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

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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

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  Israel’s escalation in southern Lebanon threatens to derail settlement efforts: Arab League

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  The Arab League on Saturday strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon, which have resulted in civilian deaths, warning that the escalation threatens to undermine efforts to resolve the conflict and end the occupation, Anadolu reports. Earlier on Saturday, Lebanon announced that at least 11 people had been killed and 19 others injured, including children and women, in Israeli airstrikes targeting towns in the south, despite a ceasefire agreement reached on April 17. In a statement, the spokesperson for the Arab League secretary-general said the Israeli attacks targeting civilians in Nabatieh and neighboring villages and towns since Saturday morning constituted “a blatant violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and a dangerous escalation that threatens to derail any efforts aimed at resolving

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  Gulf allies growing frustrated with US over prolonged Iran war: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Discontent with the US is growing among its Gulf allies amid concerns that President Donald Trump has been unable to secure a diplomatic end to the prolonged war with Iran, according to US media, Anadolu reports. “Trump started this war, and we are paying the price,” a Gulf official told The Washington Post on condition of anonymity, saying anger toward the US was at its highest point since the US and Israel attacked Iran in February. After months of conflict and continuing missile and drone strikes by Iran and its proxies, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain have grown increasingly critical of the Trump administration, the newspaper reported, citing Arab and Western officials. Some Gulf states have

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  Qatar rejects Iran’s claim it detained 3 fighter pilots after March attack

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Qatar on Saturday rejected Iran’s claim that three Iranian fighter pilots were detained by Qatari authorities after their aircraft went down during attacks in March, calling the allegations misleading, Anadolu reports. Majed Al Ansari, adviser to the prime minister and Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on US social media platform X that Doha “categorically” denied the claims and expressed surprise that they were being circulated “at this particular time,” amid diplomatic efforts to reduce regional tensions. Al Ansari said Qatari authorities established contact with the Iranian pilots after they violated the country’s airspace and after confirming the trajectory of the incoming attack. He said that after following the rules of engagement and attempting unsuccessfully to communicate with the pilots, “the necessary measures

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  Netanyahu’s office claims 3 Israeli soldiers wounded in Hezbollah attack near border

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office claimed Saturday that three Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded in an attack it said was carried out by Hezbollah near the border, as Israel stepped up military strikes against Lebanon, Anadolu reports. “This morning (Saturday) Hezbollah violated the ceasefire in Lebanon by attacking our soldiers in the security zone, which protects Israeli communities just across the border,” the army said in a statement. It claimed the soldiers were “seriously injured” in the attack and accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire in Lebanon. The Israeli army responded by targeting what it said was Hezbollah headquarters, according to the statement. There was no immediate comment from Lebanese authorities or Hezbollah on the Israeli claims. The Israeli army

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  Morocco detains 148 migrants after attempted mass crossing into Spain’s Ceuta

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  Moroccan authorities detained 148 irregular migrants Saturday in and around the northern city of Fnideq after they attempted a mass crossing into the Spanish city of Ceuta, according to officials, Anadolu reports. A Fnideq provincial official said in a statement that 128 of those detained were from African countries and 20 were Moroccan nationals. A heavy security presence prevented any mass crossing near Ceuta and Melilla, with the security situation remaining “normal and under control,” said the official. Authorities will continue monitoring online activity to identify those involved in encouraging mass migration attempts, while field operations will continue to prevent irregular crossings and detain those organizing them, the official said. Moroccan authorities deployed additional personnel and logistical resources to prevent the

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  The third phase of the Iranian revolution

  by Mehdi Editor on August 16, 2026

  There is a recurring tendency among Western analysts to interpret Iran’s political transformations through categories imported from the European experience. The idea that the Islamic Republic is entering a “Third Republic”, for example, suggests a rupture akin to the successive French republics. More problematically, this framing reinforces an Orientalist interpretation of an almost dynastic succession of power in Iran. It may be more appropriate to understand the current moment not as the birth of another Republic, but as a third historical phase of the same political project that began in 1979. The first phase was marked by the Islamic Revolution, the war imposed by Iraq and the construction of a new institutional architecture based on Wilayat al-Faqih, the governance of

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  From Gaza to Iran, Washington’s wars are becoming an electoral liability

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  A political rally in Florida should not, by itself, tell us much about the direction of American foreign policy. This one might. With only three days to go before Florida’s Democratic primary, a Fort Lauderdale venue cancelled an event featuring Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and congressional candidates Angie Nixon, Elijah Manley and Oliver Larkin. The decision came after Democratic state representative Michael Gottlieb attacked the gathering as an “anti-Jew” event. The venue cited security concerns and the organisers moved elsewhere. Reuters reported the story on Saturday, 15th August. There is something familiar about the episode. American politicians who question Washington’s support for Israel have spent years being told that their position sits beyond the limits of respectable politics. What is less

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  Amnesty: Israeli state backs escalation of settler violence in occupied West Bank

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  Amnesty International  has strongly condemned the ongoing siege of three Palestinian families’ homes by Israeli settlers in the village of Qusra, southeast of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, said: “The horrors unfolding in Qusra are far from an isolated incident. They reflect the relentless escalation and expansion of an accelerating and well-documented pattern of coordinated and strategic settler terror, enabled, backed and funded by the State of Israel, with the aim of displacing Palestinians across the occupied West Bank.” The three families under siege have been threatened, harassed and attacked by Israeli settlers from nearby outposts for several months. They have been confined to their homes since Sunday 9th August, are running out of food, and lack access to basic necessities, including running water. The homes targeted in these attacks

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  3 Palestinians injured in Israeli drone strike in central Gaza despite ceasefire

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  Three Palestinians were injured on Saturday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. The attack was the latest Israeli violation of a ceasefire agreement in effect since Oct. 10, 2025. A medical source at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza said that three injured people were brought to the facility, one of them in serious condition, after an Israeli drone struck a motorcycle on Salah al-Din Street, east of Deir al-Balah. Early Saturday, the Israeli army carried out large-scale demolitions in areas under its control in Rafah in southern Gaza and east of Gaza City in the north. Witnesses told Anadolu that they heard powerful explosions caused by Israeli

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  EU faces criticism for secret police data talks with Israel: Report

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  The European Commission has been negotiating a secret agreement to share sensitive personal data with Israel’s police service, despite internal legal warnings that the deal could violate international law and put Palestinians at risk, according to a new report by civil rights group Statewatch published by Novara Media, Anadolu reports. The draft agreement, originally negotiated with the European police agency Europol, would allow the exchange of biometric data, genetic information, location data, political views, and personal details. Critical research indicates the deal has progressed despite a 2022 ruling by the Council of the EU’s Legal Service which deemed the proposal legally untenable. It warned that the agreement risks legitimizing Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and would undermine the Palestinian

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  UAE says tanker belonging to national oil company targeted in Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  The UAE said Friday that a tanker belonging to its national oil company ADNOC was targeted while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. No injuries were reported in the attack, and the situation was brought under control, according to a report by the UAE’s official news agency WAM, citing the state oil company. The company emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of seafarers, maintaining freedom of navigation, and safeguarding maritime security. ADNOC urged the public to follow information only from official sources and refrain from spreading unverified information or rumors. Two ADNOC tankers were also targeted Thursday while passing through the strait. No deaths or injuries were reported in that incident. Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations

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  22 oxygen stations out of service in Gaza amid Israeli blockade: Health Ministry

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  At least 22 of the Gaza Strip’s 34 oxygen stations have been forced out of service, the Palestinian Health Ministry warned Saturday, saying the remaining facilities also risk shutting down amid the Israeli blockade and a severe shortage of spare parts, Anadolu reports. The ministry said in a statement that the 12 stations still operating are working under “extremely complex technical and mechanical conditions,” making it increasingly difficult to meet the oxygen needs of health facilities and medical service providers. It added that the stations’ operational capacity has been “completely depleted” and that they are running beyond maximum capacity amid increasingly frequent breakdowns. Only four of the 30 devices used to fill oxygen cylinders remain operational, the ministry said, warning

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  Israeli airstrikes kill 9, including 3 children, in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  At least nine people, including three children, were killed and 11 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon early Saturday, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry and the National News Agency (NNA), Anadolu reports. Seven people were killed, including two women and three children, and two others injured when Israeli warplanes struck a house on the outskirts of the town of Ansar, in the Nabatieh district, toward the nearby town of Zrariyeh, destroying the building, NNA reported, citing the ministry. The attack on Ansar was the first Israeli airstrike to reach this geographical depth inside Lebanon since a ceasefire took effect two months ago, according to NNA. Later, the Israeli army claimed in a statement that it struck Hezbollah infrastructure

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  Children among Palestinians suffering from gas inhalation in Israeli raid on West Bank village

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  Several Palestinians, including children, suffered from tear gas inhalation on Saturday, when Israeli forces raided the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said. Israeli occupiers attacked the Shaab al-Lawz neighborhood northwest of the village and attempted to storm several homes, Wafa reported. Israeli forces then raided the area and fired tear gas canisters, causing several Palestinians, including children, to suffer from gas inhalation, it added. Wafa also said villages and towns northeast of Ramallah have been subjected to repeated Israeli military raids and occupier attacks targeting Palestinians and their property. On Wednesday, the UN warned that occupier violence in the West Bank had reached unprecedented levels, saying it

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  Trump was ‘joking’ about declaring Strait of Hormuz US territory: US media

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  US President Donald Trump was “joking” when he said he would declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory after the war with Iran, US media reported Friday, Anadolu reports. Trump has not met with his advisers to discuss such a move, Wall Street Journal reporter Brian Schwartz said through US social media platform X, citing an unnamed senior White House official. “President Trump has not met with his advisers about declaring the Strait of Hormuz a US territory post the war and was joking during his speech today in New York,” Schwartz wrote. Trump made the remark during a political rally at the Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City, New York. “After we finish defeating Iran, which is

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  The Saudi–Turkish–Pakistani Security Agreement: A preliminary assessment

  by Marwa A on August 15, 2026

  The Mecca Agreement, signed on 7 August, may not be the first step in a series of moves that key states in the region have begun to take, reflecting significant strategic shifts. Although the challenges facing the countries of the region are not new, they have intensified markedly in recent years. The Israeli war on Gaza, and its expansion into the US-Israeli war on Iran during the current presidency of Donald Trump, have undoubtedly provided the most significant impetus for countries in the region to reconsider their external strategic calculations, their roles, and their standing within the region. The collective security and deterrence nature of the agreement between these states carries a particular significance and represents an important development in

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  Aid access hampered by more than 900 obstacles in West Bank: UN

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  Humanitarian operations in the occupied West Bank are being delayed and restricted by a network of more than 900 physical obstacles, including checkpoints, gates and roadblocks, the UN said Friday, Anadolu reports. Daniela Gross De Almeida, an associate spokesperson, told reporters that the restrictions are limiting humanitarian access and leaving people in need without adequate assistance. “Our humanitarian partners warn that aid work is being delayed and limited by a network of over 900 physical obstacles including checkpoints, gates, roadblocks, and other restrictions. This hinders humanitarian access and leaves people in need underserved,” De Almeida said. In the village of Qusra, near Nablus, aid and municipal workers have been unable to reach three Palestinian families who have been trapped in

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  Flags, Field Marshals, and foreign masters: Pakistan’s independence pageant

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  Every August 14, Pakistan performs sovereignty like a state auditioning for the role of itself. Flags breed on rooftops. Fighter jets carve patriotism into the sky. Politicians discover freedom for twenty-four hours. Generals appear beneath enough ribbons to upholster a sofa and assure 250 million people that Pakistan bows before no one. Then the ceremonies end, the bunting droops, and the rulers return to asking Washington, Riyadh and assorted creditors what sovereignty should look like this quarter. Seventy-nine years after 1947, Pakistan’s problem is not that it lacks the legal furniture of independence. It has borders, embassies, nuclear weapons and an anthem thunderous enough to frighten colonialism retroactively. Its problem is that the ruling order has repeatedly treated sovereignty not

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  If Indonesia’s support for Palestine never changes, why is Israel’s ZIM shipping company still reaching its ports?

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  On 14 August 2026, the Speaker of Indonesia’s People’s Consultative Assembly, Ahmad Muzani, stood before parliament in Jakarta and said something Indonesians have heard many times before. He said that Indonesia’s support for Palestine has never wavered. He tied it to Indonesia’s own history of colonization and to the country’s constitution, which calls on Indonesia to help build a world order based on freedom, lasting peace, and social justice. These are strong words, and many Indonesians believe them sincerely. Indonesia has no diplomatic relations with Israel. Indonesian passports state they are not valid for travel to Israel. Indonesian leaders, from Sukarno to Prabowo Subianto, have repeated the same message for decades: Palestine must be free, and Indonesia stands with it.

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  Ireland’s university leaders must step up where the Irish government has failed

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  For many in Ireland the refrain of being the most pro-Palestine supporting country in Europe is a badge of honour (although perhaps the Spanish would have something to say about that). However, those of us who have been at this work for a long time know that rhetoric and reality rarely match up. As an educator and someone who has been involved in strengthening partnerships between the Palestinian and Irish academy for over a decade, the news that another group of Palestinian students seeking to take up their positions at Irish universities have had their visa applications rejected is particularly galling. Education, as Nelson Mandela once opined, is “the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” In

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  Morocco tightens security ahead of calls for mass crossing into Spain’s Ceuta

  by Marwa A on August 14, 2026

  Morocco stepped up security measures Friday in the northern city of Fnideq and other areas ahead of social media calls for a mass attempt to cross into the Spanish-administered enclave of Ceuta, Anadolu reports. An Anadolu correspondent said authorities reinforced checkpoints leading to Fnideq, as well as the northern cities of Tetouan, Tangier, and Nador. Authorities also installed barbed wire along the border crossing between Fnideq and Ceuta while deploying large numbers of security personnel and auxiliary forces across the city. The measures came ahead of Aug. 15 after Morocco’s Interior Ministry said it had detected anonymous social media calls urging a mass illegal crossing into the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. On Wednesday, Interior Ministry spokesperson Rachid El

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  ‘Syria is Gaza on steroids’: Israeli minister says war with Damascus is ‘absolute certainty’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  “Syria is Gaza on steroids, and that is the next war, with absolute certainty”, said Amichai Chikli Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister. “There is no avoiding it.”  Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli on Syria: Syria is Gaza on steroids, and that is the next war, with absolute certainty. There is no avoiding it. pic.twitter.com/KbH0KndkWG — Clash Report (@clashreport) August 13, 2026 Chikli’s remarks come as Israel is already waging military campaigns across multiple fronts in the region, including Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, while carrying out attacks elsewhere in the Middle East. Israeli leaders have themselves described the conflict as a war on seven fronts The remarks are not the first time Chikli has openly threatened war against Damascus. In

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  Palestinian says Israel plan for occupier policing entrenches West Bank annexation

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh said Friday that Israel’s plan to transfer law enforcement powers over occupiers in the West Bank to Israeli police is an attempt to impose sovereignty on the territory and entrench its illegal annexation, Anadolu reports. In a statement, al-Sheikh strongly condemned Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s intention to transfer law enforcement powers over occupiers to Israeli police. “The move constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, international legitimacy resolutions and signed agreements,” he said. “It represents a new attempt to impose Israeli law and sovereignty on the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and to entrench the illegal annexation of Palestinian land,” al-Sheikh said. “Settlement in all its forms is illegal and Israel has no sovereignty

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  Lebanese PM, speaker urge clear timetable for Israeli withdrawal

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri discussed the military track of the negotiation framework and developments in southern Lebanon with US officials on Friday, Anadolu reports. The Lebanese Presidency of the Council of Ministers said in a statement that Salam received US Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa and Gen. Joseph Clearfield, head of the military coordination group for Lebanon. The meeting addressed the military track of the negotiation framework, along with the latest developments in southern Lebanon, the presidency added. “Salam stressed the need for Israel to stop destruction operations, expand the scope of pilot areas, and set a clear timetable for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory,” the statement said. In a related development, Berri met in

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  Israeli occupier opens fire at Palestinian, Israeli peace activists in southern West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  An armed Israeli occupier opened fire Friday at Palestinian and Israeli peace activists during a joint event near Beit Sahour in the southern occupied West Bank, with no injuries reported, an Israeli group said, Anadolu reports. Combatants for Peace, a left-wing Israeli organization, said in a statement that the shooting took place during a joint activity organized by its activists and Palestinian landowners on the outskirts of Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem. “Heavily armed settlers opened fire in our direction to force us to leave. The army quickly intervened, not to stop the settlers, but to push our group of activists and journalists out of the area, while the settlers were allowed to stay,” the statement said. No injuries were reported. The

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  UK signs $22M agreement to support Lebanese army, security forces

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  The UK has signed a memorandum of understanding worth £16.3 million (approximately $22 million) to support the Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces, the British Embassy in Beirut said Friday, Anadolu reports. The memorandum was signed Thursday with Lebanon’s Interior and Municipalities Ministry and National Defense Ministry under the 31-month Internal Security Assistance Programme for Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces, the embassy said in a statement. Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar, Defense Minister Michel Menassa and British Ambassador Hamish Cowell signed the memorandum at the Interior Ministry in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. The program aims to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces, enhance security and stability, consolidate state authority, and increase the resilience of security institutions,

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  Iran says it downed US-made MQ-9 drone over southern Hormozgan province

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  Iran said Friday that its forces had intercepted and destroyed an US-made MQ-9 drone over the southern province of Hormozgan. “An MQ-9 drone was intercepted and shot down over Iran’s Hormuzgan Province by the IRGC’s new advanced air defense system,” state broadcaster Press TV reported. Citing three officials, The Washington Post reported Thursday that the US military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, or roughly 25% of its fleet, during its war with Iran. 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: US says lower

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  France condemns Israeli occupiers’ seizure of Palestinian homes in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 14, 2026

  France on Friday condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the Israeli occupiers’ seizure of several Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, Anadolu reports. “France condemns in the strongest possible terms the occupation by Israeli settlers of several Palestinian homes in the village of Al-Qusra in the West Bank, as well as the violence perpetrated against Palestinian civilians,” a French Foreign Ministry statement said. The statement called on Israeli authorities “to arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of these acts.” READ: Palestinians, foreign and Israeli activists protest in West Bank town, head to besieged homes by Israeli occupiers “As acts of violence committed by settlers multiply in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, France calls on the Israeli

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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