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

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  Has Hamas ended?

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  It is easy today to say that Hamas has ended. Gaza is destroyed. The movement’s leaders have been targeted. Its military structure has been badly hit. Its ability to govern has declined. Its popular base inside Gaza is more exhausted and angry than ever before. These are facts that cannot be denied. But turning these facts into one conclusion that Hamas has ended; is a big analytical leap. A partial military defeat does not mean the end of a political movement. A reduced ability to govern does not mean the disappearance of influence. And losing part of its popular support does not mean Hamas has left Palestinian political history. This is why I disagree with the view that Hamas has

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  Yemen’s Houthis strike Saudi naval vessels, arms depot: Spokesman

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Yemen’s Ansar Allah group, also known as the Houthis, claimed Monday that its forces had targeted several Saudi naval vessels – along with a weapons depot – in a wide-ranging missile and drone barrage, Anadolu reports. In a statement posted on Telegram, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said a Saudi amphibious transport ship and several accompanying naval vessels had been successfully struck in an aerial attack involving “a number of” ballistic missiles Describing the missile strike as “precise,” Saree said that several of the targeted ships had been sunk – while the rest had caught fire – as a result of the attack. Houthi forces also targeted a Saudi weapons depot in the Sahn al-Jin camp, located in Yemen’s central-eastern Marib province,

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  Hamas welcomes Trump’s call to end attacks on Gaza, urges stepped-up pressure on Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Hamas on Monday welcomed remarks by US President Donald Trump calling on Israel to halt its attacks on the Gaza Strip. “The remarks confirm President Trump’s commitment to the ceasefire track,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement. He also called on the US leader to “pressure the [Israeli] occupation government to abide by what was agreed upon to begin the second phase of Trump’s Gaza peace plan.” The statement comes amid ongoing Israeli ceasefire violations – including airstrikes, shelling and gunfire – that have continued to kill Palestinians throughout the enclave on an almost daily basis. READ: Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it ‘gets in the way’ of US-Iran negotiations Earlier Monday, Trump said that Israel “should not

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  Israeli defence minister tells army to draft plan shifting enforcement over West Bank occupiers to police

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israel’s defence minister has instructed the army to submit a plan to transfer law enforcement powers over Israeli occupiers in the West Bank to the Israeli police, according to local media. The decision comes amid growing outrage over the Israeli army protecting occupiers during their attacks on Palestinians. Meeting with senior military and defense officials, Defence Minister Katz said it was agreed that the army would submit a comprehensive plan on the matter within two weeks, which would subsequently be coordinated with the Israeli police and subject to the army’s authorities in the field, the Times of Israel reported. “Katz says he will be advancing the legalization of outpost farms in the West Bank, which are technically illegal under Israeli

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  Italian NGO rescues 50 migrants as 7 people die during crossing in international waters

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  An Italian NGO rescued some 50 migrants from a boat in international waters on Monday, while seven people died during the crossing, according to local media reports. The Life Support search-and-rescue vessel, operated by the Italian humanitarian NGO Emergency, rescued 50 people — 45 men and five women, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The NGO said seven migrants died during the crossing and that two people were in serious condition due to suffocation. The migrants from Somalia and Egypt, departed from Zuwarah, Libya, on Sunday, it added. READ: Italy monitors situation in Israeli-besieged Palestinian village where 5 Italians reported present

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  Tehran bans 2 French embassy employees from returning to Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Two French embassy employees involved in a diplomatic dispute last month will not be allowed to return to Iran, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters that the pair had violated the 1961 Vienna Convention, which lays out the rules and privileges of foreign diplomatic missions. Baqaei said that France’s admission that the two individuals were “engaged in activities related to supporting civil ​society” was itself an admission that “the Vienna Convention ​was violated.” READ: France reiterates refusal to take part in Iran war

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  ‘Emirati money buys a lot of conscience’: How UAE-linked recruiters sent Colombians into Sudan’s war

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  A UAE-based security company with extensive links to the Emirati state recruited and deployed Colombian mercenaries to fight alongside Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including during the paramilitary group’s capture of El-Fasher where mass atrocities were committed, according to a major investigation by the Financial Times. The investigation provides new details about a sophisticated mercenary pipeline involving Abu Dhabi-based Global Security Services Group (GSSG), military facilities in the UAE and transit hubs across Libya and Somalia. Around 2,000 Colombians are estimated to have travelled to Sudan to support the RSF, with some receiving specialist training in drones and anti-aircraft weapons before deployment. GSSG was founded in 2016 by Ahmed Mohammed Al-Humairi, secretary-general of the UAE Presidential Court. Its website has

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  After Mecca: The rise of a new Middle East security order and Iran’s strategic dilemma

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan on 7 August may eventually be remembered as more than another defence pact in a region already crowded with military partnerships. It could mark the moment when three influential Muslim powers concluded that the old security architecture of the Middle East was no longer enough. The agreement contains a striking commitment: an armed attack against one signatory is to be regarded as an attack against all. Turkiye has compared the principle technically to NATO’s Article 5, though the institutional structures behind the two arrangements are obviously very different. The three governments are now moving beyond declaration: regular coordination between foreign, defence and military chiefs, joint exercises

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  Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it ‘gets in the way’ of US-Iran negotiations

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened military action against Oman if it interferes with US-Iran negotiations, while saying Washington is in direct contact with officials from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox News when asked about Oman’s role in negotiations involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said Saturday that it had reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz following weeks of technical negotiations. Turning to Iran, Trump said Tehran should raise a “white flag of surrender,” adding: “They’re good poker players, but they’re dying.” He also confirmed that Washington has a backchannel with

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  Trump’s adviser, Board of Peace chair meet with Israeli premier for Gaza ceasefire talks

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  US President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner began a planned meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on Monday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire, Israeli media reported. Kushner was joined by the Board of Peace’s lead envoy for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, and board member and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair during the meeting, The Times of Israel said, citing an unnamed source. The source said Monday’s talks focus on “moving forward on all the elements (US President Donald Trump’s 15-point plan)” rather than seeking Tel Aviv’s “signature” on the plan. READ: Kushner accuses Netanyahu of obstructing US Gaza plan The discussions come after Kushner, accompanied by Mladenov and Blair, visited the Egyptian capital Cairo on Sunday

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  Iran says 60-day deadline ‘lost its relevance’ after US ‘violations’ of memorandum

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday that the 60-day deadline for talks with the US following the June 17 memorandum of understanding “lost its relevance” after what he called “flagrant” violations by Washington, Anadolu reports. “There is no provision in the memorandum of understanding referring to a ‘60-day deadline’, and the Islamic Republic of Iran never formulates its policies under pressure, ultimatums or time limits,” Baqaei told reporters at a weekly news conference, as cited by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The memorandum instead envisaged a 60-day period for negotiations on two issues — “the lifting of sanctions” and “the nuclear issue” — which could have been extended if no agreement was reached, he added. “Due to the

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  Lebanese president calls for extending mandate of UN peacekeeping forces in south

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called Monday for extending the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), saying its presence serves stability in the country’s south, Anadolu reports. “The UNIFIL presence in the south is important in many respects, and helps keep residents in their villages and towns, and strengthens stability in cooperation and coordination with the Lebanese army,” Aoun said during a meeting with a parliamentary delegation, as cited by a presidency statement. “Our first option is to extend UNIFIL’s mandate,” he said. “If its mandate is not extended, the second option is to adopt a formula that ensures the continued presence of international forces in the south, within the required legal framework.” Aoun said these forces will help

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  Israel sees 53% drop of returnees as departures on rise: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  A recent official Knesset report showed a sharp decline in the number of Israelis returning to Israel in recent years, alongside a rise in the number of those leaving the country, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday, Anadolu reports. “The wave of hostility towards Israel in the world and the sense of belonging could have led to an increase in the number of Israelis returning, despite the war,” the newspaper said citing a report by the Knesset Research and Information Center The report comes amid widespread public and official anger toward Israel around the world over its US-backed genocidal war on Gaza since Oct. 8, 2023. The genocide has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over 174,000, most of them women and

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  Israeli forces demolish two-story home in occupied East Jerusalem

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished a two-story home in the village of Qalandiya, northwest of the occupied East Jerusalem, on claims of being built without a permit, the Jerusalem Governorate said, Anadolu reports. It added that the demolition has caused the displacement of two Palestinian families of 15 members. Since the start of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the Israeli army and occupiers have intensified attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, killing more than 1,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian figures. READ: Israel plans to build 2,300 illegal settlement units in East Jerusalem, organization warns

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  What Indonesia’s 2027 budget really says about the Middle East

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Read Indonesia’s new budget plan for 2027, called the RAPBN, and one region keeps showing up. Not once. Not as a small note at the end. Again and again, in the numbers, the risks, and the partnerships. That region is the Middle East. Most budget documents talk about growth targets and spending plans. This one does that too. But underneath those numbers sits a simple truth. What happens in the Middle East now shapes how much Indonesia pays for fuel, how strong the rupiah is, and how the government plans to borrow money next year. In 2026, tension between Israel and Iran grew into open conflict. For a while, it looked like Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz, a

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  Arday backed Palestine; man behind witch hunt believes in racial hierarchy and supports Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Online scrutiny has turned towards pro-Israel academic Nathan Cofnas, whose intervention helped propel allegations against the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday into the national spotlight. Social media users have uncovered  his controversial views on race and along with his outspoken support for Israel. Following Arday’s death, users on X have circulated screenshots of comments attributed to Cofnas concerning Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, alongside his well-documented description of himself as a “race realist”. Describing the public furore over the death of Arday one commentator on X said: “A Jewish Zionist academic – Nathan Cofnas, who was suspended due to his promotion of ‘hereditarianism/race realism’ – the kind of racial superiority ‘science’ that claims Black people are inherently ‘BIOLOGICALLY’ less intelligent

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  Eight Arab and Islamic countries say Israel is obstructing Gaza peace efforts

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The foreign ministers of eight Arab and Islamic countries said on Sunday that Israel bears responsibility for obstructing efforts to achieve peace in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories. The statement was issued jointly by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and was published by the Saudi Foreign Ministry. The ministers criticized Israel’s rejection of a roadmap for completing the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza conflict, which was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803. Their statement followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection a week earlier of a 15-point roadmap approved by the Peace Council and accepted by Hamas. Netanyahu

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  Israeli media claims Hamas personnel seized army engineering equipment in southern Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israel’s Channel 14 reported that Palestinians seized drilling pipes and other engineering equipment used by the Israeli military for tunnel-detection operations in southern Gaza, in what it said was the second such occurrence in about a week. According to the Israeli channel, the latest incident occurred on Sunday near the so-called “Yellow Line,” where Israeli forces claimed to have observed armed men approaching engineering equipment being used in an area under Israeli military control. The men reportedly took some of the equipment before returning to another part of the Gaza Strip. Channel 14 cited Israeli security assessments suggesting that the drilling pipes could potentially be repurposed for manufacturing or preparing explosive devices for use against Israeli forces. The report did

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  Report: Hamas leaders meet Kushner in Egypt for talks on Gaza roadmap

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Senior Hamas officials, including the movement’s political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya, held talks with US envoy Jared Kushner in Egypt to discuss disarmament and the future administration of the Gaza Strip, according to Hamas sources cited by Asharq on Sunday. The sources said the meeting took place in El Alamein with the participation of senior officials from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, which have been involved in mediation efforts over Gaza. According to the report, the Hamas delegation discussed its position on a proposed roadmap for Gaza and expressed its commitment to provisions concerning the inventory and storage of weapons and the transfer of governing authority in the Strip. The sources also said Hamas expressed readiness to participate in Palestinian elections

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  Settlers establish new outposts near Ramallah as Palestinian families in Qusra face access restrictions

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israeli settlers have begun establishing new outposts on land near Palestinian villages in the Ramallah area, while three families in Qusra, south of Nablus, are facing restrictions on access to water and other essential services, according to Palestinian and UN sources. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Sunday that settlers established a new outpost near the village of Burqa and erected tents in the Wadi al-Zaytoun area, south of Umm Safa, in preparation for another outpost on Palestinians’ privately owned land. According to WAFA, the establishment of the latter would bring the number of settlement outposts surrounding Umm Safa to six. The area has experienced repeated confrontations and disputes over land amid expanding settlement activity. Data from the Palestinian

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  The empire below deck

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The American aircraft carrier was built to terrify other nations. The USS Abraham Lincoln has instead become something far more revealing: a floating monument to an empire powerful enough to bomb half the world, yet too arrogant, overstretched and politically diseased to care properly for the people it sends to do the bombing. The symbolism is almost vulgar in its perfection. A nuclear-powered supercarrier — one of the most sophisticated instruments of organized violence ever constructed — prowls the waters near Iran, launching aircraft and advertising Washington’s capacity to reach virtually anywhere on Earth. Below deck, meanwhile, sailors endure exhaustion, psychological strain, deteriorating conditions and the torment of a deployment whose end repeatedly disappears over the horizon. Behold American primacy:

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  Israeli authorities issue eviction orders to more than 70 Palestinian families in Lod

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israeli authorities have issued eviction orders to more than 70 Palestinian families in the Al-Mahatta neighbourhood of Lod, ahead of planned demolitions, according to Palestinian local sources. Residents said the orders were issued with short deadlines, in some cases giving families no more than a week to leave their homes. Israeli authorities reportedly justified the measures on the grounds that the properties were built on or occupy what they classify as “state land.” Families in the neighbourhood say they have lived in the area since before the establishment of Israel in 1948, with some describing their homes and community as representing nearly a century of family history. Residents have rejected the eviction and demolition orders, warning that the measures could

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  Lebanon says death toll from Israeli attacks since March exceeds 4,300

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The Lebanese Ministry of Health said on Sunday that 4,346 people have been killed and 12,301 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since 2nd March, following two airstrikes in southern Lebanon that killed 11 people and wounded 19 others on Saturday. The ministry’s Emergency Operations Center said in a statement that the cumulative toll between 2nd March and 16th August had reached 4,346 deaths and 12,301 injuries. According to the ministry, an Israeli airstrike on the town of Deir Zahrani, in the Nabatieh district, killed four people and wounded 17 others. The injured included 11 women and a child. In a separate Israeli strike on the town of Ansar, also in the Nabatieh district, seven people were killed, including three

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  Strait of Hormuz traffic comes to a near standstill as latest 48-hour data shows

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply at the start of the week following attacks on oil tankers, as US-Iran talks aimed at resolving the conflict in the Middle East stalled, according to Reuters.  Ship-tracking data from Kpler showed that only five commodity vessels passed through the strait on Saturday, while none were recorded on Sunday, compared with 31 vessels over the previous weekend, Reuters added.  An Iranian official earlier said the United States had suffered major strategic losses during the latest military confrontations, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian control.  Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, stated that the United States has sustained significant strategic losses, urging Washington to accept this reality and

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  Families of Four Sumud Flotilla Activists Demand Release from Detention in Tunisia

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The families of four Tunisian activists who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla have called on political and judicial authorities to release of their detained sons and drop all charges against them. The Sumud Flotilla is the Gaza-bound group of aid vessels that attempted to break the Israeli-imposed blockade on the Strip before they were intercepted by Israel. The four activists, identified as Nabil Al-Shanoufi, Ghassan Al-Hanshiri, Ghassan Al-Boughdiri, and Wael Nawar, have been held in Tunis’s Mornaguia Prison for more than five months. In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the families detailed the deteriorating conditions surrounding the detention. READ: France investigates alleged torture of French MP and Gaza flotilla participants by Israel “Today marks more than five months

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  Saudi school curricula undergo major changes to references to Jerusalem and Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  The Saudi education system is continuing to soften its treatment of Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in school curricula, Hebrew-language newspaper Maariv reported. The newspaper cited a new report by research institute IMPACT-se, which examined Saudi school curricula from 2024 to 2026. It said Saudi Arabia had removed “hostile statements” and made changes to content relating to Israel, Jews and Jerusalem as part of the reform drive adopted by the ruling family under Vision 2030. The report said one of the most notable changes was made to the Arabic-language textbook for Year 11. The 2023-2024 edition included the sentence, “Muslims will not give up Jerusalem”, but the sentence was removed entirely from editions for the 2024-2025 academic year and onwards.

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  Palestine research institute: Netanyahu uses Lebanese, Palestinian blood as a “winning election card”

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is treating Lebanese and Palestinian blood as a winning electoral card, Major General Habis al-Sharouf, director of the Palestine Institute for National Security Research, said. He said Israel had respected neither the ethics of the truce nor the ethics of war, “nor anything”.  “Israel now wants to impose a fait accompli in southern Lebanon. To do so, it does not want residents in the border areas and carries out assassinations and shelling on a daily basis,” al-Sharouf said during an interview on Cairo News programme Midday, presented by journalist Hager Galal. He said Israel aims to displace residents and leave the area empty for several reasons, foremost among them forcing Hezbollah to accept Israeli conditions.

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  El Sisi stresses need to resolve regional crises to preserve stability in meeting with Kushner

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday stressed the need to resolve the various crises in the region to preserve regional stability. Sisi made the remarks during a meeting in the northern Egyptian city of El Alamein with Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.  The two sides discussed “developments in the Middle East and the Palestinian issue”, the presidency said. Sisi stressed the importance of continuing efforts to address common challenges, given the two countries’ commitment to supporting security and stability at regional and international levels. He also underlined “the need to resolve the various crises facing the region in order to preserve regional stability”, according to the statement.

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  Hamas calls for full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and end to killing of Palestinians

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  Hamas on Sunday called for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and an end to what it described as Israeli killings of Palestinians. The call came in a statement following talks in Cairo between a Hamas delegation led by its political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya and mediators over a roadmap for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. According to a Palestinian source who spoke to Anadolu on condition of anonymity, the Hamas delegation led by al-Hayya met in Cairo with Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law. In its statement, Hamas said: “Under the generous auspices of Egypt, the Hamas leadership delegation, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, head of the movement, met with

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  Iraq’s electricity crisis: Fifty degrees of cold promises

  by Mehdi Editor on August 17, 2026

  In Iraq, you can replace the name of Ali Falih al-Zaidi—the current prime minister—with any prime minister since 2003, and nothing in meaning or outcome would change. Every leader has made the same promise, every leader has spoken of a “turning point,” and every leader has left office without moving the national power grid a single step forward. Al-Zaidi’s claim that 2027 will mark a doubling of electricity production and transmission capacity is not a vision; it is simply another number added to a long archive of empty promises whose endings Iraqis already know. The irony is scorching. These promises are repeated while Iraqis endure summer temperatures exceeding fifty degrees Celsius, replaying old video clips of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Mustafa

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  Israeli attacks kill Palestinian, injure several others in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  One Palestinian was killed and several others were injured in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, marking further violations of a ceasefire agreement in effect since Oct. 10, 2025, medical sources said. A Palestinian was killed and six others were injured when an Israeli drone struck a tent sheltering displaced people near Al-Aqsa University in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, a medical source told Anadolu Agency. In central Gaza, several Palestinians were injured when an Israeli strike targeted the roof of a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to the material provided, another medical source said. READ: Egypt’s Sisi meets Kushner for talks on Gaza ceasefire A child was also shot and injured by an Israeli

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  Egypt’s Sisi meets Kushner for talks on Gaza ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met US President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner in Egypt’s El-Alamein on Sunday, to discuss Middle East developments, including implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Anadolu reports. Sisi stressed the importance of strategic ties between Egypt and the US and continued coordination on issues of mutual interest. The talks also addressed regional security and the Palestinian issue, with emphasis on the need for all parties to fulfill their obligations under the ceasefire agreement aimed at ending Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. Kushner welcomed close coordination between Egypt and the US and praised Sisi’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and General Intelligence Service chief Maj. Gen.

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  8 countries condemn Israel’s rejection of roadmap to end Gaza war

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Turkiye and seven other countries on Sunday condemned Israel’s rejection of a roadmap for completing the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza conflict, saying the move jeopardizes efforts to achieve lasting peace, Anadolu reports. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates condemned Israel’s declared rejection of the roadmap, as well as its rejection of Palestinian statehood. The ministers said the positions amount to “a direct repudiation” of Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, which was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803. They said Israel’s rejection jeopardizes the plan’s implementation and “fundamentally undermines the collective efforts undertaken to achieve

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  Pope renews call to end violence against Palestinians in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Pope Leo XIV on Sunday renewed his call for an end to violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and urged the international community to advance efforts toward a two-state solution, Anadolu reports. Speaking after the weekly Angelus prayer, Leo called for an end “to the repeated acts of violence against the Palestinian population of the West Bank,” according to Vatican News. He also issued an urgent appeal to the international community “to ensure that progress is made toward a two-state solution, for a just and lasting peace.” READ: Pope Leo voices concern over ‘tragic’ situation in Sudan The Vatican has consistently maintained that a two-state solution based on secure and internationally recognized borders is the only viable and equitable path

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  Saudi Arabia issues warning over ‘potential danger’ in Jazan province

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense said Sunday that a warning had been issued in Jazan province in the country’s southwest over a “potential danger,” Anadolu reports. “A warning has been issued in Jazan province to alert of a potential danger,” the agency said in a statement on the US social media company X. It urged residents to follow the accompanying safety instructions and to stay indoors until the danger is gone. ​​​​​​​The agency did not provide details about the nature of the danger. READ: Saudi Arabia announces 13 countries have formally joined maritime defence alliance

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  Turkiye, Saudi Arabia to expand renewable energy projects

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Turkiye and Saudi Arabia are set to expand their renewable energy cooperation with an additional 3,000-megawatt agreement, bringing the total planned capacity under their projects in Turkiye to 5,000 megawatts, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said, Anadolu reports. Bayraktar recalled that Turkiye and Saudi Arabia had previously signed an agreement covering 2,000 MW of renewable energy projects. “We will increase this to 5,000 megawatts with a 3,000-megawatt agreement on the sidelines of the UN Climate Conference in Antalya,” said Bayraktar, according to a statement released Saturday by the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry. The minister also outlined Turkiye’s progress in energy and mining over the past 25 years, saying the country had “almost accomplished a century’s worth of work”

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  150 Sudanese return home from Uganda under voluntary return program

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  A plane carrying 150 Sudanese who had sought refuge in Uganda arrived in Sudan’s capital Khartoum under a voluntary return program. The flight was the 14th organized as part of the voluntary return program for Sudanese in Uganda, Anadolu reports. The returnees received their tickets and travel documents at the Sudan Friendship School in Kampala before departing from Entebbe International Airport for Khartoum. The voluntary returns from Uganda began in February 2026, with the first flight carrying 150 people to Port Sudan. With the latest flight, the number of organized return journeys under the program reached 14. READ: 1,100 Sudanese return home from Egypt under voluntary repatriation program

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  Egypt ‘will not allow’ any party to control Nile water flows: Egyptian source

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Egypt “will not accept or allow” any party to control the flow of Nile water to downstream countries, an Egyptian source said Sunday, responding to recent remarks by Ethiopia’s water and energy minister about building additional dams on the river, Anadolu reports. The unidentified source said in remarks carried by Egypt’s official news agency MENA that statements attributed to Ethiopian Water and Energy Minister Habtamu Itefa about building additional dams on the Nile and controlling water flows to Egypt and Sudan “represented a continuation of Ethiopia’s unilateral approach and a blatant violation of international law.” READ: Nearly 50,000 displaced in Sudan’s Blue Nile state since start of 2026 The remarks reflect “Addis Ababa’s continued delusions that it can impose control over a

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  Most US voters say they are worse off under Trump: Poll

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Most US voters say their finances have worsened since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, with less than three months to go before the November midterm elections, according to a Financial Times poll, Anadolu reports. The Focaldata poll found that 53% of registered voters felt worse off under Trump, including nearly 57% of independents and almost one-quarter of Republicans. Nearly two-thirds said the US economy was moving in the wrong direction, while just 25% said it was heading in the right direction. Voters also gave Democrats an advantage over Republicans on inflation and the cost of living, as well as jobs and the economy. Trump’s approval rating on inflation and living costs was particularly weak, with 64% disapproving, including

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  Yemeni army launches 181 operations against Houthis in 24 hours

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  The Yemeni army said Sunday it launched 181 military operations in the past 24 hours against Houthi positions and targets in several governorates, killing and injuring dozens of the group’s members, Anadolu reports. The attacks destroyed “dozens of military equipment, vehicles, and weapons depots” belonging to the Houthi group, military spokesman Col. Majid Abdullah al-Nuzaili said through US social media company X. Nuzaili said the attacks targeted military sites and sources of Houthi fire in Taiz, Marib, Abyan, Al-Dhalea, and Al-Hudaydah. READ: Yemen’s Houthis bury 57 fighters, including 31 officers, in 10 days: State media There was no immediate Houthi comment on the statements. Yemen has witnessed a relative lull since April 2022 in a war that began nearly 12 years ago

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  Hamas delegation meets Egypt’s intelligence chief in Cairo for Gaza ceasefire talks

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  A high-level delegation from Palestinian group Hamas arrived in Cairo on Sunday and held talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad to discuss the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, according to Egyptian media, Anadolu reports. The meeting addressed ways to complete the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, the state-run Al-Qahera News channel said. Hamas praised Egyptian efforts to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire and reaffirmed its commitment to Trump’s plan to alleviate the suffering of the territory’s population and start reconstruction, the broadcaster said. READ: Egyptian foreign minister calls for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said early Sunday that the talks in Egypt aim to brief mediators on Israel’s violations and ensure Tel Aviv’s adherence

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  Iran asks Qatar to allow military team to investigate fate of missing pilots

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Iran urged Qatar on Sunday to allow an Iranian air force team to enter the Gulf country to investigate the fate of three pilots whom Tehran claims are held by Doha despite Qatari denial, Anadolu reports. In a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency, Mohammad Bagherzadeh, the commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff, said a “fact-finding” team has been waiting for months for permission to enter Qatar and conduct field investigations to determine the pilots’ fate. He urged the Qatari government to allow the Iranian team into the country and called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to urgently follow up on the case. Bagherzadeh also said

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  1st Syrian Airlines passenger flight in over 1.5 years arrives in Moscow

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  A Syrian Airlines passenger plane arrived in Moscow from Damascus on Sunday, marking the first such flight between the two capitals in more than 1.5 years, Anadolu reports. The aircraft landed at 6.44 am local time (0344GMT) at the Russian capital’s Sheremetyevo airport, according to its information system. The return flight to Damascus was carried out later the same day. Flights between Damascus and Moscow, which were suspended in December 2024 due to the political situation in Syria, are expected to operate on Sundays. READ: Syria, Russia reach deal to reorganize Russian military presence at Hmeimim, Tartus bases

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  Iranian parliament to debate foreign influence, Hormuz oversight bills

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Iran’s parliament is set to hold a virtual session on Sunday to review separate bills on countering foreign influence and overseeing the Strait of Hormuz, state-run broadcaster IRIB reported, Anadolu reports. Members of the parliament’s National Security Committee will examine a “Smart Management Plan” for the strait, the outlet said. Iranian lawmakers will also review a bill aimed at combating international crimes, it added. The report came after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Saturday that Iran had reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz following weeks of technical negotiations. The talks are part of technical negotiations launched under an Iran-US memorandum of understanding, which tasked Tehran and Muscat with developing a

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  Israeli army claims it killed senior Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  The Israeli army claimed on Sunday that it killed Abu Hassan Alaa, a senior commander of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, in a strike in southern Lebanon’s Ansar municipality, Anadolu reports. The army said on US social media platform X that Alaa was “a senior commander in Hezbollah’s ‘Badder Unit'” and was killed in an attack that targeted a main Hezbollah headquarters, alleging that it came in response to Hezbollah activity against the Israeli army “in the Security Zone.” Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the Israeli statement. READ: Lebanon banker exposed as major force behind normalisation drive with Israel On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office claimed that three Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded in an attack it said was carried

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  US CENTCOM chief completes 10-day visit to Middle East

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  The commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) finished his 10-day trip to the Middle East on Saturday, Anadolu reports. During the trip, Adm. Brad Cooper visited six countries and the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, CENTCOM said on US social media platform X. Cooper met with military leaders and officials in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He also met with deployed US service members, who are among the more than 50,000 US service members operating across the Middle East. READ: CENTCOM says US forces redirected 17 commercial vessels, boarded 2 Cooper thanked the service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln “for their tremendous dedication and courage” during his second visit to

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  Israel survey: 38% of Jewish Israelis support annexing West Bank, 22% favour ‘relocation’ of Palestinians to other countries

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  A new survey by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) has found that 38 percent of Jewish Israelis support annexing the entire West Bank, while 35 percent favour partitioning the territory. The survey was conducted among 748 respondents, Jewish and Arab, found that 22 percent of Jewish Israelis would like annexation to be followed by a relocation of the Arab population to other countries. While twenty-one percent backed Palestinian statehood in Arab-majority areas, 14 percent supported the area being annexed to Jordan. The survey also found 58 percent of all Israelis, Jewish and Arab, do not believe the recently announced agreement for the disarmament of Hamas in Gaza will be implemented. Fifteen percent said it could lead to partial disarmament,

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  Israeli forces raid Hebron, force Palestinians to close shops

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Israeli forces on Saturday forced Palestinian shopkeepers to close their shops during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, Anadolu reports. Israeli soldiers closed off the Old City area, restricting Palestinians’ access and movement to facilitate the entry of Israeli occupiers, according to local reports. The soldiers also prevented journalists from filming and ordered them to leave the area. Since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023, Israeli forces and occupiers have escalated attacks in the West Bank, killing more than 1,183 Palestinians, injuring 13,000 and arresting nearly 25,000, according to Palestinian figures. Palestinians warn that the escalation is part of Israeli efforts to impose facts on the ground, paving the way for annexation

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  Can China turn energy dependence into diplomatic power in the Middle East?

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  For decades, China’s relationship with the Middle East appeared to rest on a straightforward bargain: the region supplied energy, while China supplied an expanding market. But that transactional equation no longer captures the structural transformation underway. In 2025, China sourced roughly half of its crude oil and almost one-third of its liquefied natural gas from the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar remain major suppliers, Meanwhile, tanker-tracking data from Kpler indicate that China imported an average of around 1.38 million barrels per day of Iranian crude in 2025. Yet China is no longer merely buying Middle Eastern energy. Its commercial and strategic interests are increasingly embedded in the region’s broader economic architecture.This raises a

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  Hamas delegation led by al-Hayya heads to Cairo to discuss Gaza ceasefire agreement

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Hamas political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya is due to arrive in Cairo on Sunday at the head of a senior leadership delegation, on his first visit to Egypt since assuming the leadership of the movement, to discuss efforts to consolidate the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Anadolu reports. A Hamas source told Anadolu that “a high-level leadership delegation headed by the movement’s leader, Khalil al-Hayya, will arrive tonight in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to hold talks with Egyptian officials.” The source added that the delegation will meet Egyptian General Intelligence Service chief Hassan Rashad to discuss a number of issues and developments related to the Palestinian issue, foremost among them talks aimed at consolidating the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. According