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

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  104 killed in US attack on Iranian warship off Sri Lanka, Iran’s army says

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  Iran’s army said Sunday that 104 crew members of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena were killed and 32 others injured in a US attack last week, Anadolu reports. According to the state news agency IRNA, the army said the vessel was attacked by the US Navy on March 4 in the water off Sri Lanka as it was returning from the Milan Peace 2026 naval drills in India. Washington confirmed that an American submarine launched a torpedo attack on the Iranian vessel. Sri Lanka said it launched a joint rescue operation after receiving a distress call from the ship, off the southern coast of Galle city. It added that 32 crew members were wounded and rushed to a local hospital.

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  US service member dies from injuries sustained in Iran’s attack on Saudi Arabia, death toll rises to 7

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  A US service member has succumbed to injuries sustained during an Iranian attack on US troops in Saudi Arabia on March 1, bringing the death toll of US service members to seven, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Sunday, Anadolu reports. “The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on US troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” CENTCOM said on the US social media company X, adding that the person died last night. The identity of the fallen member will be withheld until next of kin are notified, it said. All of the previously reported deaths were from an attack in Kuwait; this is the first death reported outside that country. US President Donald Trump has

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  Iran threatens to target regional oil facilities after strikes on its energy sites

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  Iran’s military threatened Sunday to attack oil facilities in the region in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on its energy infrastructure, Anadolu reports. The threat was made by the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified combatant command headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces, according to the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA). The command said that “new brutal attacks” by the US and Israel had targeted parts of Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure as well as service facilities serving Iranian civilians. It urged governments of Islamic countries to warn Washington and Israel against continuing such attacks on oil facilities. “Failure to do so could lead to similar retaliatory measures across the region,” it said, warning that escalation could have major economic consequences,

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  US-Israeli attack hits irradiation sterilization facility in central Iran

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  A US-Israeli attack hit an irradiation sterilization facility in central Iran, causing “significant damage,” Iranian authorities said Sunday, Anadolu reports. Iran’s ISNA News Agency said the strike hit a gamma irradiation sterilization center in Isfahan Province on Saturday. According to the National Center for Nuclear Safety Systems, the facility was targeted by air and missile attacks carried out by the US and Israel. The facility sustained heavy damage, the agency said, adding that no radiation contamination has so far been reported in the surrounding area. Regional escalation flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and injuring over 10,000 others, according to

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  Iran adds US economic assets to ‘target list’: Media

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  Iran has expanded its list of potential targets to include American economic assets, Iranian media reported Sunday, Anadolu reports. The Fars News Agency, citing an unnamed Iranian official, said that Tehran had revised its targeting strategy so that it would no longer focus solely on US and Israeli military sites. According to the official, Iran has broadened its “list of targets” to include “American capital and interests.” The official said the decision followed what he described as changes in statements by US and Israeli officials “that now include direct threats against the Iranian people.” Late Sunday, the US and Israel carried out airstrikes targeting oil storage facilities in and around Tehran. The attacks caused significant damage to several storage facilities,

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  Pakistani fisherman killed in Iranian waters by debris from Israeli projectile: Official

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  A Pakistani fisherman was killed after debris from an Israeli projectile intercepted by Iranian air defense systems struck his boat in Iranian waters, a Pakistani official said Sunday, Anadolu reports. The incident occurred on Saturday, said Shahid Rind, a spokesman for southwestern Balochistan province. The victim was identified as Muhammad Tayyab, a resident of Ganz, a small coastal town in the Gwadar district. District Police Officer Attaur Rehman told local daily Dawn that Tayyab “went into Iranian waters for Iranian oil,” which is sometimes smuggled into Pakistan and sold at cheaper rates. The death brings the number of Pakistani nationals killed abroad in the ongoing regional conflict to three. Two other Pakistanis were reported killed earlier in the United Arab

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  2 killed, 12 injured after ‘military projectile’ struck residential site in central Saudi Arabia

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  Two people were killed and 12 others injured after a “military projectile” struck a residential site in central Saudi Arabia, authorities said Sunday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Saudi Civil Defense said that the projectile fell on a residential site belonging to a maintenance and cleaning company in Al-Kharj Governorate. The incident resulted in the death of two residents of Indian and Bangladeshi nationality, while 12 Bangladeshi residents were injured, the statement said, adding that material damage was also reported. Civil Defense teams responded to the incident and implemented the necessary emergency procedures. The casualties come as regional escalation flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, reportedly killing more than

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  Trump says Iran’s next supreme leader would need US approval

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran’s next supreme leader would not remain in power without approval from Washington, Anadolu reports. In an interview with ABC News, Trump said any new Iranian leader would need US sign-off or would “not going to last long.” He framed the remarks in strategic terms, saying he did not want the United States to be forced into another conflict with Iran in the future. “I don’t want people to have to go back in five years and have to do the same thing again or worse let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. Iranian officials rejected the comments. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said earlier Sunday that selecting the country’s next leader was

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  On International Women’s Day, Gaza mothers ask the world: Where are our missing children?

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  On International Women’s Day, mothers of the missing gather in protest, holding photos of their children and demanding answers. Chanting, “The missing are not numbers, they are the children of mothers who are waiting for them,” they call for information about the fate of their loved ones, saying mothers are still waiting for answers and asking the world: “Where are our children?” IMAGES: Gaza’s worsening environmental disaster

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  US spent about $6B in 1st week of Iran war: Pentagon officials

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  The first week of the US military campaign against Iran has cost roughly $6 billion, Pentagon officials told Congress, with about $4 billion spent on munitions and advanced missile interceptors, Anadolu reports. According to the New York Times, about $4 billion of that total alone was spent on munitions expenditures and advanced interceptors designed to shoot down Iranian missiles. The figures were disclosed during discussions in Congress this week, where senior defense officials also indicated that further funding will be required to sustain operations and replenish depleted stockpiles. According to the American daily, about 4,000 Iranian targets have been struck, including missile launchers, naval vessels, and air defenses, significantly eroding Tehran’s ability to retaliate. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of US

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  Switzerland says US-Israeli strikes on Iran violate international law

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  Swiss Defense Minister Martin Pfister criticized the United States and Israel for airstrikes against Iran, saying their actions, along with those of Tehran, violated international law, SonntagsZeitung newspaper reported on Sunday, Anadolu reports. “The Americans and Israel have attacked Iran from the air. In doing so, they, like Iran, have violated international law,” Pfister said, calling on the warring parties to cease violence and protect the civilian population. He also warned that Europe could be drawn into the conflict, not only through conventional military engagement but through asymmetric warfare such as terrorist attacks. “There is a risk of terrorist attacks in Switzerland. In addition, the war could trigger a wave of refugees that will also reach us,” Pfister said. While

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  Plots and Deeds: Agrarian Annihilation and the Struggle for Land Justice in Palestine

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  Rural Palestine stands between idealised and romanticised images of abundant land, and the reality of settler violence and the effects on agricultural territory. Plots and Deeds: Agrarian Annihilation and the Struggle for Land Justice in Palestine (Stanford University Press, 2026) asks, “What might we learn from rural Palestine if we understand the people living there not as an inert feature of the landscape, but as a force that is actively shaping it?” Focusing on three villages in the occupied West Bank, Bruqin, Farkha and Qarawat Beni Zays, Paul Kohlbry’s research explores the dynamics of land defence in the Palestinian anti-colonial struggle against settler-colonial dispossession and capitalist real estate development. The three villages are described as locations “where property ownership and

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  UAE denies Israeli media reports about attacking water desalination facility in Iran

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates on Sunday denied Israeli media reports claiming that the Gulf nation had attacked a water desalination facility in Iran, Anadolu reports. “This is fake news. When we do something, we have the courage to announce it,” Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, chairman of the defense, interior and foreign affairs committee at the Federal National Council (FNC), said on the US social media company X. Israeli Channel 15, citing unnamed Israeli sources, earlier claimed that the UAE had attacked a water desalination plant in Iran. The claim was widely circulated by Hebrew-language media outlets, including the public broadcaster KAN. KAN claimed that Israeli officials confirmed the UAE had carried out its first attack on Iranian targets since the

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  Iran to intensify attacks against Israel, US as of tonight, military official says

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  Iran will intensify its offensive operations against Israel and the United States as of tonight, an Iranian military official said Sunday, Anadolu reports. “The escalating brutality by the US and Israel against the interests of the Iranian people will lead to a significant increase in offensive operations by the armed forces,” the Fars News Agency said, citing the official. He said the Iranian army will double its use of strategic missiles carrying heavy warheads, along with intensified use of drones. “This step has been taken to provide overwhelming deterrence against any military adventure that threatens our country’s interests and citizens,” the military official added. More than 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top military officials, have been killed

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  UAE says 4 killed, 112 injured in Iranian attacks

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates said Sunday that four people were killed and 112 others injured in Iranian attacks on its territory since last week, Anadolu reports. A Defense Ministry statement said 17 ballistic missiles and 117 drones were detected from Iran on Sunday, with air defenses intercepting and destroying 16 missiles and 113 drones, while one missile fell into the sea and four drones hit its territory. The ministry added that 238 ballistic missiles were fired from Iran since Feb. 28, of which 221 were destroyed, 15 fell into the sea and two landed inside the UAE. It noted that eight cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed. The ministry explained that 1,422 Iranian drones were also fired during the

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  Lebanon says nearly 400 killed, over 1,110 injured in ongoing Israeli attacks

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  At least 394 people have been killed and 1,130 injured in ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon since Monday, the country’s health minister said Sunday, Anadolu reports. Rakan Nassereddine told a press conference that 42 women and 83 children were among those killed in the attacks, while the injured included 274 women and 254 children. Israel has expanded its military campaign in Lebanon since Monday, following limited rocket fire by Hezbollah amid broader regional tensions linked to the war launched by Israel and the US against Iran. Despite a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah since November 2024, Israel has continued near-daily violations that have left hundreds dead and wounded. Israel has killed more than 4,000 people and wounded 17,000 during an offensive

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  6 injured in central Israel by debris from Iranian missile

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  Six people were injured in an Iranian missile attack in central Israel on Sunday, as a US-Israeli offensive on Tehran entered its second week, medics said, Anadolu reports. The national ambulance service MDA said one person was in serious condition after debris from an intercepted missile fell in central Israel. No further details were provided about the exact location of the attack. The Israeli army earlier said that two waves of missiles were detected from Iran, triggering sirens in central Israel. According to an Anadolu reporter, loud explosions were heard in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and west of Ramallah, likely resulting from attempts to intercept Iranian missiles. Regional escalation flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on

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  Calls for the reconfiguration of military arrangements in the Gulf region

  by Marwa A on March 8, 2026

  The former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani called for the formation of a strategic defence alliance bringing together Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan. Al Thani has described it as an “urgent need” in light of developments and changing regional and international dynamics.  He made this call weeks before the attack on Iran by Israel and the US on 28th February 2026.  It is not the first time Israel attacked Iran whilst in negotiations. In June 2025 Israel attacked Iran whilst it was it was negotiating its nuclear program with the US.  Iran retaliated with hundreds of missiles and drones targeting Israeli cities and the US military base in Al Udeid in Doha, Qatar.

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  Thousands march in London demanding end to US, Israeli attacks against Iran

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Thousands of anti-war demonstrators on Saturday marched through central London, calling for an immediate halt to US and Israeli military operations against Iran and an end to arms sales to Israel, Anadolu reports. According to the Manchester Evening News, the protest drew between 5,000 and 6,000 participants, based on estimates from the Metropolitan Police. The rally began at Millbank near Victoria Tower Gardens at noon and was organized by a coalition of activist groups, including the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Stop the War Coalition and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Protesters marched toward the US Embassy carrying placards reading “Stop Trump’s Wars” and “No War on Iran,” while others waved Iranian and Palestinian flags. Some demonstrators also carried portraits of

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  UAE says it detected 229 missiles, 1,305 drones since Feb. 28

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates said Saturday that it detected 229 missiles and 1,305 drones since the start of “Iranian” attacks on Feb. 28, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the UAE Defense Ministry said that 16 ballistic missiles were detected on Saturday, of which 15 were destroyed, while the remaining missile fell into the sea. It added that 121 drones were detected on Saturday, with 119 intercepted, while two fell inside the country, according to the statement. The ministry said that since Feb. 28, 221 ballistic missiles had been detected, with 205 destroyed, 14 falling into the sea, and two landing within the country’s territory. It also noted that eight cruise missiles were detected and destroyed. READ: US-Israeli bases are ‘legitimate targets’:

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  US-Israeli bases are ‘legitimate targets’: Iranian official

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  An Iranian official declared Saturday that all American and Israeli bases in the region are considered “legitimate targets” for Iran and emphasized that the country has “no red lines” in “defending its national interests,” Anadolu reports. “All Israeli and American bases in the region are legitimate targets for us in this war. Iran has no red lines when it comes to defending its national interests. The battle continues,” said Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of Iran’s Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, sharing the statement on the US social media company X. Similarly, the Hatemul Enbiya Central Headquarters, affiliated with Iran’s Armed Forces, echoed the remarks of President Masoud Pezeshkian, who said: “We will not attack neighboring countries’ territories unless they attack

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  Spain ‘strongly condemns’ Israeli attacks on Lebanon, urges compliance with UN resolution

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  The Spanish government “strongly condemned” the recent Israeli attacks against Lebanon and called for full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Anadolu reports. In a statement released by the Spanish Foreign Ministry on Saturday, Madrid reiterated its commitment to the security and stability of Lebanon, emphasizing that both were vital for the wider region. The statement urged Israel to comply with its obligations under international law and called on all parties to fully adhere to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024. The government also reaffirmed its support for the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and demanded that the mission’s personnel and positions be respected, condemning

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  Palestinian man killed, brother critically wounded by illegal Israeli settlers in West Bank

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  A Palestinian man was killed and his brother critically wounded Saturday after illegal Israeli settlers opened fire on Palestinians south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. According to Palestinian activist Osama Makhamra, two brothers were shot by the settlers. He said illegal settlers released livestock and cattle near homes belonging to the Shnaran family in the Wadi al-Rakhim area, prompting residents to attempt to drive them away. The settlers then opened fire at close range, killing Amir Mohammad Shnaran, 28, after he was shot in the neck, while his brother Khaled Shnaran, 33, was critically wounded by a gunshot to the abdomen, Makhamra added. Palestinian media, including Palestine TV, circulated video footage showing the initial moments of

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  Indonesia’s cabinet secretary is sanitising genocide in Gaza

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Indonesia’s cabinet secretary, Teddy Indra Wijaya, recently attempted to defend the government’s position on the situation in the Gaza Strip. His defence relied on two claims. He said casualties have “significantly decreased” in the six months following a diplomatic agreement signed in Sharm El-Sheikh in October 2025. Instead of more than 70,000 Palestinians killed during the peak of Israel’s assault in 2024 and 2025, he said deaths have fallen to around 600 to 1,000 people. He also argued that the violence cannot stop instantly and that casualties will continue even if the intensity declines. These statements demand scrutiny. Presenting a reduction in casualties as progress sets a deeply troubling standard. Six hundred deaths are not evidence of peace. Six hundred

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  Pro-Palestine protester confronts German chancellor over Israel support

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was confronted by a pro-Palestine protester over his support for Israel’s war in Gaza during a regional election rally in the southwestern city of Ravensburg on Friday evening, Anadolu reports. During Merz’s speech, a person in the audience held up a banner that read “Yes to international law. Never again Staatsräson (raison d’etat). Long live Palestine” and chanted slogans in support of the Palestinian people. The phrase raison d’ etat means that the protection and survival of Israel is a non-negotiable cornerstone of German foreign policy due to Germany’s historical responsibility for the Holocaust. READ: Israeli army kills 4 Palestinians, including child, in Gaza Angered upon seeing the banner, Merz responded: “The German government under my leadership

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  Israel bombs Imam Hossein University in Tehran

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  The Israeli military announced Saturday that it targeted Imam Hossein University in Tehran, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Anadolu reports. According to an Israeli army statement, more than 80 Israeli warplanes participated in the attacks in Tehran and central Iran. The statement identified Imam Hossein University as one of the struck sites, claiming it served as a gathering point for the IRGC during clashes and “contained numerous military assets,” making it a legitimate military target. The Israeli military also asserted that the strikes hit Iranian military bunkers, missile storage facilities with launch infrastructure, and a ballistic missile depot used as a command center employing hundreds of personnel. READ: Trump claims Iran ‘surrendered’ to neighbors, warns of

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  Berlin’s Police Chief has links to evangelical Israel lobbyists

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  It is well known that Christian fundamentalists in the United States are among Israel’s most important supporters. It is also widely recognised that so-called evangelicals, thanks to generous donations from ultra-conservative benefactors, have become the fastest-growing religious community in the world. Their missionary work has been particularly successful in Latin America, but also in Africa and Asia. Their influence is also said to be increasing in Europe. In Germany, both the Catholic and Protestant churches have been struggling with a crisis for years, not least as a result of major scandals involving child sexual abuse. While hundreds of thousands leave the churches every year, the influence of fundamentalists is said to be growing. One such group is “Christians at the

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  Erdogan warns Iran attacks threaten regional, global stability

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday, highlighting concerns over the recent escalation following US-Israeli attacks on Iran, Anadolu reports. “Turkiye is closely monitoring the process that began with the attacks on Iran. If the interventions are prolonged, they could cause significant damage to regional and global stability. There are still measures that can be taken to build a dialogue platform, and our peace-focused efforts continue,” Erdogan stressed during a phone call, according to an official statement released by the Turkish Communications Directorate. The discussion also covered bilateral relations and broader regional and global issues. According to the statement, Erdogan reaffirmed Turkiye’s strong commitment to deepening cooperation with the UK across all sectors,

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  Banality cannot swim: Iran and evil on the high seas of empire

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Hannah Arendt’s “banality of evil” is one of those concepts polite society cherishes because it flatters the audience. It reassures comfortable people that atrocity is merely a tragic software bug in modern bureaucracy: clipboards, procedures, rubber stamps, and men in sensible shoes who never quite understood what they were doing. The diagnosis has explanatory value. Here, it is spectacularly inadequate. There is nothing banal about watching sailors drown in front of you and deciding the water may keep them. No bureaucratic fog obscures the scene when the victims are visible, the terror immediate, and the choice not abstract compliance but cold, conscious indifference. This is not evil mediated by distance. It is evil at conversational range. The episode off Sri

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  Kazakh president welcomes Iran’s decision to halt attacks on neighboring countries

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Kazakhstan’s president on Saturday welcomed a statement by his Iranian counterpart announcing a halt on attacks on neighboring countries unless they were to attack Iran, Anadolu reports. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev considers the decision an important measure aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East, his press secretary Aibek Smadiyarov wrote on Telegram. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that Iran will refrain from attacking neighboring states unless attacks are launched against Iran from their territory. READ: Iran is halting attacks on neighboring countries unless they launch strikes first: President According to state-run Press TV, Pezeshkian also apologized to neighboring countries amid rising regional tensions, saying Iran has “no intention of invading other countries.” Iran on Feb. 28 launched missiles and drones toward

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  Israel’s strike on Iran has now triggered a multi-front missile crisis

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Since the night Israeli warplanes struck Tehran and killed senior Iranian officials, the region has lurched from retaliation to rupture — missiles now crossing NATO airspace, drones hitting the Caucasus, and a once-contained confrontation spilling across borders with alarming speed. They are tearing at the fragile trust that underpins the global order.  In recent days, the Middle East has slipped from a contained confrontation into a widening cascade of instability. A NATO defence system intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile that had travelled across Iraqi and Syrian airspace toward Turkish territory. Ankara condemned the incident and warned it reserved the right to respond, while NATO affirmed solidarity with its ally. Almost simultaneously, Iranian drones struck Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave, damaging the airport

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  Trump claims Iran ‘surrendered’ to neighbours, warns of further strikes

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  US President Donald Trump claimed Saturday that Iran had apologized to neighboring countries and vowed to stop firing at them following ongoing military pressure from the US and Israel, Anadolu reports. In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump said Tehran had backed down as a result of sustained attacks carried out by Washington and its regional ally. “Iran, which is being beat to HELL, has apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbors, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore. This promise was only made because of the relentless US and Israeli attack,” Trump wrote on Saturday. He also claimed that Iranian ambitions to dominate the region had been halted, saying: “They were

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  Controlling Iran’s skies does not mean the regime will fall to the ground

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  When Caroline Levitt says that the United States is “steadily moving toward control of Iranian airspace” within four to six weeks, she is talking about a military equation, not a rule equation. We have seen this movie before: the skies can be occupied, but the ground is not governed by aircraft. This type of control, however decisive it may seem, does not necessarily mean the fall of the regime in Tehran. The skies are not the state, and the air does not rule the ground. The same Western analysts are beginning to question the popular idea that air control means the end of the regime. This is also the belief of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who believes that attempting

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  Iran Red Crescent says 6,668 civilian sites targeted in US-Israeli attacks

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  The Iranian Red Crescent Society said that 6,668 civilian locations have been targeted in attacks carried out by the US and Israel, including thousands of homes and dozens of public service facilities, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Iranian aid organization said that the attacks by the US and Israel struck a wide range of civilian infrastructure across the country. According to the statement, 5,535 residential buildings, 1,041 commercial units, 14 health centers, 65 schools, and 13 facilities affiliated with the Red Crescent were among the locations hit. READ: Polls show majority of Europeans oppose US, Israeli strikes on Iran The organization also reported that numerous aid and rescue vehicles were damaged during the attacks, while several relief workers and Red

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  Trump’s Doctrine: When War Becomes a Business Model

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  The explosions now echoing across Iran, Lebanon, and parts of the Gulf are not merely the sounds of another Middle Eastern war. They also reflect a particular political mindset—one that views conflict not as a last resort, but as a negotiating instrument. To understand the current escalation, it is necessary to look beyond the traditional language of diplomacy and security. Instead, one must try to grasp the worldview of the man currently occupying the White House: Donald Trump. In Trump’s political universe, war is rarely framed in moral or humanitarian terms. It is understood through the logic of leverage, bargaining, and deal-making. The vocabulary of tragedy gives way to the vocabulary of transaction. When a reportedly US-backed Israeli strike hit

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  The Epstein Files: Blackmail, power, and geopolitical shadows

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  The infamous Epstein files do not merely pulse with the sordid details of one man’s depravity; they are the autopsy report of a dying moral order. This was never a solitary enterprise of vice. It was a sprawling, subterranean web of influence and compromise that snared the world’s self-anointed gods—royals, billionaires, diplomats, and tech moguls. These names, once synonymous with progress and prestige, now find themselves entangled in a geopolitical crisis that transcends personal scandal. It forces us to confront a haunting, skeletal truth: was Epstein’s operation a private playground, or was it a cold, calculated lever for the strategic interests of a foreign power? A System of the Untouchables When Jeffrey Epstein was first shielded by the American legal

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  Colombian president urges Trump to distance himself from Netanyahu

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called on US President Donald Trump to distance himself from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Anadolu reports. Speaking at the Friday funeral in Chicago of US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, Petro addressed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Petro hailed Jackson as a “living symbol of the struggle for freedom” for people of African descent across the Americas. Calling on Trump to distance himself from Netanyahu, Petro said: “Today is the time for the US president to completely separate himself from the person who is pushing humanity toward the abyss.” READ: Polls show majority of Europeans oppose US, Israeli strikes on Iran Petro said humanity must unite against the current conflict in the Middle

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  Polls show majority of Europeans oppose US, Israeli strikes on Iran

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Recent public opinion surveys across Europe showed on Friday that large segments of the public in several countries oppose the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran, Anadolu reports. According to polls conducted in Spain, Italy, Germany and the UK, majorities in these countries reject military intervention and support cautious or neutral positions by their governments. In Spain, a rapid poll conducted by Madrid-based research firm 40dB for the newspaper El Pais and Cadena SER radio found that around 68% of respondents reject the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran. The survey also showed that 57% support Spain’s decision not to provide military support to the US and Israel, while 53% believe the US should not be allowed to use military

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  US preparing to deploy 3rd aircraft carrier to region for strikes on Iran

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  The US is preparing to deploy a third aircraft carrier to the Mideast for strikes on Iran, media reports said on Friday. The US Navy USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier has completed preparations to leave for the Eastern Mediterranean, according to Fox News. The ship, which finalized its preparations off the coast of North Carolina’s Hatteras Island, is expected to embark soon. The aircraft carrier boasts dozens of strike aircraft and will be accompanied by guided-missile destroyers. The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently operating in the Red Sea, while the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) aircraft carrier is active in the Sea of Oman. Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since last weekend, when the US and Israel

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  America First or Israel First? Trump’s Iran policy sparks important questions

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Donald Trump has made the “America First” doctrine central to his political campaign and presidency. His presidency has been presented as a departure from a US foreign policy that drew America into multiple wars abroad, fuelling instability and draining resources. Many supporters backed Trump because they saw this doctrine as a promise to end America’s long-running wars in the Middle East. However, recent events regarding the US attack on Iran have left many people wondering whether America is still guided by this doctrine. Many now think the country is guided by a different doctrine: protecting Israel’s strategic interests, even if that means going to war with Iran. If America is guided by “America First”, attacking Iran appears to contradict this

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  16 killed, 35 injured in Israeli airstrikes on eastern Lebanon: Health Ministry

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  At least 16 people were killed and 35 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on the Bekaa Valley of eastern Lebanon, the Health Ministry said Saturday, Anadolu reports. A series of Israeli airstrikes on the town of Nabi Chit in Baalbek resulted in a preliminary toll of 16 fatalities and 35 injuries, the ministry said in a statement carried by Lebanon’s National News Agency, NNA. Clashes took place on the heights of the eastern mountain range along the Lebanese-Syrian border on the Nabi Chit–Hamm axis, aimed at repelling attempted Israeli landings, the agency reported early Saturday.​​​​​​​ READ: Israeli strike wounds UNIFIL peacekeepers in southern Lebanon

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  US approves $151.8M weapons sale to Israel, waiving congressional review

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  The Trump administration approved a possible $151.8 million weapons sale to Israel on Friday, invoking “emergency” authority to waive the congressional review requirements as Washington and Israel continue to attack Iran, Anadolu reports. According to a statement from the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, the proposed sale includes 12,000 BLU-110A/B general purpose, 1,000-pound bomb bodies, along with engineering, logistics and technical support services. “The Secretary of State has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel,” the agency said, waiving the congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act. The principal contractor for the proposed sale will be Repkon USA, based in Garland, Texas,

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  Rubio tells Arab ministers Iran war could last ‘several more weeks’: Report

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Arab foreign ministers that the US-Israeli war on Iran could last “several more weeks” and that Washington is not seeking “regime change,” according to a report Friday, Anadolu reports. Sources with direct knowledge of the conversations told the Axios news site that Rubio made the remarks during calls Thursday with Arab foreign ministers. Rubio said the military focus is on Iran’s missile launchers, stockpiles and factories, according to the report. Rubio also told the ministers that the US goal is not “regime change,” while simultaneously signaling that “Washington wants different people running the country”, the sources reportedly said. He added that there is currently no US dialogue with the Iranian government and argued

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  Kosovo to deploy soldiers to Gaza as part of international force

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Kosovo plans to deploy soldiers to the Gaza Strip in the coming months as part of an International Stabilization Force, Defense Minister Ejup Maqedonci announced Friday, Anadolu reports. Maqedonci told the Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) that he recently advised the government to make a political decision approving the deployment. He added that the process is in the final stages, with discussions on the roles and capacities Kosovo troops will take in Gaza. He explained that following a political decision, the Kosovo Security Force (FSK) must be authorized by the Kosovo Assembly, and deployment abroad must then be approved by the president of Kosovo. Maqedonci said that although Kosovo is not a member of the UN, its participation in a

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  Israeli strike wounds UNIFIL peacekeepers in southern Lebanon

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Several members of the Ghanaian contingent serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were injured Friday after an Israeli strike targeted their position in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese media. The National News Agency (NNA) reported that a UNIFIL site in the town of Qouzah in the Bint Jbeil district was struck, resulting in several injuries for Ghanaian peacekeepers, though the exact number was not immediately specified. There was no comment from UNIFIL on the incident. UNIFIL was established in 1978 following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon. Its mandate was significantly expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, with more than 10,000 peacekeepers deployed to monitor the cessation of hostilities

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  Israeli army kills 4 Palestinians, including child, in Gaza

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Four Palestinians, including a child, were killed and another wounded Friday by Israeli gunfire and shelling that targeted areas in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, in a new violation of a ceasefire in force since Oct. 10,  Anadolu reports. Ismail Aql, 12, was killed after Israeli forces opened fire near the Khalifa School in northern Gaza, which shelters displaced civilians. Another Palestinian, Ayman Ahmed al-Nabih, 54, was killed in Israeli shelling that targeted the Tuffah neighborhood in eastern Gaza City. His body was transferred to the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in the city center. Witnesses told Anadolu that Israeli artillery shelled the area where al-Nabih was present, which lies outside the Israeli army’s deployment zone under the ceasefire agreement.

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  Bombs over classrooms: The girls the world forgot before International Women’s Day

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  International Women’s Day is often marked by speeches about equality and symbolic gestures celebrating women’s progress. But these rituals ring hollow when girls are still losing their lives to war. The bombing of a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, is a stark reminder that discussions about women’s rights cannot be separated from the violence and militarism that continue to threaten their lives. International Women’s Day on 8th March is recognised around the world as a symbol of women’s struggle for equality, rights and dignity. Each year, discussions about women’s rights, freedoms and social justice take place in many countries. Civil society organisations hold demonstrations; institutions publish statements and social media fills with messages celebrating women. Yet as we approach another

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  Iran is halting attacks on neighboring countries unless they launch strikes first: President

  by MI on March 7, 2026

  Iran’s president said Saturday that his country will refrain from attacking neighboring states unless attacks are launched against Iran from their territory, state-run Press TV reported. “The temporary leadership council announced yesterday that there will be no more attacks on neighboring countries and no missile launches unless attacks originate from those countries against Iran,” Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised address to the Iranian people. He also apologized to neighboring countries amid rising regional tensions, saying Iran has “no intention of invading other countries.” READ: Iran says it is ready for ground invasion and rejects ceasefire with US Pezeshkian also dismissed expectations that Iran would surrender unconditionally, saying that those who nurse such hopes “will take their dreams to the grave.”

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  UN experts warn against ‘irreversible’ altering of Jerusalem’s demographic composition

  by Marwa A on March 6, 2026

  UN human rights experts warned Friday that “irreparable harm” is being inflicted on Jerusalem as violence escalates across the region and the war in Gaza spills into the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. “Under the cover of an existential war against the Palestinians, Israel is accelerating measures that alter Jerusalem’s demographic composition, religious character and legal status,” the experts said in a statement. The statement was endorsed by several UN human rights experts and special rapporteurs covering the occupied Palestinian territory, human rights, racial discrimination, food, and other related rights. They warned that the measures are “destroying the remnants of the pluralistic fabric that Jerusalem has represented for centuries, for Muslims, Christians and Jews.” “What is being done to this

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  Standing between missiles and diplomacy: The Gulf’s difficult path to prevent a regional war

  by MI on March 6, 2026

  The Arab Gulf states today find themselves in one of the most uncomfortable strategic positions in modern Middle Eastern politics. They are neither the primary combatants in the unfolding confrontation between Iran, Israel and the United States, nor are they distant observers. Instead, they stand directly in the line of fire—geographically, economically and politically. Missiles and drones have struck oil facilities, ports and military installations across the Gulf region. Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery, which processes more than 550,000 barrels of oil per day, was among the high-profile targets. Oman’s Duqm Port—an important logistics hub—has also been attacked. Qatar’s liquefied natural gas infrastructure has reportedly been hit, forcing a temporary suspension of LNG production and triggering a sharp rise in