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

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  Iran had no plan to target UAE, senior military official says

  by Marwa A on May 4, 2026

  A senior Iranian military official said on Monday that Tehran had no plans to target the United Arab Emirates, Iranian state media IRIB reported, Anadolu reports. A major fire broke out at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone on Monday after what UAE authorities said was a drone attack launched from Iran. Civil defense teams were dispatched to contain the blaze, with reports of three moderate injuries. The incident followed reports by the UAE Defense Ministry that four cruise missiles were launched toward the country, most of which were intercepted. Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, prompting retaliatory actions by Tehran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took

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  Major fire erupts at UAE oil facility after drone strike from Iran

  by Marwa A on May 4, 2026

  A major fire broke out at an oil facility in the Fujairah emirate of the UAE on Monday after it was struck by a drone launched from Iran, authorities said, Anadolu reports. The attack marks the first since a ceasefire took effect between Iran and the US last month. In a statement, the Fujairah Media Office said the blaze erupted at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, a key energy hub on the UAE’s eastern coast, after it was targeted by a drone launched from Iran. Civil defense teams were immediately dispatched to the site and are continuing efforts to contain and extinguish the fire, the statement said. Authorities in Fujairah said three Indian nationals were injured with moderate wounds and

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  US directs ships to transit Strait of Hormuz through Oman’s territorial waters

  by Marwa A on May 4, 2026

  The US Navy on Monday directed vessels seeking to transit the Strait of Hormuz to route through Oman’s territorial waters south of the Traffic Separation Scheme, warning that the main shipping lane remained extremely hazardous due to sea mines that had not been fully surveyed or cleared, Anadolu reports. The US Naval Forces Central Command advisory urged ships to contact Omani authorities on VHF channel 16, given anticipated traffic volume, and encouraged operators to carefully review risk assessments before attempting transit. The guidance came as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the strait in support of “Project Freedom,” Washington’s initiative to escort neutral vessels out of the waterway, US Central Command said. Iranian state media claimed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

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  Egypt incurs $10B in Suez Canal losses over Gaza war, president says

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Egypt has lost about $10 billion in Suez Canal revenues due to attacks on shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait as a result of the Gaza war, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Monday, Anadolu Agency reports. Speaking during a meeting in Cairo with Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Sisi said continued attacks on ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, had sharply reduced traffic heading to the Suez Canal, the presidency said in a statement. Bab al-Mandab is one of the world’s most strategic shipping routes for energy and food supplies, alongside the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz. Attacks

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  Are Gaza anti-blockade flotillas futile?

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Each time a new flotilla sets sail towards Gaza with the aim of challenging the blockade, the same question is repeated: what is the point if these ships are intercepted before they arrive? From a purely logistical perspective, the pattern appears predictable. The vessels are stopped. The participants are detained. The mission does not reach its physical destination. On that narrow reading, some conclude that these efforts are indeed futile. But this way of framing the issue reduces a complex political and moral action to a single outcome: arrival of the vessels and delivery of the aid on board. It ignores the wider purpose these initiatives serve, and misunderstands how resistance movements operate under conditions of asymmetrical power. As a

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  Israeli forces demolish two-story Palestinian home in southern West Bank

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished a two-story Palestinian home in the village of al-Deirat, in the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron, on Monday. Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that the house belonged to Radi al-Jabbarin and his son, Munir al-Jabbarin, and housed 15 family members. The report added that Israeli forces also uprooted trees around the property using bulldozers and damaged nearby agricultural land during the operation. The West Bank and East Jerusalem have been witnessing a rise in Israeli military operations, including raids, arrests, gunfire, and the use of excessive force. READ: Settlers uproot 1,000 olive trees in Turmus Ayya near Ramallah Palestinians are also facing increasing attacks by the occupiers aimed at pressuring residents to leave their land in

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  Iran says 2 missiles hit US navy vessel near Gulf of Oman, Washington denies

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Iran said on Monday that two missiles struck a US Navy vessel near Jask Island, which is situated on the Gulf of Oman in southern Iran, while Washington denied the claim. “The vessel, which had been sailing through the Strait of Hormuz today in violation of traffic and shipping security near Jask, was targeted by a missile attack after ignoring a warning from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Navy,” Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said, citing local sources. The outlet said the vessel was unable to continue its route as a result of the attack and “was forced to turn back and flee the area.” But US Central Command (CENTCOM) quickly denied the Iranian claim. “No U.S. Navy ships have

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  Trump’s Board of Peace envoy set to meet Israeli officials on easing restrictions on Gaza aid

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  The lead envoy with US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, is set to hold talks on Monday with senior Israeli officials on the situation in the Palestinian enclave. During the talks, Mladenov is expected to ask Israel to ease restrictions on the entry of humanitarian supplies into the blockaded Gaza Strip and limit its military operations there, The Times of Israel news website said. His trip to Israel comes after the envoy held talks with Hamas in Egypt on the implementation of Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan. No details were provided about the content of the discussions between the two sides, but Israeli media claimed that Mladenov’s talks with the group for disarmament have failed. According

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  Iran releases new map outlining areas in Hormuz under its control

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday issued a new map outlining areas in the Strait of Hormuz that it says under its control. The designated zone stretches between two defined maritime lines: one running from the western tip of Iran’s Qeshm Island to Umm Al Quwain in the United Arab Emirates, and another extending from Kuh-e Mobarak in Iran to the area south of Fujairah in the UAE, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. It was not immediately clear to what degree the claimed area of control has changed. READ: Netanyahu: Israel preparing for fight with Iran and disarming Hamas The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel, as well

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  Israel approves $270M budget for settlement roads in occupied West Bank

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Israel’s government approved a budget of about $270 million to build roads connecting illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, Haaretz newspaper reported on Monday. The daily said the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved more than 1 billion shekels (about $270 million) to construct roads linking new settlements in the occupied territory. In the first phase, about 3 million shekels (around $1 million) will be allocated to prepare the plan and complete initial design work, which will be submitted to the government for approval within 45 days, Haaretz said, citing a government statement. The statement added that funding for development work would be provided as an additional allocation from the Finance Ministry’s budget. READ: Israel bankrolls war crimes in

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  Palestinian National Popular Action Committee condemns Israel abduction of flotilla activists

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  The Palestinian National Popular Action Committee have today issued a press statement strongly condemning the Israeli abduction of activists Saif Abu Khashk and Thiago Ávila in international waters near the island of Crete. “This act of maritime piracy,” the Committee said, “is part of a continuing pattern of violations of all international norms and laws.”  The statement said Israel’s cross-border lawlessness comes as no surprise from an occupation that systematically disregards international law. “We hold all those complicit in these crimes, including those who remain silent, fully responsible.”  It added; “While we hold the occupation fully accountable for the safety of Saif and Thiago, we urgently call on the Governments of Spain and Brazil to intervene immediately to secure their

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  A post-OPEC moment calls for a UAE–Indonesia green sukuk

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates’ decision to leave OPEC is not just a rupture in oil diplomacy. It is a signal that the old architecture of energy coordination—built on production quotas and cartel discipline—is giving way to something looser, more competitive, and potentially more volatile. For Indonesia, the implications are immediate. But so is the opportunity. Effective 1st May 2026, the UAE exited OPEC after nearly six decades, citing national interest and a reassessment of its production strategy. The move frees Abu Dhabi from output quotas that had constrained its ability to monetize expanded production capacity. It also reflects deeper tensions within the group—particularly with Saudi Arabia—and the disruptive effects of regional conflict, including the war involving Iran and instability in

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  Netanyahu: Israel preparing for fight with Iran and disarming Hamas

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told senior army commanders that Israel is preparing for a confrontation with Iran and will continue efforts to dismantle Hamas, according to Channel 14 on Sunday evening. During a meeting with top Israeli military officials, Netanyahu said Iran would emerge from the current campaign weaker than ever, while Israel would be significantly stronger. He addressed claims about the possible rapid collapse of the Iranian regime, saying there are no guarantees it would fall at the start of any conflict. However, he stressed that heavy economic pressure is creating conditions that could lead to such an outcome. READ: Israel triggers Gaza talks crisis over disarmament dispute Netanyahu said Iran’s leadership is deeply concerned that economic collapse could

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  Gaza is the world’s most dangerous place for journalists, UN rights body says

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  The UN Human Rights Office has said that Gaza is the deadliest place in the world for journalists.  In a post on X on Sunday, the UN body called on countries to take action “beyond words of condemnation and solidarity” to ensure accountability, protect journalists and allow independent access for international media. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said that “Israel’s war in Gaza has become a death trap for the media,” adding that “his office has verified the killing of nearly 300 journalists since October 2023, with many more injured.” READ: Israel responsible for two-thirds of record 129 journalist deaths in 2025, press group says

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  Israel triggers Gaza talks crisis over disarmament dispute

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Hamas has voiced growing anger over the insistence of Nikolay Mladenov, head of the Board of Peace, on linking the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and an Israeli military withdrawal to the issue of disarmament. The movement has informed mediators it will not move to the second phase of talks unless Israel fully implements all terms of the first phase. Israeli channel Kan reported on Sunday evening that a sharp dispute is escalating between Hamas and mediators over the disarmament issue. It said talks between Mladenov and a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya have reached a deadlock. READ: Report: over 86% of Gaza farmland damaged Hamas is insisting on the full implementation of the first phase before discussing any subsequent

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  Study: over a third of Israeli university students consider suicide due to war

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  An Israeli academic study involving more than 700 university students, most of whom have direct links to the war through military service, has found that more than one third have experienced suicidal thoughts. The newspaper Israel Hayom reported that long periods of reserve duty in the Israeli army have “shaken” students’ lives, due to separation from home and friends, exposure to difficult scenes on the battlefield, fear of injury, and a sense among reservists of being “forgotten”. This has led to psychological distress among many students. According to new data set to be presented at the annual scientific conference on suicide in Israel, 39.4 per cent of students reported severe symptoms of depression, while 33.8 per cent reported active suicidal

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  Iran says any US intervention in Hormoz Strait would breach ceasefire

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  A senior Iranian official on Monday warned that Tehran would treat any US attempt to intervene in the Strait of Hormuz as a violation of the ceasefire, following an announcement by US President Donald Trump of an operation to escort ships stranded in the strategic waterway. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said on X that “any US intervention in the new maritime regime of the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the ceasefire.” These remarks followed Trump’s Sunday announcement that the US would assist to free up vessels stranded within the Strait of Hormuz out of restricted waters, noting that the operation would begin on Monday. READ: Trump calls US naval

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  Why emerging “peace processes” risk recycling war

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Each time diplomacy returns to the Middle East, it promises de-escalation, stability, perhaps even peace. Yet for those in Gaza, such promises have become part of a familiar cycle—violence, pause, and violence again. In the current confrontation involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, the language of peace is once again gaining ground. Envoys are active, backchannels are open, and cautious optimism is being carefully staged. But what is emerging may not be peace at all. It may be another way of managing war. The region has seen this script before. Escalation produces urgency, urgency produces diplomacy, and diplomacy produces agreements that promise stability. For a moment, tensions recede. Then they return. Not because peace failed, but because it was

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  Khamenei adviser dismisses Trump threats, says Iran controls key supply routes

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Senior Iranian official Ali Akbar Velayati has dismissed threats by US President Donald Trump to impose famine on Iran, saying the country remains in control of critical economic routes. Speaking to media outlets cited by Sputnik, Velayati said Trump’s remarks “demonstrate a lack of understanding of the global economic and political situation”. He added that global food security and fertiliser supply chains linked to the Strait of Hormuz are “under Iran’s control”, warning that “whoever tampers with the world’s lifeline will find themselves in a predicament”. Velayati also pointed to what he described as signs of declining US influence, citing troop withdrawals from Europe, challenges within NATO, and technical issues affecting US naval forces. Separately, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei

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  Report: over 86% of Gaza farmland damaged

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  More than 86 per cent of agricultural land in the Gaza Strip has been damaged to varying degrees during the latest war, the Palestinian Centre for Political Studies said on Sunday, warning of serious consequences for food security. The finding was published in an economic policy paper titled “Rehabilitation of Agricultural Land in Gaza after the 2023–2025 War”, prepared by researcher Khaled Abu Amer. The paper highlights the scale of destruction across the agricultural sector. The study said the damage extended beyond crops and infrastructure to include soil, water resources and the wider ecosystem, making recovery more complex. Quoting the researcher, the report said water systems and livestock resources have almost completely collapsed. Rehabilitation efforts remain limited to preparing land

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  2 US service members missing during military exercise in Morocco

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Two US service members went missing near the Cap Draa Training Area close to the city of Tan Tan in Morocco while participating in African Lion 2026 exercise, the US Africa Command said Sunday. The US, Moroccan and other multinational forces launched coordinated search and rescue operations involving ground, air and maritime assets, the command said in a statement, adding that the incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing. The soldiers went missing in an accident unrelated to the exercise, CBS News reported. African Lion 2026 is one of the largest military exercises in Africa and runs from 13th April to 8th May, with forces from more than 30 countries taking part under the leadership of the US

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  Hezbollah says it will not abide by negotiations, vows to confront “any conspiracy”

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  A member of the Hezbollah has said the group will not recognise or implement outcomes of ongoing negotiations, pledging to resist any efforts it views as targeting the organisation. MP Hassan Fadlallah said “the negotiations, with all their outcomes, do not concern us, and we will not implement them, nor will we allow them to be implemented.” He was speaking at a memorial ceremony held for fighters from what Hezbollah refers to as the Islamic Resistance, where he added: “We will thwart any conspiracy targeting the resistance.” Fadlallah said the group would not adhere to decisions resulting from negotiations, arguing that developments on the battlefield outweigh political agreements. “There are prices and sacrifices we are paying today in this war,”

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  Settlers uproot 1,000 olive trees in Turmus Ayya near Ramallah

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Israeli settlers uprooted and vandalised at least 1,000 olive trees in the town of Turmus Ayya, northeast of Ramallah, according to local officials. A member of the town’s council, Abdullah Awad said settlers entered the agricultural plain at dawn accompanied by a bulldozer from the nearby Shiloh settlement, bulldozing farmland and uprooting trees across an area of around 50 dunams (about 10 acres) belonging to local families. Awad said the area has faced an intensifying settlement campaign over the past three years, including repeated attacks on farmland and restrictions preventing farmers from accessing their land. He added that approximately 25,000 olive trees have been uprooted in the area during that period, without formal military orders or land confiscation procedures. The

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  Iran executes three men accused of links to Mossad and killing security officer

  by MI on May 4, 2026

  Iranian authorities said three men have been executed after being convicted of collaborating with the Israeli spy agency, Mossad and, in one case, killing a member of the security forces during protests. According to Iranian media, one of those executed, Mehrab Abdullahzadeh, was found guilty of involvement in the killing of Abbas Fatemieh, a member of Iran’s volunteer security forces. Authorities said the killing took place during protests, with Abdullahzadeh accused of fatally beating Fatemieh with iron bars. In a separate case, two other men—Yaqoub Karimpour and Nasser Bakarzadeh—were executed by hanging after being convicted of espionage for Israel. Iranian authorities said their sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court. Officials stated that the two men had gathered information on

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  Iran sets one-month deadline for US to end naval blockade, wars in Iran, Lebanon

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  Iran has set a one-month deadline for negotiations on a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, end a US naval blockade and permanently end the war in Iran and Lebanon, according to a report Saturday by Axios, Anadolu reports. Tehran submitted a 14-point revised proposal Thursday for a framework agreement to Washington. Two sources briefed on the document said it lays out a strict one-month timeline to secure a deal covering maritime access, ending the US naval blockade and a lasting ceasefire on both fronts. “If they misbehave, if they do something bad — but right now, we’ll see. It’s a possibility that could happen, certainly,” US President Donald Trump told reporters Saturday when asked whether he could order

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  Iranian supertanker carrying $220M of oil evades US blockade, says tracker

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  An Iranian supertanker carrying nearly $220 million worth of oil has evaded US blockade efforts, TankerTrackers reported Sunday, Anadolu reports. “A National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) VLCC supertanker carrying over 1.9 million barrels (valued at nearly $220 million dollars) of crude oil has managed to evade the U.S. Navy and reach the Far East,” TankerTrackers wrote on US social media platform X. The vessel, identified as “HUGE” (9357183), was last seen off Sri Lanka more than a week ago and is currently moving through the Lombok Strait in Indonesia toward the Riau Archipelago. The tanker has not transmitted Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals since March 20, when it departed the Strait of Malacca bound for Iran, according to maritime tracking

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  Israel approves plan to buy F-35, F-15IA fighter jets from US

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  An Israeli ministerial committee approved the purchase of two new squadrons of US-manufactured F-35 and F-15IA fighter jets, the Israeli Defense Ministry said, amid ongoing tensions with Iran, Anadolu reports. In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said the Ministerial Committee on Procurement approved a plan to acquire a fourth squadron of the F-35 aircraft and a second squadron of the F-15IA aircraft. The deals valued at “tens of billions” of shekels and “include full fleet integration into the Israeli Air Force, comprehensive sustainment, spare parts, and logistics support,” the statement said. This came as Israel continues its attacks on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, in violation of the ceasefire agreements. Reports suggest Tel Aviv also prepares for a possible

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  New Israeli attacks kill at least 7 in southern Lebanon

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  Fresh Israeli attacks killed at least seven people in southern Lebanon on Sunday despite an ongoing ceasefire, Lebanese media reported, Anadolu reports. Three people were killed in an airstrike in the town of Safad al- Battikh, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) said. Another airstrike near Tyre killed three more people – two Syrians and an Egyptian, NNA added. Another person was killed when a drone struck a motorcycle in the same area. On March 2, Israeli army has launched expanded strikes in Lebanon, killing over 2,600 people and displacing over 1.6 million others, according to the Lebanese officials. On April 17, US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, before he extended it by three

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  Israeli occupation of Gaza Strip expands to 59% despite truce: Report

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  Israel has expanded its occupation to 59% of Gaza and is preparing for possible resumption of genocide in the Palestinian enclave, the Israeli Army Radio said Sunday, Anadolu reports. Before the October 2025 ceasefire, Israel occupied 53% of the strip, the broadcaster said. For its part, Palestinian group Hamas has said Israeli army occupies over 60% of the coastal enclave. Senior Israeli military officials “are pressing for a resumption of fighting in Gaza and believe that the best time to defeat Hamas is now,” the radio said. The radio also reported military preparations for a possible resumption of fighting, noting that the army has reduced forces in southern Lebanon and redeployed regular brigades to Gaza and the West Bank. It

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  Apple… The digital Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  I return to my favourite writer, John Thornhill, and borrow from him that rare glint of insight. When he replaced the Strait of Hormuz with Apple, the analogy seemed exaggerated at first glance, almost too bold. But the more one contemplates it, the more its precision reveals itself. The Strait of Hormuz is not merely a waterway; it is a choke point of power, a bottleneck through which energy flows and from which the world is watched. Apple, in Thornhill’s metaphor, performs the same function—only in the digital geography. When it comes to how artificial intelligence is deployed in consumer services, Apple controls the technological equivalent of the Strait of Hormuz. Not because it is always the most innovative, nor

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  Israel’s inevitable failure to disarm Hezbollah

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  Since the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon to expel the PLO, Hezbollah has been a thorn in Israel’s side. Born of that very invasion, the Party — as it is called — waged a relentless guerrilla war against Israeli troops occupying southern Lebanon, backed, financed, and trained by Iran. Its ideological allegiance to Tehran was never a secret. In a remarkably candid 2016 speech, the late Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah declared openly what enemies had long alleged: “Hezbollah’s budget, its income, its expenses, everything it eats and drinks, its weapons and rockets, come from the Islamic Republic of Iran.” In a separate address to Iranian nationals in Beirut, Nasrallah went further, proclaiming that “We were born with Iran’s Islamic revolution

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  Palestinians mark World Press Freedom Day in Gaza

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  IMAGES: On Labor Day, workers in Gaza are living under difficult conditions and earning very little due to the war

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  Fresh Israeli attacks in occupied West Bank kill 1 Palestinian, injure several others

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  One Palestinian was killed and five others, including a child, were injured on Sunday in Israeli attacks in Nablus, a city in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem, the Health Ministry said, Anadolu reports. “26-year-old Nayef Firas Ziyad Samaro was killed, and four others were injured by live ammunition, during an Israeli military raid on the city of Nablus,” the ministry said. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that 40 Palestinians suffered suffocation from tear gas during the Israeli army raid on Nablus, with 10 of them transferred to the hospital. Local sources told Anadolu that Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at civilians, medical teams, and journalists during the raid, in addition

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  Trump must choose ‘impossible’ war or ‘bad deal’ with Iran, says IRGC

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Sunday that US President Donald Trump must choose between an “impossible” war or a “bad deal” with Iran, Anadolu reports. In a post on the US social media company X, the intelligence department of the IRGC said Tehran sent the US military a deadline to end its blockade of Iranian ports. It added that Europe, China and Russia are adopting a more critical tone toward Washington. “There is only one way to read this: Trump must choose between ‘an impossible military operation or a bad deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran. “The room for US decision-making has narrowed,” it said. The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering

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  Israeli court extends detention of 2 Gaza-bound flotilla volunteers

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  An Israeli court extended on Saturday the detention of Thiago de Avila and Saif Abukeshek, two volunteers aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, for two days, Anadolu reports. Israeli prosecutors sought a four-day detention extension for the Global Sumud Flotilla activists over security-related allegations, according to a statement by Adalah, an Israeli advocacy group for Palestinians inside Israel. However, their lawyers argued that “the entire legal process is fundamentally flawed and illegal,” the statement added. No charges have been filed against either activists and they remain under interrogation at the pre-indictment stage, the group said. “Both Mr. de Avila and Mr. Abukeshek will be transferred back to the Shikma detention facility in Israel (Ashkelon), where they remain in isolation,” it added.

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  Why the United States should pursue a long-term agreement and security partnership with Iran

  by Marwa A on May 3, 2026

  Look, the Middle East keeps being this expensive, messy headache for American foreign policy. It’s unstable, it drains resources, and it keeps dragging us into stuff that doesn’t really serve our big-picture interests. So Washington has a pretty straightforward choice right now: keep leaning on those small, super-dependent Gulf monarchies, or finally make the shift toward a long-term agreement and a gradual security partnership with Iran. I know it sounds politically crazy to a lot of people, but the Iran option is honestly more realistic, more sustainable, and way better for letting us focus on the one competition that actually matters — China. For years we’ve built our whole regional strategy around these smaller Gulf states. They’ve been handy in

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  Stockholm protesters rally against Israeli strikes on Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Activists gathered in the Swedish capital on Saturday to protest Israel’s ongoing military offensives in the Gaza Strip, Iran and Lebanon, Anadolu Agency reports. Responding to calls from several non-governmental organizations, demonstrators assembled at Odenplan Square, carrying banners reading ‘Stop the killing of civilians,’ ‘End the food blockade in Gaza,’ and ‘Stop attacks on Lebanon and Iran’. Participants demanded an immediate end to genocide in Gaza and urged the Swedish government to halt arms sales to Israel. Ann Christin Kristiansson, a nun from the Church of Sweden, told Anadolu that the current violence constitutes a crime against humanity that transcends politics and religion. She emphasized that the global community must unite against this oppression, stating that the dignity shown by

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  UAE restores normal air traffic after war-related disruption

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority announced Saturday that air traffic has returned to normal air navigation and temporary precautionary measures imposed during the US-Israeli war on Iran have been lifted, Anadolu Agency reports. “Following a comprehensive evaluation of operational and security conditions, we have officially lifted the temporary precautionary measures previously in place,” the authority said in a statement. “Our priority remains the safety of our skies, and we continue to maintain continuous, real-time monitoring to ensure the highest levels of aviation safety for all,” it added. The UAE had announced a “temporary and partial” closure of its airspace on Feb. 28, as a precautionary measure at the outset of the war, which is on a hold after Pakistan

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  Iran strikes damaged 16 US military sites in Middle East, report claims

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Iran and its allies struck no fewer than 16 US military sites in eight countries across the Middle East in the latest military conflict, leaving some of them “virtually unusable,” CNN reported on Friday citing sources. The report was based on dozens of satellite images and interviews with sources from the US and Gulf Arab countries, and the affected facilities make up the “majority of US military positions” in the region. “There has been a spectrum of assessments,” one source said. “From a pretty dramatic side, of the whole facility is destroyed and needs to be shut down, to leaders who say these things are worth repairing due to the strategic benefit they give the US.” READ: US says it redirected

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  Lebanon death toll in Israel’s latest offensive reaches 2,659

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  The death toll in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 has reached 2,659, with 8,183 others injured, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Saturday. In a statement, the ministry said 41 people were killed and 11 others injured in Israeli raids over the past 24 hours. Israel launched the offensive in Lebanon following Hezbollah’s retaliation linked to the Iran war. Besides the casualties, the attacks have displaced more than 1 million people. A 10-day ceasefire that began on April 17 was later extended until mid May, but Israel continues to violate it daily through airstrikes and the demolition of homes. Israel also maintains what it describes as a “buffer zone” in southern Lebanon, saying it is meant to prevent

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  Iran says US not complying with Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Iran’s Mission to the UN said Saturday that the US is not complying with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, calling it “hypocritical behavior,” Anadolu Agency reports. “For 56 years, the US — possessor of thousands of nuclear warheads and the No. 1 proliferator of such weapons — has been in clear non-compliance with its nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament obligations under Articles I and VI of the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty),” Iran’s Permanent Mission to the UN said in a statement. “The US should not be given any cover for its outrageous and hypocritical behavior,” it added in the statement shared on US social media company X. “Legally, there is no restriction on the level of uranium enrichment, so long as it

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  Israel says 2 activists from Gaza flotilla held for questioning

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Israel on Saturday said it released most of the activists held after seizing a flotilla bound for Gaza except two who were brought to the country for questioning, Anadolu Agency reports. The Foreign Ministry said “naval forces have detained two activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, which seeks to break the blockade on the Gaza Strip, have been brought to Israel and will be questioned.” The two activists have been identified as Thiago de Avila, a Brazilian national, and Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national. Israeli media said the two will receive support from their consulates in Tel Aviv. READ: ‘They treated us like animals’: Activist recounts detention after Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted Israel attacked the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters

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  Oil tanker hijacked off Yemen coast, taken toward Somalia: Coast guard

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  An oil tanker was hijacked Saturday off the coast of Yemen in an armed attack by unidentified assailants, with authorities working to track and recover the vessel, the Yemeni coast guard said, Anadolu Agency reports. In a statement, the coast guard said it is “following up on a report received this morning regarding the hijacking of the oil tanker M/T EUREKA off the coast of Shabwa province,” without specifying the ship’s ownership. The statement added that the tanker “was subjected to an armed robbery by unknown elements, who boarded and took control of it before heading toward the Gulf of Aden in the direction of Somali shores.” It noted that “immediately after receiving the report, the Yemeni coast guard launched

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  US says it redirected 48th vessel from Iranian ports

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  The US said on Saturday that the 48th vessel attempting to enter or exit Iranian ports had been redirected under its blockade. “Over the past 20 days, 48 vessels have been redirected to ensure compliance with the blockade,” CENTCOM said on US social media company X. The updated figure showed an increase of four compared to the 44 vessels reported earlier as having been redirected. Since April 13, the US has enforced a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, in response to Iran’s restrictions on vessel passage through the waterway due to the war that began on Feb. 28 and is currently on hold. READ: Trump calls US naval blockade of Strait of Hormuz ‘a very

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  Israeli occupiers injure at least 7 Palestinians in West Bank

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Seven Palestinians were injured on Saturday in Israeli occupiers’ attacks in the West Bank, while the Israeli army arrested six others. Three of them were injured in the town of Jalud, south of Nablus, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. They were transferred to a medical center in the town of Qabalan for treatment. In Jabal Jalis, east of Hebron, four Palestinians, including a 71-year-old woman, were injured in an assault by the occupiers. In Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, the occupiers released their livestock onto residents’ lands and uprooted around 30 olive trees, according to an activist, Osama Makhamreh, Wafa reported. The occupiers continued their daily attacks on the village of Duma, southeast of Nablus, eyewitnesses said. In

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  Over two-thirds of Germans think government lacks strategy on Iran war: Poll

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  More than two-thirds of Germans think that their government lacks a clear strategy on how it should act in the Iran war, according to a survey published by the Internationale Politik news magazine on Saturday. Some 68% of respondents answered “no” to a question on this topic, while 28% held the opposite view. According to the poll, only among supporters of the co-ruling Christian Democratic Union / Christian Social Union did a narrow majority of 54% believe that the government has a clear vision of how Germany should position itself in the Iran conflict. Meanwhile, the majority of supporters of the governing Social Democratic Party (43%) see it differently – as do, to an even greater extent, supporters of the

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  Iran military official warns renewed conflict with US ‘likely:’ Report

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  A senior Iranian military official warned that renewed conflict with the US is “likely,” according to the semi-official Fars news agency. “A renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely, and evidence has also shown that the United States does not adhere to any commitments or agreement,” Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy inspector of the military headquarters, said in a statement carried by the news agency on Saturday. “US officials’ actions and statements are largely media-oriented, aimed first at preventing a drop in oil prices and second at escaping the predicament they have created for themselves,” he added. The Iranian armed forces are “in full readiness for any renewed adventurism and miscalculation by the United States,” added Asadi. READ: Trump

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  Russian, Iranian foreign ministers discuss Hormuz navigation, nuclear issue

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to discuss freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to resolve issues surrounding Tehran’s nuclear program, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday, Anadolu Agency reports. In a statement, the ministry said the conversation on Friday continued a detailed exchange of views on the prospects for a complete halt to hostilities and the stabilization of the military and political situation in the Middle East. It added that the discussions followed a meeting earlier this week between Araghchi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, noting Moscow’s support for ongoing mediation efforts. “The sides reaffirmed their readiness to make every effort to facilitate a

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  ‘They treated us like animals’: Activist recounts detention after Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  British activist Katy Davidson, a member of the Global Sumud Flotilla that attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, has described the moments of her detention by Israeli forces in international waters, saying detainees were “treated like animals” in a makeshift prison built from shipping containers, Anadolu reports. Speaking to an Anadolu correspondent in Istanbul on Saturday, Davidson recounted the interception of her small vessel, which carried only six people, by Israeli forces. “We had an interception which was pretty scary,” Davidson said. “It took quite a lot of time. It included drones with bright spotlights on us, and then a huge frigate came up alongside our boat.” She explained that after the initial vessel disappeared, the activists believed they

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  If holy sites can be levelled, what’s next for international law?

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  On the first day of May, in the quiet southern Lebanese village of Yaroun, a monastery that had stood for generations disappeared in a cloud of dust. The Sisters of the Holy Saviour monastery and its adjoining school — described by Lebanon’s National News Agency as one of the region’s most prominent educational institutions — was not merely another building on a war map. It was a memory. It was continuity. It was the place where thousands of children learned to read, where prayers rose in Arabic and Aramaic tones, where bells marked time long before drones did. Overnight, Israeli forces razed it to rubble. In strategic language, this was framed as part of a ‘buffer zone’ operation. In moral