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

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  Spanish PM defends Barcelona star Yamal’s display of Palestinian flag

  by Marwa A on May 13, 2026

  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has addressed the recent actions of Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, who displayed a Palestinian flag during the club’s La Liga title celebrations. Speaking at a press conference, Sánchez responded to journalists’ questions regarding the incident by contextualising Spain’s diplomatic stance. He noted that Spain has already formally recognised the state of Palestine. “Spain has recognised the state of Palestine,” Sánchez stated. “From the very beginning, Spain condemned the attacks by Hamas, and later condemned the war being waged by the Israeli authorities in the Gaza Strip.” The Prime Minister’s comments come amid heightened scrutiny of public figures expressing political views on the conflict. Sánchez emphasised that Spain’s position remains balanced, advocating for a peaceful resolution

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  US intelligence reports surprise Trump with Iran’s underground missile capabilities

  by Marwa A on May 13, 2026

  US intelligence agencies have privately informed decision-makers that Iran has regained control of about 90 per cent of its underground missile facilities across the country, according to sources cited by The New York Times. The classified assessments, conducted earlier this month, said Tehran had preserved a large part of its missile arsenal, developing a strategic challenge for Washington amid what officials described as a severe shortage of key munitions. The assessments, based on satellite imagery and advanced surveillance technologies, showed figures described as alarming for senior US officials. They found that about 90 per cent of Iran’s underground storage and launch facilities were operating either partially or fully. Iran has also restored operational access to 30 out of 33 missile

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  UK to deploy drones, fighter jets, warship for future Hormuz security mission

  by Marwa A on May 12, 2026

  The United Kingdom will deploy drones, Typhoon fighter jets and the Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon as part of a future multinational mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Defence Ministry said on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The announcement came after a virtual summit involving defence ministers and representatives from more than 40 countries participating in the planned multinational military mission. According to the ministry, the UK contribution will include autonomous mine-hunting systems, counter-drone capabilities and mine-clearance specialists, backed by 115 million pounds ($152 million) in new funding. The package will also feature the Royal Navy’s modular “Beehive” system equipped with autonomous Kraken drone boats designed to detect, track and respond to threats. HMS Dragon is already heading to

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  Iran sets 5 conditions for new talks with US: Report

  by Marwa A on May 12, 2026

  Iran will not enter a second round of negotiations with the United States unless five trust-building conditions are met, Fars News Agency reported Tuesday, citing an informed source, Anadolu reports. The source said Tehran considers the conditions to be “minimum guarantees” necessary for starting any new negotiations with Washington. According to the report, Iran’s conditions include “ending the war on all fronts, especially Lebanon,” lifting sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian assets, compensating for war damage and recognizing Iran’s sovereignty rights over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also informed Pakistani mediators that the continuation of the US naval blockade in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman after the ceasefire has further reinforced Tehran’s distrust toward negotiations with the United States, the

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  Israeli airstrikes kill at least 10, injures 8 in southern Lebanon

  by Marwa A on May 12, 2026

  Ten people were killed and eight others injured Tuesday in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, including two civil defense workers killed while carrying out a rescue mission in Nabatieh despite ceasefire, according to official Lebanese media, Anadolu reports. An overnight Israeli airstrike targeting an inhabited house in Lebanon’s southern town of Kfar Dounine has killed at least six people and injured seven others, according to the National News Agency (NNA). The wounded were taken to hospitals in Tyre. Israeli artillery shells also targeted the outskirts of the towns of Mansouri and Majdal Zoun at dawn. In a separate incident, NNA reported that a Syrian man was killed and his wife wounded after an Israeli drone targeted their motorcycle on the

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  Nearly 50,000 displaced in Sudan’s Blue Nile state since start of 2026

  by Marwa A on May 12, 2026

  Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced across Sudan’s Blue Nile state since the beginning of 2026 amid ongoing clashes in the region, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the organization said an estimated 49,512 people, or 9,899 families, were displaced across the southeastern state between Jan. 11 and May 4. According to the IOM, 28,020 people were displaced from Kurmuk, 18,722 from Bau and 11,855 from Geissan. The displaced population moved to seven locations across Blue Nile state, including the state capital Damazin, which received 25,630 displaced people, the organization added. The IOM said 78 percent of the newly displaced people were sheltering in informal gathering sites, while 13 percent were staying in

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  Protesters rally outside Belgian broadcaster over Israel’s Eurovision participation

  by Marwa A on May 12, 2026

  A group of people gathered on Tuesday outside the headquarters of the Belgian public broadcaster RTBF in Brussels to protest Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, Anadolu reports. Waving Palestinian flags, protesters expressed their opposition to Israel being included in the competition and accused RTBF of being complicit in its participation. Some demonstrators attached printed messages to the building’s metal fences, voicing their objections to RTBF’s involvement in the contest. Protesters carried placards reading “End complicity,” emphasizing that Israel’s participation in the contest was unacceptable, and called on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the broadcasters airing the event to take action. They also drew attention to journalists and media workers who have been killed in Israeli attacks in

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  Turkish Football Federation president repeatedly rejects meeting Israeli counterpart

  by Marwa A on May 12, 2026

  Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said Tuesday that he repeatedly refused to meet the head of the Israeli Football Association due to Gaza genocide, Anadolu reports. “We have a very important friendship with Spain as a country, in sports, and in politics. When I see the Spanish Football Federation president (Rafael Louzan) from afar, I go and hug him. They are also very sensitive about the Palestinian issue. If Israel had participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Spain would have said, ‘We will not participate,’” Haciosmanoglu told Anadolu. “The President of the Israeli Football Association (Moshe Zuares) repeatedly wanted to meet with me. I did not meet with him, and I will not. Where we need to

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  Kuwait summons Iranian ambassador to protest alleged ‘IRGC members’ infiltration on Bubiyan Island

  by Marwa A on May 12, 2026

  Kuwait summoned the Iranian ambassador on Tuesday to protest the alleged infiltration of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to Bubiyan Island, where they clashed with Kuwaiti forces, Anadolu reports. The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Suleiman al-Mashaan handed Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Totonji a formal protest note over an “armed infiltration” by IRGC elements. The ministry condemned the incident as a “hostile act,” calling on Iran to immediately and unconditionally halt such actions. Kuwait also held Iran fully responsible for a “blatant violation” of Kuwaiti sovereignty, international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026. The statement stressed that Kuwait reserves the full right to defend itself

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  Israeli ultra-Orthodox party threatens to topple government over draft bill delay

  by Marwa A on May 12, 2026

  Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Degel HaTorah party renewed threats Tuesday to topple the government and push for early elections after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly hinted at delaying a contentious military conscription bill until after the general election, Anadolu reports. The Knesset term ends in October, after which Israel is scheduled to hold national elections. Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael form the ultra-Orthodox alliance United Torah Judaism, a partner in Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition government. The alliance holds seven seats in the 120-member Knesset and is seeking support from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, which has 11 seats. Even if the alliance withdraws, the government would still retain 68 seats, meaning its departure would not necessarily collapse the coalition. It is not the first

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  Unanswered questions before Prince Turki Al-Faisal

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  In his recent article in Asharq Al-Awsat, Prince Turki Al-Faisal offers a sober and realistic reading of the balance of power in the Arabian Gulf. With his deep security and diplomatic experience, Prince Turki presents an analysis that commands the attention of observers. Western media often treat his statements as indicators of Riyadh’s strategic mood, despite the fact that he has held no official government position for years. Prince Turki reminds us that Saudi Arabia possesses the military capability to respond in kind to Iran. Yet any comprehensive retaliation would trigger a scenario of mutual destruction: strikes on Iranian facilities would be met with attacks on Saudi Arabia’s vital infrastructure—from oil installations to desalination plants stretching along the Gulf coast

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  Palestinian population reaches 15.5 million worldwide, half lives in Palestine

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Tuesday that the number of Palestinians worldwide has reached about 15.5 million, including 7.4 million living in historic Palestine, Anadolu reports. In a statement marking the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, a term used by Palestinians to mark Israel’s creation in 1948, the bureau said about 8.1 million Palestinians live in the diaspora. It said more than two million Palestinians are displaced inside Gaza and the occupied West Bank as a result of Israel’s war on Gaza and continued settlement expansion. Israel’s war on Gaza has displaced nearly two million Palestinians out of about 2.2 million who lived in the enclave on the eve of the war, the bureau said. Many now live

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  Do not surrender to despair or hope

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Marx analyzed the dynamics by which employers profit from workers’ labor, predicting that this exploitation would inevitably spark a revolution. A logical conclusion, it would seem—yet most workers have not revolted over the past hundred years, nor are they revolting today. Marx also predicted that European societies with the highest proportion of workers, such as Germany and the United Kingdom, would move toward socialism. Yet they turned to fascism, while the socialist revolution took place in Russian society, which had a low proportion of workers. This contradiction preoccupied the leader of the Italian Communist Party, Antonio Gramsci. He spent his years in Mussolini’s prisons analysing it and concluded that authorities exercise not only coercive, material, violent hegemony but also cultural

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  Kuwait says it arrested 4 people affiliated with Iran’s IRGC

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Kuwait’s Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that four people affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were arrested while attempting to enter the country by sea, Anadolu reports. “During interrogation, the infiltrators admitted that they belong to Iran’s IRGC,” the state news agency KUNA said, citing the ministry. The ministry said the infiltrators admitted that they had been tasked with infiltrating Bubiyan Island using a rented fishing boat intended for carrying out “hostile acts against Kuwait.” It said a security member was injured in clashes with the infiltrators. The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry condemned the incident and held Iran the “full responsibility” for these actions. Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28,

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  The Complicit Lens: US Media Coverage of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  While independent and alternative media wrought a change in US public opinion since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, mainstream media provided Israel with a coverup for its crimes. “This book does not make for easy reading,” Rashid Khalidi wrote in the introduction to Robin Andersen’s The Complicit Lens: US Media Coverage of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza (OR Books, 2026). While legacy media justified genocide and acted as a mouthpiece for Israel and the US, independent media illustrated genocide as it happened. As Israel’s genocide continued without political opposition, legacy and mainstream media framed Palestinians in Gaza and anyone opposing the genocide as “the villains of the story, rather than the war criminals who perpetrated these murders, and this

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  43,000 people in Gaza suffered life-changing injuries since October 2023: WHO

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  An estimated 43,000 people of the 172,000 injured in Gaza since October 2023 have sustained life-changing injuries, including around 10,000 children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday. Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Reinhilde Van de Weerdt, the WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, said the updated estimates reflect the devastating long-term impact of the conflict on Gaza’s population and healthcare system. Since WHO’s last report in September 2025, nearly 5,000 additional life-changing injuries have been recorded, almost half of them after the ceasefire was announced in October 2025, she said. According to WHO data, major limb injuries account for the largest share of severe cases, with more than 22,000 recorded, followed by over 5,000 traumatic amputations, more than

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  EU sanctions on settlers is turning a blind eye to colonialism

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Some weeks ago, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas commented about the futility of suspending the EU-Israeli Association Agreement, saying it would not stop settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. The EU has now sanctioned three Israeli settles and four settler organisations. “It was high time we move from deadlock to delivery,” Kallas stated. “Extremisms and violence carry consequences.” Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had repeatedly used the veto to block sanctions. However, the EU had repeatedly exhibited its reluctance to stop any part of Israel’s violence. Orban was just one temporary part of the EU’s constructed impunity for Israel. What remains at an institutional and political level carries far more consequences than Orban.  The EU’s feigned concern

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  ‘Slow suffocation’: Oxygen crisis threatens patients at Gaza hospitals

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Inside the corridors of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, doctors and nurses anxiously monitor oxygen levels and ventilators as a worsening crisis threatens to cut oxygen supplies to one of Gaza’s largest functioning hospitals, Anadolu reports. In the neonatal unit, premature babies lie in glass incubators connected to oxygen tubes that help them breathe, while their mothers watch the machines in fear that supplies could be cut off. In intensive care units, patients depend on ventilators to stay alive as alarms repeatedly sound because of low oxygen pressure. Medical teams are trying to prevent any possible interruption. Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza has two oxygen-generating stations. “The main station recently went out of service because of technical failures and

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  Israel sent Iron Dome batteries, personnel to UAE during Iran war: US envoy

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  US Ambassador to Tel Aviv Mike Huckabee said Tuesday that Israel sent Iron Dome anti-missile batteries and personnel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the Iran war. Mike Huckabee made the remarks on stage at an event in Tel Aviv, Israel, according to CBS News. “I’d like to say a word of appreciation for the United Arab Emirates, the first Abraham Accord member,” Huckabee said. “Just look at the benefits. Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them.” There was no response from Abu Dhabi until 0900GMT regarding claims by Mike Huckabee. The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies

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  Hamas decries Israeli law allowing execution of its detainees as ‘new crime’

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Hamas warned of “grave consequences” on Tuesday from a new Israeli law establishing a special military court for group members and granting it the power to issue death sentences, calling the measure “a dangerous escalation” and a “new crime” against Palestinian prisoners, Anadolu reports. The Israeli Knesset passed the law Monday evening after approving it in its second and third readings. The measure establishes a special military court for Hamas “elite force” members. The law “reveals the vengeful and racist nature of the occupation system,” Hamas said in a statement. It warned that the legislation represents “a dangerous escalation and a new crime added to the occupation’s record of war crimes and systematic violations against our people.” “The Israeli government seeks

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  Bangladesh slams Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Bangladesh on Tuesday strongly condemned Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon that killed more people, including two Bangladeshi nationals living there, Anadolu reports. Israeli airstrikes targeting an inhabited house in Lebanon’s southern town of Kfar Dounine on Monday killed at least six people and injured seven others, according to Lebanon’s state-run media. Bangladesh also reiterated its deep concern over the continuing violence and loss of civilian lives in the region and called for maximum restraint and adherence to international humanitarian law, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Bangladesh condemns in the strongest possible terms the heinous attack by Israeli forces in Southern Lebanon yesterday, which resulted in the tragic killing of two Bangladeshi nationals,” it added. OPINION: Iran war and the

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  8 Israeli soldiers injured in clashes with Hezbollah during Lebanon incursion: Media

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Eight Israeli soldiers were injured in clashes with Hezbollah fighters during an incursion north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon amid escalation despite a temporary ceasefire, according to Israeli media on Tuesday. Army Radio and Channel 14 said the soldiers were wounded in three direct, close-range clashes with Hezbollah. The confrontations erupted after troops from the Golani Brigade and Egoz Unit crossed the Litani River toward the outskirts of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, a village about 10 kilometers from the Israeli border, in what Army Radio described as an operation to “neutralize rocket launchers.” The operation lasted about a week and wounded several soldiers, Army Radio said. Channel 14 said eight Israeli soldiers were injured in clashes with Hezbollah fighters in

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  Knesset approves 1st reading of bill to place heritage sites in occupied West Bank under direct Israeli control

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  The Knesset (Israel’s parliament) has passed the first reading of a bill that would place heritage sites in the occupied West Bank under direct Israeli control, Anadolu reports. A Tuesday statement by the Knesset said its members approved the bill on Monday evening. The measure “proposes to establish the direct responsibility of the state for the care of antiquities, heritage, and archaeological sites” in the West Bank by creating a body under Israel’s Heritage Ministry, the statement said. The bill also proposes to grant the body “all the necessary powers” to excavate, develop, and manage archaeological and heritage sites, as well as “expropriating and acquiring land for this purpose,” it added. READ: Israeli Knesset approves law to establish military court for Hamas

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  Has El-Sisi driven up suicide rates in Egypt?

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  This people have found no one to show them compassion,” read the title of a statement delivered by former Egyptian Defence Minister Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on 3 July 2013, announcing a military coup that removed the late Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected civilian president. It never crossed Egyptians’ minds that the general who promised them “compassion”, and who has been president since 2014 — now serving a third term extending to 2030 — would preside over a period during which the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, would come to an end under the weight of harsh living and economic conditions. The near-daily reports of suicides in Egypt have sparked widespread debate and raised pressing questions about the causes, implications

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  Escalating US-Iranian Tensions Boost Gold and Oil Prices

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Precious metal prices rose on Monday after US President Donald Trump announced his rejection of Iran’s response to his country’s proposal to end the war. Gold rose 0.5 percent to $4,754 an ounce in spot trading. Silver jumped 6 percent in spot trading to $85.9 an ounce, and platinum rose 2.3 percent to $2,118 an ounce. Observers believe that gold is in demand as a safe haven due to the uncertainty surrounding the global economy as a result of the ongoing repercussions of the war, in addition to central banks continuing to purchase the precious metal. READ: Iran says ready to give ‘memorable lesson’ to any aggression Demand for silver has also increased due to its growing use in several industries,

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  Palestinians in Jerusalem receive only 7% of housing units

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  New data published by the Israeli rights organisation, Bimkom, reveals an escalation in discriminatory planning policies against Palestinians in Jerusalem. The data indicates that Israeli authorities approved only about 600 housing units for Palestinians in 2025, compared to approximately 9,000 units allocated to Jews. According to the data, Palestinians, who constitute nearly 40 percent of Jerusalem’s population, received only about 7 percent of all housing units approved this year. The organisation described this as a sign of the deepening of policies restricting urban development in East Jerusalem. The organisation explained that the period after 2024 saw the approval of approximately 2,000 housing units in Palestinian neighbourhoods, compared to more than 15,700 units in Jewish neighbourhoods, including about 5,700 units beyond

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  Hebrew newspaper: Microsoft temporarily moves management of its Israeli branch to France

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  The Israeli business daily Globes revealed that Microsoft has temporarily moved the management of its Israeli branch to France following an internal investigation into allegations that it provided services to Israeli security agencies and monitored data related to Palestinians. The newspaper reported that “Microsoft decided to temporarily move the management of its Israeli branch to France following an internal investigation into allegations that it provided services to Israeli security agencies in a manner that may conflict with its internal policies and code of ethics.” The report stated that the investigation addressed information concerning the storage of data related to the monitoring of Palestinians on company servers located in Europe, “which raised legal and regulatory concerns within the company, especially in

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  Israeli Knesset approves law to establish military court for Hamas elite unit members

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  The Israeli parliament on Monday night approved a law establishing a special military court for members of Hamas’ elite unit, after passing its second and third readings. In mid-January, the Knesset approved the bill in its first reading. It was introduced by Constitution Committee chairman Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionism party and opposition lawmaker Yulia Malinovsky of Yisrael Beytenu party.  Israel’s public broadcaster said the bill passed its second and third readings, officially becoming law. The privately owned newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the law was approved by 93 votes, with no opposition or abstentions. The newspaper said: “the law lays the legal foundation for unprecedented trials – the largest and most significant held in Israel since the Eichmann trial.”   

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  Israeli media attack Yamal after he waved Palestinian flag at Barcelona La Liga win celebrations

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Israeli media outlets on Monday criticised Lamine Yamal, the Spanish football star of FC Barcelona, after he waved a Palestinian flag while celebrating his team’s Spanish league title victory. Yamal, 18, drew widespread attention during the team’s open-top bus parade through the Catalan city, where he was seen waving the Palestinian flag in scenes that sparked wide interaction among fans and on social media. The celebrations followed Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Real Madrid on Sunday. Commenting on the incident, Israel’s Channel 12 said Yamal had “used the football occasion to express his political position”, adding that while Barcelona players celebrated wearing club scarves, Yamal celebrated with the Palestinian flag “in contrast to the rest of his teammates”. Israeli newspaper Yedioth

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  UAE condemns hijacking of oil tanker off Yemen, expresses full solidarity with Egypt

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates has condemned the hijacking of an oil tanker while sailing off the Yemeni coast, carrying a number of Egyptian sailors, saying such criminal acts threaten maritime security and global trade. In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the country’s full solidarity with Egypt and with the families of the kidnapped sailors, and voiced support for efforts aimed at ensuring their safety and securing their release. The ministry stressed the “importance of intensifying international efforts to combat piracy and organised crime in vital maritime routes”. It also said maritime security is a key pillar of global economic stability and international trade, reaffirming the UAE’s call for stronger regional and international cooperation to protect commercial

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  Iran warns of 90% uranium enrichment in case of renewed US-Israeli attack

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Iran warned on Tuesday that one of its responses could be 90% of uranium enrichment in case of a renewed offensive by the US and Israel on its territory. “We will review it in the parliament,” said Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s Foreign Policy and National Security Committee, in a post through US social media company X. Rezaei’s remarks came as regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel, as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a

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  Israeli army raids West Bank’s Ramallah, renews closure of Al Jazeera office

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Israeli forces raided the city of Ramallah in the central West Bank early Tuesday and stormed the office of Qatar-based Al Jazeera TV, Anadolu reports. An Israeli army force entered central Ramallah and raided Al Jazeera’s office in Manara Square, witnesses told Anadolu. Israeli forces posted an order renewing the office’s closure and fired tear gas and stun grenades around the square, the witnesses added. They also tightened military measures at Ramallah’s northern entrances and closed main roads for several hours, causing traffic congestion and disrupting Palestinian movement, according to witnesses. On May 5, 2024, the Israeli government approved a decision to close Al Jazeera’s offices for 45 days based on a proposal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Communications Minister

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  Occupation forces expel Catholic priest from Palestine amidst widespread anger in Christian circles

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  In a poignant farewell, Catholic priest Father Louis Salman presided over his final mass in Beit Sahour on Sunday before being forced to leave the Palestinian territories and return to Jordan after Israeli authorities refused to renew his residency permit. Father Louis, who serves as the pastor of the Latin Church in Beit Sahour and the spiritual advisor for youth, and is considered one of the most influential figures among Palestinian Christian youth, was officially informed that he must leave the country before Monday, 11th May, following a lengthy and unusual security investigation conducted by Israeli authorities. According to church sources, Israel justified its decision by citing Father Louis’s political stances and his significant influence on Christian youth, particularly given

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  US report says UAE secretly carrying out attacks on Iran

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  US intelligence reports have revealed that the UAE has joined active military operations against Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday evening that “the United Arab Emirates has carried out military strikes on Iran,” with implicit backing from the US administration, which has also encouraged other Gulf states to join the fighting. The attacks, which the UAE has not officially acknowledged, reportedly included strikes on an oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf. People familiar with the matter said the UAE had launched military strikes against Iran, describing the Gulf monarchy as an active combatant in a war in which it has been Iran’s biggest target.  The report said the UAE military is well equipped with

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  Aramco warns world is nearing severe fuel crisis

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Saudi oil giant Saudi Aramco has warned that global petrol and jet fuel stocks could fall to “critical levels” by the summer if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, according to the Financial Times. The warning marks a rare and high-profile intervention by the world’s largest oil company amid growing concerns over a worsening energy crisis following the war with Iran. Aramco chief executive Amin Nasser said the depletion of onshore reserves was accelerating rapidly, with refined fuels, including petrol and jet fuel, seeing the sharpest decline. He said the world had effectively lost the equivalent of around one billion barrels of oil since the start of the war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He

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  Smotrich unveils plan to annex strategic territories in West Bank

  by MI on May 12, 2026

  Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Monday that he had submitted a plan to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take control of strategic land in the occupied West Bank. The announcement represents a clear challenge to the European Union’s decision to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers and groups involved in supporting settlement activity.  In response to the EU decision, Smotrich posted on X, claiming that “European hypocrisy knows no bounds.”   “No one will force the State of Israel to pursue a policy of national suicide,” he said, claiming that the attempt to turn the national conflict against Palestinian terrorism into a crime will fail. READ: EU agrees on sanctions targeting Israeli occupiers in West Bank The Israeli minister, who also

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Phyllis Bennis on Israeli Genocide and Palestinians｜Vanishing Dream

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Former CIA Analyst Scott Ritter: Iran and Nuclear Armageddon

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  Italy evacuates 72 Palestinian students from Gaza under university program

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  Italy has evacuated 72 Palestinian university students from Gaza under a program aimed at allowing them to continue their studies at universities in Italy and San Marino, Anadolu reports. Italy’s Foreign Ministry said Monday the students were evacuated through the “university corridor” initiative led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. According to the ministry, the students are expected to arrive in Jordan’s capital Amman on Monday evening before traveling to Italy on Tuesday. Of the 72 students, two will continue their education in San Marino, while the others will enroll at 21 universities across Italy. READ: EU cannot continue to be ‘bystanders’ on Gaza, West Bank, says Irish foreign minister The initiative aims to relocate students from Gaza

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  Israeli occupiers establish new illegal settlement outpost in West Bank, attack Palestinians

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  Israeli occupiers established a new illegal settlement outpost on Palestinian land east of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Monday, while three Palestinians were injured in an occupier attack near Hebron, according to Palestinian organizations. The Bedouin rights group Al-Baydar said in a statement that occupiers erected a new outpost in the Jisr al-Khala area near the town of Rummon, east of Ramallah. The organization said Israeli occupiers set up a tent and installed mobile homes on land belonging to Palestinian residents. Attempts to seize the area aim to forcibly displace Palestinians, it said, warning the outpost could become a launch point for “terror attacks” against residents in the area. Separately, Israeli occupiers attacked Palestinian vehicles Monday evening on

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  Indonesia to deploy over 700 peacekeepers in southern Lebanon amid attacks, killings by Israel

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  Indonesia on Monday said that it will deploy more than 700 peacekeepers to southern Lebanon despite attacks and killings by Israel, Anadolu reports. The deployment of 742 soldiers will be carried out as part of a rotation to replace Indonesian peacekeeping troops currently serving in Lebanon, according to Presidential Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman, reported by the state-run news agency Antara. “I see that the troops are ready. Of course, this is a UN mission, but more importantly it is a mission for the Indonesian nation,” Dudung said. READ: UN peacekeepers in Lebanon record over 1,296 Israeli military strikes in last 3 days He emphasized the importance of ensuring the soldiers’ safety, maintaining Indonesia’s reputation, and carrying out their duties to

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  Palestinian prisoner dies of injuries from gunfire by Israeli occupiers in West Bank

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  A Palestinian man died Monday in an Israeli hospital from wounds sustained from gunfire by occupiers in the occupied West Bank before he was detained by army forces, according to Palestinian prisoner advocacy groups, Anadolu reports. The Palestinian Prisoner Society and the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs said in a joint statement that 29-year-old Qusai Ibrahim Ali Rayyan died at Beilinson Hospital in Israel. The groups said Rayyan, a father of one from the town of Qarawat Bani Hassan near Salfit in the northern West Bank, was detained by Israeli forces on April 15 after Israeli authorities alleged he attempted to carry out “a stabbing attack.” According to the statement, Israeli authorities extended his detention for eight days. The groups said

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  Iran says ready to give ‘memorable lesson’ to any aggression

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  Iran is ready to give a “memorable lesson” to any aggression, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Monday after US President Donald Trump rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to end the war. “Our armed forces are ready to give a memorable lesson to any aggression,” Qalibaf wrote in a post on US social media company X. “Wrong strategies and wrong decisions always produce wrong results. The whole world has already understood this,” he added. Qalibaf also warned that Iran is prepared for “all options,” saying opponents “will be surprised.” The warning came after Trump rejected Iran’s latest response to a US proposal to end the war as “totally unacceptable.” Iranian officials and media outlets have said Tehran’s proposal focuses on

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  Trump says Iran ceasefire on ‘massive life support,’ blasts Tehran’s response as ‘piece of garbage’

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the ceasefire with Iran is on “massive life support,” calling Tehran’s response to Washington’s latest proposal a “piece of garbage,” Anadolu reports. Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump said the ceasefire was in an “unbelievably weak” state. “I would call it the weakest right now, after reading that piece of garbage,” referring to the response Iran sent Pakistani mediators on Sunday. “I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a 1% chance of living’,” he added. “It’s a stupid proposal, and nobody would take it,” Trump said. Trump also criticized the Iranian side for taking four

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  Heathrow passenger traffic falls amid Mideast conflict disruptions

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  Passenger traffic at London’s Heathrow Airport declined in April as tensions and conflict in the Middle East affected international travel demand and disrupted global aviation routes, Anadolu reports. The airport said around 6.7 million passengers traveled through Heathrow last month, marking a 5% decrease compared with the same period in April 2025 and the sharpest annual decline since March last year. Airport officials attributed the slowdown to the impact of the Iran-Israel conflict and broader regional tensions and short-term changes in travel behavior. Despite the overall decline, transit passenger numbers increased 10% year over year in April as travelers flying to destinations in Asia and Oceania increasingly chose Heathrow for connecting flights instead of Gulf hubs such as Dubai International

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  UN peacekeepers in Lebanon record over 1,296 Israeli military strikes in last 3 days

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has recorded extensive Israeli army activity over the last three days, according to a UN spokesperson on Monday. “Between Friday and today, UNIFIL has continued to record extensive military activity across this area of operations,” Farhan Haq said at a news conference. Haq noted that “peacekeepers observed more than 1,296 trajectories or projectiles attributed to the Israeli Defense Forces, and 64 trajectories or projectiles attributed to Hezbollah” during this period. On movement restrictions, he said “incidents involving the denial of freedom of movement to UNIFIL peacekeepers continue to occur daily,” adding that an Israeli army tank and bulldozer blocked UNIFIL personnel in Sector West on Saturday. Haq reiterated that “the responsibility of all

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  Italy slams ‘too many, unacceptable’ attacks against Christians by Israel

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned what he described as “unacceptable” violence against Christians by Israel in the Middle East, Anadolu Agency reports. Speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Tajani said attacks and acts of intimidation targeting Christians in Lebanon, Israel, and the occupied West Bank had become “far too many.” Asked about incidents of violence and insults directed at Christians and Christian values in the Middle East by the Israeli army and illegal occupiers, Tajani said: “I condemned the violence against Christians in Lebanon, Israel, and the West Bank. These incidents are far too many and unacceptable. This also includes disrespectful behavior and insults against sacred values that offend the sensitivities of Catholics. No one

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  Israeli army preparing to expand ground operations in Lebanon despite ceasefire: Report

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  The Israeli army is preparing to expand its ground operations in Lebanon pending approval from the political echelon, Israeli media reported Monday. “In light of the ceasefire and the ongoing violations by Hezbollah, the Israeli army is already preparing on the ground to expand its ground operations in Lebanon,” according to Channel 12 The broadcaster said the army was making field preparations “to create the possibility of expanding the fighting,” depending on decisions by Israel’s political leadership. “We are preparing for the possibility that the political echelon will give the green light to expand the operation in Lebanon,” the broadcaster quoted an unnamed Israeli military source as saying. Three Israeli military divisions are currently operating in Lebanon, according to the

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  US says 62 commercial vessels redirected under naval blockade of Iran

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  The US military said Monday that 62 commercial vessels attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports have been redirected under a US naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic, Anadolu Agency reports. “USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) monitors regional waters as it transits the Arabian Sea during enforcement of the U.S. blockade against Iran,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on the US social media platform X. It added: “CENTCOM forces have redirected 62 commercial ships and disabled 4 to ensure compliance.” Regional tensions sharply escalated after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran, triggering Iranian retaliation against Israel and American allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took

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  EU agrees to lift sanctions on Syria’s interior, defense ministers

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  The EU has agreed to lift sanctions on Syria’s interior and defense ministers as part of a broader policy shift toward Damascus, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Monday, Anadolu Agency reports. “We also agreed to lift the sanctions on Syria’s interior and defense ministers,” Kallas told reporters following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, adding that the decision is linked to efforts to reset relations and support political transition in the country after years of suspension under the Bashar Assad era. EU ministers also agreed to fully resume the EU-Syria Cooperation Agreement, previously partially suspended, and to launch a high-level political dialogue with Syrian authorities later in the day. She said that the EU is preparing

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  Egypt confirms oil tanker hijacked off Yemen’s coast, taken to Somalia

  by MI on May 11, 2026

  Egypt confirmed Monday that an oil tanker carrying eight Egyptian sailors was hijacked off Yemen’s coast and taken to Somalia, Anadolu Agency reports. Egypt is “closely monitoring the hijacking of the tanker M/T Eureka from Yemeni territorial waters, which was taken to Somali territorial waters,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry said Foreign Badr Abdelatty has instructed the embassy in Mogadishu to follow up on the situation of the eight Egyptian sailors aboard the hijacked tanker and work for their swift release. Abdelatty also urged the embassy to communicate “at the highest level” with Somali authorities to ensure the safety and security of the sailors. READ: Egypt incurs $10B in Suez Canal losses over Gaza war, president