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

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  Israeli activists protest mistreatment of Palestinian women at Damon Prison

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Israeli activists gathered outside Damon Prison in Haifa on Saturday, to show support for the Palestinian women who are being held at the facility, Anadolu reports. Protestors demanded the release of female detainees, acting on recent reports of mistreatment and rights violations. Commission of Detainees’ Affairs said in July that a Palestinian female detainee accused an Israeli interrogator of repeatedly sexually harassing her during detention. “I was subjected during interrogation to threats of assault against family members, repeated insults and attempts to extract confessions under pressure,” she said. Israel holds around 9,400 Palestinians in its prisons as of early July 2026, including 94 female detainees, more than 350 children, 3,244 administrative detainees and 1,320 people it classifies as “unlawful combatants,”

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  Sudanese anti-war groups meet in Ethiopia to discuss Burhan’s call for dialogue

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Anti-war forces opened a 2-day meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday to discuss a call by Sudan’s Sovereignty Council chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan for dialogue, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the National Umma Party said the meeting is organized by groups that are not affiliated with either the Sudanese army or the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). It listed the Civil Democratic Alliance of Revolutionary Democratic Forces (Sumoud), headed by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, the Popular Congress Party, and the Umma Party as among the prominent participants in the meeting. The statement said the meeting would address developments in Sudan and national visions for achieving comprehensive peace. READ: 16 killed by heatstroke in Sudan’s Red Sea state

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  Egypt, Iran discuss regional de-escalation, implementation of Tehran-Washington memorandum

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  The top diplomats of Egypt and Iran on Saturday discussed efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region and implement a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, Anadolu reports. A statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi reviewed over the phone the overall situation in the region and ongoing efforts “to create an environment conducive to de-escalation and a return to the diplomatic path – whether regarding the negotiation track between Oman and Iran or the resumption of the implementation of the US-Iran memorandum with the ultimate goal of reaching a comprehensive and sustainable agreement that addresses various concerns and enhances regional security and stability.” Abdelatty emphasized the importance of

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  Iran claims receiving ‘numerous messages’ from neighbors about new security arrangements despite US threat

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Saturday Tehran has received “numerous messages” from neighboring countries about shaping new security arrangements and economic cooperation in the region despite US threats of imposing sanctions against his country. “We’ve received numerous messages from neighboring countries about shaping new security arrangements and economic cooperation in the region,” Qalibaf said on the US social media company X. Qalibaf accused the US of putting “the security of every single one of its allies at such risk through bullying and pure disregard for their interests for the sake of Israel that they briefly saw their entire existence on the line.” READ: Trump says Iran still not ready for ‘right deal’ amid tightening economic pressure “A homegrown, independent

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  How Gulf investors could turn Indonesia’s Halmahera Island into a cleaner island, and out of Israel’s reach

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Halmahera is an island in Indonesia’s North Maluku province. It holds the country’s largest known reserve of nickel, a metal the world wants very much now because it is used in electric car batteries. For years, this reserve has been dug up as fast as possible, with little thought for the people who live there. Now a second problem has appeared on the same island. An Israeli-rooted company has just won a geothermal contract in Halmahera, in a country whose citizens have marched by the hundreds of thousands for Gaza, and whose government keeps saying, again and again, that it will never normalise relations with Israel. Both problems can be solved the same way. The Gulf states, not Beijing and

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  Tunisia recovers bodies of 4 migrants as boat capsizes off country’s coast

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Tunisian authorities recovered the bodies of four irregular migrants from Tunisia off the coast of Ben Guerdane in the country’s southeast after a boat carrying 15 people capsized, a rights group said Saturday, Anadolu reports. Mostafa Abdelkebir, the head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, told Anadolu Agency that 15 migrants had set off on Wednesday from the coasts of Ben Guerdane and Zarzis in the southeastern town of Medenine in an attempt to sail to Italy when their boat capsized. He said security forces had managed to rescue one of the missing migrants on Friday, while search operations for the remaining missing persons are still ongoing. Tunisia is a major departure point for irregular migrants seeking to cross

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  Tanzania inaugurates $2.9B hydropower project built by Egyptian consortium

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Tanzania on Saturday inaugurated the Julius Nyerere dam and hydropower plant, a $2.9 billion project built by an Egyptian consortium over five years, Anadolu reports. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attended the inauguration ceremony on behalf of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Located on Tanzania’s Rufiji River, the project has a generation capacity of 2,115 megawatts and is designed to meet the country’s energy needs, regulate water flows and reduce flood risks. In remarks broadcast by Egyptian media, Madbouly said the project “reflects the Tanzian will and extensive Egyptian expertise,” congratulating Tanzania on the dam inauguration. He said its completion demonstrated the ability of Egyptian companies to undertake major projects internationally, particularly in Africa. READ: Egypt renews opposition to new Ethiopian dams

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  Former French, British ambassadors urge halt to arms exports, ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  More than 100 former French and British diplomats have called on French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to take joint action to uphold international law in Palestine, Anadolu reports. “The United Kingdom and France share values and an international outlook,” the former diplomats said in an open letter obtained by Anadolu on Saturday. They stressed that both countries are permanent members of the UN Security Council and are committed to upholding international law. The letter was addressed to Burnham, with copies also sent to Macron and British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband. “Those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity must be held to account,” they said, adding that only such action would allow the two

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  Jordan’s energy diplomacy: The power of being in between

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Jordan does not have Saudi Arabia’s oil, Qatar’s gas or Iraq’s hydrocarbon wealth. It does, however, possess another asset that is becoming increasingly valuable on the Middle East’s energy map: location. Jordan’s 2025–2035 Energy Strategy, approved by the government on 3rd May 2026, is built around this reality. Its logic is simple but strategic: if a country cannot become a major energy producer, it can use geography, diversification and interconnection to reduce vulnerability and expand its room for manoeuvre.This is the power of being in between. Jordan sits at the intersection of the Levant, Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula and the eastern Mediterranean. Geography alone does not generate power. But when electricity grids, pipelines and energy infrastructure connect across borders, location

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  Israeli drone strike kills Palestinian, injures others in latest Gaza ceasefire violation

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  One Palestinian was killed and others were injured Saturday in an Israeli drone strike targeting the courtyard of a home in the central Gaza Strip, in the latest violation of an ongoing ceasefire, a medical source said. Witnesses told Anadolu that an Israeli drone struck the courtyard in the Al-Bassa area of Deir al-Balah. A medical source told Anadolu Agency that the attack killed one Palestinian and injured several others. The strike was part of Israel’s continuing violations of a ceasefire agreement in effect in Gaza since Oct. 10, 2025. It came despite US President Donald Trump’s call for an end to Israeli strikes on the Palestinian enclave. ​​​​​​​The Israeli army has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over

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  Syria warns continued Israeli attacks fuel regional tensions, demands UN action

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Syria warned Saturday that continued Israeli attacks on its territory would fuel tensions and instability in the region and threaten the safety and security of civilians, calling on the UN Security Council and the international community to take action to halt the Israeli assaults, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned an Israeli drone strike on a civilian vehicle in the town of Beit Jinn in the western Damascus countryside, injuring several people. “This attack constitutes a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as a blatant breach of international law,” the ministry said. It added that the attack was the latest in repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory and held Israel “fully responsible”

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  Restoration of Iran’s South Pars Phase 14 refinery 70% complete after Israeli strike

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Iran has restored 70% of the production capacity at the Phase 14 refinery of the South Pars gas field, which was damaged in an Israeli strike last year, a senior energy official said Saturday, Anadolu reports. Touraj Dehghani, managing director of Pars Oil and Gas Company, said reconstruction began immediately after the June 14, 2025 attack, according to state news agency IRNA. Dehghani said three damaged production trains were returned to operation in less than 10 days. He said restoration of the refinery’s capacity has reached 70%, with the remaining damaged production expected to return to service by the end of the Iranian calendar year in March 2027. Dehghani also said four South Pars refineries were damaged during the latest 40-day

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  Israeli military officials suspect Netanyahu may seek escalation to delay elections: Israeli media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Senior Israeli military officials suspect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may seek to escalate the situation in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to disrupt or delay the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections, Israeli media reported. Israeli daily Maariv cited assessments within the upper ranks of the Israeli army that Netanyahu does not want the current conflicts to come to an end and could seek renewed escalation in Gaza as the election approaches. According to the report, senior military officials are increasingly concerned that political considerations could influence decisions on further military action. Officers have made clear that the army does not intend to be drawn into another conflict without a clear security necessity, saying: “We will not enter a new and

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  Israeli drone strike injures 1 in southwestern Syria

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  One person was injured Saturday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a vehicle in southwestern Syria, according to Syrian media. Al-Ikhbariya TV said the drone hit the vehicle in the town of Beit Jinn in the western Damascus countryside, without providing details about the identity or condition of the injured person. Syrian authorities have not commented on the attack, while Israel has not announced its target or the reason for the strike. READ: Israeli opposition leader calls Syria attack ‘provocative and dangerous’, warns Israel will ‘pay the price’ The attack comes amid Syrian efforts to reach a security agreement with Israel. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on July 26 that Damascus was working with several countries to reach such an agreement,

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  Growing international pressure puts Israel under diplomatic strain: Israeli media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Israel is facing mounting diplomatic pressure from several of its traditional partners over its policies in the occupied Palestinian territories and military actions in the region, with Israeli media describing the country’s international standing as increasingly strained. Israeli news outlet Ynet reported Friday that a series of statements and measures from Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany and other countries in recent days had highlighted Israel’s growing international isolation, particularly in its relations with Europe. The report pointed to criticism over Israel’s settlement plans in the occupied West Bank, its decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into the killing of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in Gaza, and its latest military action in Syria. Six European countries condemned Israel’s

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  Gaza ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ undermining support even in ‘pro-Israel’ nations: Poland

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and the failure to ensure accountability for the Israeli military’s “excessive use of force” were undermining public support even in nations supportive of Israel. “Partnership requires mutual respect,” Sikorski said Thursday on US social media company X. “The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, as well as the failure of accountability for IDF’s excessive use of force are undermining public support in even pro-Israel nations,” he added. His comments came as Poland’s Foreign Ministry expressed “great disappointment” over Israeli military authorities’ decision to discontinue proceedings into the April 1, 2024 shelling of a World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid convoy in the Gaza Strip that killed Polish citizen Damian Sobol. READ: UN: 94

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  Iraqi president says some oil tankers being facilitated through Strait of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Iraq’s President Nizar Amidi said Saturday that some vessels carrying Iraqi oil are being facilitated through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that developments in the strategic waterway affect not only Iraq but the entire world, Anadolu reports. Speaking during the eighth Baghdad Dialogue conference in the Iraqi capital, Amidi said Iraq faces difficulties transporting its oil due to the absence of a national tanker fleet, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). “There is facilitation for some ships carrying Iraqi oil in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, without elaborating. Amidi stressed that developments in the strait have repercussions beyond Iraq. “The Strait of Hormuz has an impact on the entire world, not just Iraq,” he said. The Iraqi president

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  Iran claims health of pilots allegedly held in Qatar is deteriorating

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  An Iranian military official claimed Saturday that the health of Iranian pilots whom Tehran says are being held in Qatar is deteriorating, despite Doha’s denial that it has detained them, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency. Mohammad Bagherzadeh, commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff, claimed that the pilots are being held “on the water” in conditions unsuitable for maintaining their health, Fars said. “The physical condition of the Iranian pilots in Qatar is not good,” Bagherzadeh claimed. He called on the Qatari government to transfer the pilots “as soon as possible” to land and to a properly equipped hospital. READ: Iran asks Qatar to allow military team to investigate fate

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  The Foundations of Zionism

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  A witness to the 1948 Nakba in the village of Fassouta in the Galilee at the age of 10, and one of 160,000 Palestinians who remained, Palestinian author and researcher Sabri Jiryis later became involved al-Ard which sought the return of Palestinians and their land. Expelled to Safad after attempting to run for the 1965 Knesset elections, Jiryis started reading about the Zionist movement. It was while working in Lebanon at the Palestinian Research Centre that Jiryis turned his attention to researching the Zionist movement; this time with the realisation that Palestinians with no knowledge of Hebrew had no way of learning about the colonial ideology that dispossessed them. The Foundations of Zionism (Ebb Books, 2025), translated to English by

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  Israeli premier turns to anti-Turkiye campaign as polls show Likud losing ground

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is running his election campaign on anti-Turkiye rhetoric after being forced under US pressure to stop attacks on Iran and Lebanon, Anadolu reports. Netanyahu, whose name has been linked to corruption allegations and whose party has fallen in public opinion polls, has long sought to avoid prison. He became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial for corruption. Netanyahu, the architect of the genocide in the Gaza Strip and responsible for the deaths of more than 73,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, has been criticized even in Israel for “setting the region on fire to protect his seat.” The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on Nov. 21, 2024,

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  Iraq says Sept. 30 coalition withdrawal will mark ‘historic transformation

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Iraq said Saturday that the Sept. 30 withdrawal of international coalition forces will represent a “strategic milestone and historic transformation” for the country, Anadolu reports. Sabah al-Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, said the date would mark “the culmination of a long period of sacrifices and a major shift in Iraq’s sovereignty and stability,” according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). “The selection of this date for the withdrawal of coalition forces and the end of their mission was not an arbitrary decision,” al-Numan said. He said the decision was based on the readiness of Iraq’s armed forces and security agencies, which he said had demonstrated their ability to control territory, counter threats and manage the country’s

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  Kuwait, US review joint cooperation at annual military committee meeting

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Kuwait and the US held the annual meeting of their Joint Military Committee (JMC) at the Pentagon to review joint cooperation, the Kuwaiti military said Saturday, Anadolu reports. The meeting was co-chaired by Kuwaiti Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Khaled Daraj Saad Al-Shuraian and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Middle East and Central Asia Michael DiMino, the army added in a statement. The two sides held a series of workshops during the meeting and reviewed joint cooperation in maintenance and training. They also signed a memorandum of understanding on a strategic partnership with the Maryland National Guard, the statement said. Al-Shuraian was accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior Kuwaiti Army officers, the statement said. In a separate

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  US says intelligence behind Israeli strike on Syria air base was wrong

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  US Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack said Saturday intelligence behind an Israeli attack on a military air base in northern Syria was wrong, Anadolu reports. Barrack, who also serves as special envoy for Syria and Iraq, commented on Israel’s airstrike on the abandoned Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base in eastern Idlib province. Barrack said on social media that he did not know why the attack was carried out, but could share the answers given to him. He said Israel had received intelligence that Turkiye might be moving military assets to the air base in Syria and shared the information with Washington. The US investigated the intelligence, Barrack said. “We consulted our intelligence agencies, and the answer we received was that this

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  Pro-Palestine protesters hold demonstration outside Israeli Consulate in New York

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Protesters gathered outside the Israeli Consulate in New York City on Friday, with some anti-Zionist activists detained by police for disrupting traffic, Anadolu reports. Demonstrators gathered on Second Avenue in Manhattan’s Midtown area, where police detained several protesters as the demonstration disrupted traffic. Since the ceasefire deal was signed last October, the area occupied by Israeli forces in Gaza has increased from 53 percent to 70 percent, according to Israeli officials. More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed across the coastal enclave, mostly women and children, since Israel launched its war in October 2023. READ: UK, Australia, Canada call Israel’s decision to close World Central Kitchen strike probe ‘shameful’

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  Exonerating murder: The IDF and the World Central Kitchen killings

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Being a resident in Gaza has proved lethal not merely for civilians eking out a wretched existence.  Mortality rates among journalists, medical staff, and aid workers have been egregiously high since Israel’s military opened its account after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.  (In truth, Israel’s account regarding striking, bombing and embargoing this little strip of territory has been open for decades.)  The regularity of killings, largely at the hands of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), negatives the claim that there isn’t a policy or approach in place that forgoes the rigours of international humanitarian law in favour of murderous resolution.  The IDF, and its foam flecked supporters, always insist that international law is something observed, though no one

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  Trump says Iran still not ready for ‘right deal’ amid tightening economic pressure

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Friday he still believes Iran was not ready to make “the right deal” with Washington as tightening economic measures have been deployed against Tehran, Anadolu reports. “They would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One for a trip to the state of South Carolina to attend a rally. Denying that the escalation of economic measures meant military options available to the US were limited, Trump said Washington intended to see “what happens” in terms of their effect on the already-strained Iranian economy after nearly six months of war with the US. “They have no money, they have no

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  Iran says new US sanctions violate sovereignty of other states

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Iran on Saturday condemned new US economic sanctions against Tehran, arguing that Washington’s use of secondary sanctions violates the sovereignty of other countries and international law, Anadolu reports. “The United States’ declaration of new economic sanctions on Iran is far more than continued unlawful ‘economic warfare’ against a single country,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on US social media company X. “It is an assertion of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent Member State of the United Nations,” he added. Baghaei argued that no country can lawfully force foreign banks, companies or airports under the jurisdiction of other sovereign states to stop lawful trade with a third country. He said secondary sanctions have “no foundation in international law,” arguing that they

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  Fatah, Hamas set to meet in Cairo next week to resume Palestinian dialogue: Sources

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  The Palestinian Fatah and Hamas groups are preparing to hold a meeting in Cairo next week to resume national dialogue and discuss challenges facing the Palestinian cause, Palestinian sources familiar with the matter told Anadolu Agency on Friday. Delegations from the two groups are preparing for the meeting, which is expected to take place Monday following months of contacts aimed at reviving dialogue, said sources. The planned meeting comes days after Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Khalil al-Hayya led a delegation to Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials and meetings with representatives of Palestinian factions on developments concerning the Palestinian cause. Sources said the talks come amid challenges affecting the broader Palestinian political system and the Palestinian cause, as efforts are

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  Israeli forces used phosphorus shells in southern Lebanon, reports Lebanese media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Israeli forces used phosphorus shells and carried out airstrikes and heavy artillery fire across several areas of southern Lebanon overnight and early Saturday, Lebanese state media reported, Anadolu reports. Heavy Israeli artillery shelling targeted the town of Mansouri, the vicinity of Bayt al-Sayyad and the outskirts of Majdal Zoun early Saturday, according to National News Agency (NNA). Israeli forces also carried out extensive explosions overnight in Mansouri, Majdal Zoun and Bayt al-Sayyad, the agency said. NNA reported that homes in Bayt al-Sayyad had been extensively destroyed, saying that no house in the town had been left undamaged. READ: Israel preventing foreign support for Lebanese army, deputy PM says Similar explosions were reported in the towns of Hadatha, Beit Yahoun and Aita al-Jabal,

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  Lebanon’s president urges Italian premier to pressure Israel to uphold framework agreement

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday to pressure Israel to implement a framework agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv, which was reached under US auspices, Anadolu reports. Aoun made the remarks during a meeting with Meloni in Rome on the second day of his visit, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency. The two leaders discussed Lebanese-Italian relations and ways to develop cooperation across various fields, as well as regional developments, according to the statement. They also discussed the situation in Lebanon, particularly in the south, amid continued Israeli attacks and the need to pressure Israel to comply with the framework agreement. Aoun thanked Meloni for hosting the negotiations in Italy and for Rome’s

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  Israeli security officials warn Netanyahu risks ‘unnecessary’ escalation with Turkiye: Israeli media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  Several Israeli security officials warned that attacks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz against Turkiye could lead to an “unnecessary” escalation, according to Israeli media on Friday. The warning came as the Netanyahu government intensified its rhetoric against Ankara ahead of Knesset elections scheduled for Oct. 27, according to Channel 12. According to the broadcaster, several security officials prefer not to push the dispute with Turkiye toward a broader public confrontation. Netanyahu and his Likud party have increasingly brought Turkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan into their election rhetoric and campaigning. READ: Turkiye seeks Interpol red notice for Netanyahu over Gaza aid flotilla case The Channel 12 said that the Israeli military had pushed for an

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  European Commission, 7 more countries join call for Israel to retract E1 settlement plans

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  The European Commission and seven additional countries on Friday joined a call for Israel to immediately retract its plans for the E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, a day after the statement was initially issued by the leaders of seven Western countries, Anadolu reports. Greece, Austria, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and Belgium joined the statement, which was originally issued Thursday by the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Norway. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen separately described Israel’s decision to publish construction tenders for the project as “unacceptable,” warning that it could undermine prospects for a two-state solution. “The Israeli Government’s decision to publish construction tenders for the E1 settlement project is

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  Iranian army says its military doctrine shifting from ‘defensive to offensive’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  The Iranian army said Saturday that its military doctrine is shifting from a “defensive to an offensive” posture, citing lessons from the country’s recent wars, Anadolu reports. Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia, spokesman for the Iranian army, told state news agency IRNA that the shift had gradually taken place during what he described as the 12-day and 40-day wars. “Our country’s military doctrine was defensive in the past, but gradually during these two wars, we witnessed the military doctrine moving from a defensive posture toward an offensive one,” Akraminia said. He stressed that an offensive doctrine does not necessarily mean conducting preemptive operations, but said Iran had adopted such an approach at one point during the war by striking a US base

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  Has US strategy towards the Middle East changed after the war?

  by Mehdi Editor on August 22, 2026

  In recent days, major US and international media outlets, including The Washington Post, Sky News and The Wall Street Journal, have focused on Washington’s reassessment of its military footprint in the Middle East after the Iran war, while Turkey’s Anadolu Agency has closely followed these reports. Reports by these outlets have discussed reviews being conducted by the US Department of War concerning the redeployment of forces in the Middle East, reductions in the US military presence there, and the absence of plans to rebuild bases that were damaged. These reports attribute this undertaking  to the extensive damage sustained by US bases during the war and argue that their presence exposed the vulnerability of the model of large fixed bases located

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  Turkiye slams Israeli Prime Minister’s Office over remarks targeting President Erdogan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Turkiye on Friday strongly rejected remarks by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, describing them as devoid of “historical facts and political seriousness,” Anadolu reports. “The insolent rants of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office targeting our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which are devoid of historical facts and political seriousness, are yet another indication of the helplessness of an administration seeking to evade accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Turkiye’s Communications Directorate said in a statement on Turkish social media company NSosyal. The directorate said what it called the “cheap politics” of Netanyahu and his associates, aimed in part at gaining an advantage in elections, had no standing in Israeli society, the region, the international

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  Israel preventing foreign support for Lebanese army, deputy PM says

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Israel is preventing several countries from providing support to the Lebanese army as the latter deploys in parts of southern Lebanon in line with a US-backed framework agreement signed in June between Lebanon and Israel, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said Friday, Anadolu reports. “Several countries have expressed their readiness to help the Lebanese army as it enters the pilot areas in the south, but Israel is objecting to this,” Mitri said, according to the Lebanese National News Agency. “Pilot areas” refer to parts of southern Lebanon where security arrangements are being made in line with the framework agreement, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces to make way for the deployment of Lebanese troops. Mitri also decried what he described

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  Palestine Action ‘Barclays five’ won’t face terrorism sentences, UK judge rules

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Five members of the Palestine Action group convicted over an attack on a Barclays Bank that caused damage of £200,000 ($280,000) will not be sentenced under terrorism provisions, a judge ruled Friday, Anadolu reports. The five defendants, known as the “Barclays five,” were convicted over the Aug. 5, 2024, attack on the bank’s St James’s Street branch in Burnley, Lancashire. The defendants said the action was intended to pressure Barclays to withdraw financial support for Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems, according to a report by The Guardian. They said they did not know their cases could be considered under terrorism legislation until after their convictions. READ: UK Government condemns Israel’s launch of tender for the E1 settlement project Palestine Action was

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  Attacks on West Bank Palestinians by Israeli occupiers surge in 2026: Commission

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  At least 25 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed in attacks by Israeli occupiers since the beginning of the year, the highest figure since Palestinian authorities began recording the phenomenon in 2019, according to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, Anadolu reports. The commission said Friday that at least 87 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli occupiers in the period from Jan. 1, 2019 to Aug. 21, 2026. Last year, 14 West Bank Palestinians were killed by Israeli occupiers, while 11 were killed in 2024, according to the commission. Since Oct. 8, 2023, 61 Palestinians have been killed in attacks by occupiers, accounting for more than 70 percent of all deaths recorded since 2019, the commission said. The

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  Israeli escalations at Al-Aqsa Mosque won’t alter site’s Islamic character: Hamas

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Hamas said Friday that new Israeli measures at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, including the allowance of Jewish prayer books and organized public prayers inside the mosque compound, would “not succeed in altering the mosque’s Islamic identity,” Anadolu reports. The Palestinian group issued the statement on the 57th anniversary of a 1969 arson attack on the holy site, and days after Israeli police allowed Jewish prayer books to be brought into the mosque compound. “The [Israeli] occupation’s plans will not succeed in Judaizing the Al-Aqsa Mosque, changing its characteristics, erasing its identity, dividing it temporally or spatially, or legitimizing Talmudic rituals in its courtyards,” Hamas said. The group added that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s decision to allow Jewish prayer books into

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  Israeli occupier kills Palestinian teenager outside his home in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  An Israeli occupier shot and killed a 17-year-old Palestinian during an attack near his home in the southern occupied West Bank on Friday, according to his family and a medical source, Anadolu reports. A medical source at Al-Mizan Hospital in Hebron told Anadolu Agency that Karim Sanad Shalaldeh died from a gunshot wound sustained during the attack in the Hamroush area of Sa’ir, north of Hebron. His father, Sanad Shalaldeh, told Anadolu Agency that around 50 Israeli occupiers attacked the family home and that one of them shot his son at close range. “My son was standing in front of the house and did nothing. When he asked them to move away, one of them shot him in the chest

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  Israeli military receives 2nd US-made refueling aircraft out of 6 purchased

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  The Israeli military said Friday it had received the second of six US-made refueling aircraft set to arrive gradually, saying the planes would help extend the operational range of its air force, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the military said a ceremony was held Thursday at Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel to receive the second “Gideon” refueling and transport aircraft for the air force. “A Boeing KC-46 aircraft landed yesterday at Nevatim Airbase and joined the Gideon 46 refueling squadron,” the statement said. The aircraft is the second of six refueling planes purchased through the Israeli Defense Ministry’s procurement mission in the US for the air force, the military said. The aircraft is part of a broader effort by the

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  Turkiye seeks Interpol red notice for Netanyahu over Gaza aid flotilla case

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Turkiye has requested Interpol to issue a red notice for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of an ongoing prosecution over an attack on activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said Friday. In a statement posted on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Gurlek said judicial proceedings were continuing before Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court against 35 defendants, including Netanyahu and Afek Moskovitch, over the incident in international waters. He said arrest warrants issued for Netanyahu and Moskovitch on July 14, 2026, on charges of “genocide” prompted the Justice Ministry to ask the Interior Ministry to seek Interpol red notices for the two suspects. READ: Netanyahu: Israel sent ‘clear warning’ to Ankara,

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  UK, Australia, Canada call Israel’s decision to close World Central Kitchen strike probe ‘shameful’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  The UK, Australia and Canada on Friday called Israel’s decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into the deadly 2024 strike on a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy in Gaza “shameful.” In a joint statement, the foreign ministries of the three countries said they spent more than two years pressing Israel to swiftly and thoroughly examine the case and hold those responsible to account. “The announcement by the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) on 19 August 2026 that it would not pursue criminal investigations into this strike, without further explanation, is shameful,” the statement said. The statement noted that the announcement on World Humanitarian Day, when the world honored the courage and sacrifice of humanitarians, was “particularly egregious.” “This decision is

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  Iraq premier says working to expand oil exports via Turkiye, Syria, Jordan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Iraq is working to expand oil exports through Turkiye’s Ceyhan port and develop export routes via Syria’s Baniyas and Jordan’s Aqaba ports, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said on Friday, Iraqi News Agency reported. Speaking at the eighth Baghdad Dialogue conference, Zaidi said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz poses a “major challenge” for Iraq, and that the government is taking measures to maintain economic stability. Zaidi said Baghdad is also working to increase Iraq’s export quota through OPEC, and aims to raise oil exports to between 8 million and 10 million barrels per day within six years. READ: Iraq asks Iran for special consideration regarding oil exports via Strait of Hormuz On domestic security, the premier said all political forces

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  Iran’s president says war with US should end while Tehran is in position of ‘power, dignity’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday that the war with the US should be brought to an end while Iran is in a position of “power and dignity,” as he defended Tehran’s recent agreement with Washington, Anadolu reports. Speaking at an event, Pezeshkian said the outcome of the negotiations was a “major achievement” approved by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to a statement from the Iranian presidency. “What was achieved during the negotiations was a major accomplishment,” he said, adding that members of the council who were directly involved had firmly defended it. Pezeshkian described the recent agreement as “honorable and valuable,” rejecting criticism that Tehran had made concessions. “They cannot find even a single clause in this agreement

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  UN rapporteur says Israeli occupation, not only E1 plan, ‘must end’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese said on Friday that not only the controversial E1 settlement plan but Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories itself “must end,” urging states to cut trade with Tel Aviv, Anadolu reports. In a post on US social media platform X, Albanese said the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) 2024 advisory opinion made clear that “it’s the occupation itself — not just the E1 plans — that must end.” Albanese criticized continued Israeli attacks and occupier violence in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, saying Israeli soldiers and occupiers cut water pipes in the West Bank while the siege of Qusra continued. “In Gaza the pulverization continues and so the massacres,” she said. “Since the ceasefire Israel

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  More than 1,500 ships stuck in Strait of Hormuz may trigger global biological invasions

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  The marine organisms accumulating on the hulls of more than 1,500 ships stranded due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions between the US and Iran could be transported to different parts of the world once the vessels resume their voyages, potentially creating a global “super-spreader” effect for biological invasions, Anadolu reports. A study published in the journal Biological Invasions found that biofouling, consisting of marine microorganisms, algae, and invertebrates, can rapidly develop on the hulls of ships that remain stationary for extended periods. According to the study, more than 1,500 large commercial vessels have becomes stranded following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 28. The prolonged presence of these ships in the region

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  Qalibaf urges Tehran, Baghdad to use national currencies to ‘deal blow’ to US dollar

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf called on Tehran and Baghdad to conduct bilateral trade using their national currencies to “deal a blow” to the US dollar, Anadolu reports. Qalibaf made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian and Iraqi businesspeople at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad on Thursday, details of which were published Friday by ICANA, the news agency affiliated with Iranian parliament. “Today, we can conduct trade using national currencies and deal a blow to the US dollar,” Qalibaf said. He claimed the era of US dominance over the world has ended, but said Iran and Iraq have failed to sufficiently take advantage of emerging opportunities and continue to conduct trade using methods dating back 50 years. READ: Iraq

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  China urges negotiations over US Treasury chief’s ‘toughest sanctions’ against Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on August 21, 2026

  China Friday reiterated its call for negotiations between the US and Iran to end the conflict, after the US Treasury secretary announced what they called the “toughest sanctions in history” against Tehran, Anadolu reports. “China always believes military actions, sanctioning, pressuring do not help solve the problem, it only builds up the tensions in the current situation,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing. He said such actions do “not fit interests of any party.” “We urge the relevant party to solve the current dispute through negotiations and dialogue,” Lin responded when asked about fresh US sanctions on Iran, which Tehran dubbed “economic terrorism.” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Thursday said Washington will impose the “toughest sanctions in

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  Iraq is negotiating away its militias’ guns. It is not negotiating away their impunity.

  by Marwa A on August 21, 2026

  On 26 June, Faleh al-Fayyad, the chairman of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, inaugurated a new “Department of Human Rights” within the organization he leads. The announcement would be almost darkly comic if it weren’t so consequential. Washington designated Fayyad a human rights abuser years ago for his role in one of the bloodiest episodes in modern Iraqi history: the killing of more than 500 unarmed protesters during the 2019 Tishreen demonstrations, with thousands more wounded and hundreds detained illegally. The officer he installed to run the new department, Abu Muntadher al-Husseini, is accused by the same rights groups of helping carry out that violence. Seven years later, neither man has faced a courtroom. This is the backdrop against which Iraq’s