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

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  Under peace deal, US forces lift blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  US forces on Thursday lifted the blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said shortly after the US and Iran signed a deal to end the Mideast war, Anadolu Agency reports. “Today, US forces lifted the blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas, in accordance with the President’s (Donald Trump) direction,” CENTCOM said in a statement on the US social media company X. It said that American forces are “not impeding the transit of vessels to or from Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.” “All US military blockade enforcement efforts have ceased. Our great Naval Ships will remain

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  8 countries condemn occupier violence against Palestinians in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  The foreign ministers of eight countries on Thursday condemned escalating Israeli occupier violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including recent attacks on two mosques in northern Ramallah, Anadolu reports. Turkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said they condemned “in the strongest terms” continued attacks on the Grand Mosque in the village of Jiljilya and Al-Farouq Mosque in the village of Mazar’a al-Nubani. The foreign ministers said the attacks constituted a clear violation of the sanctity of places of worship and religious sites, as well as international law, including international humanitarian law and relevant UN resolutions. They also rejected the “deplorable attacks by Israeli settlers” and continued illegal Israeli measures in the

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  3 more Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza in new ceasefire violation

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Three Palestinians were killed and others wounded in an Israeli drone strike in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, marking another violation of a ceasefire in effect since last October, a medical source said, Anadolu reports. The bodies of three Palestinians and several wounded people arrived at Al-Saraya Field Hospital after a civilian vehicle was hit at the Abu Khadra intersection in central Gaza City, the source told , Anadolu Agency. According to witnesses, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the vehicle as it passed through the Abu Khadra intersection in the city. The strike left the vehicle in flames, they added. The attack took place in one of the busiest and most densely populated areas of Gaza City, with

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  When the international community’s absolutes lead to genocide

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  When anyone from the international community deems a purported solution as the only viable option for Palestine, it must be immediately assumed the contrary is applicable. For years, the UN and world leaders have affirmed the two-state paradigm as the only solution, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres qualifying it further as “There is no Plan B”. Now, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has endorsed US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan as “the only game in town”. Speaking to The New Yorker editor in chief David Remnic, Clinton stated, “Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza is actually a pathway to security for Israel, reconstruction for Gaza and the possibility of self-determination, however defined for the Palestinians.” Neither the two-state

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  Israel orders demolition of 9 Palestinian homes in Hebron amid West Bank escalation

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Israeli authorities on Thursday issued demolition orders for nine inhabited Palestinian homes in the West Bank city of Hebron, in the latest home demolitions in the occupied territory, Anadolu reports. Local sources said the demolition notices were issued for nine homes in the Qanan Niyas area of Al-Shuyukh town, northeast of Hebron on claims of building without permits in Area C. According to the sources, Israeli authorities had issued stop-work orders to the homeowners about a month ago for lacking permits despite the submission of the necessary documents for obtaining permits. Israel frequently demolishes Palestinian structures on the grounds that they were built without permits in Area C, which remains under full Israeli civil, administrative under the Oslo II agreement.

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  Paris grants honorary citizenship to Palestinian civilians, journalists

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Paris granted honorary citizenship Thursday to Palestinian civilian populations and journalists, according to French public broadcaster RFI. The decision, long demanded by part of the left-wing majority in the Paris City Council, was announced during a council session attended by Palestine’s ambassador to France Hala Abou-Hassira, RFI reported. “Honorary citizenship is not a symbol, but a commitment to peace. We are extending our hand to an entire people,” Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire told the council. Gregoire said recognizing the suffering of the Palestinian people “in no way erases that of the Israeli people.” The Paris City Council had also adopted a motion in 2025 granting honorary citizenship to Gazans. READ: Israel criticises France over restricted defence expo participation

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  UAE becomes 1st Arab country to restrict social media use for children under 15

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates on Thursday announced that children under the age of 15 will no longer be allowed to use social media platforms, becoming the first Arab country to adopt such a restriction, Anadolu reports. The measure was approved by the UAE Cabinet and announced by the state news agency WAM. It comes as several Arab countries consider similar regulations, including Egypt, which announced plans to pursue comparable measures few months ago. The Cabinet said the decision aims “to regulate children’s access to social media in response to their growing use of digital platforms and the associated risks, including exposure to inappropriate content, unsafe interactions, collection of personal data, and excessive use.” The regulations apply to social media platforms

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  Iran’s state television says Hormuz passage ‘still requires coordination’ with Tehran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Iran’s state television said Thursday the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz still requires coordination with Tehran, Anadolu reports. According to the broadcaster, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) “continues to impose the condition of coordination with its naval forces on ships seeking to transit the waterway.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday aimed at ending the war between Tehran and Washington that began in late February. According to the terms of the deal published by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Tehran “will make its utmost efforts to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels, free of charge for 60 days, between the Gulf and the Gulf of

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  Gaza administration committee says reconstruction priorities finalized, ready to begin work

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) said Thursday it has finalized priorities for recovery and reconstruction and is ready to begin field operations “once conditions permit,” Anadolu reports. The announcement came during a coordination meeting chaired by committee head Ali Shaath with representatives of the European Union, the United Nations and the World Bank to discuss the results of a rapid damage and needs assessment in the Gaza Strip. According to a statement published by the committee on the US social media company X, Shaath said the committee had adopted the assessment as the “main reference” for preparing recovery and reconstruction plans and programs. He added that the committee had completed sectoral priorities and implementation plans, enabling it

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  US journalist Carlson says Trump did not consult Israel on Iran deal

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  American journalist and political commentator Tucker Carlson said US President Donald Trump understands he must weaken Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position to advance an agreement with Iran and did not consult Israel on the matter, Anadolu reports. Speaking on his podcast, which was published on YouTube on Wednesday, Carlson assessed Israel’s stance toward a potential agreement between the US and Iran. Carlson said the agreement could be jeopardized not by the US Congress but by Israel. “Trump knows that he has to diminish Benjamin Netanyahu and not just Netanyahu but the state of Israel’s moral legitimacy in the United States in order to keep going. And so amazingly, he’s done that,” Carlson said. Carlson said a person who knows

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  Israel’s Netanyahu tells Trump he will not be bound by Iran-US deal: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Donald Trump that Israel would not be bound by the agreement reached between the US and Iran, CNN reported Thursday, citing an unnamed Israeli official. The official said that Netanyahu was attempting to influence the ongoing 60-day negotiation process under the agreement, claiming that the Israeli premier is trying to shape the final agreement by using right-leaning media figures and senators close to him to pressure Trump. According to the official, Netanyahu believed there would be no final agreement between the US and Iran and that Tehran would not genuinely accept restrictions on its nuclear program. The official also claimed that Netanyahu informed Trump that Israel was not bound by the agreement,

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  Despite US-Iran deal, Israel says troops to remain in 10-km zone inside Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  The Israeli army on Thursday published a map showing its continued deployment in a zone extending up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) inside southern Lebanon, despite a US-Iran memorandum of understanding that includes a halt to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, Anadolu reports. In a post on the US social media company X, the army said its forces remain deployed inside what it described as a “security zone” within Lebanese territory according to “operational needs.” It said troops would continue operating in the area to remove threats and strengthen protection for residents of northern Israel. The military attached a map showing the extent of its deployment across broad sectors of southern Lebanon. According to the map, Israeli forces

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  After US-Iran deal, Israeli minister threatens war on Syria ‘sooner or later’

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli threatened Thursday that Israel would wage war on Syria “sooner or later,” claiming that Syria and Turkiye pose a greater challenge to Israel than Iran, Anadolu reports. “We will wage war on Syria, sooner or later, because it and Turkiye are far more worrying than Iran,” Chikli said in an interview with Israeli radio station 103FM, affiliated with Maariv newspaper. The remarks by Chikli, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party, came hours after Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending war in all fronts, including Lebanon. The Israeli minister has repeatedly criticized regional countries involved in diplomatic efforts to end ongoing conflicts. On Wednesday, Chikli

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  The boomerang: How America’s semiconductor war backfired

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  There is an ancient Chinese proverb that Washington strategists should have remembered: “When you shoot an arrow of revenge, dig two graves.” They didn’t listen. And now we are watching the most spectacular economic boomerang in modern history. Three years ago, the United States launched what its architects called the “nuclear option” against China. They banned the export of advanced semiconductors. They blocked the machines that manufacture them. They told Beijing: your technological future ends here. In the halls of the Pentagon, there was a quiet celebration. The thinking was seductive in its simplicity. Without American chips, China’s artificial intelligence revolution would die. Its economy would stagnate. Its military would fall behind. The CEOs of major American tech giants are

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  Israel allocates over $40M to regain support among US conservatives: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Israel has allocated more than $40 million to influence right-wing audiences in the US amid declining support for the country and growing criticism over its role in the war against Iran, according to an Israeli media report published Thursday. Haaretz reported that Israel has significantly increased spending on public relations and influence campaigns aimed primarily at conservative Christian audiences in the US. According to the newspaper, the campaign began late last year but has recently shifted its focus to defending Israel’s war against Iran and countering criticism directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The report said the Israeli government more than doubled the budget for the effort to over $40 million as support for Israel among parts of the

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  Libya’s rival leaders agree roadmap for presidential, parliamentary elections by February 2027

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  The heads of Libya’s three main political bodies agreed Thursday on a roadmap to hold simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections before February 2027 and establish a high-level committee to oversee the process, Anadolu reports. The agreement was reached during a meeting between Speaker of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh, Chairman of the High Council of State Mohammed Takala and Chiarman of the Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi, according to a joint statement. The three leaders said they adopted a principles document that would serve as a roadmap for ending Libya’s prolonged transitional phase. The roadmap includes completing the constitutional and legal framework required for presidential and parliamentary elections, unifying sovereign institutions and strengthening national sovereignty. The document also calls for

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  Israeli foreign minister severs ties with EU foreign policy chief

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Thursday he was severing all contact with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, accusing her of comparing Israel to apartheid-era South Africa, Anadolu reports. In a post on US social media platform X, Saar accused Kallas of acting “obsessively and with blatant unfairness” toward Israel. “Recently, it was published that during her visit to Mexico, she compared Israel to the racist apartheid regime that existed in South Africa,” he wrote. “I have no choice but to sever all contact with Ms. Kallas until she retracts the blood libel she directed” at Israel, Saar said. “To date, no denial, clarification or response has been issued by her regarding this severe statement,” he added. Saar

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  NHS doctor challenges use of IHRA definition in High Court after suspension over political speech

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Lawyers representing Dr Ranjeet Brar have filed a judicial review claim at the High Court against King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, challenging the use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism to suspend him in breach of his right to freedom of expression. Dr Brar, who is also director of Right to Protest Limited, was suspended by the Trust on 6 April 2026 following a speech he delivered at a memorial for 168 children killed in a US Tomahawk cruise missile strike on the Minab primary school in Iran. His legal team contends that the IHRA definition was deployed to justify the suspension. The claim is brought under Article 10 of the European Convention on

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  Gaza municipalities warn of humanitarian, health catastrophe as basic services near collapse

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  The Union of Gaza Strip Municipalities warned on Thursday of a looming humanitarian, health and environmental catastrophe as basic municipal services in Gaza near collapse, Anadolu reports. Water, sewage and waste-management services are deteriorating due to restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry of industrial oils, diesel, spare parts, tires, pumps and other equipment needed to operate and maintain vital facilities, the union said in a statement. It said shortages of industrial oils pose the most serious threat, as generators, water wells, sewage stations and municipal machinery depend on them directly, adding that their depletion could halt operations even if limited diesel supplies are available. Municipalities and water authorities operate dozens of wells and stations to provide more than 140,000

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  Israel’s censor silenced 5,700 reports in 2025

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Israel’s military censor blocked or altered more than 5,700 news reports in 2025, an average of 15 items per day, making it the second-highest year for media censorship in Israel since records began 15 years ago, according to new data published by +972 Magazine. The figures, obtained through a freedom of information request submitted by +972 and the Movement for Freedom of Information, show that the censor demanded redactions in 4,974 news items in 2025, while completely barring 753 further items from publication. Both totals remain far above the previous annual average of around 2,300 redactions and 320 full bans recorded between 2011 and 2023. The year 2024, the height of Israel’s genocide on Gaza, still holds the record for

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  Pakistani premier signs Islamabad MoU as mediator between US, Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (Islamabad MoU) agreed to by the US and Iran to end the war, Anadolu Agency reports. Pakistan is the main mediator between the US and Iran after it secured a ceasefire on April 08 and hosted the highest level of talks between the two nations on April 12 and 13 since they severed diplomatic ties in 1979. According to a statement from the Pakistan prime minister’s office, Sharif signed the Islamabad MoU as “mediator.” Sharif’s signing followed electronic signatures by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. READ: US-Iran memorandum of understanding formally finalized after presidents sign text

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  Israeli army urges government to preserve freedom to strike across Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  The Israeli army has urged the government to preserve its freedom to conduct operations throughout Lebanon, maintain a buffer zone and pursue the disarmament of Hezbollah, an Israeli newspaper reported Thursday. According to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, the army delivered what it described as an important message to Israel’s political leadership regarding future military activity in Lebanon. The move came just hours after the US and Iranian presidents signed a memorandum of understanding to end the war on all fronts, including Lebanon. READ: Trump turns on Israel over Lebanon war, says Syria could fight Hezbollah better The report claimed that the recent decline in Israeli strikes deep inside Lebanon is not the result of a policy change but rather the

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  The U.S.-Iran deal: What has changed and what does this mean for the region?

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  War is a perilous political act aimed at shifting the balance of power. What balance did the United States seek to impose when it launched its war against Iran, and what did it achieve? And what does this mean for Palestine and the region? What were the objectives of the aggression? The U.S. administration did not wage the war because of Trump’s unique personality; politicians do have a margin of freedom, but it is limited by the political agenda they have agreed to pursue in the interest of the organized social groups that support them. Nor was it to divert attention from the Epstein case, especially given the limited influence of public opinion in the reality of the capitalist United

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  The occupation targeted a vehicle in central Gaza City, resulting in several fatalities and injuries

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  WATCH: Funeral procession for a number of martyrs who were killed in Israeli attacks during the past few hours

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  Trump open to Iran keeping nuclear enrichment rights as new deal takes shape

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  US president Donald Trump has signalled that he is open to Iran retaining the right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes, in remarks that represent a major shift in Washington’s position as a ceasefire deal with Tehran takes shape. Speaking at the G7 summit in Cannes, France, yesterday, Trump suggested that denying Iran the right to enrich uranium was difficult to justify when neighbouring states possessed the same capability. “It’s a little hard when other people have it, other adjoining states have it and you’re not letting them have it for purposes of electricity and things like that,” Trump told reporters. “You have to use a little common sense.” The comments come as the Trump administration and Tehran work to

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  50 Palestinian Bedouin, herding communities displaced since late 2023, rights body says

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) said Israel’s settlement expansion and military restrictions have led to the displacement of 50 Palestinian Bedouin and herding communities since late 2023. According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, the findings were contained in a special survey on Bedouin and herding communities in the occupied West Bank conducted by the ICHR in cooperation with the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. The survey found that around 300 violations targeting individuals and institutions in these communities were recorded in April 2025 alone. The results were presented on Wednesday during a conference attended by representatives of government institutions, relevant ministries, international and UN organisations, and civil society groups, WAFA reported. READ: Israel tops UN list of

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  Project Freedom and the end of the Arabs’ automatic “yes” to Washington

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  When Donald Trump spoke of “Project Freedom” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the plan was supposed to be a display of restored American deterrence: an operation meant to prove that Washington could still open the world’s energy artery with its military fleet and its network of regional bases. Yet the rapid suspension of the project, after Saudi Arabia’s initial opposition to the use of its bases and airspace, carried a deeper meaning. This was not merely an operational disagreement. “Project Freedom” showed that the Persian Gulf security order has entered a new phase: Arab states have not turned their backs on America, but they are no longer willing, without calculation, to serve as the launchpad for Washington’s war with

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  Israel tops UN list of grave violations against children in 2025

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Israel was responsible for the highest number of verified grave violations against children in the occupied Palestinian territories in 2025, according to a new UN report, which recorded a sharp rise in abuses against children in conflict zones worldwide. The report, titled Children and Armed Conflict 2025 and prepared by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, found that grave violations against children increased by 34 per cent compared with the previous year. According to the 47-page report, parties to armed conflicts committed a record number of grave violations against children in 2025, marking “the highest number of children affected since the establishment of the Children and Armed Conflict mandate”. The UN documented 38,558 grave violations against children worldwide during 2025. These violations

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  US-Iran memorandum of understanding formally finalized after presidents sign text

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Iran said early Thursday that a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States aimed at ending the war had been formally finalized after the presidents of both countries signed the text of the agreement, Anadolu reports. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the “Islamabad memorandum” had become fully official after being signed by both Tehran and Washington, according to remarks carried by Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency. Baghaei said the agreement was signed digitally and confirmed that negotiations under the memorandum would focus exclusively on nuclear issues and sanctions relief. He said the two sides would hold talks for up to 60 days, with the possibility of extending negotiations if necessary due to the complexity of the

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  Iran to charge ships for services in Strait of Hormuz, parliament speaker says

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran has sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz as a coastal state overlooking the strategic waterway. Ghalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz “will not return to what it was before”, but stressed that Iran does not intend to act in violation of international law. He added that Iran has sovereign rights in the strait and that it is natural for the country to charge fees for services provided to vessels passing through it, clarifying that these are service fees rather than tolls. Ghalibaf also said that Article 13 of the memorandum of understanding stipulates that commitments will be implemented on a “step-for-step” basis. READ: Trump says US will have to give Iran’s money

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  Palestinian female prisoner Lama Khater details alleged abuse in Israeli prisons

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Palestinian prisoner and political activist Lama Khater has described what she said were harsh conditions during her detention in Israeli custody, alleging systematic abuse inside interrogation centres and prisons. According to a statement relayed by her lawyer following a recent visit, Khater said Palestinian female prisoners face ongoing violations, including beatings, humiliation, strip searches and solitary confinement. Khater was arrested after Israeli forces raided her home in Hebron in the early hours of 23 March 2026. She was then transferred to the Al-Moskobiya interrogation centre in occupied Jerusalem. READ: Israeli Security Minister Ben-Gvir appoints relatives of slain Israelis as prison inspectors: Reports She described Al-Moskobiya prison as “hell,” stating that guards subjected her to a full strip search upon arrival followed

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  Hezbollah chief: Resistance thwarted ‘Greater Israel’ project, disarmament will not pass

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said on Wednesday that the resistance had succeeded in “thwarting the Greater Israel project” and protecting what he described as Lebanon’s existence from plans of “extermination and displacement”. In a recorded speech, Qassem said that the basis of any negotiations with Israel should be “mutual security”, reiterating the group’s firm rejection of any proposal to disarm Hezbollah. He described such proposals as an “Israeli prescription” that would not be accepted. He called on the Lebanese authorities and political forces to engage in internal dialogue to organise national affairs away from external dictates or any direct negotiations, stressing Hezbollah’s readiness to cooperate on efforts to protect Lebanon’s sovereignty. READ: Israel cannot stop home demolitions in southern Lebanon: Ben-Gvir

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  US envoy says ‘without Israel, there would be no America’

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that “without Israel, the United States would not exist”, during his participation in a settlement conference held on Tuesday evening at Herodium National Park, about 6 kilometres southeast of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. According to Maariv, the event was titled the “International Conference on Israeli Heritage and Archaeology in Judea and Samaria” — the biblical term used by Israel for the West Bank. In his speech, Huckabee said: “My role is not only to represent the United States in Israel, but also to convey Israel’s importance to the United States.” READ: ‘Without me there is no Israel’ says Trump warning Tel-Aviv to stop flattening homes Addressing Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, in

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  Maximum pressure: How Trump spent five years proving Obama was right about Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 18, 2026

  Tomorrow, Friday June 19, will mark yet another historic day in the international community’s decades-long preoccupation with Iran’s nuclear program—an assumed ghoul that, despite endless Western hyperbole, never actually materialized into a weapon. With the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Geneva between Washington and Tehran, the true history being made tomorrow is not the substance of the agreement itself, but the spectacular, ironic collapse of Washington’s “Maximum Pressure” strategy—or rather Trump’s endless boasting about American power and his tactical use of force, besides calling himself the God of all deals! It has taken Donald Trump five long years—counting his first term, a prolific barrage of senseless social media threats, and rhetoric warning that “whole civilisation will die tonight”—to

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  Trump says US will have to give Iran’s money back

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the US has taken “a lot of” Iranian money and will have to give it back, Anadolu reports. “We have taken a lot of their money, and we have their money,” Trump said at a news conference in France as the G7 summit ended. “It’s not our money, it’s their money, and we froze it at a certain point in time. I guess we’re going to have to give it back, you know, if we didn’t give it back, nobody would ever invest in the dollar again,” he added. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the US and Iran electronically on Sunday, which includes an end to the military operations on all

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  When the Iran War is over: Why the West Bank may be Netanyahu’s next front

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing perhaps the most precarious moment of his political career. He knows it. His allies know it. And his rivals—both within his coalition and across Israel’s political spectrum—are preparing to capitalize on his growing weakness. Former Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon, who also served as deputy prime minister between 2007 and 2009, is among the latest Israeli political figures to join a growing chorus of criticism directed at Netanyahu. “In the final result,” Ramon said in an interview with Radio Galey, cited by the Israeli outlet Srugim, “we did not win.” He then broke down that failure in blunt terms: “We did not win in Lebanon, we did not win in Iran, and we

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  Is Israel Losing Its American Shield? | Palestine This Week with Mouin Rabbani

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  In this episode, we examine whether Gaza features in the Iran ceasefire calculation, the crisis facing Israel’s security doctrine and its fear of US abandonment. We also discuss whether the Iran deal signals a deeper rupture in US-Israel relations, Al Jazeera’s shocking investigation into Israel’s abuse of Palestinian detainees and Israel’s strangling of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Get your copy of ‘Gaza Apocalypse’ by Mouin Rabbani: https://orbooks.com/catalog/gaza-apocalypse/ Watch the Al Jazeera documentary ‘Bodies of Evidence’ : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3pApprHfrY    WATCH: 100 Days In: Palestine, Iran, and the War Remaking the Middle East | Palestine This Week with Mouin Rabbani

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  Israel cannot stop home demolitions in southern Lebanon: Ben-Gvir

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israel cannot stop home demolitions in southern Lebanon, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Wednesday, following statements by US Vice President JD Vance that a draft agreement with Iran includes Lebanon, Anadolu reports. “Israel cannot stop the demolition of houses in southern Lebanon. We simply cannot stop, that’s all,” Ben-Gvir said in comments carried by the Knesset’s channel. “We cannot allow the residents of southern Lebanon to return. We must continue to control the territory even if we disagree with (US President Donald) Trump, we are an independent state,” he added. In statements early Wednesday, Vance described the agreement with Iran as “regional peace,” saying it “will include the Gulf states, Israel, and it will include Lebanon.” “The basic

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  Italy to reopen embassy in Tehran on Friday

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Italy will reopen its embassy in Tehran on Friday, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Wednesday, according to the ANSA news agency. “Our embassy in Tehran will reopen on Friday,” Tajani said during Question Time in parliament. The announcement comes after Italy temporarily closed its diplomatic mission in the Iranian capital earlier this year amid regional tensions. Tajani said the Italian ambassador, along with diplomats and staff from the Foreign Ministry, would return to Tehran as part of the reopening process. READ: Italy’s premier backs sanctions on Israeli settlers, Ben Gvir ahead of EU Council He described recent understandings between the US and Iran as an “encouraging development” and said there was a “glimmer of peace” in the Middle East that should

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  Trump turns on Israel over Lebanon war, says Syria could fight Hezbollah better

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  “Syria can do the job” of fighting Hezbollah better than Israel, Donald Trump has said, in a remarkable rebuke of Tel Aviv’s war in Lebanon and its mounting civilian toll. Speaking ahead of a bilateral meeting with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the G7 summit in Evian, Trump said he was “not happy” with Israel’s handling of Lebanon and warned that its offensive was undermining Washington’s efforts to secure a wider regional deal with Iran. “I’m not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and with Hezbollah,” Trump said. “It just goes on forever, and when that happens, it throws a negative light on the big deal, and that’s the deal with Iran.”

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  The war that failed to define Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Iran did not win the war. But it denied Washington and Tel Aviv the victory they needed most: the power to decide what the war had made of Iran. The recent US-Iran memorandum of understanding is important for that reason. It is designed to end the near four-month war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz gradually and move the hardest questions into follow-on negotiations. That is not the result of a state untouched by punishment. It is the result of a state damaged enough to need relief, but still coherent enough to bargain over the terms of its survival. This distinction matters. The campaign hurt Iran. Its infrastructure, economy, military networks and civilian population absorbed severe pressure. But damage answers only

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  US: Clinton says Netanyahu is ‘obsessed’ with Iran, Saudi normalisation

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “persistent” and “obsessed” with striking Iran and normalising relations with Saudi Arabia during her tenure, Anadolu reports. Speaking in an interview with New Yorker Editor David Remnick at an event in New York City, Clinton discussed Netanyahu’s approach while she served as secretary of state. Clinton said Netanyahu was relentlessly insistent on attacking Iran. “He would say, ‘You have to support us in attacking Iran.’ This was during the period from 2009 to 2012,” Clinton said. READ: Trump says Israel’s Netanyahu must be ‘more responsible’ on Lebanon She said the issue of attacking Iran was a recurring topic and recalled a lengthy phone conversation with

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  Israel approves Jewish religious school construction in occupied West Bank’s Hebron

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israeli authorities on Wednesday approved the construction of a Jewish religious school in the city of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank, in an unprecedented move, Anadolu reports. The decision marks the first implementation of Israel’s announcement on Tuesday that it was stripping the Palestinian Hebron municipality of its authority over building and planning, in violation of the Hebron Agreement. The Higher Planning Committee in the Civil Administration approved plans to build 576 new housing units in Judea and Samaria, as part of the government’s policy to expand settlements, Israel’s private Channel 7 reported. Judea and Samaria is the biblical term Israel uses for the West Bank. As part of the decision, approval was also granted for the first time

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  Pope Leo stresses need for US-Iran deal to enhance security, stability across Middle East

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday stressed the need for the recently announced agreement between the US and Iran to enforce security and stability across the Middle East, Anadolu reports. “I hope that this agreement will contribute to strengthening mutual trust, security, and stability in the Middle East, and promote paths of dialogue and cooperation among the peoples,” the pontiff said through US social media platform X. He also welcomed, “with satisfaction,” the agreement as an “encouraging outcome of patient work in dialogue and negotiation.” “I express my gratitude to the countries that have strived to foster the encounter between the parties and make such an understanding possible,” the pope added. Washington and Tehran reached a temporary truce this April through Pakistani

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  Israeli Security Minister Ben-Gvir appoints relatives of slain Israelis as prison inspectors: Reports

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has decided to appoint relatives of slain Israelis as official prison inspectors in a move aimed at tightening detention conditions for Palestinian detainees, Israeli media reported Wednesday. “The minister’s goal is to worsen the conditions of security prisoners,” people close to Ben-Gvir said, according to Israel’s Channel 12. Israel uses the term “security prisoners” to refer to Palestinian detainees. According to the broadcaster, Ben-Gvir decided to appoint the family members as official visitors and inspectors of Palestinian prisoners instead of qualified professionals. “Minister Ben-Gvir reduced the number of inspectors to fewer than 20, and instead appointed bereaved families,” the channel said. The inspectors are responsible for overseeing prisoners and monitoring their detention conditions and

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  Iran won, power no longer looks the same

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  The most dangerous mistake in international affairs is to confuse military destruction with strategic success. That mistake now risks obscuring one of the most consequential geopolitical shifts in the modern Middle East. For decades, the United States and its allies defined victory through familiar metrics: air superiority, precision strikes, technological dominance, sanctions pressure, and the ability to shape the diplomatic endgame. Yet the outcome of the 2025–26 Iran conflict suggests a different reality. Despite absorbing devastating attacks, suffering immense economic damage, and confronting the combined weight of American and Israeli military power, Iran emerged with something far more valuable than an unscarred battlefield: it emerged with leverage. And in contemporary geopolitics, leverage is power. If the reported contours of the

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  When peace becomes a media battlefield

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  When a war begins to give way to diplomacy, the battle rarely ends at the negotiating table. It continues in headlines, guest segments and the emotional frame through which audiences are told to interpret a possible end to violence. Reuters has reported that the United States and Iran have agreed on a framework to end their war, halt Washington’s blockade and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while The Associated Press has reported that mediators were working to finalise agreed language. The details remain uncertain and the hardest questions, including sanctions and Iran’s nuclear programme, may be pushed into another phase. Yet even a fragile opening can threaten the political usefulness of panic. That is why the media war matters. Iran

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  ‘Without me there is no Israel’ says Trump warning Tel-Aviv to stop flattening homes

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has delivered a rare public rebuke of Israel’s military conduct in Lebanon, warning that Israel is killing too many civilians in its war with Hezbollah and does not need to destroy entire apartment buildings in pursuit of individual targets. Speaking to reporters at the G7 summit in France, Trump said: “Israel’s fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed. And you don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody. Because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you.” Trump said Israel doesn’t need to knock down an apartment building every time it’s looking for someone

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  UAE plans to cut Strait of Hormuz dependency to ‘zero’: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates is working on a major plan to eliminate its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz after the recent closure of the critical waterway exposed the vulnerability of Gulf trade and energy flows, Anadolu Agency reports. UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani Al Zeyoudi said the country is moving toward “zero Hormuz dependency,” according to a Bloomberg report. The plan comes as global markets await the full reopening of the strait following an interim peace deal between Iran and the US. The Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed before the war, has been disrupted since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February.

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  Israeli occupiers set fire to 2 mosques, army demolishes Palestinian home in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israeli occupiers on Wednesday set fire to parts of two mosques in the villages of Jiljilya and Mazra’a al-Nubani, north of the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, and sprayed Hebrew slogans on their walls, while Israeli forces demolished an inhabited Palestinian home east of Yatta, Anadolu Agency reports. A group of occupiers stormed Jiljilya at dawn and set fire to the village mosque, burning the women’s prayer hall and damaging the mosque’s exterior walls, local sources told Anadolu Agency. The village has recently witnessed an escalation in occupier attacks, the sources said. Last month, occupiers attacked the village and stole a flock of sheep. In a separate incident, occupiers attacked Mazra’a al-Nubani and set fire to a mosque