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

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  Can Syria turn foreign power into national power?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  For most countries, electricity is an economic input. For Syria, it is something more fundamental: a test of whether the state can again provide basic services, reconnect its regions and translate political transition into material improvement. Factories cannot reopen, hospitals cannot function reliably and displaced families cannot be expected to return where power remains intermittent. Syria’s first peace dividend, therefore, must be electricity. Yet the central question is not simply how many megawatts Syria can add. It is whether Damascus can transform foreign fuel, finance and technology into durable national capacity. If it succeeds, energy diplomacy could become an instrument of reconstruction and sovereignty. If it fails, Syria may merely exchange one form of external dependence for another. A new

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  66 Palestinian villages forcibly expelled by Israel from West Bank since October 2023: Rights group

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Israel has forcibly displaced residents of Khirbet al-Taban in the southern occupied West Bank, making it the 66th Palestinian village to be completely emptied of its residents since October 2023, Israeli rights group B’Tselem said Wednesday. The group said in a statement that Israeli forces raided the village, south of Hebron, Wednesday morning and demolished the homes of all its residents within hours. Khirbet al-Taban is home to 12 families totaling about 70 people, including 28 children, it said. “The forces did not leave a single home standing,” B’Tselem said. Israeli forces also demolished sheep pens, water tanks and storage facilities and destroyed caves in the area, according to the group. B’Tselem said Khirbet al-Taban was the “66th Palestinian village

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  Trump touts US control of Strait of Hormuz after striking Iranian boats

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, crediting last year’s US strikes with halting Tehran’s atomic program just before completion, and claiming: “We now control the Strait of Hormuz,” Anadolu reports. Speaking in a phone interview published Wednesday, Trump said: “If we didn’t do it, Iran would have … a nuclear weapon.” “If we didn’t send in the B-2 bombers a year ago to blow up their nuclear capacity, you know … they were two weeks away from having a nuclear weapon,” he said. Warning of catastrophic consequences, Trump argued that if Iran had “a nuclear weapon, Israel would be gone. The Middle East would be gone, and they would be

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  Iran says 18 killed, 108 wounded in Tuesday’s US attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Eighteen people were killed and 108 others were injured in Iran during Tuesday’s US attacks, Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB cited Health Minister Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi as saying on Wednesday. The outlet did not provide further details. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced late Tuesday that it had launched strikes against IRGC targets in Iran. Following the announcement, Iranian media reported explosions on Qeshm Island, as well as in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar and Konarak. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that it had attacked several US military facilities in neighboring countries, including Kuwait, the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq. On June 18, 2026, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending hostilities and reopening the Strait

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  Iran seizes barge for smuggling 382,000 liters of diesel

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Iranian authorities seized a foreign barge in Gulf waters on Wednesday for allegedly smuggling about 382,000 liters of diesel fuel and arrested 11 foreigners aboard, state news agency IRNA reported. IRNA said security forces launched an operation against the vessel after receiving a tip about the smuggling of petroleum products aboard a barge in the northern Gulf. Iranian border guards in Abadan intercepted the vessel and seized 382,000 liters of diesel, the report said. Eleven foreigners aboard the vessel were also detained, although their nationalities were not disclosed. There was no immediate official statement from Iranian authorities providing further details about the incident. READ: US must fulfill commitments before Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz: Parliament speaker

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  UN chief ‘gravely concerned’ by renewed US-Iran exchange of fire

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday expressed grave concern over a renewed exchange of fire overnight between the US and Iran, and voiced alarm over reported civilian casualties, including a strike that reportedly hit a wedding ceremony in Iran, Anadolu reports. “I can tell the secretary-general is gravely concerned by the renewed exchange of fire overnight between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The secretary-general is deeply alarmed by reports of civilian casualties, including a strike that reportedly hit a wedding ceremony in Iran,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a news conference. “The secretary-general condemns all attacks against civilians. He recalls that all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of

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  Over 55,000 urge new UK premier to hold Israel accountable over Gaza genocide

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Pro-Palestine groups on Wednesday delivered a petition signed by more than 55,000 people calling on new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to hold Israel accountable over the genocide in Gaza, Anadolu reports. Video footage shared on US social media company X showed Ryvka Barnard, deputy director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Sara Husseini, director of the British Palestinian Committee, and prominent British actor Juliet Stevenson, a vocal critic of Israeli actions, handing the petition to Burnham’s office in Downing Street. Speaking in the video, Barnard said they were calling on Burnham to uphold international law and the rights of the Palestinian people and to hold Israel to account over the genocide “that it’s been committing, that’s an ongoing genocide

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  Is Evidence of Genocide in Gaza Being Erased? | Palestine This Week

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  In this episode of Palestine This Week, we examine allegations that evidence of Israel’s genocide in Gaza is being removed by Trump’s “Board of Peace”, South Africa’s latest submission to the ICJ over Israel’s non-compliance with provisional measures and growing scrutiny of illegal settlements and settler violence in the occupied West Bank. We also look at Britain’s economic ties to companies linked to settlements, Israel’s vast arms export industry, US punishing Kurds over the Iran war and the suppression of pro-Palestine voices on X, including MEMO.     WATCH: Israel Is Its Own Worst Enemy | Palestine This Week

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  No equal talks under siege: The contradiction at the heart of US policy on Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  The latest direct exchange of attacks between the United States and Iran has returned the region to an old and dangerous rhythm: Washington fires, threatens further punishment and then leaves the word “diplomacy” hovering above the wreckage. At almost the same moment, Tehran has again placed a negotiated route on the table. The contradiction could hardly be starker. Talks conducted beside missile strikes and an economic siege do not offer peace on equal terms. They extend war into the negotiating room. The administration presents sanctions as leverage, as though they were a clean instrument that pressures officials without touching families. Its own documents tell a less sanitised story. The White House has directed US agencies to intensify economic pressure and

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  US must fulfill commitments before Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz: Parliament speaker

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Wednesday that the US must fulfill its commitments under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding before Tehran moves to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “The Americans must fulfill their commitments so that we can proceed with reopening the Strait of Hormuz,” Qalibaf said during a meeting in Tehran with Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official responsible for Islamic relations, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency. Referring to negotiations between Iran and the US, Qalibaf said Tehran does not reject diplomacy but considers negotiations a tool in its broader struggle. “We do not reject negotiations, but negotiations are a tool for the struggle,” he said, adding that abandoning confrontation with the US and Israel in

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  Germany approves nearly $930M in arms exports to Israel amid Gaza genocide

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Germany approved nearly €800 million ($930 million) worth of military equipment exports to Israel in the first half of this year amid its ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, local media reported Wednesday. The Economy and Energy Ministry disclosed the figure in its response to a parliamentary inquiry by the opposition Left Party, according to German news magazine Der Spiegel. Export licenses issued between January and June exceeded four times the total value approved for Israel throughout 2025, the report said. The surge came after Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government lifted partial restrictions on arms exports to Israel on Nov. 24, 2025. Merz had suspended exports of weapons that could be used in Gaza on Aug. 8 after Israel decided to

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  Australian judge says IHRA definition ‘does not reflect’ true meaning of anti-Semitism

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  An Australian court has dealt a major blow to the global campaign to redefine anti-Semitism along political lines, after the Supreme Court of New South Wales ruled that a young man’s “F**k Israel” graffiti amounted to political protest, not anti-Semitism.  The court rejected a government bid to keep the man under strict supervision after his release from prison. Although the ruling was delivered in July, the court’s reasons for the judgment were only published last month. The judgment undermines years-long efforts by pro-Israel lobby groups to weaponise allegations of anti-Semitism against critics of Israel. As part of its bid to keep the man under supervision, the New South Wales government had sought to invoke the highly controversial International Holocaust Remembrance

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  Spanish police report alleges Morocco orchestrated mass migration into Ceuta

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  A Spanish police intelligence report alleges that Moroccan security forces helped plan and direct the mass crossing of migrants into Ceuta in late July, Spanish media reported Wednesday. The report, concerning the arrival of more than 70,000 migrants, challenges the Spanish government’s public account of the border crisis. The police report said Moroccan gendarmes, some in uniform and others in plain clothes, guided migrants toward the Spanish enclave in successive waves aimed at overwhelming border controls, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported Wednesday. The document, submitted to Spain’s National Court, describes the July 30-31 crossings, when around 72,000 people entered the Spanish enclave in North Africa, as a planned operation rather than a spontaneous movement driven by smugglers or social media

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  Washington reclaims Latin America through energy as Israel returns to Caracas

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Venezuela’s oil is becoming more than an energy asset; it is emerging as an instrument in a wider contest for influence across Latin America. The agreement announced by US President Donald Trump on 28th August brings more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan reserves into a partnership that Trump says gives the American side “majority control,” while Venezuela’s interim government, led by Delcy Rodríguez, insists the 25-year deal preserves national sovereignty.  That tension between American control and Venezuelan sovereignty lies at the heart of a broader geopolitical struggle over who will shape the country’s economic and strategic future. The deal also fits into Washington’s renewed push to reassert primacy in the Western Hemisphere by securing access to energy, strategic resources

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  Qatar, Egypt, Jordan condemn Iranian attacks on Arab states, warn of regional escalation

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Qatar, Egypt, and Jordan on Wednesday condemned Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting neighboring countries including Kuwait and Bahrain, warning that continued military escalation risks deepening regional instability and undermining diplomatic efforts to contain tensions, Anadolu reports. Egypt strongly condemned the attacks, saying they “violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of the targeted Arab states and represent a “dangerous escalation threatening regional security, stability and the safety of their peoples.” Cairo expressed “full solidarity” with Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan and rejected “any attacks targeting the security, sovereignty or territorial integrity” of Arab states. Egypt also warned that continued escalation could lead to a “vicious cycle” of confrontation and instability, threatening both regional and international security as well as freedom of international

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  Over 230 former Dutch officials urge tougher measures against Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  More than 230 former Dutch officials urged the Netherlands on Wednesday to take stronger measures against Israel over its actions in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. The signatories, including former ministers, ambassadors, diplomats and civil servants, called for a comprehensive arms embargo and suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported. In a letter to the government, they said measures taken so far, including a ban on products from illegal Israeli settlements, were insufficient given the situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The group said the Netherlands should adopt measures “that are proportionate to the seriousness and extent of the violations in question.” READ: Netherlands to ban imports from illegal Israeli

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  Coalition forces down 10 drones over Iraq’s Erbil: Counterterrorism unit

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  International coalition air defense systems downed 10 bomb-laden drones over Erbil in Iraq’s Kurdish Region early Wednesday, local authorities said. The region’s counterterrorism unit said coalition forces detected the drones in Erbil’s airspace between 1.13 am and 3.31 am local time, or 2213GMT Tuesday to 0031GMT Wednesday, and intercepted and destroyed them. No casualties were reported in the attacks, the unit said. Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted US forces and facilities in Erbil as part of simultaneous missile and drone attacks on US bases in the region. READ: Iraq prime minister rejects extension of International Coalition presence beyond 30th September This came after the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) announced late Tuesday that it launched strikes against

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  Xi backs Mideast countries in building new security architecture, urges no marginalization of Palestine

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday backed Middle Eastern nations in building a new security architecture and said the Palestinian issue should not be marginalized, Anadolu reports. Xi made the remarks during summit-level talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. “China supports regional countries in building a new security architecture for the Middle East,” Xi said, opposing external interference in the region. “Mideast people should remain masters of their own affairs and external interference should be rejected,” he said, calling on China and Egypt to “jointly oppose unilateralism and acts of bullying.” Xi called for a “comprehensive solution for common security” in the region and said the Palestinian issue “remains core of

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  4 IRGC Aerospace Force members among 7 killed in US strikes in western, southern Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Four members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force were among seven who were killed in US strikes in western and southern Iran, Iranian authorities said Wednesday. Four members of the IRGC’s Aerospace Force were killed in a US attack in the western Kermanshah province, its provincial branch said in a statement. Separately, three members of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, affiliated with the IRGC, were killed in an overnight US strike on Lavan Island in the southern Hormozgan province, Iranian media reported. Abdolkarim Pouladifar, deputy commander of the IRGC’s Seyyed al-Shohada unit in Deyr county, said the three were identified as Mahdi Bahrani, Hossein Salehnejad, and Hassan Momeni, according to the Mehr News Agency. READ: US forces begin strikes

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  Israeli forces detain 12 Palestinians, with occupiers burning 2 vehicles in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Israeli forces detained 12 Palestinians in overnight raids across the occupied West Bank, and Israeli occupiers burned two vehicles in the town of Beita, south of Nablus, local Palestinian sources reported on Wednesday. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA stated that Israeli forces raided Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus, and detained three Palestinians. The forces also raided a metal workshop and seized equipment from inside before detaining its owner and his two sons following a raid on their home in the al-Jawza neighborhood of Nablus’ Old City. In the nearby village of al-Rashaydah, east of Bethlehem, Israeli forces raided several homes and detained and questioned four Palestinians. Israeli forces also detained two young men in the town of Aqaba,

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  Natural gas, corridors, and security: Why Turkey wants Egypt in the Mecca Pact

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  The Eastern Mediterranean’s importance is often measured by its gas discoveries, but reserves acquire strategic value only when they can reach consumers. Egypt’s Zohr, Israel’s Tamar and Leviathan, and Cyprus’s Aphrodite, Glaucus and Cronos have given the basin a substantial resource base. Yet Egypt occupies the pivotal position because its Idku and Damietta plants are the region’s only large-scale liquefaction facilities. Israel already sends gas to Egypt by pipeline, and the July 2026 investment decision on Cronos envisages moving Cypriot gas through Egyptian infrastructure for export from 2028. The region can help Europe diversify from Russian gas, but only through reliable production, secure pipelines and viable contracts. Discoveries alone do not create energy security Politics continues to constrain that potential.

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  Israel receives sixth Drakon submarine for its navy from Germany

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Israel announced on Tuesday evening that the Navy submarine Drakon is en route from Germany to the country, marking the conclusion of the joint planning and construction phase between the two nations and the start of its voyage to the country. In a joint statement, the Israeli military and Defence Ministry said the submarine was the sixth to be delivered to Israel. They said the Israeli navy commander, senior Defence Ministry officials, Israel’s ambassador to Berlin and the German navy commander attended a ceremony marking the start of the submarine’s voyage from the German shipbuilder TKMS’s shipyard in the German city of Kiel. The statement said the Drakon was the third and final submarine in the Dolphin-class (AIP) series under

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  Burhan drops cases against Sudanese abroad to pave way for dialogue

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan issued a decision on Tuesday to drop cases against any Sudanese citizen living abroad who has entered or enters the country to take part in dialogue. The decision was announced by Justice Minister Abdullah Darf, according to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA), as the 19-member Dialogue Preparation Committee launched an initiative to create conditions for dialogue among political, civil and community forces, with the aim of helping to end the war and pave the way for national consensus. Darf said Burhan had “responded to the demands of the national initiative to launch Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue by providing guarantees, including dropping cases against any Sudanese citizen living abroad who has entered or enters the country

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  Oil prices rise as European gas climbs to highest level since 2023 after renewed attacks on Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Oil prices surged on Tuesday, while European gas prices hit a three-year high, as renewed US strikes against Iran and Tehran’s threats of retaliation raised fresh concerns over the Strait of Hormuz. The price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for October delivery rose 5.20 per cent to $90.22 a barrel, breaking above $90 for the first time since late July. The price of North Sea Brent crude for November delivery also rose 4.60 per cent to $94.65 a barrel. The United States carried out strikes on Iran for a second consecutive day, while Tehran announced a “decisive” retaliatory operation, despite US President Donald Trump threatening to launch a “much stronger and more powerful” attack on Iran. READ: Iran transfers $7.5B

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  India remembers it has a spine

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Nations do not usually recover their dignity with trumpets. More often, they rediscover it after humiliation has become so routine that even the bureaucracy begins to feel embarrassed. At Bishkek, India appears to have suffered such an outbreak of geopolitical self-respect. Not a revolution. Not a resurrection of Nehru. Narendra Modi has not suddenly begun communing with Bandung or keeping Fanon under his pillow. But something consequential happened at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit: India joined a declaration condemning military attacks on Iran, defending Iranian sovereignty, affirming Tehran’s nuclear rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, rejecting unilateral coercive measures and insisting that Palestine cannot be permanently buried beneath the rubble of Israeli supremacy. For today’s India, that is almost radicalism.

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Ray McGovern: Trump is Back With Bombs and Threats of Destruction

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  WATCH:Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Yusuf Erim: Israel & Turkey: Is a breaking point inevitable

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  Palestinian foreign ministry calls for international action over East Jerusalem school restrictions

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday called for international action over Israeli restrictions affecting Palestinian educational institutions in East Jerusalem, including measures preventing some teachers from reaching their schools. The statement coincided with a strike by several private schools in East Jerusalem, including Christian schools, at the start of the academic year. The schools were protesting Israeli authorities’ refusal to issue entry permits to teachers who live in the occupied West Bank and work in East Jerusalem. The ministry said the restrictions had prevented teachers and other school staff from reaching their workplaces, disrupting classes at the beginning of the academic year. It described the measures as a violation of Palestinian students’ right to education and accused Israel

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  Israeli opposition leader gives Netanyahu’s wife 24-hour apology ultimatum for 7th October claim

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Yair Golan gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, Sara Netanyahu, 24 hours Tuesday to apologize and retract remarks that appeared to suggest he knew about the 7th October 2023 attack in advance, threatening to sue her if she refused. The dispute began after Sara Netanyahu told Channel 14 on Monday that Golan was in the area near the Gaza Strip during the first hours of the attack. “When you are a senior-ranking military officer like this and claim that you were fighting on 7th October, you had been there since the early morning, dressed and ready,” she said, addressing Golan. She added that he had been in the area “very early,” while others, “including the prime minister,”

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  Qalibaf says Iran has rebuilt military capabilities, would be stronger in future conflict

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Iran has significantly strengthened and rebuilt its military capabilities, asserting that the country’s armed forces would perform more effectively in any future conflict. Qalibaf said Iran had achieved military advances over the past 15 months equivalent to what would previously have taken a decade. “The performance of Iranian forces has improved in every round of the war,” Qalibaf said, adding that Tehran was continuing efforts to rebuild its armed forces and strengthen both offensive and defensive capabilities. READ: Missile, drone attacks target Kuwait and Bahrain as Iran says US sites hit He said the military was using the current period to restore and expand its capabilities, emphasising Iran’s reliance on domestic technology and expertise.

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  UK plans measures against Israeli settlements as Sa’ar warns of response

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Britain is preparing a package of measures targeting Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, prompting Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to warn that Israel could respond with measures of its own. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said London would announce a “comprehensive” package of measures concerning Israeli settlements in the coming weeks. Miliband warned that continued settlement expansion, particularly plans in the E1 area east of Jerusalem, threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state and prospects for a two-state solution. In response, Sa’ar warned that Israel would retaliate if Britain takes measures against it. READ: UK foreign secretary condemns ‘appalling settler terrorism’ in occupied West Bank “If Britain takes action against Israel, we will respond,” Sa’ar said, adding:

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  Qatar warns against Israeli attempts to “impose new reality” in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Qatar on Tuesday warned against what it described as Israeli attempts to exploit heightened regional tensions to impose a “new reality” in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, while calling for de-escalation and a return to diplomatic negotiations. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari made the remarks during a press conference addressing renewed regional tensions, including recent Iranian attacks and developments around the Strait of Hormuz. “The renewed escalation in the region is not in anyone’s interest, and de-escalation and a return to negotiations are necessary,” al-Ansari said. He also called for an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza and the West Bank and warned against Israel using the wider regional crisis to advance its objectives in neighbouring territories. READ: Palestinian commission

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  Palestinian commission records 2,030 Israeli army and settler attacks in West Bank in August

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Israeli forces and settlers carried out 2,030 attacks against Palestinians, their land and property in the occupied West Bank during August, according to figures released Tuesday by the Palestinian Authority’s Commission Against the Wall and Settlements. The commission attributed 1,402 incidents to Israeli forces and 628 to settlers, describing the figures as evidence of continuing violence against Palestinians across the territory. According to the commission, settler attacks directly affected 164 Palestinians during the month, including 20 children and 17 women. It also reported that 17-year-old Karim Sand Shalalda was shot and killed during a settler attack in the Hamroush area of Sa’ir, in the southern Hebron governorate, on 21st August. The commission said his death brought the number of Palestinians

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  Irrational fear: From Gaza’s paper kites to “unsafe” on campuses

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  I recall my childhood growing up in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr el Bared, in Lebanon. We were creative in devising seasonal games that didn’t require much money: one season playing soccer, another hide and seek, swimming and fishing in the Mediterranean and so on. My favorite was the summer kite-making. We made kites from plastic or paper collected from the dump; the frame was dry bamboo sticks tied or glued together from discarded electrical or metal wires. The only real cost was the line, if we weren’t lucky enough to find a fishing line or a sewing spool in the dump, we had to buy it. I never could have imagined that my cheapest favorite childhood toy could

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  Missile, drone attacks target Kuwait and Bahrain as Iran says US sites hit

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  The Kuwaiti army said its air defences had intercepted hostile missile and drone attacks following what it described as “the sinful Iranian aggression”. A statement from the Kuwaiti General Staff said that “if explosions are heard, they are the result of air defence systems intercepting hostile attacks”. In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry warned of “a danger”, urging citizens and residents to remain calm and move to the nearest safe place. Meanwhile, Iran claimed that drones had targeted “radar facilities and gathering points for US forces at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain”. It vowed that Iranian forces “will take harsh revenge on the aggressors that will make them regret it”. READ: Trump says US launches ‘large and powerful’ strikes near Strait

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  Settler fire attacks damage 11 mosques in West Bank in 2026

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  Israeli settlers have stepped up attacks in the occupied West Bank targeting mosques, after setting fire early on Tuesday to part of the Imad al-Din Zengi Mosque in the village of Bazariya, north-west of Nablus. Local sources said the settlers set fire to a room belonging to the mosque after failing to break into it and burn it down completely. They also spray-painted racist slogans on its walls. The attack brings the total number of mosques subjected to arson or attempted arson since the start of 2026 to at least eleven. The attacks began on 23 February, when parts of the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Mosque in the town of Tell, west of Nablus, were set on fire. This was followed

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  Netanyahu’s son sparks backlash in Britain over Falkland Islands remarks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 2, 2026

  The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom has reported anger in Britain over remarks by Yair Netanyahu, son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, about the Falkland Islands, in which he said the islands belong to Argentina. The newspaper said Yair Netanyahu had once again sparked heated debate online, this time over a comment about an area around 13,000 kilometres from Israel’s coast. It said he posted on X in support of Argentine President Javier Milei, claiming that the Falkland Islands, a sparsely populated group of islands off the southern coast of South America, belong to Argentina. According to Israel Hayom, the post sparked a lengthy and heated debate involving several figures, particularly on the British right, which is known for its

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  US MQ9 drone shot down in central Iran, reports Iranian media

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  A US MQ9-type drone was shot down on Tuesday over the skies of Iran’s central city of Khomein in Markazi province, semi-official Tasnim news agency reports. The drone was shot down by Iranian defense systems, it said, without providing further details. The report came after the US Central Command announced that American forces began striking IRGC targets in Iran. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have remained high since the war began with strikes on Iran in late February. A framework deal was signed in June through Pakistani and Qatari mediation. The US began a two-week bombing campaign in July and reimposed a naval blockade after differences over navigation in the strait. READ: Trump says US launches ‘large and powerful’ strikes near

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  Iran strikes back at US positions: Iranian media

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  Iran launched missile and drone attacks against US positions on Tuesday, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said. “Field observations indicate Iranian missiles and drones firing at enemy positions,” the agency said. The report came after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces began striking IRGC targets in Iran. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have remained high since the war began with strikes on Iran in late February. A framework deal was signed in June through Pakistani and Qatari mediation. The US began a two-week bombing campaign in July and reimposed a naval blockade after differences over navigation in the strait. READ: US forces begin strikes on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard targets: CENTCOM

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  Israel targets Jerusalem’s education system to erase Palestinian identity: Palestinian education ministry

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  The Palestinian Education and Higher Education Ministry warned on Tuesday that Israel is systematically targeting education in occupied East Jerusalem to “erase national identity,” including by imposing its curriculum and barring teachers from schools, Anadolu reports. On Monday, the Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate warned that, with the start of the academic year on Tuesday, Israel would begin imposing the Israeli curriculum on more than 45,000 Palestinian first- and seventh-grade students at schools run by the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem. Earlier Tuesday, several private schools in Jerusalem, including Christian schools, went on strike as the new academic year began, protesting Israeli authorities’ failure to issue entry permits to teachers from the West Bank working at those schools. In a statement, the Palestinian

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  US ‘will regret’ new attacks on Iran, says IRGC

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Tuesday that the US “will regret its new attacks” after American forces began striking its targets in Iran. “A harsh punishment awaits the aggressors,” IRGC spokesman Sardar Mohebi said, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. Mohebi’s remarks came shortly after the US Central Command announced that American forces had begun striking IRGC targets in Iran. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have remained high since the war began with strikes on Iran in late February. A framework deal was signed in June through Pakistani and Qatari mediation. The US began a two-week bombing campaign in July and reimposed a naval blockade after differences over navigation in the strait. READ: US forces begin strikes on Iran’s

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  Trump says US launches ‘large and powerful’ strikes near Strait of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that American forces were striking Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz, warning Tehran against retaliation, Anadolu reports. “The United States is, as we speak, striking Iranian Targets near the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump described the strikes as “large and powerful” and said they were retaliation for what he called Iran’s “failed attempt” to plant sea mines in the strait. He also cited an Iranian missile attack on a US base in Jordan, saying Iran had fired eight missiles and that they were “all successfully knocked down.” Trump warned that any Iranian retaliation would prompt a heavier US response. “If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates

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  US warns citizens in Middle East of flight cancellations, airspace closures over escalation risk

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  The US Embassy in Israel on Tuesday warned Americans in the Middle East of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions amid the risk of further escalation, Anadolu reports. “Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” the embassy said in an advisory. “U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted,” it said. “Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world, including U.S. businesses and other institutions,” it added. WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Yusuf Erim: Israel & Turkey: Is a breaking point inevitable The embassy also urged

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  Chinese President Xi arrives in Egypt for first visit in 10 years

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo on Tuesday evening for his first official visit to Egypt in 10 years, Anadolu reports. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received Xi at Cairo International Airport, according to an Anadolu Agency correspondent. The two leaders are expected to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and implementing the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern. The Egyptian presidency said Tuesday that the visit would focus on implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed by the two countries in 2014. The talks will also include consultations on regional and international developments, according to the presidency. In an article published Tuesday in Egyptian state-run newspapers Al-Ahram, Al-Akhbar and Al-Gomhouria, Xi said

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  US forces begin strikes on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard targets: CENTCOM

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that American forces began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran, Anadolu reports. “Today at 12 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran,” CENTCOM said in a post on US social media platform X. The command also noted that “the strikes follow recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region.” Before the CENTCOM announcement, Axios also reported the new strikes, citing US officials. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have remained high since the war began with strikes on Iran in late February. A framework deal was signed in June

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  Israeli army ‘kills first, then seeks justification’ for Gaza strikes, says veterans group chief

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  The Israeli army “kills first, then thinks and tries to find a reason” afterward to justify strikes on the Gaza Strip, said the executive director of Israeli veterans’ group Breaking the Silence, Anadolu reports. In an interview with France 24, Nadav Weiman said the army and Israeli authorities seek to “retrospectively” legitimize attacks by attempting to establish links between victims and Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad after strikes have taken place. “In cases like this Nasser hospital or the 15 paramedics that were killed by IDF (Israeli army) soldiers in Rafah, or air strikes that are killing three-digit numbers of civilians in Gaza … suddenly the IDF spokesperson in the state of Israel needs to explain to the international community

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  US Treasury chief claims Strait of Hormuz will be ‘worthless piece of water’ in 2 years

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said that the Strait of Hormuz would become obsolete within two years as alternative oil routes would bypass the strategic waterway, Anadolu reports. “We have to de-risk everywhere in the world. We can see the Iranians are trying to use the Strait of Hormuz as a choke point,” Bessent said during an interview in Asheville, North Carolina. “It’s not a choke point for the US, but it is a choke point for many, many other countries,” he said on the sidelines of meetings with G20 countries’ ministers. Bessent claimed the strategic waterway “will be bypassed in two years.” “In two years, the Strait of Hormuz will be like a worthless piece of water,”

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  UK foreign secretary condemns ‘appalling settler terrorism’ in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on Tuesday condemned what he called “appalling settler terrorism” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, vowing that the government would not acquiesce in the destruction of the two-state solution, Anadolu reports. “Over recent weeks, we’ve also seen appalling settler terrorism and Palestinians driven from their homes,” Miliband told lawmakers in the House of Commons. Saying the government would not acquiesce in the destruction of the two-state solution, he added: “We will act, and I will set out a comprehensive set of measures in the coming weeks.” Miliband also said the British government does not want UK companies “financing, constructing, or advertising” new settlements in the occupied West Bank. His remarks came amid a sharp

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  UN says Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon continue to affect civilians

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  Continued Israeli attacks and military activity in southern Lebanon are still affecting civilians, sometimes preventing people from returning home or causing localized displacement, the UN refugee agency said on Tuesday. Responding in writing to an Anadolu question about displacement caused by Israeli attacks despite a ceasefire, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said: “Continued Israeli strikes and military activity in southern Lebanon continue to affect civilians and can, at times, hinder returns or trigger localized displacement.” “As of mid-August, more than 350,000 people remain displaced across Lebanon, while approximately 860,000 people have returned to their communities of origin or nearby areas, although many continue to face significant challenges and these should not be considered durable returns,” Baloch said. READ: Iranian president criticizes UN

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  Putin says US-Iran ceasefire proved ‘too fragile,’ assures Tehran of support

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the US-Iran ceasefire proved “unstable and too fragile” after the June memorandum, assuring Tehran of support, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Putin emphasized Moscow’s support for Iran amid the current military and political tensions. “We welcomed the conclusion in June of this year of the Iranian-American memorandum on a ceasefire, but, unfortunately, the truce proved unstable and too fragile,” Putin said. He added that Russia had been seeking to provide Iran with assistance during the difficult period, including supplies of necessary goods. Despite the tensions, Moscow and Tehran had maintained the momentum of

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  Several explosions reported in southern Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on September 1, 2026

  Several explosions were heard east of Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province on Tuesday, state media reported. More than five explosions were heard around Masan village on Qeshm Island, IRIB said, adding that four more explosions were also heard from the direction of the Strait of Hormuz on Qeshm. Citing the deputy governor of the Hormozgan province for political, security and social affairs, the outlet added that no casualties have been recorded in the province so far. The explosions come as tensions between Tehran and Washington have remained high since the war began with strikes on Iran in late February. A framework deal was signed in June through Pakistani and Qatari mediation. The US began a