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

• 
  A Cable across Contested Waters: The Great Sea Interconnector’s Promise and Risks

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  A seabed survey is usually an engineering step. For the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), it has become a test of how far Greece, Cyprus and Türkiye can manage their maritime dispute without letting it derail a major infrastructure project. In mid-October 2026, the GSI developer applied to resume surveys for the planned undersea electricity cable linking Greece and Cyprus, with a possible extension to Israel. Türkiye says the survey area overlaps with claims set out in its 2019 maritime agreement with Libya. Greece says it can proceed. The application has brought that agreement back into focus because someone must map the seabed before the cable route can be finalized and the parties disagree over who has the right to do

• 
  3 Palestinians killed, others injured in fresh Israeli attacks on Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  Three Palestinians were killed and others injured in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip on Friday as violations of the October 2025 ceasefire continue unabated, Anadolu reports. Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike targeting a motorcycle in the al-Nasr neighborhood, west of Gaza City, medical sources told Anadolu. In a separate incident, the sources said several Palestinians were wounded in a strike on Gaza City’s al-Rimal neighborhood. On Friday morning, another Palestinian was killed and others injured when a drone targeted a bicycle on al-Qubba Street in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, a medical source and local sources told Anadolu. Meanwhile, the Israeli army expanded the areas under its control east of al-Masdar

• 
  Turkish foreign minister warns new attack on Iran would escalate regional conflict

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  The Turkish foreign minister warned on Friday that a new attack on Iran would further spread war and conflict across the region, Anadolu reports. “Military intervention in Iran is by no means a solution. No one supports this at the moment,” Hakan Fidan told reporters after an R4+E3 meeting in Istanbul, the first-ever meeting in this format. The US and Israel are said to have developed plans for renewed strikes against Iran after the American midterm elections. The war that began in late February has yet to be settled despite a ceasefire and a memorandum of understanding to finalize a peace deal. Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine war, Fidan said: “Either the war must stop, or, if it does not, parties

• 
  UN rights chief ‘strongly’ condemns surge in drone strikes across Sudan

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Friday “strongly” condemned the escalation of drone attacks across Sudan, which have killed at least 306 people and injured hundreds more in the first three weeks of October, Anadolu reports. “The increasing use of drones, already accounting for the majority of conflict-related civilian deaths in Sudan this year, is deeply disturbing and is exacting a horrifying toll,” Turk said. “Scores of civilians have been killed and vital infrastructure and services on which they depend eviscerated, driving further displacement and deepening the already severe humanitarian crisis,” he said, reiterating his call on the parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under international law. Turk said his office had documented strikes attributed to both

• 
  Israeli airstrikes, artillery shelling hit southern Lebanon amid intensified drone activity

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2026

  Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes and artillery shelling in southern Lebanon on Friday, while drones flew intensively at low altitude over the capital Beirut and the southern city of Tyre, Lebanese state media reported, Anadolu reports. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said Israeli fighter jets struck the vicinity of Ali al-Taher hill on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in the Nabatieh district. The agency reported intermittent Israeli artillery shelling near the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiya in the same district before noon. In Kfar Shouba, in the Hasbaya district, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade in the Khallet Zuhair area on the outskirts of the town. The agency also said Israeli forces carried out a large explosion overnight in

• 
  Saudi Arabia postpones UN data, Saudi statistics forums until 2027 amid Houthi attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Saudi Arabia announced Friday that the UN World Data Forum and the Saudi Statistics Forum, scheduled for November in Riyadh, have been postponed until 2027, Anadolu reports. The Saudi General Authority for Statistics said in a statement on US social media company X that the decision was made “in coordination with the United Nations Statistics Division.” Both forums were due to take place from Nov. 9 to 12. New dates will be announced later through official channels, it added. The authority said the postponement reflects its commitment to delivering an experience that meets the expectations of the data and statistics community and enables broad international participation by speakers, experts and partners. READ: Saudi Arabia postpones future investment initiative until 2027 following

• 
  Brent crude hits highest since June 2022 on fears of renewed US strikes on Iran

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Oil prices rose on Friday as fears of renewed US strikes on Iran and escalating regional tensions heightened supply concerns, pushing Brent crude to its highest level since June 2022, Anadolu reports. International benchmark Brent climbed 2.7%, or $3.06, to $116.20 per barrel as of 1350GMT, surpassing the peak recorded at the start of the war. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) advanced 3.04%, or $3.02, to $102.50 per barrel, its highest level in five weeks. Brent has gained around 5% this week, while WTI has risen about 3%, putting both benchmarks on course for a third consecutive weekly advance. The rally came as expectations grew that Washington could resume strikes against Iran in the coming weeks. READ: Trump accuses Iran

• 
  Iranian army orders ground forces to maintain highest combat readiness amid tensions with US

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Iran’s Army Ground Forces commander Brig. Gen. Jahanshahi has ordered military unit commanders to maintain the highest level of combat readiness, warning that negligence during wartime could have serious consequences, Tasnim news agency reported Friday. “In wartime conditions, any negligence or carelessness can carry heavy costs,” Jahanshahi said, according to Tasnim. He stressed that maintaining effective operational readiness requires continuous training, accurate assessments of military capabilities, coordination among units and the rapid identification and correction of shortcomings. Jahanshahi also instructed commanders at all levels to strengthen combat capabilities through careful planning, continuous supervision and effective follow-up. The remarks come amid heightened military tensions between Iran and the US following months of hostilities and ongoing disputes over security and maritime navigation

• 
  Israeli elections: Arab voters weigh participation against abstention in bid to oust Netanyahu

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Amid fears over hardline Israeli policies, Palestinian citizens of Israel see the upcoming Israeli elections as a chance for change, with calls for higher Arab turnout to prevent incumbent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from forming another government, Anadolu reports. In a series of field interviews conducted by Anadolu on the streets of various Arab cities and towns in Israel, citizens emphasized that participating in this election is particularly crucial, given the “worsening racism and marginalization” against them. While some plan to vote for the first time in hopes of bringing about political change, others continue to abstain, questioning whether elections can alter their circumstances and arguing that successive governments have failed to address their demands. Arab citizens make up

• 
  Lewis Hamilton calls for freedom for Palestine, Congo, Sudan and Syria

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has called for efforts to secure freedom for Palestine, Congo, Sudan and Syria, saying he hoped peace would eventually prevail, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a news conference Thursday ahead of the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, the British driver said: “I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine. I think there’s a lot of peace that I’m hoping we get to at some stage.” Hamilton made the remarks while discussing Formula 1’s planned return to Africa and concerns surrounding Rwanda, which is expected to host a Grand Prix on a purpose-built circuit in the early 2030s. The 41-year-old said holding a race in the country

• 
  Poll shows Netanyahu’s bloc losing 3 seats as opposition leads with 54 to 48 ahead of Israeli elections

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  A recent Israeli opinion poll published Friday showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc losing three seats ahead of the upcoming legislative elections, falling to 48 seats compared with 54 for the Jewish opposition bloc, Anadolu reports. The poll’s results were published by the Maariv newspaper four days before the election scheduled for Oct. 27. Neither bloc would be able to form a government based on the projected results. According to the poll, Netanyahu’s bloc lost three seats compared with the last week’s, in which it was projected to win 51 seats. The poll found that Netanyahu’s bloc would secure 48 seats if elections were held today, including 19 for his Likud party, seven for Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party, seven

• 
  Yemeni army says over 35 Houthi fighters killed or wounded in Taiz

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Yemen’s army said Friday that more than 35 fighters of the Houthi group were killed or wounded in a military operation targeting the group’s positions in southwestern Taiz province, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the army’s 35th Armored Brigade said its forces carried out a “swift and targeted operation” against Houthi positions and fortifications along the Aqrouz front in the Al-Misrakh district. It said the operation targeted positions at Jabal Al-Manara, Kour, Wadi Kour, Al-Maqda, Al-Dabaya and Kahlan, leaving “more than 35 Houthi fighters killed or wounded.” The statement did not specify the number of fatalities or injuries. The operation also disabled a military vehicle equipped with weapons and destroyed Houthi fortifications at the targeted sites, it added. The Houthis

• 
  Israeli army claims 2 soldiers killed in occupied West Bank shooting

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  The Israeli army claimed Friday that two soldiers had been killed and three others seriously wounded in a shooting attack in the city of Hebron, the southern occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. The army’s statement came hours after two Palestinians were killed in a shootout with Israeli forces following allegations that they had opened fire at Israeli occupiers in Hebron, wounding five. Three other soldiers were also moderately wounded, according to the army. READ: Israeli army detains 11 international activists supporting Palestinian olive harvest in West Bank Following the reported shooting, the Israeli army announced a full closure of Hebron and several surrounding towns. The occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has witnessed an escalation in Israeli military operations and occupier

• 
  Turkish foreign minister meets British, Pakistani counterparts in Istanbul

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday held separate meetings with his British and Pakistani counterparts in Istanbul, Anadolu reports. Fidan held separate talks with British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Turkish social media platform NSosyal. No further details of the meetings have been provided. READ: Turkey’s Fidan meets new Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya on first foreign visit since election

• 
  US Judge orders Trump to answer questions under oath for his $10 billion BBC lawsuit

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  A federal judge in Florida has ordered US President Donald Trump to answer questions under oath by Dec. 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, or risk having the case dismissed, Anadolu reports. US Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett issued the order Thursday after the BBC’s lawyers accused Trump of delaying the process. Trump was scheduled to give a deposition on Oct. 16 but canceled, citing a “matter of national importance,” according to NBC News. BBC attorney Charles Tobin dismissed that explanation as “fake news,” arguing that Trump had attended a political rally and fundraiser instead. “He was participating in party politics and supported his candidates in the election, and he prioritized that over his obligations in this

• 
  Israeli premier orders ‘closure’ of Hebron, ‘full lockdown’ of occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered an “immediate closure” of the city of Hebron and instructed security forces to prepare for a “full lockdown” across the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. The move followed a shooting that wounded five Israeli occupiers and the killing of two Palestinians by Israeli army fire near the town of Halhul in the Hebron district of the southern West Bank. “I instructed the Israeli army and security agencies to impose an immediate closure on Hebron and prepare for a comprehensive lockdown across Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), starting today (Friday),” he said in a statement. Netanyahu said he had held a security assessment with senior defense and security officials, including the military

• 
  Turkiye continues efforts to pave way for peace across regions: President

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Turkiye continues striving to pave the way for peace across a vast region, from Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchanges to mediation efforts in Africa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday, Anadolu reports. In a video message to the 9th Istanbul Mediation Conference, Erdogan stressed that diplomacy remains possible even amid the most challenging conflicts. “There is always a door open to diplomacy, even in the most difficult disputes,” he said, adding that the key is demonstrating “the will, courage and sincerity to keep that door open.” Erdogan said Turkiye remains committed to diplomacy despite increasing global conflicts, escalating tensions, and declining trust in international institutions. READ: Erdogan: Turkey emerges as global defence player He also criticized the structure of the international system,

• 
  Trump accuses Minnesota congresswoman of identity fraud, calls for her resignation

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  US President Donald Trump called Thursday for Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s resignation from Congress, accusing her of using a false name when she was sworn into office, an allegation her office has denied, Anadolu reports. “Because she used a fake name to be sworn in, I assume she must IMMEDIATELY resign from Congress,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump claimed the Minnesota lawmaker’s real name was Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, which shares a surname with her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. He further claimed that Omar had “openly admitted to FRAUD” and called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to recognize that her congressional seat had been vacated. READ: Trump accuses Iran of driving up oil prices ahead of

• 
  Racism controversy erupts in Israeli election campaign after broadcaster calls Eisenkot a ‘monkey’

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  A racism controversy has emerged ahead of Israel’s 27th October parliamentary elections after a television broadcaster supportive of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to his political rival, Gadi Eisenkot, as a “monkey,” reigniting debate over ethnic discrimination against Mizrahi Jews. Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief of staff of Moroccan descent who leads the Yashar party, has emerged as a leading contender in election polls, raising the possibility that he could become Israel’s first prime minister of Mizrahi origin. During a program broadcast on the pro-Netanyahu Channel 14, presenter Yinon Magal described Eisenkot as a “monkey” and suggested that he was being controlled by members of the Ashkenazi political establishment. Magal claimed that Eisenkot’s campaign manager, Ronen Manelis, was directing

• 
  Israeli army detains 11 international activists supporting Palestinian olive harvest in West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Israeli forces detained 11 international solidarity activists on Thursday while they were helping Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the village of Al-Buwaib, south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, according to a Palestinian volunteer campaign. The Fazaa campaign said in a statement that the activists had been held since Thursday morning, without Israeli authorities providing an explanation for their detention. According to the campaign, the detainees include nationals of Italy, Germany, the United States, Britain and Australia. The campaign also reported that Italy’s Foreign Ministry had confirmed that four Italian women were among those detained and had contacted Israeli authorities to seek clarification about the circumstances of their detention. READ: Italy seeks clarification after Israel detains Italian activists in occupied

• 
  Ben-Gvir expands firearm license eligibility to 11 West Bank settlements, drawing Hamas condemnation

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has approved an expansion of firearm license eligibility to residents of 11 Israeli settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank, prompting condemnation from Hamas amid escalating settler violence against Palestinians. According to Israel’s Channel 14, the decision adds 11 settlements and outposts in the northern West Bank to the list of locations whose residents are eligible to apply for firearm permits. The measure is intended to strengthen security preparedness within the settlements by allowing eligible residents to apply for licenses to carry firearms. In a statement issued Thursday, Hamas condemned the decision, describing it as an “explicit call for killing and displacement” of Palestinians. READ: Two Palestinians injured in settler attack as women detained

• 
  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with John Kiriakou: Mossad US Operations: How Extensive and Long-Running?

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Craig Murray: Should the UK deploy the Royal Navy to Bab Al-Mandeb?

• 
  Netanyahu says he is personally working to ‘relocate’ Palestinians from Gaza, in talks with potential host countries

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he is personally working to facilitate the departure of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and is holding discussions with countries that could potentially receive them, while reaffirming Israel’s intention to maintain military control over more than 60 percent of the territory. In an interview with the right-wing Israeli outlet Channel 7, ahead of the 27th October Knesset elections, Netanyahu said his government was actively exploring arrangements for Palestinians to leave Gaza. “Every Palestinian in Gaza should have the freedom to leave,” Netanyahu said, identifying the main obstacle as finding countries willing to accept them. “We are working on this; I am personally working on it quite diligently. There are some initial developments,

• 
  Russia rejects Netanyahu’s accusations of involvement in antisemitic online campaign

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Russia has rejected accusations by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concerning Moscow’s alleged involvement in an antisemitic online campaign, Anadolu agency reported. The Russian Foreign Ministry told state news agency Tass on Thursday that it was “perplexed” by the “entirely unsubstantiated accusations,” saying attempts to claim Moscow operated such a campaign appeared “particularly absurd.” It said that this is so, “given a fact well known to – and repeatedly acknowledged in public by – the Israeli side, that thanks to the Russian leadership’s policy of strengthening interethnic peace and harmony, manifestations of antisemitism in our country are virtually non-existent.” On Sunday, Israel’s i24 News reported that Netanyahu, in response to a question from the news channel, accused Russia of “aiding

• 
  UNICEF says 351 children killed in Gaza since October 2025 ceasefire

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Thursday that 351 Palestinian children have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025, calling on Israeli authorities to take urgent measures to protect children and ensure accountability for civilian casualties. In a statement reported by the Palestinian news agency Wafa, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Edward Bagbyder urged Israeli authorities to conduct transparent and rigorous investigations into cases involving the killing or serious injury of children, including injuries resulting in permanent disabilities. Bagbyder said eight children had been killed and 20 others injured over the past six days, underscoring the continued dangers facing children despite the ceasefire. He called for effective

• 
  Egypt will not accept any division or fragmentation of Sudan

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Egypt will not accept any division or fragmentation of Sudan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said, reaffirming Cairo’s longstanding position on the Sudanese crisis. He made the remarks on Wednesday during a high-level session entitled “Homeland and Citizen Security” on the third day of the Egypt Forum 2026. The Sudanese crisis was discussed as part of broader talks on regional and security threats along Egypt’s borders. Abdelatty stressed that the conflict in Sudan is directly linked to Egypt’s national security, describing Sudan as the country’s strategic depth to the south. He also cited Sudan as a key example of the dangers of national institutions collapsing in favour of parallel entities and militias, the main focus of the session. READ: Sudan’s Burhan

• 
  9,400 Palestinian prisoners face winter without clothes or blankets in Israeli prisons

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Around 9,400 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons are facing worsening conditions as winter approaches, with clothing, winter blankets and heating still denied to them for more than three years, the Palestine Centre for Prisoners Studies has warned. The centre said living and health conditions in prisons and detention centres were deteriorating. Its director, Riyad al-Ashqar, said Israeli authorities had continued to prevent prisoners from obtaining clothes and blankets since 7 October 2023, while visits had been suspended and prison canteens, where prisoners used to buy basic necessities, had been closed. READ: UN: 950,000 displaced people in Gaza face flood risks this winter In a statement, al-Ashqar said Israeli authorities had also barred international organisations, including the International Committee of the Red

• 
  Damascus court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death over orders linked to crimes against Syrians

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s former president, was sentenced to death after evidence established his direct involvement in issuing orders to field operatives who committed crimes against the Syrian people, the head of Damascus’s Fourth Criminal Court said on Thursday. Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan made the remarks in a statement to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). He said the court based its ruling on evidence establishing Assad’s responsibility through the chain of command and orders, as well as documentation of his direct involvement in issuing orders from the top of the hierarchy to those carrying them out on the ground. Al-Aryan stressed that the sentence was not handed down simply because Assad had served as president. READ: Syria arrests 5 former Assad

• 
  Italy seeks clarification after Israel detains Italian activists in occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Italy’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday demanded “urgent clarification” from Israeli authorities over the detention of several Italian activists in the occupied West Bank. In a statement, the ministry said the Italian nationals were detained alongside other international activists in the village of al-Buweib, south of Hebron, while accompanying Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. The ministry said it had so far received confirmation that the Italian women were being held at a police station. Israeli authorities had informed it that four Italian nationals were being held. READ: Hind Rajab Foundation files criminal complaint in Italy against Israeli soldier

• 
  Israeli elections and the limits of change

  by EditorMehdi on October 23, 2026

  Israel’s forthcoming elections on 27th October, the first since the events of 7th October three years ago and their aftermath, are taking place amid deep polarisation and fierce competition among rival political currents. Issues dividing groups of differing orientations, successive last-minute surprises and opinion poll findings all underscore the complexity of the political landscape. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have seen their standing decline, the standing of the right wing has not declined. Depending on the projected electoral outcomes, change could bring de-escalation in the occupied Palestinian territory, but it would not guarantee a fundamental shift in Israel’s occupation policies towards the Palestinians more broadly. Palestinian votes within Israel could weaken the electoral position of Netanyahu,

• 
  Israeli attacks kill 4 Palestinians, including girl, in Gaza amid ceasefire violations

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Israeli strikes and gunfire across the Gaza Strip killed four Palestinians, including a girl, and injured more than 19 others on Thursday amid continued violations of an effective ceasefire agreement, medics said. In the latest attack, a Palestinian was killed when an Israeli drone struck an electric bicycle west of the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, a medical source said. Another Palestinian was killed and others were injured, one seriously, when an Israeli drone struck a civilian vehicle in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood southwest of Gaza City, the source said. In the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian girl in the head in Jabalia, a medical source told Anadolu. In southern Gaza, another

• 
  Lebanese president warns regional tensions could spiral into wider escalation

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned Thursday that the region faces “very significant” challenges, expressing hope they would not lead to escalation or an “explosion,” Anadolu reports. Aoun made the warning while chairing a Cabinet session at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, attended by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency. “The challenges facing the region are very significant, and I hope their course will not lead toward escalation or explosion,” Aoun said. He urged parties in Lebanon to “exercise wisdom, awareness and restraint” to shield the country from the impact of regional developments, noting that Lebanon is already suffering from difficult economic conditions. “This requires everyone, ministers and political officials, to act wisely

• 
  Qatar, US discuss regional de-escalation, maritime navigation

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed regional developments and efforts to reduce tensions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call Thursday, according to Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry said the two officials reviewed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between Qatar and the US. The discussions also addressed the latest regional developments, particularly ongoing diplomatic efforts and joint coordination to de-escalate tensions and enhance regional security and stability. READ: Qatari emir wants ‘regional system of collective security’ During the call, Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed Qatar’s support for diplomatic initiatives aimed at reaching a solution that guarantees freedom of maritime navigation and paves the

• 
  Indian, Israeli premiers discuss Mideast situation, bilateral ties over phone

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  In a Thursday phone call, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu discussed bilateral ties and the situation in the Middle East, Anadolu reports. “The two leaders welcomed the sustained momentum in India-Israel relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening the Special Strategic Partnership between the two countries,” said a statement by Modi’s office. New Delhi said the leaders also “exchanged views on recent developments” in the Middle East and “underscored the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region. “ Modi reiterated India’s “call for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward,” the statement said. READ: Israeli opposition leaders accuse Netanyahu of clinging to power at country’s expense “The two leaders agreed

• 
  Yemeni army says 512 Houthi fighters neutralized in 24 hours

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Yemen’s government forces carried out 780 strikes against Houthi positions over the past 24 hours, neutralizing approximately 512 fighters and destroying or damaging more than 330 military vehicles, a military spokesman said Thursday, Anadolu reports. Majed Abdullah al-Nuzayli, spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, said in a statement that the operations were conducted as part of the ongoing “Operation Dawn of Yemen.” He said the strikes targeted Houthi field commanders, troop concentrations, reinforcements, heavy weapons positions, fortified sites and military vehicles across the northern fronts as well as Al-Jawf, western Marib, and Al-Bayda provinces. According to al-Nuzayli, the operations also destroyed heavy weapons and reinforcements heading toward front lines in Taiz province. He said the strikes had disrupted Houthi military

• 
  Trump accuses Iran of driving up oil prices ahead of midterms

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Thursday accused Iran of attempting to drive up global oil prices ahead of the midterm elections, Anadolu reports. “Iran is doing everything they can to drive up the price of Oil prior to the U.S. Midterm Election. “They are even making up fake hits, mines, and everything else, because more Oil is coming through the Hormuz Strait now than it did even prior to the beginning of the Conflict,” Trump wrote on his Truth social platform. He accused Iranian authorities of continuing to kill protesters and others who oppose the government, claiming that 75,000 protesters had died in less than seven months. “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, and they will never (sic) a

• 
  Israeli forces blow up abandoned house, open fire on farmland in southern Syria

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Israeli forces blew up an abandoned house and opened machine-gun fire toward agricultural land in Syria’s southern Quneitra province on Thursday, Syrian media reported. Syria’s state-run Alikhbariah TV said Israeli forces demolished an abandoned house in the town of Hamidiyah in the northern Quneitra countryside. In a separate incident, Israeli troops stationed at western Tal al-Ahmar opened machine-gun fire toward farmland surrounding the town of Kudna, the broadcaster reported. READ: Israeli tanks spotted near former governor’s office in Quneitra, southern Syria There were no immediate reports of casualties. The incidents come amid repeated Israeli military incursions into southern Syria. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, Israel has carried out repeated incursions into southern Syria after declaring the

• 
  Situation in occupied West Bank ‘simply out of control,’ UN chief says

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  The situation across the occupied West Bank has deteriorated beyond control as escalating attacks seek to drive Palestinian communities from their land, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Thursday, Anadolu reports. “In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians continue to suffer daily attacks by Israeli settlers. The clear goal is to drive communities off their land,” Guterres told reporters. He said the situation in the occupied territories is “simply out of control” as occupiers also target journalists and diplomats. On Gaza, the UN chief pointed out that essential humanitarian assistance remains “severely restricted” ahead of winter, compounding obstacles facing the Security Council-backed roadmap to resolve the conflict. Guterres stressed that the World Food Program “urgently” requires $450 million to feed populations

• 
  Iran sets 7 conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz, resuming talks: Official

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Iran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz or return to negotiations until seven new conditions presented through intermediaries are met, said Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Anadolu reports. “We will not return to the diplomacy of the past, yet we are not abandoning diplomacy altogether,” Rezaei said in a statement carried by ISNA news agency, adding that Tehran was “no longer interested in agreements whose only guarantee was political good faith.” He said Iran’s preference was “de-escalation,” but “the longer the US prolonged the war, the stronger Iran would become, although this was not what Tehran wanted.” Rezaei also warned that if the war resumed, Iran would use new capabilities to target US assets in

• 
  Gaza faces renewed famine risk as food supplies dwindle: Rights group

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Gaza could face another famine as Israeli restrictions on incoming goods leave residents struggling to obtain food, with flour shortages threatening bread production, a Geneva-based human rights group warned Thursday, Anadolu reports. Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said its teams observed increasingly empty markets and soaring food prices, accusing Israel of “deliberately depriving” Palestinians of adequate nutrition as part of an ongoing genocide. According to the rights group, after Israeli authorities suspended commercial goods deliveries to Gaza on Oct. 13, it announced on Oct. 19 that some imports would be allowed to resume. However, the group said the decision brought little relief, as shipments remained heavily restricted and fresh fruits and vegetables were still denied entry. It added that residents and

• 
  Tech investor Peter Thiel says US should not have launched war on Iran: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Billionaire technology investor Peter Thiel voiced strong skepticism about the US war against Iran, saying Washington should never have launched the conflict, Politico reported Thursday. “I’m skeptical of (the war), I think we should not have done it,” Thiel said at a private event on Oct. 12, according to audio obtained by Politico. “There were a lot of mistakes that were made.” Thiel, a major Republican donor and longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, also questioned whether the US had the means to sustain its position in the conflict. “Maybe we don’t have the hard power. Maybe we’re going to lose the soft power war,” he said. READ: Vance acknowledges ‘failures’ in US handling of Iran war In the lecture earlier

• 
  International Criminal Court, its senior officials awarded 2026 EU Sakharov Prize

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  The European Parliament on Thursday awarded its 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought jointly to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its senior officials, recognizing their work in upholding international law and justice, Anadolu reports. “The European Union is founded on respect for multilateralism and international institutions. By awarding the Sakharov Prize to the International Criminal Court and its officials, Parliament recognizes the important work carried out by the Court to uphold international law and justice,” said EP President Roberta Metsola, announcing the winners to the full assembly. The parliament highlighted the ICC investigations, prosecutions, trials, and issuance or authorization of arrest warrants for serious international crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. “The Court plays an

• 
  1,574 killed, 6,939 injured in Yemen escalation since August: WHO

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  At least 1,574 people have been killed and 6,939 others injured in Yemen since the latest military escalation began in August, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday. In a report seen by Anadolu Agency, the UN health agency said it had recorded 8,513 casualties since the beginning of August. The figure included 1,574 deaths and 6,939 injuries as of Oct. 19, the WHO said, without specifying whether the casualties were civilians, military personnel or both. The agency said 292 people were killed and 1,048 others injured during the latest eight-day reporting period. READ: US envoy says ground intervention in Yemen ‘appears pointless,’ urges regional alliances Last Thursday, the WHO said it had recorded 1,282 deaths and 5,891 injuries since the

• 
  Sudanese army recaptures strategic military base in Blue Nile region

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  The Sudanese army on Thursday recaptured two areas, including a strategic military base, in the Blue Nile region following clashes with paramilitary forces, Sudanese media reported. According to the daily Sudan Tribune, the army and its allied forces regained control of the Bakori military base, southeast of Damazin, the regional capital, on Thursday morning. An alliance of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North seized the strategic Bakori and Sarkam bases in late August in the Qeisan and Kurmuk localities, respectively, the news portal said. READ: UN warns Sudan conflict shows no sign of easing, urges parties to pursue peace Bakori, located about 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of Damazin, serves as the headquarters of the

• 
  Gaza Health Ministry warns hospital generators may shut down

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Gaza’s Health Ministry warned Thursday that hospital electricity generators could stop working after stocks of operating oil were completely exhausted amid Israel’s continued blockade of the enclave, Anadolu reports. The ministry said in a statement that engineering teams are working under difficult conditions to monitor the generators and keep electricity supply to critical hospital departments. “Generators have been running for thousands of continuous hours without sufficient oil or maintenance, bringing them to the final point of mechanical danger,” the ministry said. “If generator engines burn out because of the lack of oil, they could become permanently unusable even if supplies become available later,” it warned. The ministry renewed its call for urgent intervention, saying the issue was no longer limited

• 
  Israeli forces kill man with disabilities, abduct young man in southern Syria: Reports

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Israeli forces killed a civilian with disabilities during an incursion into Daraa province and abducted a young man while obstructing a UN patrol in neighboring Quneitra province in southern Syria on Thursday, according to local media reports. Alikhbariah TV reported that Israeli forces entered Taranja village in northern Quneitra countryside with seven military vehicles, abducted a young man and obstructed the passage of a patrol belonging to the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) by blocking the village road. The broadcaster did not provide details about the young man’s identity or where he was taken. Earlier Thursday, Israeli forces entered Jamlah village in western Daraa province and shot dead a civilian with disabilities, according to Syria’s official SANA news agency. The

• 
  Israeli opposition leaders accuse Netanyahu of clinging to power at country’s expense

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Israeli opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Gadi Eisenkot on Thursday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prioritizing his political survival over the country’s interests, as they criticized his government’s record and its handling of security warnings ahead of next week’s elections, Anadolu reports. In a post on the US social media platform X, opposition leader Lapid accused the government of turning Israel’s security into a “farce” and seeking scapegoats for its failures. “The reckless and hysterical statement made by the defense minister is a gift to Israel’s enemies,” Lapid said. “Once again, this failed government is trying to make excuses and look for a scapegoat to cover up the failures of Netanyahu and the group of incompetent people surrounding him,”

• 
  Macron was right, and the scapegoats were chosen

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Emmanuel Macron’s phrase landed like a cracked whip in the stale air of Western politics. “As unacceptable as they are stupid.” The target was not immigration policy, but a lie — the claim, amplified by Donald Trump and a chorus of right-wing figures, that Muslim migrants had set France alight. The protests that swept Paris, Lyon and Marseille were not a civilisational invasion.  They were a cry about grocery bills, overcrowded classrooms and a state that had cut 4,000 teaching posts while fuel prices climbed. Macron’s fury was therefore more than a defence of immigrants. It was a rejection of the most durable political technology of the age: the conversion of economic failure into cultural panic. The mechanics are almost

• 
  Israel turned West Bank into prisons, occupier violence made it battlefield: Palestinian official

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  Israeli forces have turned the occupied West Bank into “fragmented prisons,” while occupier violence has made it a “battlefield,” Palestinian National Initiative Secretary-General Mustafa Barghouti said Thursday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Barghouti said the Israeli army had fragmented the occupied West Bank with more than 1,300 military checkpoints, most of them closed, turning its cities and towns into “fragmented prisons separated from one another.” He said the restrictions had “severely paralyzed economic activity, education and health services.” Barghouti said the situation was accompanied by Israeli army raids across all West Bank governorates, mass arrests, continued repression and home demolitions, as well as the prevention of most Palestinian farmers from reaching their land to harvest olives. “The Israeli occupation uses

• 
  Every Moment Is a Life: Gaza in the Time of Genocide

  by EditorMehdi on October 22, 2026

  “To write stories in the heart of an unfolding genocide is to draw ink from the depths of your own heart,” writes Huzama Habayeb, the Arabic editor of Every Moment Is a Life. “To read stories of genocide, while the slaughter rages relentlessly, unceasingly, means that—at the very least—your heart will be crushed.” She is right. Reading this anthology is a crushing experience. More than once the book has to be put down, and each time the reader picks it up again, because the people who wrote it deserve to be heard to the end. The collection was compiled by the Palestinian American novelist Susan Abulhawa. It brings together heart-rending true stories by eighteen young writers from Gaza. They wrote