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

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  1,100 Sudanese return home from Egypt under voluntary repatriation program

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  A total of 1,100 Sudanese nationals returned home from Egypt under a voluntary repatriation program, the state-run Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported. The returnees departed Cairo aboard 22 buses organized by the Al-Amal Committee for Voluntary Return, the group said in a statement Thursday. The Al-Amal Committee is a community-led humanitarian initiative that coordinates with Sudanese state institutions to facilitate the safe and dignified voluntary return of citizens. Committee Executive Secretary Montaser Osman said voluntary return journeys would continue for those wishing to return and contribute to “rebuilding and reconstruction.” He said the convoys would continue until the last Sudanese national wishing to return had done so. READ: IOM: 2,500 people displaced by clashes in Sudan’s Blue Nile state Osman described

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  Italy monitors situation in Israeli-besieged Palestinian village where 5 Italians reported present

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Italy is closely monitoring the situation in the occupied West Bank town of Qusra, which has been under siege by Israeli occupiers for five consecutive days, while five Italians were also reported to be under siege, ANSA news agency reported Friday. The Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed that five Italian nationals were also in Qusra, which is under siege by Israeli settlers. The ministry also reaffirmed that it was following the situation closely. The five Italians — four women and one man — were reportedly inside isolated homes. The ministry is in coordination with their consulate in Jerusalem and the embassy in Tel Aviv as well as its crisis unit. Attacks by Israeli occupiers against Palestinians and their property have intensified

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  Huckabee brands Israeli settlers ‘terrorists’ over siege of Palestinian-American family

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  “Israeli terrorists” have been slammed by US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee after settlers laid siege to Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, including one belonging to a Palestinian-American family. In an unusually strong condemnation, Huckabee, who has described himself as a Zionist, said the US Embassy had pressed Israeli forces and police to remove those responsible for the siege, which began on Sunday and has left Palestinian families trapped in their homes with restricted access to essential supplies. “The US Embassy has been VERY involved and the IDF and Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this,” Huckabee wrote on X on Thursday. The US ambassador’s comments came response

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  Heavy rains, flooding displace 975 families, damage 1,348 homes in western Sudan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Heavy rainfall and flooding displaced 975 families and completely or partially damaged 1,348 homes in North Darfur state in western Sudan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Thursday, Anadolu reports. The flooding struck Tawila town and the villages of Masal, Marar, Katur and Tabsa in Tawila locality on Wednesday, the UN migration agency said in a statement. IOM field teams reported that 975 homes were completely destroyed and another 373 were partially damaged. The displaced families sought temporary shelter in open areas within the same locality, the agency added. READ: UN warns Sudan war is robbing millions of children of education On Wednesday, the IOM said heavy rainfall and flash floods had destroyed 108 homes and displaced dozens of families in

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  Over 27 Houthis killed, 19 injured in Taiz strikes over 3 days: Yemen’s gov’t-aligned forces

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  At least 27 Houthi fighters were killed and 19 others injured in strikes on the Al-Barh front in Yemen’s southwestern Taiz province over the past three days, the government-aligned National Resistance Forces said Friday, Anadolu reports. “More than 27 members of the Houthi militia were killed in National Resistance strikes on the Al-Barh front in western Taiz province during the past three days,” the forces’ affiliated 2 December news agency reported. The National Resistance Forces are led by Tareq Saleh, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council. The strikes also injured 19 Houthi fighters, the agency said. Several Houthi military vehicles were set ablaze or disabled in the attacks, it added, without specifying the number. READ: Yemen’s Houthis bury 57 fighters, including

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  Israeli army attacks southern Lebanon, demolishes buildings despite framework deal

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The Israeli army carried out fresh attacks and demolition operations in southern Lebanon early Friday, accompanied by tank movements, machine-gun fire and artillery shelling, despite a framework agreement providing for its withdrawal, Anadolu reports. Israeli warplanes struck the Masha al-Mansouri area, while forces dropped explosive-filled canisters and opened machine-gun fire on the outskirts of Majdal Zoun and al-Mansouri and in surrounding valleys, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported. The towns of Beit Yahoun, Haddatha and Kounine in the Bint Jbeil district were rocked by a “series of large explosions whose echoes were heard in coastal villages,” the agency said. The explosions coincided with continued flights by Israeli warplanes and drones over the area. READ: Israel blows up school, strikes religious commemoration

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  Protest held over Israeli cruise ship’s arrival at Greek port

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  People held a protest at the port of Piraeus near Athens, Greece, on Friday, against the arrival of the Crown Iris cruise ship carrying Israeli tourists, Anadolu reports. The arrival of an Israeli cruise ship at a port near Athens in June was also met with protests by pro-Palestinian activists. Last summer, visits by the same ship, the Crown Iris, to several Greek ports, including Syros, Rhodes, Agios Nikolaos in Crete and Volos, were similarly met with protests. Since Oct. 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza, backed by the US, has killed around 73,000 Palestinians and injured more than 174,000, most of them women and children. The offensive has also damaged or destroyed nearly 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure. READ: Pro-Palestinian protesters march through

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  3 Palestinian fishermen injured by Israeli naval fire off Gaza City despite ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Three Palestinian fishermen were injured Friday when Israeli naval vessels opened fire on them while they were working off the coast of Gaza City, a local union official said, Anadolu reports. The attack was the latest Israeli violation of a ceasefire agreement in effect in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 10, 2025. The violations have killed 1,260 Palestinians and injured 4,154 others, according to Palestinian figures. Zakaria Bakr, coordinator of the Fishermen’s Committees Union in Gaza, said in a Facebook post that Israeli naval vessels fired machine guns at a fishing boat, injuring three fishermen. Bakr said the incident came amid continuing attacks against Gaza’s fishermen that endanger their lives and deprive them of their livelihoods. READ: MSF warns restrictions on engine

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  Palestinians, foreign and Israeli activists protest in West Bank town, head to besieged homes by Israeli occupiers

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Palestinians, along with foreign and left-wing Israeli activists, held a protest Friday in the occupied West Bank town of Qusra before heading toward three Palestinian homes that have been besieged by Israeli occupiers for five consecutive days, Anadolu reports. The protesters gathered in the Ras al-Ain area of Qusra, south of Nablus, before moving toward the besieged homes to check on the residents and deliver essential supplies, an Anadolu correspondent reported. Israeli troops prevented the activists from entering the homes, claiming the area was a “closed military zone.” The protesters, however, managed to deliver food, water and other essential supplies to the residents. Earlier, Israeli occupiers re-erected a tent outside the homes of three Palestinian families in the Ras al-Ain area

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  Iran war hits Americans at gas pumps as conflict drives up energy cost

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Nearly six months into the US war with Iran, its most visible impact for ordinary Americans is increasingly being felt far from the battlefield — at gas stations, airports and in household budgets, Anadolu reports. The national average retail price for regular gasoline stood at $4.006 per gallon as of Aug. 10, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), keeping fuel around the politically sensitive $4 threshold. The increase is particularly striking compared with expectations before the conflict. In January, the EIA forecast that US gasoline prices would fall 6% in 2026. Its latest outlook instead projects an average price of $3.78 per gallon for the year, compared with $3.10 in 2025. Government inflation data also reflects the scale of

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  Trump adviser, Board of Peace envoy to visit Israel for talks on US Gaza plan: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, plans to visit Israel next week with Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, for talks on advancing the US plan for the enclave, Axios reported Thursday. The planned trip would be Kushner’s first visit to Israel since January, the news outlet said in a report citing five sources familiar with the plan. Kushner and Mladenov intend to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in an effort to reach understandings on implementing the plan’s next stages over the coming months, it added. Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a 15-point Gaza plan approved by the Board of Peace and accepted by Hamas, insisting that the Palestinian

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  On 13th anniversary of Rab’a massacre, HRW says crimes against humanity were probably committed

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  A new report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that the systematic and widespread killing of at least 1,150 demonstrators by Egyptian security forces in July and August 2013 probably amounts to crimes against humanity. The report which is the result of a year-long investigation said the 14th August dispersal of the Rab’a al-Adawiya sit-in resulted in a minimum of 817 people being killed and that it was more likely the figure could have been at least 1,000. The 188-page HRW report, “All According to Plan: The Rab’a Massacre and Mass Killings of Protesters in Egypt,” documents the way the Egyptian police and army methodically opened fire with live ammunition on crowds of demonstrators opposed to the military’s 3rd July coup against

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  US CENTCOM chief pushing for renewed strikes on Iran, claims Israeli media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The head of US Central Command (CENTCOM) is pushing for the resumption of attacks on Iran, including strikes on oil, gas and electricity facilities, to increase pressure on Tehran, Israeli media claimed Thursday. Israel’s Channel 13, citing unnamed informed political sources, said Adm. Brad Cooper presented the proposal during a visit to Israel last week. Cooper attended a meeting of the Israeli military’s top operational forum alongside Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other senior commanders, the broadcaster said. During the meeting, Cooper called for renewed fighting against Iran and attacks on national infrastructure, including facilities linked to the country’s gas, oil and electricity industries, according to the channel. “Striking infrastructure in Iran will change the rules of the game,

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  US says lower oil prices now top priority over Iran nuclear issue

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The US said Friday that keeping oil and gas prices low for Americans is its top priority in the war, ahead of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. “I know that oil is down today and it’s way down from the highs in the early days of the conflict,” Vice President JD Vance said on Fox News. “That’s goal number one — keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country,” Vance said. “And then obviously goal number two is to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon,” he added. READ: US Treasury chief vows unprecedented economic measures against Iran

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  US Treasury chief vows unprecedented economic measures against Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that Washington plans to impose unprecedented economic measures on Iran, with further announcements expected next week, Anadolu reports. “Watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation on a country,” Bessent said in an interview with Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight” program. Bessent said the measures would combine increased economic pressure on Tehran with restrictions related to the Strait of Hormuz. “It will be a combination of economic isolation like the world has never seen before, and the continued blockade in the Strait of Hormuz that will keep anything from going in or out of the

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  Israeli army opens fire on civilian areas in Daraa, southern Syria: State TV

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The Israeli army reportedly opened fire on civilian areas of a rural village in southern Syria, in the Daraa province, from areas it also occupies in southern Syria. According to Syrian state television Al-Ikhbariya, the Israeli army opened fire toward civilian homes in several sections of the village of Maariya. The gunfire reportedly forced some residents to leave their homes. As yet there were no reports of deaths or injuries in the incident. Southern Syria has witnessed recurring Israeli incursions and attacks for months, including raids, searches, and arrests. ​​​​​​​The Israeli violations intensified following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, when Israel declared the collapse of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and seized control of the Syrian

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  US Senate minority leader calls for defense secretary’s firing over conditions aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Thursday for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to be fired amid reports of difficult conditions faced by sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. “When Pete Hegseth was nominated, everyone knew he was completely incompetent,” Schumer said in a post on the US social media platform X. “Now our brave sailors are paying the price in a horrific and unfathomable way. Pete Hegseth must be fired immediately,” he added. His remarks followed reports of mounting strain among sailors after months at sea, repeated deployment extensions and sustained operations amid the war on Iran. At least two sailors reportedly had to be stopped from attempting to jump overboard, while another entered the water and

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  MSF warns restrictions on engine oil and spare parts entering Gaza threaten vital services

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has warned that restrictions on the entry of engine oil and spare parts into the Gaza Strip have worsened the energy crisis, threatening to disrupt hospitals, ambulances, water networks, aid transport and food production.  In a statement released Tuesday, MSF reported that “The supply of engine oil is so limited that the price has increased 20 times in the last six months. By the end of July, it was more than US$1,300 per litre. Neither the quality nor the availability is guaranteed.”  The organisation noted that most healthcare facilities in Gaza rely on generators for electricity amid disrupted power supplies and widespread damage to the electricity network. It warned that generator failures could halt vital medical

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  Tunisia: Ennahda calls for release of female political detainees

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Tunisia’s Ennahda movement has called for the release of women detained for their political views, as Tunisia marks its National Women’s Day.  In a statement on Thursday, the movement said the occasion was “not merely an opportunity to celebrate legal and legislative achievements, but also a tribute to the role of free women who have always been on the front lines of resisting colonialism and confronting authoritarian systems, while upholding the values of freedom and national dignity”. It expressed its “absolute solidarity and full support” for women held behind bars because of their political views and positions in support of freedom, stressing that “restricting their freedom has not and will not deter them from being symbols of civil and peaceful

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  Gaza health official: Israeli delays caused deaths of 1,700 Palestinians seeking treatment abroad

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 73,000, including more than 23,000 children, while more than 173,000 have been injured, Dr Khalil al-Daqran, spokesman for the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, said. Speaking to Cairo News on Wednesday, al-Daqran said Israel had targeted Palestinians across the Gaza Strip since the start of the war, destroying homes over their occupants and targeting displaced people’s tents after they were forcibly displaced. He said the number of Palestinians killed had risen by more than 1,260, most of them children, women and elderly people, while more than 4,000 had been injured since the ceasefire agreement began on 11 October 2025. Al-Daqran stressed that Israel’s continued targeting of Palestinians and violations

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  Saudi Arabia announces 13 countries have formally joined maritime defence alliance

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday that 13 countries had formally joined a multinational maritime defence alliance, marking its effective launch. The Saudi Defence Ministry said in a statement posted on the US social media platform X that the third planning meeting of the Multinational Maritime Defence Alliance was held at the Western Fleet Command in Jeddah, with representatives from 39 friendly and allied countries taking part in a key step towards activating the alliance. The statement said “The number of countries that signed the joint statement reached 15 countries, while 13 countries completed their national procedures, signed the coalition charter, and officially announced their accession.”  READ: Saudi Arabia says Mecca Agreement with Turkiye, Pakistan ‘long-term’ deal to boost cooperation “This represents

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  Turkey, Egypt agree to take “more serious measures” regarding Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Thursday that Ankara and Cairo have reached an agreement to take “more serious measures” regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Speaking at a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty in the Egyptian coastal city of Alamein, Fidan emphasized that the two nations held extensive talks on the unfolding tragedy in Gaza and potential pathways to a lasting solution. “We have agreed with Egypt to take more serious measures regarding Gaza,” Fidan stated. The top Turkish diplomat launched a scathing critique of Israeli leadership, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration of relentlessly escalating policies that violate human dignity and provoke the international community. READ: Trump says

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  Switzerland selects Gaza survivors documentary for Oscars

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Switzerland has selected a documentary featuring testimonies from survivors in the Gaza Strip as its entry for the 2027 Academy Awards, media reports said Thursday, Anadolu reports. “Who Is Still Alive,” directed by Geneva-based filmmaker Nicolas Wadimoff, will compete for a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards, Swissinfo reported. The documentary places Gaza survivors in an abstract setting where they recount their experiences. READ: Gaza’s children suffer as they fetch water amid soaring summer temperatures The jury said the film directly addresses feelings of loss, uprooting and belonging, according to a statement by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Culture. “Who Is Still Alive” won the Prix de Soleure, Switzerland’s most prestigious film award, at the Solothurn Film

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  US military loses roughly 25% of Reaper drone fleet in Iran war: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  The US military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, or roughly 25% of its fleet, during its war with Iran, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing three officials, Anadolu reports. The losses involve an aircraft used for surveillance and targeted strikes that can cost between $30 million and $50 million depending on its equipment, according to the report. The newspaper said the potential cost of the lost Reapers exceeds $1.3 billion. READ: Iran challenges Trump: more than 75% of missile and drone capabilities still ready for use The drones have been heavily used around the Strait of Hormuz but are “relatively easy targets” for Iran and its proxies because they fly slowly and often at low altitudes, it said. Not

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  Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi Aramco refinery in Jizan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group announced on Thursday that it targeted an Aramco oil refinery in the Jizan region of southwestern Saudi Arabia using two explosive-laden drones. The Houthi-run Saba news agency cited a military source as saying that the operation was carried out in retaliation for what the group termed ongoing Saudi “violations” of Yemeni airspace in the Sa’ada and Hajjah governorates. The military source claimed the drones successfully struck the oil facility, though no independent sources have yet verified the extent of the damage or any resulting casualties. This announcement follows a previous Houthi claim on August 9 that the group carried out a drone attack targeting an Aramco facility in Jizan. At the time, Saudi authorities reported extinguishing a

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  US to send aircraft carrier to Middle East: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  The US is planning to send the USS George Washington aircraft carrier to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in a previously scheduled rotation, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The Lincoln has been deployed for more than 250 days with no port call in 200 days, raising concerns among lawmakers about living conditions for the sailors, said the report. The Lincoln began deployment in November and was redirected to the Middle East in January ahead of the US war with Iran. The carrier and its aircraft played a key role in Operation Epic Fury and have since supported the US blockade of Iranian ports. READ: Iran dismisses US claims of full control over Strait of Hormuz as

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  Turkish foreign minister meets Arab League secretary-general in Egypt

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday met with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy in Egypt’s coastal city of El-Alamein on Thursday, Turkish diplomatic sources said, Anadolu reports. The sources provided no further information on the meeting. Fidan also held a meeting with Major General Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, director of Egypt’s main spy agency, the General Intelligence Service. Fidan began a two-day visit to Egypt on Thursday. During the visit, Fidan is scheduled to be received by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and meet senior Egyptian officials, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources. He will discuss bilateral relations, review the current status of agreements under negotiation and encourage mutual investment in line with a common goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to

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  Yemen’s Houthis bury 57 fighters, including 31 officers, in 10 days: State media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group has buried 57 fighters, including 31 officers and three brigadier generals, killed over the past 10 days in fighting on various fronts, state-run Saba TV reported Thursday, Anadolu reports. The broadcaster did not specify where or under what circumstances the fighters were killed. There was no immediate comment from the Houthis. Earlier Thursday, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported funeral ceremonies for seven of the group’s fighters, including six in Amran province and one in Hajjah province. READ: US strikes in Yemen killed 153 civilians last year: Report Yemen has witnessed a relative lull since April 2022 in a war that began nearly 12 years ago between government forces and the Houthis, who have controlled the capital, Sanaa, and other cities

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  Indonesia condemns Israel’s rejection of Gaza roadmap

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Indonesia on Thursday condemned Israel’s rejection of a 15-point roadmap for Gaza on Thursday, describing the move as an attempt to undermine international efforts to end the conflict, state-run media reported, Anadolu reports. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vahd Nabyl A. Mulachela said Jakarta views the roadmap as a collective international effort to restore living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza, according to Antara News agency. “We reject any rejection that could derail this collective effort,” Nabyl said at a media briefing in Jakarta. He said the broader plan, which has received support from multiple parties, seeks to end the war, restore stability in Gaza and promote wider regional stability. OPINION: The Gaza peace Trump announced, and the rejection Netanyahu delivered Nabyl said the Gaza

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  Israeli occupiers reestablish illegal Ganim settlement near Jenin in West Bank after 21 years

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Israeli occupiers on Thursday reestablished the illegal Ganim settlement on Palestinian land east of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, 21 years after it was evacuated under Israel’s 2005 disengagement plan, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Israeli forces closed entrances and side roads along the main route from Haddad Roundabout to the Al-Jalama military checkpoint, saying the measures were intended to secure occupiers and their leaders taking part in the reestablishment of the illegal settlement, the agency said. Participants included Yossi Dagan, head of the so-called northern West Bank settlements council, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and members of the Knesset, according to Wafa. Tariq Ighbariya, head of the settlement file in Jenin province,

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  Palestinian Christian-majority Taybeh in occupied West Bank caught between Israeli army restrictions, occupier attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  In the Christian-majority Palestinian town of Taybeh, located in the central occupied West Bank, residents say Israeli occupier attacks are increasingly targeting their land, homes and sources of income, putting further pressure on Palestinians determined to remain on their land, Anadolu reports. Fears have grown since the Israeli army declared Taybeh a “closed military zone” on Aug. 9 for Israelis who do not live there, raising questions about how the order will be implemented and its impact on residents and surrounding areas. Taybeh is one of the most prominent Christian-majority Palestinian towns. It includes churches and religious and archaeological sites, while agriculture and tourism are important sources of income for some residents. More than 15 families leave Father Bashar Fawadleh, parish priest

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  Iran dismisses US claims of full control over Strait of Hormuz as ‘baseless lies’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters on Thursday dismissed US claims of full control over the Strait of Hormuz as “baseless lies,” saying the strategic waterway remains under Tehran’s control, Anadolu reports. “The false US claims regarding the normal passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which reflect the helplessness and confusion of that country’s military, are nothing but falsehoods and baseless lies,” the military command said in a statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB. “The Strait of Hormuz, as before, remains under the full management and control of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the spokesperson said. “No commercial vessel or oil tanker can or will be able to transit the strait safely without the authorization and supervision of Iran’s powerful

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  Israeli army seizes 16 Palestinian homes in West Bank’s Qusra village, turns them into military posts: Official

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  The Israeli army has seized 16 Palestinian homes in and around Qusra in the northern occupied West Bank and converted them into military posts, a local official said Thursday. Abdul Azim al-Wadi, head of the Qusra village council, told Anadolu Agency that the army was continuing its military offensive in the town, south of Nablus, and had informed the council that it would last until Sunday morning. Large Israeli forces, accompanied by infantry troops, military vehicles and bulldozers, entered Qusra and deployed across the town and its outskirts, he said. Al-Wadi said the Israeli army told the council it was seeking to dismantle an illegal outpost established by occupiers near the town amid escalating tensions in the area. He said

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  Nearly 600 Israeli occupiers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque under police protection

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Around 600 Israeli occupiers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday under Israeli police protection, a local official told Anadolu Agency. “At least 584 occupiers stormed the mosque compound during the morning period through the Moroccan Gate in its western wall under police protection,” an official from the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said, requesting anonymity. Additional groups are expected to enter the mosque compound after noon prayers, the official added. Eyewitnesses said the incursions included Talmudic rituals, prayers and dancing, in violation of the longstanding status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque. READ: Turkiye strongly condemns Israeli raid led by minister on Al Aqsa Mosque Thursday marks the first day of a new month in the Hebrew calendar,

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  Pakistan, Norway call for peaceful resolution of global conflicts, independent Palestinian state

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Pakistan and Norway on Thursday called for the peaceful resolution of international conflicts, including the US-Iran war, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a joint press stakeout after bilateral talks in Islamabad, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide reaffirmed their countries’ support for multilateralism and international law under the UN Charter. Reiterating Norway’s longstanding support for a two-state solution, Eide said Oslo would continue working with international partners toward the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. He also strongly backed Pakistan’s ongoing mediation efforts to end the US-Iran war, which began on Feb. 28 with Israeli-US strikes on Iran. “It’s a real service to the world,” Eide said, referring to

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  Pro-Palestine campaigners urge boycott of new Spider-Man film over producer’s support for Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Pro-Palestinian campaigners in Lebanon, Jordan and elsewhere in the Arab world have called for a boycott of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” over producer Avi Arad’s support for Israel and his rejection of criticism directed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the war on Gaza, Anadolu reports. The Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel in Lebanon urged audiences not to purchase tickets for the film, arguing that financially supporting a production involving figures who have publicly backed Israel amounts to “cultural normalization.” “Do we want to support a production involving individuals who have publicly expressed political support for Israel?” the group said in a social media statement ahead of the film’s release. The campaign called on the public to avoid paid screenings

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  Police officer among 2 killed in Israeli drone strikes in Gaza despite truce

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  Two Palestinians, including a senior police officer, were killed and several others injured in two Israeli attacks Thursday on the Gaza Strip, medical sources told Anadolu Agency. A Palestinian was killed and another injured in an Israeli drone strike targeting an electric bike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The drone struck the bike in the Al-Amal neighborhood west of the city. Another Palestinian was killed and two others were injured when an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle on Al-Rashid Street in Gaza City. The Palestinian Interior Ministry said the victim was Jamal Abu Kamil, 43, the director of police in Gaza province. It said he was killed when an Israeli airstrike targeted his vehicle on Al-Rashid Street, southwest of

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  6 Arab football federation chiefs back FIFA President Infantino amid calls to resign

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  The heads of six Arab national football associations expressed support Thursday for FIFA President Gianni Infantino as he faces mounting pressure to resign over an abandoned plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights to FIFA competitions, Anadolu reports. The joint statement backing Infantino was signed by the presidents of the football federations of Qatar, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Egypt and Mauritania. Four of the signatories are also members of the FIFA Council. “We express our full support for Mr. Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and continued commitment to the development of football worldwide,” they said. The declaration follows calls from European governing body UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation of North,

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  The Board of Peace: The same old prejudice and injustice of the US administration

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  The recent statement by Nikolay Mladenov, the High Representative of the so-called “Board of Peace,” should not go unquestioned or unnoticed. In an interview with an Israeli news outlet, Mladenov declared that destroying Gaza’s tunnels, which form part of the Palestinian resistance’s military infrastructure, could take up to ten years. Brazenly, and without a hint of irony, he handed the Israeli occupation army a green-light to remain in Gaza for an entire decade. If this is not entrenchment of the occupation, if this is not active complicity with the Israeli vision of indefinite military control over Gaza, then what is it? This statement, covered in the neutral language of “technical assessment,” is nothing less than a political endorsement of Israel’s

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  Gaza’s children suffer as they fetch water amid soaring summer temperatures

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  IMAGES: Journalists hold a vigil outside an Al Jazeera tent in Gaza City on the anniversary of the assassination of journalist and correspondent Anas Al-Sharif

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  UK media proposals raise fears over suppression of independent Palestine reporting

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  A new campaign is urging the British public to oppose government proposals that could give selected news organisations greater prominence on social media, warning that the measures risk pushing independent media further down users’ feeds. NewsCord founder Nima Akram has launched the Say No to Media Censorship⁠ campaign in response to the government’s Green Paper on the future of British media. “The government wants platforms to push state-approved news and bury the rest,” the campaign warns. It is encouraging members of the public to send formal responses to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) before its consultation closes on 31 August. The campaign page allows users send a response to the consultation. NewsCord says the submissions are formal

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  The queryable war: When AI turns ‘could’ into ‘must’

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  The US–Iran war reveals a quieter power of generative AI: it can turn unfolding reports into plausible futures, reshape what citizens expect, what leaders think they can politically afford and what adversaries prepare to resist—without falsifying a single fact. The question “what happens next?” is as old as war. What is new is that almost anyone can now ask a machine to build the answer while reports are still arriving. Ask a web-connected chatbot what would follow another round of US strikes on Iran and it may return several orderly futures: Iranian retaliation in the Persian Gulf, a wider regional confrontation, an energy shock or a negotiated exit. These are not reports of events already established; they are constructed futures.

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  Lebanon banker exposed as major force behind normalisation drive with Israel

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  One of Lebanon’s wealthiest bankers has been exposed as a key figure behind efforts to push the country towards closer ties with Israel, according to an investigation by The Grayzone. Antoun Sehnaoui, chairman of Société Générale de Banque au Liban (SGBL), is accused of using his wealth and political connections to support media outlets and figures advocating normalisation with Israel while Israeli forces continue to occupy Lebanese territory. The Grayzone cited reporting by Lebanese newspaper L’Orient Today, which has examined Sehnaoui’s political, financial and media influence and described him as one of the country’s most powerful behind-the-scenes figures. The reports come as Lebanon faces intense pressure over the future of Hezbollah and the terms of any Israeli withdrawal from the

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  Energy without borders: Why the Middle East needs an energy Schengen

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  For more than a century, the Middle East has been one of the world’s most important centres of energy supply. Yet a strategic paradox remains at the heart of its energy architecture: a region that exports oil and gas across the world still lacks a coherent framework for exchanging energy within itself. Electricity grids, regulations, markets and much of the region’s energy infrastructure continue to be designed and governed primarily within national boundaries. Meanwhile, the nature of the energy challenge is changing. Rising electricity demand, extreme heat, desalination, rapid solar deployment, the digitalisation of economies and the emergence of hydrogen are creating challenges that will become increasingly difficult to manage solely at the national level. This is where an idea

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  President Ramaphosa meeting IDF soldier’s family raises crucial questions

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  Question doing the rounds is whether meeting the family of a South African citizen serving as an Israeli soldier, as President Ramaphosa did, has undermined South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice? Equally concerning is whether the meeting will now be interpreted by South African mercenaries operating and deployed within the settler colonial regime’s military, as kosher and “permissible” despite legislation that prohibits it. Though the official version is that the Perez family had prompted a meeting to thank Ramaphosa for facilitating the release and return of Daniel Peres’s remains, it is silent on who the slain soldier was. From open source information we learn Daniel Perez was a South African-born tank commander and soldier who

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  Israel’s imaginings of forced displacement, and UN culpability

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  The forced displacement of Palestinians is taking up much of the Israeli imagination. From the Yellow Line, to pilot projects instead of reconstruction, the bottom line is that, according to Israel, Palestinians should remained forcibly displaced. The latest perception added to these narratives comes from former Israeli General Giora Eiland, who recommended that Gaza remains destroyed for generations and that Israel should not withdraw from the Yellow Line. As far as not withdrawing from the territory Israel has militarily occupied, the answer has been clear from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There are no veneers left; the international community has made it possible for Netanyahu to declare colonial intent without the slightest condemnation, let alone political opposition. What happens next,

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  Israeli checkpoint restricts movement of Palestinians in West Bank’s Khirbet Sarra

  by Mehdi Editor on August 13, 2026

  Around 33 Palestinians living in Khirbet Sarra community, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, face severe movement restrictions due to an Israeli checkpoint and gate controlling access to the community, Anadolu reports. Residents said their daily movements have become dependent on the manually operated gate, while access to farmland that has sustained local families for generations has also been restricted. They said their lives have changed significantly over the past year and a half amid increasing attacks by Israeli occupiers and restrictions on entering and leaving the area. Khirbet Sarra resident Mahmoud Shannar said Israeli forces installed the gate at the entrance to the community and handed its keys to four families living there. Residents must open and close the

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  UK weighs raft of measures against Israel as pressure grows for action to match rhetoric

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  The British government is preparing a series of measures targeting Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise, including a ban on settlement goods, further sanctions and possible restrictions on arms exports, according to a report by Middle East Eye. Multiple Whitehall and civil society sources revealed that Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government is expected to announce new policies after parliament returns from its summer recess in September, although discussions remain ongoing and no final package has been made public. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is said to be pushing for tougher measures and has consulted civil society organisations over the government’s approach. Among the options under consideration are sanctions against companies and organisations linked to settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as

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  Playing Israel in football is unthinkable right now

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  Ten years have passed since football families in Ireland were given a very clear picture of just how cruel, callous, calculating, and downright racist the Israeli authorities could be when it came to the children of Palestine. Activists and clubs across Ireland had raised funds to bring some of the most talented young footballers in Gaza to Ireland and, for reasons best known to themselves, the Israeli authorities picked out one of the boys and decided he could not travel. The trip was delayed by three weeks and on the verge of being cancelled at one stage because of delays in obtaining permission to travel from the Israeli authorities, who controlled everything that entered and left Gaza in 2016. Eventually,

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  The Gaza peace Trump announced, and the rejection Netanyahu delivered

  by Marwa A on August 13, 2026

  Donald Trump took to social media on Thursday, 30th July, to announce what he called a breakthrough: a phased agreement under the Board of Peace requiring the Palestinian Resistance to disarm and Israel to withdraw. The optics were of a president closing out a genocide he, and his predecessor, enabled for two years. The Palestinian Resistance agreed to the plan. Israel rejected it. Imagine if the Resistance had rejected the fifteen points by reasonably conditioning disarmament on an end to Israeli occupation. We don’t have to imagine Trump’s reaction. He’d have condemned them by nightfall and held them responsible for killing the peace plan. Israel gets a different standard. On Sunday, 9th August, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet: