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

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  Gaza ceasefire “formal” as suffering persists, UNRWA chief warns

  by Marwa A on April 1, 2026

  The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, stated that the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza continues despite what he described as a “formal” ceasefire, warning that civilians are still being killed while facing severe shortages of water and food and a growing spread of disease, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Lazzarini said that UNRWA remains the only agency capable of delivering large-scale services in the Gaza Strip, highlighting the absence of any viable alternative to carry out its responsibilities. He also pointed to what he described as a “silent war” in the West Bank, citing settler attacks and demolitions, including incidents targeting UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem. He warned that the agency is facing a severe funding crisis,

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  FIFA confirms Iran’s participation in 2026 tournament despite tensions

  by Marwa A on April 1, 2026

  Gianni Infantino confirmed that the Iranian national team will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that its matches will be held in the United States according to the official tournament schedule. Speaking to reporters following Iran’s 5–0 friendly victory over Costa Rica in Antalya, Turkey, Infantino said: “Iran will be at the World Cup. We are very happy because they are a very strong team.” He added that matches would take place in their designated venues based on the tournament draw, noting that he had met with the players and coaching staff and that “everything is fine.” In parallel, Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, first vice president of the Iranian Football Federation, affirmed that Iran would comply with FIFA regulations

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  Protest in Gaza against Israeli death penalty law for Palestinian prisoners

  by Marwa A on April 1, 2026

  IMAGES: Young artists of Gaza tell their story

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  Drone explodes inside US Diplomatic Support Centre at Baghdad airport

  by Marwa A on April 1, 2026

  A drone packed with explosives detonated inside the US Diplomatic Support Centre at Baghdad International Airport early on Wednesday, causing no casualties, according to Iraqi media reports. The Iraqi news website Shafaq News reported that the explosive-laden drone exploded within the facility. A security source told the outlet that the attack resulted in no injuries, without providing further details. The US Diplomatic Support Centre at Baghdad airport serves as a logistical and administrative hub for American diplomats and staff in Iraq. It includes administrative offices, residential facilities, warehouses and secure zones, and is used to facilitate the movement of diplomatic delegations, staff transport and logistical support for the US embassy in Baghdad. Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on

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  Israel uses “non-designed” air defence systems to intercept Iranian missiles, Hebrew media reports

  by Marwa A on April 1, 2026

  An Israeli television channel reported on Tuesday evening that Israel has begun using air defence systems not originally designed to intercept Iranian missiles, amid growing challenges to its interception capabilities. Channel 13 said the Israeli army is relying on US-made interception systems, alongside lower-tier defence systems such as “David’s Sling”, to intercept some missiles, even though these systems were not initially intended to deal with such threats, unlike more advanced systems such as “Arrow 3”. The report comes as air defence systems face increasing pressure due to the intensity and variety of attacks. According to the channel, the Israeli government did not fund the establishment of an additional production line for interceptor missiles due to financial disputes between the defence

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  Yedioth Ahronoth: US begins emergency evacuation of 60,000 Americans from Egypt

  by Marwa A on April 1, 2026

  The United States has begun an emergency evacuation of around 60,000 American citizens from Egypt, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. In a report published on Tuesday, the paper said that about 60,000 US nationals are currently in Egypt and have been advised to leave immediately. It added that Washington has arranged special charter flights for those wishing to depart. According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Americans were urged to “leave immediately”, although it did not specify how many have responded to the call. The report also referred to wider evacuation operations in the Middle East in recent months, including the evacuation of more than 36,000 to 40,000 US citizens from countries in the region. The paper added

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  Iran’s revolutionary guard threatens to target US firms in retaliation for attacks

  by Marwa A on April 1, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to target American companies operating in neighbouring countries in response to what it described as US-Israeli attacks on Iran. According to Iranian media reports, the IRGC said it would begin targeting companies such as Google and Apple from the start of April. The list of 18 companies mentioned in the threat reportedly includes Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla and Boeing. In its statement, the IRGC described US companies in the region as “spy companies”, accusing them of being involved in assassinations and of “actively participating in planning terrorism”. It said these firms would be considered “legitimate targets” from now on. The statement added: “These companies should expect the destruction of their

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  Iran seeks no ceasefire but complete end to war: Foreign minister​​​​​​​

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Iran is not seeking a ceasefire but a complete end to the war across the region, stressing that any resolution must include guarantees against future attacks and compensation for damages, Anadolu reports. He said contacts with the US do not constitute negotiations, but are limited to the exchange of messages — directly or through regional intermediaries. Araghchi told Al Jazeera he continues to receive messages from US envoy Steve Witkoff, as in the past, but stressed that it should not be interpreted as formal negotiations. He said the messages are conveyed through the Foreign Ministry, with some communication between security bodies, adding that there are no talks with any specific entity inside

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  UN rights chief urges Israel to repeal death penalty law, warns about war crimes

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  The UN human rights chief urged Israel on Tuesday to revoke its death penalty law, warning against legislative steps targeting Palestinians in violation of international law, Anadolu reports. Volker Turk encouraged Tel Aviv to step back from the controversial law, which applies “almost exclusively to Palestinians.” “It is deeply disappointing that this bill has been approved by the Knesset,” he said, highlighting that it is patently inconsistent with Israel’s international law obligations, including in relation to the right to life. “It raises serious concerns about due process violations, is deeply discriminatory, and must be promptly repealed,” said Turk. Noting that the controversial law provides that the death sentences, once imposed, must be carried out within 90 days, Turk warned that

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  Ex-Trump adviser Bannon calls for Netanyahu’s son to be deported from Miami, sent to Iran war

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  Steve Bannon, a former adviser to US President Donald Trump, has called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son Yair Netanyahu to be expelled from the United States and sent to fight on the front lines as the two countries’ joint strikes on Iran continue, Anadolu reports. Speaking on right-wing streaming service “Real America’s Voice,” Bannon questioned why Yair was vacationing in Miami while the US-Israeli attacks on Iran were underway. “Netanyahu’s kid down in Miami, turf him out tomorrow,” he said, calling on the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to act. “Where’s DHS when you need them? Get him back there. Put a uniform on him. Let’s have him in the first wave,” Bannon added. READ: Iranian president slams

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  Israel kills 3, injures 13 others across Gaza

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  Three Palestinians were killed and 13 others injured on Tuesday in Israeli strikes across northern and southern Gaza, continuing violations of the ceasefire in place since October 2025, Anadolu reports. Medical sources told Anadolu that two Palestinians were killed and three injured after an Israeli drone struck a civilian gathering south of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. In Gaza City, two civilians were injured in a drone strike targeting the Tuffah neighborhood, according to Al-Ahli Hospital. Another source at Nasser Hospital said nine Palestinians were injured, one critically, in a drone strike on a civilian gathering in the Mawasi area northwest of Rafah. READ: Protest held in Gaza to mark 50th anniversary of Palestinian Land Day Earlier on Tuesday, one civilian

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  Poland rejects sending Patriot batteries to Mideast despite US request

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  Poland will not send any of its Patriot air-defense batteries to the Middle East, Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Tuesday, after reports that the United States had informally asked Warsaw to consider doing so, Anadolu reports. Polish daily Rzeczpospolita reported on Tuesday that Washington had unofficially sounded out Poland about deploying one of its two Patriot batteries amid the escalating conflict with Iran and rising missile attacks on US forces and allies in the region. Kosiniak-Kamysz quickly rejected the idea, writing on X that Poland’s Patriots “serve to protect Polish skies and NATO’s eastern flank.” “Nothing is changing in this regard, and we are not planning to relocate them anywhere,” he wrote. “Our allies understand perfectly well how important

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  Israeli police disperse protest in Jerusalem for demonstrating against Palestinian prisoner execution law

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  Israeli police forcibly dispersed a protest Tuesday outside the Knesset in West Jerusalem for demonstrating against the passage of a law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners, according to Israeli sources, Anadolu reports. Police said two people were arrested as officers cleared demonstrators from outside the parliament building. Hundreds took part in the protest, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN. Video published by the outlet showed police using foul-smelling water to disperse protesters. The Knesset passed the law Monday in a 62-48 vote. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in support. The law mandates executions by hanging to be carried out by prison guards appointed by the Israeli Prison Service, while granting those involved anonymity and legal immunity. READ: Israeli Knesset passes

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  Europe ‘strongly condemn’ attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  A group of European nations as well as the EU on Tuesday strongly condemned all recent attacks on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), calling on Israel to avoid widening the conflict, including through a ground operation, Anadolu reports. In a joint statement, foreign ministers of Belgium, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, the UK, the Greek Cypriot administration and the EU foreign policy chief reaffirmed that Lebanon’s territorial integrity must be respected. Condemning Hezbollah attacks, which they called “in support of Iran against Israel,” the foreign ministers said these attacks “must cease immediately.” “We call on all parties to immediately de-escalate and to revert to the cessation of hostilities agreement and UN Security Council resolution 1701

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  Iranian president slams EU stance, warns ‘intervention’ in war would have ‘serious consequences’

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned Tuesday that any external “intervention” in the ongoing war would have “serious consequences,” as he criticized Europe’s stance on the US-Israeli strikes on the country, Anadolu reports. In a phone call with the European Council President Antonio Costa, Pezeshkian said Iran “remains committed to defending itself” and blamed regional instability on actions by the US and Israel, including tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has maintained effective control of the Strait of Hormuz since early March, restricting the flow of energy products-carrying vessels. READ: Iran’s president says decision to end war ‘must guarantee people’s security, interests’ He slammed EU silence over US-Israeli “crimes” as “inconsistent with its human rights claims,” calling on the European countries

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  UN condemns Israeli death penalty law for Palestinians as ‘particularly cruel’

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  The United Nations on Tuesday strongly opposed a new Israeli law allowing the death penalty for Palestinians, calling it “particularly cruel and discriminatory,” Anadolu reports. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters at a news conference that the UN and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have a “very clear” stance on Israel’s legislation imposing the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners. “We stand against the death penalty in all its forms,” he said, adding that “the nature of this particular law makes it particularly cruel and discriminatory.” He also called on the Israeli government to rescind the law and not implement it. READ: Israeli Knesset passes law mandating death penalty for Palestinian prisoners Israel’s Knesset passed the law Monday, making the death penalty the default punishment

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  Iran says over 113,000 civilian places damaged in US-Israeli attacks

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  More than 113,000 civilian places, including homes, schools and commercial facilities, were damaged in attacks by the US and Israel, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the organization said 90,063 homes, 21,059 commercial facilities, 760 educational centers, and 18 facilities affiliated with the Red Crescent were damaged. It added that three relief helicopters were also damaged as a result of the attacks. Since Feb. 28, Israel and the US have been carrying out military operations against Iran, resulting in thousands of casualties, according to Iranian authorities. Tehran, for its part, has responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel, and US bases in several Arab countries. Some of those attacks have caused casualties

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  US launches first overland B-52 bombers in operation against Iran: Top general

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  US forces have begun conducting their first overland B-52 bomber missions over Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. “Given the increase in air superiority, we’ve successfully started to conduct the first overland B-52 missions, which allow us, as we’ve before, to continue to get on top of the enemy,” Gen. Dan Caine said at a news conference alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The US has struck more than 11,000 targets over the past 30 days, Caine said. “Our joint force continues to focus on our military objectives as we systematically continue to degrade and destroy Iran’s ability to project power and threaten civility beyond its borders,” he

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  Israel cancels visit by French defense minister, report says

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  Israel has canceled a planned visit by French Armed Forces Minister Alice Rouffo to Tel Aviv after France refused to allow US aircraft carrying weapons to Israel to fly over its territory, according to Israeli media on Tuesday. The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israel’s Defense Ministry and National Security Council decided to cancel the visit of Rouffo, who is considered close to French President Emmanuel Macron. It added that the visit, which had been scheduled for Sunday, was called off after Paris denied permission for US planes transporting weapons to Israel to use its airspace. The daily also said Israel had recently held talks with French officials “to clarify that the weapons were intended for use in the

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  Trump says war against Iran will not last ‘much longer’: Report

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he believes the Iran war will not last “much longer” and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen “automatically” when US leaves, according to a New York Post, Anadolu Agency reports. “We’re not going to be there too much longer. We’re obliterating the (expletive) out of them right now, it’s a total obliteration,” Trump was quoted in a phone interview. “But we won’t have to be there much longer — but we have more work to do in terms of killing their offensive, whatever offensive capability they have left.” Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said other countries would have to deal with the critical waterway. READ: No one but you can stop war

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  UK to deploy more troops, air defense systems to Middle East: Defense chief

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  The UK will deploy more troops and air defense systems to the Middle East to help the allies against Iranian attacks, the country’s defense secretary said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. On a trip to the Gulf nations, John Healey said extra air defense teams and systems would be deployed to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait, along with an extension of the use of Typhoon jets in Qatar, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. It noted that as part of the UK’s action in the “collective defense of allies,” without getting drawn into the wider war, the Healey is visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain. “Defence Secretary John Healey MP held detailed discussions on the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz, and

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  Spanish defense minister says US, Israel cannot dictate global order

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  Spain’s defense minister said Tuesday that the US and Israel cannot dictate the global order alone, Anadolu reports. “They cannot decide, without consulting their allies or anyone else, what kind of peace or rules there are in the world,” Margarita Robles said at a parliamentary commission on Spain’s position on the Iran war. “We cannot accept that two countries decide that the entire world goes to war – their war,” she added. She described the Iran war as “contrary to international law” and said the Spanish government had been “obliged” to take strategic decisions based on respect for both national and international legal frameworks. Robles said Spain prohibited the use of US military bases in Rota and Moron, as well

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  3 Palestinians injured in Israeli occupiers’ attack in northern West Bank

  by MI on March 31, 2026

  Three Palestinians were injured Tuesday after being attacked by a group of Israeli occupiers in the town of Tayasir in the Tubas governorate of northern West Bank, Anadolu reports. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said in a statement that it treated the injured and transferred them to a hospital for medical care. Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that the occupiers attacked Palestinians on their land on the outskirts of Tayasir, assaulting them with stones and sticks. The Israeli occupiers set fire to a tractor and other Palestinian property in the town, they added. READ: Israeli Knesset passes law mandating death penalty for Palestinian prisoners The attack comes amid a noticeable rise in attacks by Israeli occupiers across the West Bank in recent weeks.

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  US bases in Romania could be potential targets, former general warns

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Romania’s American military bases could be at risk amid rising tensions between the US and Iran, a former Romanian chief of staff warned on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Speaking to Digi24, retired Gen. Stefan Danila said: “I wouldn’t say that Romania doesn’t have a problem, because there are American bases in Romania, and the Iranians said from the beginning that the American bases are the object—or identify these bases as targets for them.” “Being bases in Romania, we automatically have to take this into account, meaning there is the possibility that the Iranians will target these bases, as they have targeted other bases. The closest bases, the most accessible for their weapons, are the American bases in the Gulf,” he added.

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  They escaped Gaza: Now they are trapped elsewhere

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  While global headlines fixate on the expanding confrontation between Israel and Iran, another story is quietly disappearing from view. It is not only the devastation inside Gaza that is being overlooked. It is also the fate of those who managed to leave. They escaped the bombs. But they did not escape displacement. Across Egypt, Jordan, the Gulf, and beyond, thousands of Gazans now live in a condition that is neither refuge nor return. They are not counted among the dead, nor fully recognized among the living. Their presence is temporary, their legality uncertain, their futures suspended. They exist in a space that humanitarian policy rarely acknowledges: survival without settlement. Much has been said about Gaza’s destruction. Images of collapsed buildings,

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  Separating land from the people supports Israel’s colonial expansion

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  This year marked the 50th anniversary of Land Day in colonised Palestine. On 30th March 1976, Israeli forces killed 6 Palestinians protesting against colonial land grab in the Galilee. Fifty years later, the international community shows no recognition of land day and remains passively, purportedly opposed, to Israel’s colonial expansion and territorial theft. According to the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission, Israel has designated more than 70 per cent of Area C as state land, nature reserves and military training zones. Fifteen per cent of the occupied West Bank territory has been declared state land. While the occupied West Bank so far remains synonymous with Israel’s colonial land grab, Gaza must be remembered in the context of ongoing colonial expansion.

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  Trapped by his own image: Trump’s Iran war and the politics of ego

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  The judgment on the Trump administration’s war on Iran is already largely settled across mainstream media, public opinion, and much of the analytical sphere. What remains supportive of the war is limited to two predictable camps: official government discourse and the president’s most loyal supporters, along with entrenched pro-Israel constituencies. Beyond these circles, the war is widely understood as reckless, unjustified, and strategically incoherent. Among the wider American public, this conclusion is not abstract. It is shaped by growing unease, economic anxiety, and a mounting sense that the war lacks both purpose and direction. Since the outbreak of the war on February 28, 2026, polling has consistently pointed in one direction. A Pew Research poll in late March found that

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  Israel says it will not join any US ground operation in Iran

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Israeli forces will not take part in any US ground operation in Iran, according to Israeli media reports, as Washington weighs whether to widen its role in the war. Channel 12 said on Sunday that if the United States launches a ground assault, “Israeli soldiers will not be participating on the ground”, indicating that Israel would leave any such operation to US forces alone. Channel 12 reports that if the US launches a ground operation in Iran, Israeli troops will not take part in the combat. Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/cCr12HxVib — AF Post (@AFpost) March 29, 2026 The report came as US military planning for possible ground operations drew fresh scrutiny in Washington. The Pentagon is reportedly preparing options that could

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  Lindsey Graham: US operation in Iran progressing, paving way for possible Saudi-Israel normalisation agreement

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Senator Lindsey Graham has expressed support for diplomacy with Iran while also stressing the need for immediate military action. He claimed that “the US operation is progressing and could open the way for a normalisation agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.” Posting on his X account, the Republican senator said: “I had a very good discussion with the President about his recent statement regarding the consequences to Iran if they do not agree to an acceptable peace deal. I support diplomatic efforts to end the conflict consistent with our military objectives, but it takes two to tango.” Graham added that “The necessity for military action is weeks not months and Operation Epic Fury is well ahead of pace.” He said

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  Israel reports 232 injuries in 24 hours amid ongoing war with Iran

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Israeli authorities reported 232 injuries within 24 hours, including 80 in the past 12 hours, as the total number of wounded since the start of the war with Iran on 28 February rose to 6,088, according to the Israeli Ministry of Health. In a statement issued on Monday evening, the ministry said that 6,088 injured people had been evacuated to hospitals since the beginning of the US led Israeli war on Iran, up from 6,008 reported earlier the same day. The figures indicate a sharp increase in casualties over a short period. The ministry added that 110 people remain in hospital, including one in critical condition, 16 in serious condition, 24 in moderate condition, 69 with minor injuries and one

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  Egypt’s Taba crossing fee hike sparks anger in Israel

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Egypt’s decision to sharply increase fees at the Taba border crossing has triggered widespread anger in Israel, with calls emerging for a boycott of travel to Egypt. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the fee on the Egyptian side of the crossing rose to $120 per person, marking a steep increase from $60 just days earlier and significantly higher than the $14-$25 range recorded late last year. The report described the increase as sudden and substantial, noting that the crossing — which links the Israeli city of Eilat with Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula — had seen three successive fee hikes in a short period, rising from $25 to $60 in mid-March 2026 before reaching the current level on 28 March. Israeli

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  Why do some Iraqis defend Khamenei’s regime?

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  To understand why some Iraqis today defend the Islamic Republic of Iran with a fervor that borders on devotion, one must return to the 1980s—specifically to the eight brutal years of the Iran–Iraq War. The answer begins there, in the trenches, before it is distorted by the post‑2003 political order that built what I call “the fabricated Iraq,” where nationalism was redefined along sectarian lines rather than civic ones. If one were to take the most zealous Iraqi defender of the Iranian regime today—someone who speaks in the language of “we and they are one”—and trace the history of his father, grandfather, uncle, or brother during the Iran–Iraq War, one would likely find a man who fought bravely against Iran’s

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  Palestinian official: Law allowing execution of prisoners ‘legalises genocide’ against our people

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  A Palestinian official has said that passing an Israeli law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners amounts to “legalising genocide” against the Palestinian people. Raed Abu Al-Humus, head of Palestinian prisoners’ affairs, said the approval of such a law reflects what he described as the true nature of the occupying state. He added that Palestinians are still living under occupation and continue to pay the price for their struggle to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. Speaking in an interview on Egypt’s Extra News TV channel, he said the law is more than a legal measure, describing it as part of a wider, systematic policy targeting prisoners. He added that 89 detainees have died in Israeli prisons

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  Report: King Abdullah II declined meeting request from Netanyahu

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Jordan King Abdullah II reportedly declined a request for a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, according to an Israeli media report published Monday. The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan 11), citing Israeli and Arab sources, said Netanyahu’s office had contacted the Jordanian Royal Court prior to the escalation of the war with Iran, seeking to arrange a meeting between the two leaders. According to the report, Jordan responded by setting a number of conditions for such a meeting. A source familiar with the discussions indicated that the King ultimately refused the request, citing several concerns, including the continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli occupation authorities. Jordanian sources close to decision-making circles in Amman confirmed that the request had been received

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  Spain closes airspace to US planes involved in Iran war, defence minister says

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Spain has closed its airspace to US planes involved in attacks on Iran, a step beyond its previous denial of the use of jointly operated military bases, Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Monday, Reuters reported. “We do not authorise either the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war in Iran,” Robless told reporters in Madrid. Spanish newspaper El Pais first reported the news on Monday, citing military sources. The closure of the airspace forces military planes to bypass NATO member Spain en route to their targets in the Middle East, but it does not include emergency situations, El Pais added. “This decision is part of the decision already made by the

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  Israel military issues evacuation warning to six villages in Lebanon’s western Bekaa

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings on Monday to residents of six villages in Lebanon’s western Bekaa region, urging civilians to leave their homes ahead of possible military operations. Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced the warning, calling on residents of Zlaya, Labaya, Yahmar, Sahmar, Qlaya and Dalafy to evacuate immediately. In a statement posted on X, Adraee urged residents to leave their homes without delay and move towards the northern part of the town of Qaraoun, located within the same district. Read: Netanyahu orders expansion of Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon Adraee said that the warning was issued in response to what the military described as Hezbollah activity in the area, though no further details were provided. The announcement

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  Arab and Muslim ministers condemn Israeli curbs on worship in Jerusalem

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Foreign ministers from several Arab and Muslim countries have condemned Israeli restrictions on freedom of worship in Jerusalem, voicing strong opposition to the measures. In a joint statement, ministers from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt said the restrictions include preventing Muslim worshippers from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Haram al-Sharif compound, as well as blocking the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Custos of the Holy Land from entering Church of the Holy Sepulchre to hold Palm Sunday mass. They described the measures as a “flagrant violation” of freedom of worship. The statement said these actions constitute a clear breach of international law, including international humanitarian law, and violate the longstanding historical and

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  Rethinking America’s greatest threat: Iran vs. Israel-Firsters

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  I filled my car tank this week and paid 40% more than I did just a month ago. That isn’t just an economic abstraction, but another indirect Israeli “surcharge” on American consumers. Meanwhile, Donald Trump spends another getaway weekend at his Mar-a-Lago golf course, a trip subsidized by the same taxpayers who are forced to choose between feeding their families or fueling their cars. Trump’s campaign rhetoric against foreign wars had resonated with American voters who wanted their government to prioritize domestic economy over foreign intervention. He built his movement by criticizing past administrations, Republican and Democrat, for squandering American blood and money abroad. Nevertheless, here we are again: record-high gas prices at home, and thousands of miles away, American

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  Israeli soldiers killed and wounded in clashes with Hezbollah

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Israeli sources have reported a number of soldiers killed and wounded during overnight fighting between Monday and Tuesday with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, as tensions rapidly escalate along the border. The developments come amid a fast-growing military escalation across the frontier, with uncertainty over the true scale of losses and what appears to be a deliberate Israeli blackout. Israel’s military censor has refused to release details and has barred domestic media from reporting on the clashes in southern Lebanon. According to reports circulating on Hebrew-language news platforms, the fighting involved two separate incidents — one using a drone and the other involving explosive devices. The incidents reportedly left soldiers with very critical injuries, while intensive air evacuations were carried out

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  Iranian strike damages US early warning aircraft in Saudi Arabia, raising concerns

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  American media reports say an Iranian strike on a military base in Saudi Arabia caused heavy damage to a US early warning aircraft and injured American personnel. According to NBC News, citing US officials, the specialised early warning aircraft — an E-3 Sentry — was damaged during Friday’s attack on a facility about 80 miles south-east of Riyadh. The incident is described as one of the most significant strikes on sensitive US military assets in the region. Experts said targeting this type of aircraft could affect the US military’s ability to detect threats and manage air operations. It also raises questions about Washington’s readiness for a prolonged conflict, as attacks increase and pressure grows on US military infrastructure in the Middle East. The

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  Al-Azhar urges halt to Israeli measures to legalise killing of Palestinians

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Al-Azhar, the top Islamic Sunni institute in Egypt, said on Tuesday it strongly regretted what it described as the failure of the international legal system to confront Israel’s move to approve a law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners. It called on the international community to act quickly to stop what it said were efforts by Tel Aviv to legalise the killing of Palestinians. The statement came a day after the Knesset passed the legislation by 62 votes to 48, with one abstention, amid celebrations among right-wing parties. Al-Azhar said it “deeply regrets and strongly condemns the collapse of the international legal system and its inability to confront the Zionist occupation’s approval of a bill to implement the death penalty against

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  The death of denial: Why the Middle East’s “Gray Zone” just vanished

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Three weeks ago, this region operated under a set of assumptions that had held, more or less, for forty years. Iran would threaten. Proxies would fight. Oil would flow. And everyone would continue doing what they do best. For 30 years, the Middle East operated in what strategists called the Gray Zone. Iran funded Hezbollah but denied it. The US pressed sanctions but avoided confrontation. The GCC hosted American bases but maintained economic ties with Tehran. Israel struck Iranian assets in Syria but kept the conflict deniable. Everyone had leverage. No one had to commit fully. A shroud of ambiguity engulfed the region. February 28 put an end to that ambiguity. Those assumptions are gone. The Gray Zone required ambiguity

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  Iran’s president says decision to end war ‘must guarantee people’s security, interests’

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that any decision to end the war with the US and Israel must “guarantee the security and interests of the Iranian people,” Anadolu reports. “The resistance shown by the army, along with the national unity shown by the Iranian people during the war, are among the most important factors that helped the country overcome the current critical circumstances,” Pezeshkian said during a cabinet meeting, as cited by the state news agency IRNA. He also underlined the importance of the “pro-government demonstrations” in various cities in bolstering Iranian positions. READ: US deploys special operations forces to Middle East amid Iran war: Report “The people’s gathering in the evening has great value… Iran inspires freedom fighters,” he said.

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  US raises concerns with Israel over restrictions at Jerusalem holy sites during Holy Week

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  The United States has raised concerns with Israel over restrictions on access to holy sites in Jerusalem during the Christian Holy Week, the White House said on Monday, Anadolu reports. “I did speak with Secretary Rubio this morning, and we did express our concerns with Israel with respect to these holy sites being shut down,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “We want worshipers to be able to access these holy sites,” she said, adding that security remains a priority. “We understand Israel is working on security measures to reopen the sites throughout Holy Week, and that’s something we appreciate,” she added. READ: Israeli police bar Latin Patriarch from Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday Leavitt claimed Israeli authorities

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  Israeli Knesset passes law mandating death penalty for Palestinian prisoners

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Israel’s Knesset (parliament) on Monday passed a controversial law allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, Anadolu reports. The bill was approved in second and third readings by 62 votes against 48, and one abstention, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in support of the law. READ: US lawmaker calls Israel’s death penalty bill ‘next step in the genocide’

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  US says Iran talks ‘going well’ despite public rejection from Tehran

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  The White House said on Monday that talks with Iran are continuing and “going well,” despite public statements from Tehran indicating otherwise, Anadolu reports. “We are seeing the remaining elements of the regime become increasingly eager to end the destruction and come to the negotiating table while they still can,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “What is said publicly is, of course, much different than what’s being communicated to us privately. “Anything they say to us privately will be tested, and we will ensure that they are held accountable to their word,” she said. Leavitt says President Donald Trump has laid out the military consequences that Iranian would face if they “don’t hold true to the words

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  Iranian, French foreign ministers discuss regional escalation after US-Israeli war

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot discussed the ongoing escalation in the Middle East region on Monday and their security and economic repercussions in a phone call, Anadolu reports. Araghchi said Iran would continue what he described as “defensive operations” against the US and Israel, including targeting their military bases and facilities in the region, the state news agency IRNA reported. He argued that Iranian retaliatory attacks are a “response” to the US use of regional territories and bases to wage an “illegal war” against Iran. The Iranian minister criticized some European countries, saying they have limited their response to expressing concern over the economic consequences of the war while remaining silent to “brutal attacks”

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  US lawmaker calls Israel’s death penalty bill ‘next step in the genocide’

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib condemned an Israeli bill that would mandate the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, calling it “the next step in the genocide of Palestinians” and an act of apartheid, Anadolu reports. “Mass execution by hanging, solely on racial lines” constitutes apartheid Tlaib said on the US social media platform X, adding that Palestinians are “already systematically tortured in Israeli prisons.” Israel has sharply escalated its violations against Palestinian detainees since the start of the war in October 2023, particularly those from Gaza, including starvation, torture, sexual violence, and systematic denial of medical care, according to rights groups. READ: Rights groups call for emergency meeting of parties to the Geneva Conventions regarding the proposed Israeli law to execute Palestinian

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  Israeli police arrest five during Knesset protest over state budget

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Israeli police announced on Monday the arrest of five protesters during a demonstration in front of the Knesset building in western Jerusalem against the approval of the state budget, Anadolu Agency reports. In a statement, police said the five were arrested while dispersing the protest, accusing them of “disturbing public order and disobeying instructions.” Earlier on Monday, the Times of Israel reported that Knesset members approved the budget by 62 votes to 55 out of 120 members. The newspaper described the budget as 850.6 billion shekels ($271 billion), the largest in Israel’s history. Protesters carried signs reading “Wartime Looting,” “The Looting Budget,” and “The Knesset’s Looting Budget.” Security personnel and police were filmed removing the signs during the demonstration, Israeli

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  Turkiye’s foreign minister discusses regional situation with UN chief

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed the situation in the Middle East and efforts to end the ongoing Iran war, Turkish diplomatic sources said Monday, Anadolu Agency reports. Fidan and Guterres talked over the phone, according to sources. The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched an air offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation. READ: No one but you can stop war in Middle East, al-Sisi tells Trump