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

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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

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  Trump calls US naval blockade of Strait of Hormuz ‘a very profitable business’

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  President Donald Trump described on Friday the US Navy’s seizure of Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz as “a very profitable business,” boasting that Washington had taken over Iranian cargo and oil as part of its blockade, Anadolu Agency reports. “We took over the cargo. Took over the oil, a very profitable business. Who would have thought, we’re sort of like pirates, but we’re not playing games,” Trump said at an event in the US state of Florida. Defending the blockade, Trump argued that Iran had used “the Hormuz Strait as a weapon for many, many years, they said they’ll close it. So, they closed it, then I closed it on them.” On the ongoing nuclear talks with Iran,

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  UN committee says Israel’s death penalty law perpetuates ‘racial discrimination’ against Palestinians

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Israel’s newly adopted death penalty law perpetuates racial discrimination against Palestinians and amounts to a grave erosion of human rights, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) said Friday, Anadolu reports. CERD expressed alarm about the law mandates, and urged Israel to immediately repeal it. “Those courts have exclusive jurisdiction over Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, while Israeli citizens and residents are explicitly excluded from its application,” it said in a statement. Saying that the law is de facto applicable to Palestinians only, it stressed that it prohibits mitigation, commutation or pardon of the death penalty and sets a 90-day deadline for executions once a final judgment is rendered. The state party should “ensure that all

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  US approves possible military sales to Qatar, Kuwait, UAE

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  The US Department of State said Friday that it approved military sales to Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, Anadolu Agency reports. The agency approved the possible sale of Patriot Air and Missile Defense replenishment services and related equipment to Qatar for $4.01 billion. It also approved the potential sale of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) to Qatar for $992 million, and to the UAE for $147.6 million. Separately, it green-lighted the possible sale of Integrated Battle Command System to Kuwait for $2.5 billion. The announcement comes as the US and Israel began strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting retaliation from Tehran against US allies in the Gulf and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. READ: US

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  US approves possible sale of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System to Israel

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  The US State Department said Friday that it approved the possible sale of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) and related equipment to Israel, Anadolu Agency reports. The estimated total cost is $992.4 million, it said in a statement. “The proposed sale will improve Israel’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and serve as a deterrent to regional threats. Israel will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces,” it added. The principal contractor will be BAE Systems in the US state of New Hampshire. The US has long been criticized for providing support to Israel for its genocideal war in the Gaza Strip, where more than 72,000 people, mostly women

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  Iraq sends first oil shipment to Syria via newly reopened key border crossing

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Iraq launched its first crude oil export operation to Syria on Friday through the Rabia-Al-Yarubiya land border crossing, sending an initial shipment of 70 tanker trucks, according to the Border Crossings Authority, Anadolu Agency reports. A statement by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) said the operation was carried out under approved regulatory and security procedures, and with direct oversight from government authorities, said agency head Omar Al-Waeli. The move is aimed at relieving pressure on other crossings, diversifying marketing channels and boosting national revenues, said Al-Waeli. Noting that efforts are underway to expand the crossing’s capacity, he said the agency is working to upgrade its infrastructure and logistics services ahead of anticipated increases in activity. READ: 12 airlines resume flights to

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  31 activists injured during Israeli interception of Gaza-bound aid flotilla: Global Sumud

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  At least 31 activists were injured during Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters, according to statements from the group, Anadolu Agency reports. The Global Sumud Flotilla committee said those injured included activists from multiple countries, among them four each from New Zealand and Australia; three each from Italy and the US; two each from Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, Colombia and Germany; and one each from Hungary, Ukraine, France, Poland and Portugal. One of the injured holds dual Turkish-German citizenship, while efforts are ongoing to determine the identities of three other passengers, it added. In a separate statement, it said activists detained during the interception were subjected to ill-treatment aboard an Israeli naval vessel

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  Israeli army detains 10 Palestinians, including 5 children, in West Bank raids

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  The Israeli army detained 10 Palestinians, including five children, on Friday during raids across the occupied West Bank, according to local sources. Sources told Anadolu that Israeli soldiers arrested five children while they were collecting wild plants south of Hebron, following incitement by Israeli occupiers. The children were taken to an unknown location, with no immediate information available about their condition. In the central West Bank, Israeli soldiers published a photo showing several young men following their arrest in the village of Burqa, east of Ramallah, an Anadolu correspondent reported. The image showed five detainees, with no further details provided. Israeli forces also raided the town of Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem, and the town of Abu Falah, northeast of

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  Lufthansa Group extends suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until June

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Germany’s Lufthansa said it will not resume flights to and from Tel Aviv in June, according to the Israeli daily Haaretz. “The group—which includes airlines Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels, and Eurowings—said it may resume some flights to and from Ben-Gurion International Airport as early as June 1, depending on the security situation in the region,” the newspaper reported on Thursday. Dozens of international airlines have suspended flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv following the US-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28, with suspensions extended since then. France’s Air France previously delayed the resumption of flights between Paris and Tel Aviv until May 10, reflecting continued caution among European carriers. READ: Trump says ‘not satisfied’ with Iran’s proposal,

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  Iran announces new maritime rules amid Strait of Hormuz tensions

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced “new rules” over the country’s coastline in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the move comes at the directive of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The IRGC Navy said it will exercise control over “nearly 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) of Iran’s coastline” in these areas, making “this body of water a source of livelihood and strength for the noble people of Iran, and a source of security and prosperity for the region,” according to state-run Press TV on Friday evening. No further details have been revealed. Tensions have been running high regarding the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran restricted passage across the strategic waterway in a retaliatory move against the US-Israeli

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  The alliance breaker: How Trump is torching the West’s friendships

  by MI on May 2, 2026

  Something remarkable is happening in the corridors of Western power. America’s closest allies are no longer whispering their frustrations behind closed doors. They are shouting them from parliamentary podiums and press conferences — and Donald Trump is shouting back. The transatlantic alliance, built painstakingly over eight decades, is cracking in real time. The proximate cause is the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, launched on February 28, 2026, without consulting NATO partners, the United Nations, or even Washington’s most loyal friends. But the rupture runs deeper than any single conflict. It reflects a White House that appears either strategically indifferent to its allies or actively contemptuous of them. “The Americans Clearly Have No Strategy” No moment crystallized the breaking point more sharply

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  Trump says he is ‘not happy’ with Italy, Spain amid split on Iran

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  President Donald Trump voiced displeasure with Italy and Spain Friday as the rift between the NATO allies grows amid the stalled US-Israeli war on Iran, Anadolu reports. “I’m not happy with Italy, and I’m not happy with Spain. They feel it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Anybody that feels it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon is not very smart, and it’ll be a terrible thing in the future if they’re ever allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” the US president said as he departed the White House. The comments come one day after Trump said he “probably will” pull US forces out of Italy and Spain. Trump maintained that when the US “needed them,

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  Israeli army demolishes Christian monastery, nuns’ school in southern Lebanon

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  The Israeli army demolished a monastery and a school run by the Sisters of the Holy Savior in the southern Lebanese town of Yaroun, the state National News Agency reported on Friday. The school “was considered one of the most prominent educational institutions in the region,” having educated thousands of students over the years from various towns in the Bint Jbeil district, said the agency. Its targeting represents “a major loss at both the educational and social levels,” it added. Israel has waged an offensive in Lebanon since March 2, killing more than 2,600 people and displacing over 1 million. A 10-day ceasefire that began on April 17 was later extended until May 17, but Israel continues to violate it

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  Lebanon death toll since March 2 Israeli offensive surpasses 2,600

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  The death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 has reached 2,618, with 8,094 people injured, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Friday, Anadolu Agency reports. In a statement, the ministry said 32 people were killed and 74 others were injured as a result of Israeli raids over the past 24 hours. Israel launched an offensive in Lebanon following Hezbollah’s retaliation linked to the Iran conflict, displacing more than 1 million people. A 10-day ceasefire that began on April 17 was later extended until May 17, 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 attacks

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  Palestine Book Awards mark 15 years as 2026 submissions close

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  The Palestine Book Awards (PBA) has officially closed submissions for its 2026 cycle, marking another successful year with around 80 books entered. Now in its 15th year, the Awards continue to grow in stature, serving as a vital platform for literature that centres Palestinian history, identity and resistance. This year’s submissions come after a devastating period of war in the region, which impacted publishing, printing and distribution processes. Despite these challenges, authors and publishers have continued to produce and submit their work, ensuring that Palestinian voices and stories remain present and accessible. The books received reflect a strong commitment to documenting lived experiences, preserving memory, and contributing to an ongoing cultural and political discourse. Despite continued efforts to silence Palestinian

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  Senate panel Democrat urges diplomacy as Trump Iran war hits 60-day mark

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  A senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Friday urged the Trump administration to shift toward diplomacy with Iran as the conflict reached its 60th day, warning the war lacks a clear strategy or exit plan, Anadolu reports. “After sixty days of conflict, President Trump still does not have a strategy or way out for this poorly planned war,” Jeanne Shaheen said in a statement. “Americans want a lasting end to this conflict. They want lower prices at home. They want peace and prosperity. In short, they want what the President promised. It’s time the Administration pursue a serious diplomatic path forward,” she added. Referring to the threshold set by the War Powers Act, Shaheen said the administration

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  Iran submits new proposal to Pakistan to resume US talks on ending war

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Iran has submitted a new proposal to Pakistan to resume negotiations with the United States aimed at reaching an agreement to end the war, Iranian media reported on Friday, Anadolu Agency reports. According to the Iranian official news agency (IRNA), Iran has delivered its latest draft proposal for negotiations to Pakistan on Thursday evening. The report did not provide details on the content of the new proposal. The White House reportedly stopped short of providing details on the proposal, reiterating to the US daily New York Post that President Donald Trump has said any deal must prevent Iran from possessing nuclear arms. READ: Katz says Israel may resume war on Iran “soon” “We do not detail private diplomatic conversations … Negotiations

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  German vice chancellor criticizes Trump’s Iran strategy

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Joining a days-long transatlantic dispute, Germany’s vice chancellor on Friday criticized US President Donald Trump over his Iran strategy, while calling on him to end the war as soon as possible, Anadolu Agency reports. “I think he really believed this would be a matter of two or three days, and then everything would be fine. He now bears the responsibility for ensuring that this war in Iran ends quickly,” Lars Klingbeil said at a Labor Day event in the western town of Bergkamen. He also defended Chancellor Friedrich Merz against this week’s criticisms from the US president. “We really don’t need any advice from Donald Trump. He should take a look at the mess he’s created. He should ensure that

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  12 airlines resume flights to and from Syria

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Twelve airlines have resumed operations to and from Syria, the head of the country’s civil aviation authority said Friday, as officials seek to expand links with Europe, Anadolu Agency reports. Omar al-Hosari, head of the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, said in a statement that Syrian airports and airspace are seeing a gradual return of regional and international carriers “as part of the recovery of the civil aviation sector and efforts to strengthen air connectivity and overflight traffic.” The number of airlines operating to Damascus International Airport and Aleppo International Airport as of May 1 reached an even dozen, alongside a “notable improvement” in transit traffic through Syrian airspace, he added. Hosari said the figures reflect “improved operational performance and growing

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  Al-Aqsa security guards foil attempt by Israeli occupiers to storm mosque

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Security guards at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on Friday foiled an attempt by Israeli occupiers to storm the compound and perform an animal sacrifice, Anadolu Agency reports. A widely circulated video on social media showed occupiers heading toward Al-Aqsa Mosque, jumping over an Israeli police barrier on the road leading to Bab Hutta, one of the mosque’s gates. The footage shows mosque security guards rushing to close Bab Hutta, thwarting the attempted incursion. The Palestinian Wadi Hilweh Information Center said in a statement that the occupiers “were carrying a live sacrifice in an attempt to bring it into the mosque compound.” It added that the “sacrifice” refers to an animal offering that extremist Temple groups seek to introduce

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  Bahrain king orders more citizenship revocations over ‘support’ for Iran attacks

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Friday ordered authorities to revoke the citizenship of additional individuals accused of “supporting” Iranian attacks on the country, Anadolu Agency reports. The remarks, reported by the Bahrain News Agency, came days after the country announced on Monday that it had stripped the citizenship of 69 people, including families, over what it described as “sympathizing with and praising Iranian attacks.” The king said that what Bahrain faced from what he called a “sinful Iranian aggression” targeting its security, stability and the safety of its people exposed those who “sold their conscience to the enemy,” he said. He called on Iran to stop interfering in the internal affairs of Bahrain and other Gulf states.

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  France reiterates refusal to take part in Iran war

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Friday renewed France’s ongoing refusal to take part in the US-Israeli war on Iran, Anadolu Agency reports. “France has not entered the war since the beginning of this crisis. We have said so: since the objectives were not clearly defined and the operations were conducted outside the framework of international law, it was simply not conceivable for France to take part,” Barrot told broadcaster BFM TV. He reiterated the need to prevent hostilities from resuming within the framework of negotiations. “As everyone has seen since the start of this war, which we did not support and in which we did not take part, the risks of escalation are extremely high. They carry major consequences

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  Palestinian FA chief refuses handshake with Israeli counterpart at FIFA congress

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub refused to shake hands with an Israeli counterpart during a FIFA meeting, saying: “National dignity is not subject to protocol,” Anadolu reports. The incident occurred when FIFA President Gianni Infantino invited Rajoub to greet Israeli Football Association Vice President Bassem Sheikh Suleiman during the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, on Thursday. Rajoub later shared a video on Facebook, which stated: “From the FIFA platform, we took a clear and principled position by refusing to shake hands with the representative of the Israeli association.” He said it was “an affirmation that national dignity is not subject to protocol considerations, and out of respect for the sanctity of our people’s blood, including our athletes.” In

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  The silent pipeline wars: Who is drawing the new gas map of the Middle East?

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  In today’s Middle East, competition over energy resources is no longer confined to oil and gas fields; it is increasingly centered on routes—and the power to design them. Gas pipelines, once viewed as purely technical infrastructure, have evolved into geopolitical instruments used to project influence, redefine alliances and shape the regional order. This shift signals the emergence of a new phase in energy diplomacy—one in which competition is largely silent, yet deeply consequential. Pipelines: From infrastructure to instruments of power Traditionally, pipelines were seen as neutral conduits for energy transport. Today, however, each pipeline functions as a “corridor of power.” Its route can determine which country becomes an energy hub and which remains marginal. In this context, routes are shaped

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

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  WATCH: A youth protest on Gaza’s shore condemning the occupation’s piracy against the freedom flotilla