing of at least 1,150 demonstrators by Egyptian security forces in July and August 2013 probably amounts to crimes against humanity. The report which is the result of a year-long investigation said the 14th August dispersal of the Rab’a al-Adawiya sit-in resulted in a minimum of 817 people being killed and that it was more likely the figure could have been at least 1,000. The 188-page HRW report, “All According to Plan: The Rab’a Massacre and Mass Killings of Protesters in Egypt,” documents the way the Egyptian police and army methodically opened fire with live ammunition on crowds of demonstrators opposed to the military’s 3rd July coup against

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  US CENTCOM chief pushing for renewed strikes on Iran, claims Israeli media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The head of US Central Command (CENTCOM) is pushing for the resumption of attacks on Iran, including strikes on oil, gas and electricity facilities, to increase pressure on Tehran, Israeli media claimed Thursday. Israel’s Channel 13, citing unnamed informed political sources, said Adm. Brad Cooper presented the proposal during a visit to Israel last week. Cooper attended a meeting of the Israeli military’s top operational forum alongside Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other senior commanders, the broadcaster said. During the meeting, Cooper called for renewed fighting against Iran and attacks on national infrastructure, including facilities linked to the country’s gas, oil and electricity industries, according to the channel. “Striking infrastructure in Iran will change the rules of the game,

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  US says lower oil prices now top priority over Iran nuclear issue

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The US said Friday that keeping oil and gas prices low for Americans is its top priority in the war, ahead of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. “I know that oil is down today and it’s way down from the highs in the early days of the conflict,” Vice President JD Vance said on Fox News. “That’s goal number one — keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country,” Vance said. “And then obviously goal number two is to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon,” he added. READ: US Treasury chief vows unprecedented economic measures against Iran

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  US Treasury chief vows unprecedented economic measures against Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that Washington plans to impose unprecedented economic measures on Iran, with further announcements expected next week, Anadolu reports. “Watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation on a country,” Bessent said in an interview with Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight” program. Bessent said the measures would combine increased economic pressure on Tehran with restrictions related to the Strait of Hormuz. “It will be a combination of economic isolation like the world has never seen before, and the continued blockade in the Strait of Hormuz that will keep anything from going in or out of the

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  Israeli army opens fire on civilian areas in Daraa, southern Syria: State TV

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The Israeli army reportedly opened fire on civilian areas of a rural village in southern Syria, in the Daraa province, from areas it also occupies in southern Syria. According to Syrian state television Al-Ikhbariya, the Israeli army opened fire toward civilian homes in several sections of the village of Maariya. The gunfire reportedly forced some residents to leave their homes. As yet there were no reports of deaths or injuries in the incident. Southern Syria has witnessed recurring Israeli incursions and attacks for months, including raids, searches, and arrests. ​​​​​​​The Israeli violations intensified following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, when Israel declared the collapse of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and seized control of the Syrian

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  US Senate minority leader calls for defense secretary’s firing over conditions aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Thursday for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to be fired amid reports of difficult conditions faced by sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. “When Pete Hegseth was nominated, everyone knew he was completely incompetent,” Schumer said in a post on the US social media platform X. “Now our brave sailors are paying the price in a horrific and unfathomable way. Pete Hegseth must be fired immediately,” he added. His remarks followed reports of mounting strain among sailors after months at sea, repeated deployment extensions and sustained operations amid the war on Iran. At least two sailors reportedly had to be stopped from attempting to jump overboard, while another entered the water and

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  MSF warns restrictions on engine oil and spare parts entering Gaza threaten vital services

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has warned that restrictions on the entry of engine oil and spare parts into the Gaza Strip have worsened the energy crisis, threatening to disrupt hospitals, ambulances, water networks, aid transport and food production.  In a statement released Tuesday, MSF reported that “The supply of engine oil is so limited that the price has increased 20 times in the last six months. By the end of July, it was more than US$1,300 per litre. Neither the quality nor the availability is guaranteed.”  The organisation noted that most healthcare facilities in Gaza rely on generators for electricity amid disrupted power supplies and widespread damage to the electricity network. It warned that generator failures could halt vital medical

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  Tunisia: Ennahda calls for release of female political detainees

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Tunisia’s Ennahda movement has called for the release of women detained for their political views, as Tunisia marks its National Women’s Day.  In a statement on Thursday, the movement said the occasion was “not merely an opportunity to celebrate legal and legislative achievements, but also a tribute to the role of free women who have always been on the front lines of resisting colonialism and confronting authoritarian systems, while upholding the values of freedom and national dignity”. It expressed its “absolute solidarity and full support” for women held behind bars because of their political views and positions in support of freedom, stressing that “restricting their freedom has not and will not deter them from being symbols of civil and peaceful

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  Gaza health official: Israeli delays caused deaths of 1,700 Palestinians seeking treatment abroad

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 73,000, including more than 23,000 children, while more than 173,000 have been injured, Dr Khalil al-Daqran, spokesman for the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, said. Speaking to Cairo News on Wednesday, al-Daqran said Israel had targeted Palestinians across the Gaza Strip since the start of the war, destroying homes over their occupants and targeting displaced people’s tents after they were forcibly displaced. He said the number of Palestinians killed had risen by more than 1,260, most of them children, women and elderly people, while more than 4,000 had been injured since the ceasefire agreement began on 11 October 2025. Al-Daqran stressed that Israel’s continued targeting of Palestinians and violations

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  Saudi Arabia announces 13 countries have formally joined maritime defence alliance

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday that 13 countries had formally joined a multinational maritime defence alliance, marking its effective launch. The Saudi Defence Ministry said in a statement posted on the US social media platform X that the third planning meeting of the Multinational Maritime Defence Alliance was held at the Western Fleet Command in Jeddah, with representatives from 39 friendly and allied countries taking part in a key step towards activating the alliance. The statement said “The number of countries that signed the joint statement reached 15 countries, while 13 countries completed their national procedures, signed the coalition charter, and officially announced their accession.”  READ: Saudi Arabia says Mecca Agreement with Turkiye, Pakistan ‘long-term’ deal to boost cooperation “This represents

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  Turkey, Egypt agree to take “more serious measures” regarding Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Thursday that Ankara and Cairo have reached an agreement to take “more serious measures” regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Speaking at a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty in the Egyptian coastal city of Alamein, Fidan emphasized that the two nations held extensive talks on the unfolding tragedy in Gaza and potential pathways to a lasting solution. “We have agreed with Egypt to take more serious measures regarding Gaza,” Fidan stated. The top Turkish diplomat launched a scathing critique of Israeli leadership, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration of relentlessly escalating policies that violate human dignity and provoke the international community. READ: Trump says

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  Switzerland selects Gaza survivors documentary for Oscars

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Switzerland has selected a documentary featuring testimonies from survivors in the Gaza Strip as its entry for the 2027 Academy Awards, media reports said Thursday, Anadolu reports. “Who Is Still Alive,” directed by Geneva-based filmmaker Nicolas Wadimoff, will compete for a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards, Swissinfo reported. The documentary places Gaza survivors in an abstract setting where they recount their experiences. READ: Gaza’s children suffer as they fetch water amid soaring summer temperatures The jury said the film directly addresses feelings of loss, uprooting and belonging, according to a statement by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Culture. “Who Is Still Alive” won the Prix de Soleure, Switzerland’s most prestigious film award, at the Solothurn Film

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  US military loses roughly 25% of Reaper drone fleet in Iran war: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  The US military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, or roughly 25% of its fleet, during its war with Iran, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing three officials, Anadolu reports. The losses involve an aircraft used for surveillance and targeted strikes that can cost between $30 million and $50 million depending on its equipment, according to the report. The newspaper said the potential cost of the lost Reapers exceeds $1.3 billion. READ: Iran challenges Trump: more than 75% of missile and drone capabilities still ready for use The drones have been heavily used around the Strait of Hormuz but are “relatively easy targets” for Iran and its proxies because they fly slowly and often at low altitudes, it said. Not

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  Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi Aramco refinery in Jizan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group announced on Thursday that it targeted an Aramco oil refinery in the Jizan region of southwestern Saudi Arabia using two explosive-laden drones. The Houthi-run Saba news agency cited a military source as saying that the operation was carried out in retaliation for what the group termed ongoing Saudi “violations” of Yemeni airspace in the Sa’ada and Hajjah governorates. The military source claimed the drones successfully struck the oil facility, though no independent sources have yet verified the extent of the damage or any resulting casualties. This announcement follows a previous Houthi claim on August 9 that the group carried out a drone attack targeting an Aramco facility in Jizan. At the time, Saudi authorities reported extinguishing a

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  US to send aircraft carrier to Middle East: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  The US is planning to send the USS George Washington aircraft carrier to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in a previously scheduled rotation, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The Lincoln has been deployed for more than 250 days with no port call in 200 days, raising concerns among lawmakers about living conditions for the sailors, said the report. The Lincoln began deployment in November and was redirected to the Middle East in January ahead of the US war with Iran. The carrier and its aircraft played a key role in Operation Epic Fury and have since supported the US blockade of Iranian ports. READ: Iran dismisses US claims of full control over Strait of Hormuz as

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  Turkish foreign minister meets Arab League secretary-general in Egypt

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday met with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy in Egypt’s coastal city of El-Alamein on Thursday, Turkish diplomatic sources said, Anadolu reports. The sources provided no further information on the meeting. Fidan also held a meeting with Major General Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, director of Egypt’s main spy agency, the General Intelligence Service. Fidan began a two-day visit to Egypt on Thursday. During the visit, Fidan is scheduled to be received by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and meet senior Egyptian officials, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources. He will discuss bilateral relations, review the current status of agreements under negotiation and encourage mutual investment in line with a common goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to

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  Yemen’s Houthis bury 57 fighters, including 31 officers, in 10 days: State media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group has buried 57 fighters, including 31 officers and three brigadier generals, killed over the past 10 days in fighting on various fronts, state-run Saba TV reported Thursday, Anadolu reports. The broadcaster did not specify where or under what circumstances the fighters were killed. There was no immediate comment from the Houthis. Earlier Thursday, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported funeral ceremonies for seven of the group’s fighters, including six in Amran province and one in Hajjah province. READ: US strikes in Yemen killed 153 civilians last year: Report Yemen has witnessed a relative lull since April 2022 in a war that began nearly 12 years ago between government forces and the Houthis, who have controlled the capital, Sanaa, and other cities

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  Indonesia condemns Israel’s rejection of Gaza roadmap

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Indonesia on Thursday condemned Israel’s rejection of a 15-point roadmap for Gaza on Thursday, describing the move as an attempt to undermine international efforts to end the conflict, state-run media reported, Anadolu reports. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vahd Nabyl A. Mulachela said Jakarta views the roadmap as a collective international effort to restore living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza, according to Antara News agency. “We reject any rejection that could derail this collective effort,” Nabyl said at a media briefing in Jakarta. He said the broader plan, which has received support from multiple parties, seeks to end the war, restore stability in Gaza and promote wider regional stability. OPINION: The Gaza peace Trump announced, and the rejection Netanyahu delivered Nabyl said the Gaza

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  Israeli occupiers reestablish illegal Ganim settlement near Jenin in West Bank after 21 years

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Israeli occupiers on Thursday reestablished the illegal Ganim settlement on Palestinian land east of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, 21 years after it was evacuated under Israel’s 2005 disengagement plan, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Israeli forces closed entrances and side roads along the main route from Haddad Roundabout to the Al-Jalama military checkpoint, saying the measures were intended to secure occupiers and their leaders taking part in the reestablishment of the illegal settlement, the agency said. Participants included Yossi Dagan, head of the so-called northern West Bank settlements council, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and members of the Knesset, according to Wafa. Tariq Ighbariya, head of the settlement file in Jenin province,