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

• 
  Masked Israeli occupiers attack Palestinian woman, NBC News crew in occupied West Bank

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  Masked Israeli occupiers attacked and injured a Palestinian woman and three members of an NBC News team in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the US broadcaster reported, Anadolu reports. The journalists were interviewing Aida Ahmed Abdullah, 51, and her family in the Palestinian town of Jalud, near Nablus, when the attack occurred. Abdullah told the team that Israeli occupiers had forced her family from their home. She and the journalists were walking down a hill toward the house when a vehicle with Israeli license plates reversed toward them, according to video footage of the incident. At least four masked men then got out of the vehicle and attacked Abdullah and the journalists with sticks and rocks, NBC News reported.

• 
  Gaza families seek the fate of relatives missing during the war on International Day of the Disappeared

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  Photos: Palestinians in Gaza protest Israeli attack on water purification station, demand access to water

• 
  Rulers of Muslim nations should recognise ‘true enemy,’ says Iran’s supreme leader

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Sunday that rulers of Muslim countries should recognise what he called “the true enemy,” accusing the US and Israel of being “sworn enemies” of Islamic unity, Anadolu reports. “My emphatic and repeated recommendation to the rulers of Islamic countries, particularly those in West Asia and along the Gulf, is to identify your true enemy, understand its plan and confront it,” Khamenei said in a message marking “Islamic Unity Week,” according to Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB. Unity among Muslims is essential “for achieving the beloved and dominant Islamic civilisation,” he stated. The US and Israel are “the sworn enemies of this unity and friendship,” Khamenei claimed, saying that Washington and Tel Aviv are not

• 
  Egypt’s apparatus of enforced disappearance must be halted – Silence by BRICS and AU not an option

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  In Egypt today, a knock at the door can erase a life. For thousands of citizens, the state does not simply arrest them; it deletes them from existence. This is the brutal reality of enforced disappearance—a systematic weapon used by Cairo to silence dissent, crush activism, and rule through absolute terror. The process operates like a well-oiled corporate machine, deliberately designed to bypass legal protections according to reports compiled by human rights organisations. It begins with an unannounced abduction. State agents, frequently in plain clothes, seize individuals from their homes, university lecture halls, or city streets without producing legal warrants. Once taken, the victim enters an intentional information vacuum. The state operationalises “deniability” by scrubbing the individual’s name from official

• 
  FEDA calls on Egypt authorities to reveal the fate of those forcibly disappeared

  by Mehdi Editor on August 30, 2026

  On the occasion of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, which is observed on 30th August, the Families of Egyptian Detainees Association (FEDA) have called upon the Egyptian authorities provide information about the fate of their family members who have been disappeared.  A press statement by the group says dozens of Egyptian families are continuing to search for relatives who were arrested or went missing years ago—”in some cases as long as thirteen years—without their families being able to determine their fate or whereabouts.” The affected families have never stopped searching for their loved ones in police stations, detention facilities, prisons, hospitals and forensic medicine facilities, but their efforts have so far proved fruitless. The relevant authorities

• 
  Iran’s parliament speaker rejects US Treasury chief’s claims over economic pressure

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Saturday rejected US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s claims that Washington’s blockade and economic measures would crush the Iranian economy, Anadolu reports. “Liar, liar, pants on fire,” Qalibaf said in a post on the US social media company X, responding to Bessent’s assertion that Washington had brought 130 million barrels of oil onto the market over the past 14 days. Referring to what he described as the “real 130s,” Qalibaf urged Bessent to ask his staff to review Moody’s figures that he said showed more than $130 billion in war-related costs. He claimed US trading firm Jane Street had lost more than $130 million by betting on lower oil prices during a single rollover

• 
  Houthis announce death of 2 officers in clashes with government forces

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  The Houthis announced on Saturday that two of their officers were killed by Yemeni government forces amid continuing military escalation between the two sides, Anadolu reports. The Houthi-run Saba news agency said Maj. Gen. Hassan Mutahhar and Col. Mohammed al-Ghathi were laid to rest in the capital Sanaa. The agency provided no further details about the circumstances or location of their deaths. Yemeni government forces have yet to comment on the announcement. Military tensions between government forces and the Houthis have intensified in recent weeks. The Houthis have controlled several provinces and cities, including the capital Sanaa, since September 2014. While the government forces are backed by a Saudi-led coalition, Iran is accused of supporting the Houthis, who announced a

• 
  Demonstrators gather in Stockholm to protest Israel’s Gaza attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Protesters gathered in Stockholm on Saturday, to denounce Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, despite a ceasefire in Gaza, Anadolu reports. Demonstrators gathered at Odenplan Square following a call by several civil society groups, carrying banners calling for an end to attacks, food shortages and the killing of civilians. The death toll from Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip has risen to 73,449 after nine Palestinians were killed over the past 48 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday. In its daily statistical report, the ministry said hospitals received nine bodies as well as the body of another Palestinian that was recovered, while 18 people were injured during the same period. The ministry said a number of victims remain

• 
  3 Palestinians killed, 7 injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza despite ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Three Palestinians were killed and seven others injured Saturday in Israeli attacks targeting several areas of the Gaza Strip in the latest violation of an ongoing ceasefire, a medical source said, Anadolu reports. The source said two Palestinian were killed and two others wounded in an Israeli airstrike targeting an electric bicycle belonging to a private delivery company in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, southwest of Gaza City. Three Palestinians were also injured Saturday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a medicine warehouse at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, the source added. The source said the three Palestinians were inside the hospital to receive medical services when the strike hit the medicine warehouse. READ: Up to 3,000 people forcibly disappeared

• 
  14 Palestinians, 2 foreign journalists injured in attacks by Israeli army, occupiers in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  At least 14 Palestinians and two foreign journalists were injured Saturday in attacks by Israeli forces and illegal occupiers across the occupied West Bank, officials and medics said, Anadolu reports. Abdel Azim Wadi, the mayor of Qusra in the northern West Bank, told Anadolu Agency that dozens of occupiers attacked a Palestinian home in the town’s Ras al-Ain area, firing tear gas and hurling stones. Around seven people were injured inside and around the house, mostly from tear gas inhalation, and were treated at the scene, he said. Wadi said a siege imposed by illegal occupiers around three houses in the town has continued for the 21st consecutive day, leaving the families struggling to obtain food, water and other daily

• 
  Pro-Palestinian protesters march in Paris with olive branches and kites

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Pro-Palestinian protesters marched through the French capital Paris on Saturday, carrying olive branches and kites in support of Palestine, Anadolu reports. The demonstrators gathered near the historic Bastille Square before marching through central Paris toward the direction of the Fontaine des Innocents despite rainy weather. Carrying olive branches, which symbolize peace and hold an important place in Palestinian culture, protesters chanted slogans including “There is genocide in Gaza, we will not remain silent” and called for the release of Palestinian prisoners. The demonstrators also flew kites decorated with Palestinian flag motifs in response to the deprivation of Gaza’s children of their right to play with kites. Protesters called for the release of all Palestinian prisoners, including doctors, and wrote numbers

• 
  The war on Iran has failed to reorder West Asia

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Six months after the United States and ‘Israel’ launched their war against Iran on 28 February, the conflict can be assessed not only by the damage inflicted or the number of missiles fired, but by the objective fact that Washington and Tel Aviv have failed to achieve their strategic objectives. The project was far more ambitious than striking Iranian military and nuclear facilities. It sought to break the Islamic Republic’s deterrent capacity, trigger internal destabilisation, decisively weaken the Axis of Resistance and pave the way for a new regional architecture under Israeli hegemony and US military protection. None of this happened as planned. The Iranian government did not fall, the state did not collapse and Iran retained sufficient capacity to

• 
  Israeli forces raise flag on under-construction building in southern Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Continuing its attacks and violations in southern Lebanon, the Israeli army raised an Israeli flag on the roof of a Lebanese-owned building under construction in the town of Kfar Chouba, Anadolu reports. The incidents come amid continued Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon, including airstrikes, artillery shelling, and demolitions in several border areas. Israel and Lebanon have been engaged in US-led negotiations over security arrangements in southern Lebanon, including Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and measures concerning the Lebanese group Hezbollah’s presence in areas near the border. READ: UN says 330,000 remain displaced across Lebanon

• 
  Palestine calls for int’l action to end Israel’s ‘suffocating siege’ on West Bank town

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Palestine warned Saturday that the continued escalation by the Israeli army and illegal occupiers in the West Bank town of Al-Mughayyir aim to isolate the area and displace its residents, calling for international action to end the violence, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Israel has imposed “a suffocating siege” on the town, northeast of Ramallah, for the past 20 days, sealing off its entrance gates, and allowing residents only two hours a day for movement. It said the Israeli measures include banning the entry of ambulances into the town amid “indiscriminate targeting” of citizens. “These Israeli actions are an attempt to isolate and besiege the town militarily and economically and displace its residents,” it warned. The

• 
  Iran accuses US, Israel-aligned actors of manipulating energy markets

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday accused elements within the US government and actors aligned with Israel of attempting to manipulate global energy markets and promote the continuation of the war with Iran, Anadolu reports. “Our intelligence shows major efforts to game energy markets,” Araghchi said on US social media company X. He alleged that US government elements were using “gullible media” to influence energy prices for personal gain and keep US President Donald Trump “mired in a losing war.” “Israel-aligned actors also promote war with rosy assessments,” Araghchi said, adding that US consumers were feeling the economic consequences. READ: Iranian president urges Trump to avoid creating turmoil, says dialogue can resolve problems He did not provide evidence or further

• 
  Turkish foreign minister holds phone calls with Qatari, Egyptian counterparts

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Turkish diplomatic sources said on Saturday, Anadolu reports. Fidan discussed regional and bilateral issues with Sheikh Mohammed and Abdelatty during the calls, the sources added, without sharing further details. READ: Israeli report: Egypt may acquire Russian S-400 missiles through deal with Turkey

• 
  Iran’s IRGC says group linked to US, Israel dismantled in southeast, 1 killed

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Saturday that security forces dismantled a group allegedly linked to the US and Israel in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, killing one person and arresting six others, Anadolu reports. The IRGC Ground Force’s Quds Headquarters, a regional command responsible for operations in southeastern Iran, said in a statement that the group was targeted in a joint operation shortly after entering the Saravan area, near Iran’s border with Pakistan. The operation involved the provincial Intelligence Department, the IRGC Intelligence Organization and Iran’s police force, according to the statement. One member of the group was killed and six members and supporters were arrested, the IRGC said. READ: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says US claims about

• 
  UNRWA says over $5M in assets at Jerusalem training center at risk after Israeli raid

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  UN assets worth more than $5 million were housed at an UNRWA training center in occupied East Jerusalem that Israeli forces forcibly entered earlier this week, with damage and signs of looting found after their withdrawal, a senior agency official said, Anadolu reports. Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA affairs in the West Bank, said Israeli security forces, municipal staff and an elected official “forcibly and unlawfully” entered the Qalandiya Training Center on Aug. 25 and forced UNRWA staff out. Israeli authorities subsequently remained on the premises and began renovation and clearance work, Friedrich said in a statement on US social media company X. He said Israeli security forces appeared to have vacated the center on Aug. 28, leaving behind damage

• 
  Up to 3,000 people forcibly disappeared in Gaza during Israeli war: Rights group

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Between 2,500 and 3,000 people are estimated to have been subjected to enforced disappearance in the Gaza Strip during Israel’s war, a Palestinian rights group said Saturday, on the eve of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, Anadolu reports. The Palestinian Center for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons issued the estimate based on an analytical study of a sample of 317 cases, saying the findings showed indicators warranting an investigation into the possibility of a broader pattern of enforced disappearances in Gaza. The center said its study was based on reports submitted by families of missing people and cases documented in the field and did not represent all cases of missing or forcibly disappeared people in Gaza.

• 
  Palestinians in Gaza protest Israeli attack on water purification station, demand access to water

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Palestinians in the Gaza Strip staged a protest on Friday, against an Israeli army attack on a water purification station in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, calling for the facility to be repaired and put back into service, Anadolu reports. Children and elderly people joined the demonstration at Sheikh Radwan Market, with some protesters carrying empty water containers and signs reading, “A drop of water is life” and “Restore the flow of water.” Dr. Imad Abu Nimeh, one of the organizers, said water shortages in the neighborhood had worsened after the station supplying residents was bombed. Protesters called for the damaged facility to be repaired and reopened to meet the water needs of residents in the area. Israeli warplanes struck the

• 
  Macaronis Resort in Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands: The Israeli link and the ownership questions that remain unanswered

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Macaronis Resort sits on a small island in the Mentawai Islands, off Sumatra, Indonesia, famous among surfers for its powerful wave. In late August 2026, it became the subject of a different kind of attention when claims spread on Indonesian social media that it was secretly owned by a man linked to Israel. The man at the centre is Natan Baril, a Brazilian lawyer and businessman who founded and runs his own law firm, Baril Advogados. He has also held leadership roles in a Brazilian Jewish business association, and was formerly president of a Jewish community fund in Curitiba tied to a group that raises money for projects in Israel. He is Jewish and follows official Israeli accounts, including Netanyahu,

• 
  Sudanese army deploys brigade in Blue Nile state amid fighting with RSF

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  The Sudanese army on Saturday announced the deployment of a brigade to the Bakori operational axis in southeastern Blue Nile state amid fighting with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Anadolu reports. The army’s 4th Infantry Division in Damazin said in a statement that the “Elite Brigade” of the security and intelligence service departed Saturday morning for the Bakori axis on a combat mission. “The deployment aims to reinforce forces stationed in the area, boost their operational capabilities and support ongoing military operations,” the statement said. Maj. Gen. Ismail al-Tayeb Hussein, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, stressed the importance of readiness, discipline and combat preparedness while seeing off the troops. READ: Sudanese anti-war groups meet in Ethiopia to discuss Burhan’s

• 
  Iranian president urges Trump to avoid creating turmoil, says dialogue can resolve problems

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday urged US President Donald Trump to avoid creating turmoil, saying problems could be resolved through dialogue and implementation of a memorandum of understanding, Anadolu reports. “If we proceed through dialogue and on the basis of the memorandum of understanding, we will resolve the problems and secure our rights,” Pezeshkian said in a ceremony in Tehran, as cited by Mehr News Agency. “It is in the interest of the country, the region and the world that Trump does not create turmoil and that Israel does not cause insecurity and aggression,” he added. Pezeshkian said Iran does not favor war but would respond firmly to any assaults. “We do not like war, but we will stand

• 
  Iran transfers $7.5B in oil revenues to central bank despite US naval blockade: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Iran transferred $7.5 billion in oil revenues from sales during the first four months of the current Iranian year to the central bank, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported Saturday. The funds would be sufficient to cover the government’s foreign-currency expenditures from July through December, the report said, citing information obtained from Iran’s Oil Ministry. Iran has enough oil available for sale outside the US naval blockade to meet the revenue requirements set under its state budget for March 21, 2026-March 20, 2027, according to the report. READ: US Treasury adds Iran-linked individual, Hong Kong-based company to sanctions list Oil revenues on March 21-July 22, the first four months of the Iranian year, reached 99% of the amount projected in the

• 
  2 Palestinians, including child, injured by Israeli army fire in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Two Palestinians, including a child, were injured by Israeli army fire in the city of Al-Bireh in the central West Bank on Saturday, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Anadolu reports. The society said in a statement that its crews treated two people wounded by live ammunition in the Al-Amari refugee camp in Al-Bireh. One of those injured was a 15-year-old child, while the other, a young man, was shot in the foot, it said, adding that both were transferred to a hospital. READ: 89% of property fires in West Bank caused by Israeli occupiers, says Palestinian commission Israeli forces conduct military incursions across the occupied West Bank on a near-daily basis, often involving gunfire, home raids and arrests. ​​​​​​​Since

• 
  Iran war depletes US military stockpiles, limiting global deterrence: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  The extensive use of advanced weaponry in the war against Iran has severely depleted US military stockpiles, limiting Washington’s ability to deter threats from China and Russia, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, Anadolu reports. Military planners expressed concern that the resource drain has forced the US European Command, the division responsible for American military operations across the continent, to adjust its operational plans. US officials assessed that Washington could not fully execute contingency plans to defend Taiwan, the self-governing island over which China claims sovereignty, if a military operation occurs in the short term. READ: US Treasury adds Iran-linked individual, Hong Kong-based company to sanctions list Moving air defense units to the Middle East from Japan, South Korea and Germany

• 
  South Africa accuses Israel of defying UN court’s orders as Gaza human toll mounts

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  South Africa formally accused Israel of failing to adhere to three legally binding orders from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), submitting an evidence dossier to the world body, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation announced Friday, Anadolu reports. “Regrettably, Israel has not complied with the Orders,” Pretoria stated in a filing Tuesday, asserting that it will continue to pursue “all avenues available” to ensure Tel Aviv’s full and immediate adherence to the Genocide Convention. South Africa warned that the rights of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip may be “destroyed before it renders its final decision,” a situation it claimed threatens the “legitimacy of the ICJ itself.” The dossier notes that as of August, at least 73,407 Palestinians have

• 
  89% of property fires in West Bank caused by Israeli occupiers, says Palestinian commission

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Israeli occupiers were responsible for nearly 89% of fires targeting Palestinian homes, buildings and vehicles in the occupied West Bank since the start of 2023, the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said Friday, Anadolu reports. The commission said in a report that it documented 900 fires targeting Palestinian property between January 2023 and July 10, 2026. Occupiers were responsible for 799 of the fires, or 88.8%, while the remaining 101 were attributed to the Israeli army, according to the report. The number of recorded fires rose from 217 in 2023 to 264 in 2024. In 2025, there were 307 incidents. The commission documented 112 fires between the start of 2026 and July 10. READ: West Bank has become ‘a lawless

• 
  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Mark Pfeifeil: Trump says I stopped thinking about time, is this self-denial or self-deception?

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Max Blumenthal: The Grayzone: David vs The Empire

• 
  Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says US claims about Hormuz are ‘lies’ to manipulate oil prices

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Friday that US claims that the Strait of Hormuz is open are “lies” aimed at manipulating oil prices and concealing Washington’s failures, Anadolu reports. The IRGC Navy said in a statement by Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB that US officials had made “false and misleading” statements about the waterway’s status. “Statements by American officials regarding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz are an outright lie, aimed only at manipulating oil prices and covering up their failures,” it said. The IRGC Navy said its control of the strategic waterway was “decisive,” asserting that the strait will remain closed to all vessels seeking to pass without coordination with Iran. It said the measure will

• 
  Iran seeks stronger relations with Muslim countries, particularly neighbors: Foreign minister

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran seeks stronger political and economic relations with Muslim countries, particularly its neighbors, Anadolu reports. “We want good relations with all Islamic countries, especially neighboring countries,” Araghchi said during a meeting with guests at the 40th International Islamic Unity Conference, according to his Telegram account. “We seek broader economic relations with all Islamic countries, and, thank God, we have extensive relations with all of them,” he added. Turning to Egypt, he said there were no grounds for disagreement between Tehran and Cairo. “We seek good relations with Egypt,” he said. “Whenever our friends in Egypt reach a decision and are ready to restore relations, we will also be ready.” Regarding Lebanon, the

• 
  3 Palestinians killed in Israeli strike in occupied West Bank: Health Ministry

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Three Palestinians were killed Friday in an Israeli drone strike in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, with Israeli forces detaining their bodies, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Anadolu reports. The ministry said the Public Authority for Civil Affairs, which serves as the official Palestinian liaison with Israel, informed it that three Palestinians were killed after being targeted by a drone in Jenin and that Israeli forces had taken custody of their bodies. The victims were identified as Qais Bitawi, 22; Basel Turkman, 26; and Moamen Jaradat, 22, it said. Earlier, an Israeli drone struck a partially built home in western Jenin, the first aerial strike on the city in nearly 10 months. The strike targeted the half-built

• 
  Pakistan, cricket, and the lunch break comedy of a nervous regime

  by Mehdi Editor on August 29, 2026

  Some governments fear elections. Others fear protests, judges, journalists or students. Pakistan’s rulers have reached a more exquisite stage of political insecurity: they appear frightened by a lunch break at a cricket match. At Lord’s, the absurdity was almost too perfect. Michael Atherton interviewed Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, the sons of Imran Khan, about their father’s health, restricted family contact and treatment in prison. Sky Sports broadcast it. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) complained and reportedly even considered keeping Pakistan’s players from returning to the field after lunch. Nothing says “stable state” quite like threatening a Test match because two sons spoke about their seventy-three-year-old father. That reaction told us more than the interview did. A government confident in its

• 
  Iran says it agreed with Oman on Hormuz passage route, links reopening to US commitments

  by Marwa A on August 28, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday that Tehran had agreed with Oman on a passage route through the Strait of Hormuz and would reopen the strategic waterway if the US fulfilled its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum signed in June, Anadolu reports. “We agreed with Oman on the passage route through Hormuz, and if the US fulfills its commitments under the memorandum of understanding, we will open the strait,” Pezeshkian said, according to Iranian official news agency IRNA. Pezeshkian said the passage route had also been communicated to Iran’s supreme leader. “We are now following up on the matter. If the US fulfills its commitments regarding lifting the sanctions and blockade, releasing assets, beginning investment and ending the war

• 
  US Democratic senators urge Israel to halt settlement plan in occupied West Bank

  by Marwa A on August 28, 2026

  A group of Democratic senators is urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel a planned settlement project in the occupied West Bank that they say would effectively divide the Palestinian territory, Anadolu reports. In a statement Friday led by Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego, 29 lawmakers criticized Israel’s decision to open bidding for construction in the E1 area east of Jerusalem, according to The Hill. “The United States must remain committed to a two-state solution that delivers lasting peace and security for both the Jewish, democratic State of Israel and for a future Palestinian state,” the Democrats wrote. “Construction in E1 would take us further away from that goal.” The project includes seven residential compounds totaling 1,234 housing units.

• 
  UN says 330,000 remain displaced across Lebanon

  by Marwa A on August 28, 2026

  UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric warned on Friday that some 330,000 people remain displaced across Lebanon as renewed hostilities in the country’s south continue to take a heavy toll on civilians, Anadolu reports. Briefing reporters in New York, Dujarric said around 820,000 people returned to their communities over the past few months, including nearly 90% of those displaced in the South Governorate. “However, some 330,000 people displaced across remained displaced across Lebanon,” he said, adding that humanitarian access remained a major challenge, particularly south of the Litani River. “Access constraints are hampering humanitarian teams from reaching some of the communities and delaying assessments, monitoring the restoration of essential services, and the delivery of food assistance,” Dujarric said. He stressed that “unimpeded

• 
  ‘We hate the term resilient’: Surviving puberty during a genocide

  by Marwa A on August 28, 2026

  Tens of thousands of girls in Gaza have experienced puberty since October 2023. At an already sensitive time, these girls have been left with no access to proper menstrual supplies or education about the transition to adulthood. 12-year-old Sara was sharing a single classroom with more than 40 people when she got her first period. Her family were displaced in the Rimal neighbourhood, Gaza City, where they had found shelter in a repurposed school after fleeing Israeli bombardment. Unprepared for this moment, Sara had no hygiene supplies or kits to ease the surprise of menstruating for the first time. Recalling this time, her mother says: “Severe overcrowding in the classroom turned a natural biological milestone into a source of fear,

• 
  German Left Party opposes Volkswagen’s planned defence deal with Israeli firm

  by Marwa A on August 28, 2026

  German auto giant Volkswagen’s revived plans to convert production at its Osnabruck plant to military equipment in partnership with Israel’s state-owned Rafael drew sharp condemnation on Friday from the opposition Left Party, Anadolu reports. Thomas Gross, the party’s mayoral candidate in Osnabruck for next month’s election, strongly criticized Volkswagen’s management over the controversial proposal and for leaving thousands of workers in the dark about their future. Cooperating with an Israeli state-owned enterprise is incompatible with Osnabruck’s tradition as a “City of Peace,” Gross said in a statement to Anadolu, citing the city’s legacy as the birthplace of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, which helped lay the foundations of modern international law. He added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government

• 
  US Treasury adds Iran-linked individual, Hong Kong-based company to sanctions list

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  The US Treasury Department announced on Friday that it added an Iran-linked individual and a Hong Kong-based company to its sanctions list, as Washington steps up pressure on Tehran and entities accused of helping it evade sanctions, Anadolu reports. Reza Mohammad Taeedi, a Dubai-based Iranian national and the general manager of the Dubai branch of Iran’s Bank Melli, was added to the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List. Taeedi is subject to secondary sanctions and was designated under counterterrorism and Iran-related authorities. The department also designated Kameng Trading Limited, a Hong Kong-based company established in July 2024, under an Iran-related executive order. READ: US cannot achieve its goals through economic pressure: Iranian president The moves came

• 
  Israel says it carried out airstrike in West Bank city of Jenin

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  The Israeli army on Friday announced that its forces had carried out an airstrike targeting several Palestinians in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. In a brief statement, the army said Israeli warplanes had “precisely struck” several people — it did not say exactly how many — in the city. It provided no further details about the identities of those targeted or the outcome of the attack. There was no immediate response by Palestinian sources regarding casualties resulting from the reported strike. READ: West Bank has become’a lawless land,’ says top Catholic in Jerusalem

• 
  Operation Economic Outcast: Washington swaps missiles for money, but the math still doesn’t add up

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  Washington has changed weapons. It has not changed its problem. On 24 August, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stood before reporters and announced what officials had spent ten days branding as an “economic D-Day” against Iran. He called it “Operation Economic Outcast.” He promised to “sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.” The military campaign had stalled. The financial one now carries the weight instead. A threat without a timeline Bessent’s language left no room for ambiguity. He warned that any entity helping Iran launder money “will be removed from the US dollar system,” adding that “the clock just started ticking.” But he named no countries. He set no deadline. When a reporter pressed him

• 
  Iran’s security chief dismisses alleged plot against Trump’s son as ‘fabricated propaganda’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  Tehran on Thursday rejected reports of an alleged Iranian plot targeting US President Donald Trump’s son, calling the claims “fabricated propaganda,” according to Iran’s ISNA news agency. Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei described the allegations as “Netanyahu’s tricks,” referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The claim that there is a plot against Trump’s son is nothing but a big lie designed by Netanyahu to deceive and frighten the US president,” he said. His remarks came after Iran’s state broadcaster recently aired an AI-generated video containing information about the residence and movements of Barron Trump, the US president’s youngest son, in New York. READ: Rezaei describes Strait of Hormuz as a strategic deterrent, says Iran will protect it

• 
  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Max Blumenthal: The Grayzone: David vs The Empire

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Scott Uehlinger: A Snap of The ME: Sanctions, Alliances, and Rising Tensions

• 
  Israeli finance minister unveils plan to ‘Judaize’ Negev, Galilee ahead of elections

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has unveiled a plan to “Judaize” the Negev in southern Israel and Galilee in the north by bringing 1 million Jews to the two areas, following what he described as a “settlement revolution” in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. Smotrich, leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party, published the plan Thursday evening on the party’s website under the title “Yes. Judaizing!” “The settlement revolution in Judea and Samaria is coming to the Negev and Galilee,” Smotrich said, using Israel’s term for the occupied West Bank. He said the plan seeks to apply the “concept of action” used in the occupied West Bank to the Negev and Galilee. The plan includes establishing 20 new

• 
  Israeli forces raid, search home in southwestern Syria’s Quneitra province: State media

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  Israeli forces raided and searched a home Friday in Taranja village in the northern countryside of southwestern Syria’s Quneitra province, Syrian state media reported, Anadolu reports. State-run Alikhbaria TV, citing its correspondent, said the raid took place during an Israeli incursion into the area. The broadcaster did not provide further details on whether the incursion resulted in casualties, arrests or damage. Last month, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Damascus was working to reach a security agreement with Israel that would “pave the way for a comprehensive peace without relinquishing Syria’s right to the occupied Golan Heights.” READ: Israel will not leave Mount Hermon, Syrian buffer zone: Defence minister Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967. Before the

• 
  Thousands more Gaza patients await medical evacuation: WHO chief

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  Thousands of patients in the Gaza Strip are still awaiting medical evacuation for urgent treatment, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday, Anadolu reports. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency last week supported the evacuation of 106 patients, including 19 children, through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings. They were accompanied by 132 people. Since October 2023, 13,237 patients, including 6,276 children, and 16,406 companions have been evacuated from Gaza, Tedros said on the US social media company X. “Medical evacuations give people in need of urgent care a chance of survival,” he said. READ: Gaza Health Ministry reports more than 6,000 amputations amid prosthetics shortage Tedros stressed that sustained access through multiple crossing routes is

• 
  Dialogue ‘only viable way out’ of US-Iran conflict, China says amid sanctions threats

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  China on Friday reiterated that dialogue and diplomatic negotiations “are the only viable way out” of tensions between Washington and Tehran amid new US economic sanctions against Iran, Anadolu reports. On Iran, “dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way out,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing. “China opposes illegal, unilateral sanctions (and) our position is consistent and clear,” he stressed. Lin’s remarks followed comments by US President Donald Trump, who hinted at sanctioning Chinese banks over their ties with Iran. READ: Trump warns China, Russia against providing arms to Iran, says it ‘would be very bad for them’ When asked in the Oval Office on Thursday whether Washington plans to sanction Chinese banks tied to Iran, Trump

• 
  Poland voices concern over Israeli forces’ entry into UNRWA facility in occupied East Jerusalem

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  Poland on Friday expressed concern over Israeli forces’ entry into and seizure of a UN agency for Palestinian refugees’ facility in occupied East Jerusalem, calling the move a violation of international law, Anadolu reports. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has noted with concern another decision by the Israeli authorities that violates the principles of international law and is hostile toward the United Nations Organization and its specialized agency, UNRWA,” the ministry wrote on US social media company X. The ministry said it shared the UN’s position that the incursion by Israeli security forces into the Qalandiya Training Center in occupied East Jerusalem constituted a “breach of the principle of the inviolability of UN premises.” “We join the Secretary-General’s appeal to

• 
  3 Palestinians from same family killed in Israeli drone strike in southern Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  Three Palestinians from the same family were killed Friday in an Israeli drone strike in Al-Qarara, north of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, according to medical and local sources, Anadolu reports. A medical source at Nasser Hospital told Anadolu that the bodies of the three Palestinians were brought to the facility after the Israeli strike near Al-Matahin junction in Al-Qarara. Witnesses and local sources told Anadolu that the victims were two brothers and their cousin from the Abdeen family. An Israeli drone struck them while they were outside their home, killing all three, the sources said. In central Gaza, a Palestinian was moderately injured by Israeli military vehicle fire east of Deir al-Balah, according to a medical source

• 
  Mecca defense pact has sent ‘message of unity, peace throughout region’: Pakistan premier

  by Mehdi Editor on August 28, 2026

  The Mecca joint defense pact signed by Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan earlier this month “has sent a message of unity and peace throughout the region,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Friday, Anadolu reports. Sharif made the remarks during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, according to a statement from the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Office. Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement at a trilateral summit in Mecca on Aug. 7, pledging to strengthen collective security, deepen defense cooperation and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond. The agreement was signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and