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

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  US secretary of state speaks with UAE foreign minister amid Iran’s attacks

  by MI on March 18, 2026

  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken over the phone with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan amid the deadly attacks attributed to Iran, the State Department said, Anadolu reports. According to a written statement, Rubio on Tuesday expressed condolences for those killed in what the statement described as Iran’s “indiscriminate attacks” on the UAE. Rubio also reaffirmed the US commitment to the security of the UAE. READ: Iran’s political system ‘strong’ despite killing of officials: Foreign minister “The Secretary expressed his condolences for those killed in Iran’s indiscriminate attacks on the UAE, and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the security of the Emirates,” the statement noted. No additional details were provided. The

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  Israel exploiting regional crises to expand illegal settlements in West Bank: Palestinian foreign minister

  by MI on March 18, 2026

  Israel is exploiting regional crises to intensify illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, the top Palestinian diplomat has said, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry, Anadolu reports. Speaking during a briefing to members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the State of Palestine on Tuesday, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin warned that Israel is accelerating policies aimed at expanding illegal settlements and imposing permanent control over Palestinian land. She said Israeli authorities are taking advantage of the international community’s focus on regional crises to advance annexation efforts through settlement expansion and legislative and administrative measures. Shahin said such policies undermine the two-state solution and threaten the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. The minister added that illegal Israeli settlers

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  Iran’s political system ‘strong’ despite killing of officials: Foreign minister

  by MI on March 18, 2026

  Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country’s political system remains strong, despite the killing of senior officials in US-Israeli attacks, insisting that such actions will not weaken the structure of the state. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi stressed that the Islamic Republic has a solid political system. “I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic and social institutions,” he said. “The presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure,” he added. Araghchi acknowledged that individuals can play important roles but stressed that the strength of the system does not depend on

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  Reuters: US pressures Syria to join Israel in war against Hezbollah

  by MI on March 18, 2026

  The administration of Donald Trump is putting pressure on Syria to send troops into eastern Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah. However, Damascus is reluctant to take part, fearing it could be drawn into a wider conflict and inflame sectarian tensions, Reuters reported. In a report published on Tuesday, Reuters cited informed sources as saying the proposal had been presented to the Syrian government as part of efforts to disarm Hezbollah. The group joined the war against Iran on 2 March by targeting Israeli sites. Sources, including two Syrian officials and two people familiar with the discussions, said the idea was first raised between US and Syrian officials last year. Reuters said all sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to

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  Opportunistic Asylum: How Australia Exploited the Iranian Women’s Football Team

  by MI on March 18, 2026

  When it comes to asylum seekers, the Australian political machine has prided itself on using cruelty and a purposely obtuse understanding of international law.  Bolted sovereignty has been elevated over rights and humanitarianism, while political interests have abominated the dark, hungering hordes heading to the island continent on unseaworthy boats.  From the early 1990s, the UN Refugee Convention became increasingly clipped, its applicability scorned in domestic politics.  By the time the conservative government of John Howard assumed power in 1996, turning Australia into a vast village of suspicious citizens suffering from arrested development, the asylum seeker became electoral bait, hooked on fishing lines to lure in voters worried their comfortable lives would somehow be ruffled by the dark, brooding arrivals

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  Settlers gather at junctions south of Nablus and Bethlehem, obstructing Palestinian movement

  by MI on March 18, 2026

  Dozens of Israeli settlers gathered on Tuesday evening at road junctions south of Nablus and Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, obstructing the movement of Palestinians. Palestinian local sources said groups of settlers assembled at the entrances to several villages and towns south of Nablus, blocking traffic and preventing residents from moving freely. In the southern Bethlehem area, security sources reported that dozens of settlers gathered at the Etzion and Efrat junctions and spread along Route 60, causing traffic disruption in the area.    The incidents come amid rising tensions across the West Bank and increased settler presence on main roads and around Palestinian communities. READ: Israeli forces prevent worshippers from performing Tarawih prayers in Jerusalem neighbourhoods

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  Israeli forces prevent worshippers from performing Tarawih prayers in Jerusalem neighbourhoods

  by MI on March 18, 2026

  Israeli forces on Tuesday evening prevented Palestinian worshippers from performing Tarawih prayers in several areas of Jerusalem, as restrictions on access to Al-Aqsa Mosque continue. Local sources said Israeli forces were deployed around a number of neighbourhoods, including areas near Bab Al-Amud and Bab Al-Sahira. Worshippers were dispersed and prevented from holding prayers, and were forced to leave the places where they had gathered. The sources added that forces pushed worshippers towards nearby neighbourhoods in an effort to prevent any prayer gatherings. Tensions were reported in some areas after tear gas was fired to disperse the crowds. These measures come amid ongoing closures and tightened military restrictions in Jerusalem, particularly around the Old City, preventing many Palestinians from reaching Al-Aqsa

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  Lebanon’s death toll in Israeli attacks since March 2 surpasses 900: Health Ministry

  by Marwa A on March 17, 2026

  More than 900 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon since March 2, according to the country’s Health Ministry on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Citing the ministry, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that the total number of fatalities between March 2 and March 17 reached 912, while 2,221 people were injured. On Tuesday morning, the Israeli army announced that the 36th Division had joined the operation aimed at expanding its ground incursion into southern Lebanon. This comes a day after Israel announced the start of a new “ground operation” in southern Lebanon, with estimates indicating that its forces have now penetrated between 7 and 9 kilometers into Lebanon. Hezbollah began targeting Israeli military sites on March 2 in

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  Germany dismisses regime change in Iran as unrealistic, warns of chaos risks

  by Marwa A on March 17, 2026

  Germany’s foreign minister on Tuesday rejected the idea of pursuing regime change in Iran and warned that any resulting chaos would harm the region and Europe, Anadolu reports. “A controlled regime change is, I would say, a hypothetical idea which is not realistic,” Johann Wadephul told the Europe 2026 conference, emphasizing that all past regime change efforts have failed. “If you look at what happened in Iraq, what happened in Libya, the examples are bad enough, and we should learn a lesson out of this,” the minister said, adding that there could be no military solution to the conflict. He reiterated Germany’s desire for a swift end to the fighting and called for intensified diplomatic efforts to establish a post-war

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  Saudi Arabia says ballistic missile, 24 drones intercepted amid escalation

  by Marwa A on March 17, 2026

  Saudi Arabia said Tuesday evening that air defenses had intercepted a ballistic missile and 24 drones targeting its territory amid escalating tensions across the region, Anadolu reports. A Defense Ministry statement said a ballistic missile fired toward the central province of Al-Kharj was shot down. The ministry added that air defenses had intercepted and destroyed 24 drones in the Eastern Province since dawn Tuesday. It, however, did not specify from where the projectiles were launched. Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf

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  Jet fuel prices surge nearly 83% in a month, piling pressure on airlines: IATA

  by Marwa A on March 17, 2026

  Global average jet fuel prices have surged 82.8% over the past month, sharply increasing cost pressures on airlines, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) latest fuel price monitor, Anadolu reports. IATA data showed jet fuel prices rose 11.2% week-on-week to $175 per barrel in the latest reporting period. The figures, published under license from S&P Global Energy, reflect average refinery prices for aviation fuel. On an annual basis, jet fuel prices were up 94.4%, highlighting the scale of the recent increase. The surge follows a 58.4% jump in the previous weekly reading, underscoring the rapid pace of market movements. The spike is expected to weigh heavily on airline margins, as fuel remains one of the industry’s largest operating

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  Bedouin communities – Dispossession and entrapment

  by Marwa A on March 17, 2026

  As the war in Gaza continues to devastate Palestinian life, and the ongoing confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States deepens regional instability, another quieter tragedy unfolds on the margins of the conflict. The Bedouins – long-standing desert communities whose lives have been intertwined with the fragile ecosystems of the Middle East – find themselves caught in the crosscurrents of militarization, displacement, and geopolitical rivalry. While global attention focuses on the spectacle of war, Bedouin communities across the Naqab (Negev), the occupied West Bank, and parts of Sinai endure intensifying dispossession, settler violence, and forced displacement. Their struggle, largely invisible in global headlines, reflects a deeper pattern of erasure that has accompanied the Palestinian catastrophe since 1948 and which

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  The explosion inside Trump’s war machine: Joe Kent resigns

  by Marwa A on March 17, 2026

  Joe Kent’s resignation is not an anomaly but an alarm: elite dissent is surfacing early because this war is built on deception. Joe Kent’s resignation is shocking, but not for the obvious reason. It is not shocking simply because it comes from within the Trump administration. Any administration of that size, stretching across thousands of officials, operatives and career personnel, will contain people who, despite the surrounding culture, still draw moral lines of their own. Even an administration defined by blunt militarism, racialized rhetoric and an unapologetic embrace of force is not morally monolithic. There is always room, however narrow, for someone to say: enough. What makes Kent’s resignation important is something else entirely: the language, the timing, and the

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  Making humanitarian aid work for everyone but the recipients

  by Marwa A on March 17, 2026

  The EU yesterday confirmed  €458 million in humanitarian aid for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt. Palestine will receive €124 million to cover the needs of 3.3 million people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. In a war-torn Middle East, the European Union is stepping up while others step back,” the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib stated. Now that the EU is temporarily not aligned with the US, as happened during Donald Trump’s first presidency, the bloc has stepped into the role of the largest humanitarian aid donor and therefore, retaining the right of rhetoric on humanitarian and the people whose lives were ravaged by colonial complicity. “International law exists to protect them [the

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  Iran in talks with FIFA to move 2026 World Cup matches from US to Mexico

  by Marwa A on March 17, 2026

  Iran said Tuesday that it is in talks with FIFA to relocate its 2026 World Cup matches from the US to Mexico, citing security and logistical concerns, Anadolu reports. Iran’s Embassy in Mexico wrote on the US social media platform X that negotiations are ongoing after Iranian officials raised concerns linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj said the team would not travel to the US after remarks attributed to US President Donald Trump indicated security for the Iranian squad could not be guaranteed. “We will certainly not travel to America,” Taj said, adding that discussions with FIFA are underway to stage Iran’s matches in Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play New Zealand

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  Selective law and convenient outrage

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  On 11 March 2026 two statements emerged from the international system that together reveal more about contemporary diplomacy than any solemn lecture on international law. First, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution condemning Iran for missile and drone attacks across the Gulf and for actions affecting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. On that same day, several Muslim-majority states issued a strongly worded statement condemning Israel for restricting access to Masjid al-Aqsa, one of Islam’s most sacred sites. Placed side by side, the two responses expose the striking inconsistency and absence of principle that now characterise much of contemporary international diplomacy. In the Security Council chamber, there were votes, urgency and a binding resolution. On the question of

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  US counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to Iran war

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  The director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, Joseph Kent, resigned Tuesday, citing his opposition to the ongoing US war in Iran, Anadolu reports. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote in a letter shared on the US social media platform X. He argued that Iran posed no imminent threat to the US and claimed the conflict was initiated under external pressure. Kent, a veteran who said he deployed to combat 11 times, also referenced personal loss, describing himself as a “Gold Star husband” whose wife was killed in a previous war. “I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American

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  US-Israeli actions ‘have no basis under international law,’ says Scottish leader

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney on Tuesday criticized the actions of the US and Israel in Iran, saying they “have no basis under international law,” Anadolu reports. “So let me be clear, the unjustifiable actions of the US and Israel have no basis under international law. They must stop for the sake of innocent children in Iran, for the sake of peace,” he said in a post on the US social media company X. “Right now, once again, the world is watching as war rages in the Middle East. We all know the Iranian regime is brutal and illegitimate. It has brought untold suffering on its own citizens and on people across the region,” he added. READ: UK ‘will not be drawn

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  Jordan’s king arrives in Doha, meets Qatar’s emir amid regional escalation

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Jordan’s King Abdullah II arrived in Doha on a visit to Qatar on Tuesday, as regional escalation continues to rage amid the ongoing US-Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Tehran, Anadolu reports. A royal court statement said Abdullah was received by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, without giving further details. The US and Israel have continued a joint offensive on Iran since Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation. READ: Israeli army claims Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani killed

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  US warship heads to Middle East as Iran war escalates

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  A US Navy warship, believed to be carrying thousands of Marines and sailors, is nearing the Strait of Malacca en route to the Middle East, maritime tracking data showed Tuesday, amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks, Anadolu reports. US officials told CNN that the warship is being deployed to the region, but did not specify its exact destination or mission. Regional escalation has raged since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while

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  UN rights office slams Israeli threats to inflict Gaza-level destruction on Lebanon

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  The UN human rights office on Tuesday slammed Israeli rhetoric suggesting Lebanon could face destruction similar to Gaza as “wholly unacceptable,” Anadolu reports. “Statements by Israeli officials threatening to impose the same level of destruction on Lebanon as inflicted in Gaza are wholly unacceptable,” spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters in Geneva. “Such rhetoric, coupled with the Israeli military’s announcement that it will deploy additional forces and expand its ground incursion, intensifies deep fear and anxiety among the Lebanese population,” he added. The remarks come amid escalating violence and worsening humanitarian conditions in Lebanon, with many civilians displaced and struggling to meet basic needs. READ: Israeli army begins ground offensive in Lebanon, defense minister says Al-Kheetan said large numbers of displaced people have

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  Blocking fertilisers: The Hormuz Strait and agricultural shock

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  The closure of virtually all commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz occasioned by the Iran War is not merely a matter of oil and gas, the usual prized duo that feature in the nervous chatter of global markets.  There are other less conspicuous products that have also been snared in the process.  Consider fertilisers, with a supply shock that may well push prices beyond the 2022 peak following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Given their role in agriculture, another, less publicised shock arising from this prolonged war is in the offing.  Prices, at this writing, are already biting.  Egyptian urea prices have risen by 25%, reaching $625 per metric tonne, up from $484 to $490 between February 17 and

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  UN report says Israeli settlements driving displacement, violence in West Bank

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Israeli settlement expansion and rising violence have driven the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. According to a new report covering the 12-month period ending Oct. 31, 2025, more than 36,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced amid intensified settlement activity and growing attacks by Israeli security forces and settlers. The report documented 1,732 incidents of settler violence, up from 1,400 in the previous reporting period, including harassment, intimidation and destruction of homes and farmland. “Settler violence continued in a coordinated, strategic and largely unchallenged manner, with Israeli authorities playing the central role in directing, participating in or enabling this conduct,” the report

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  British Airways extends flight cuts to Middle East over airspace instability

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  British Airways said it is extending temporary reductions to its flight schedule in the Middle East due to the ongoing “uncertainty” and unstable airspace in the region, Anadolu reports. “Due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability, and to provide more clarity to our customers, we’ve extended the temporary reduction in our flying schedule in the region,” the airline said in a statement on Monday. The carrier said it is closely monitoring developments and remains in contact with affected passengers “to offer them a range of options.” READ: Israeli army claims Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani killed near Tehran Since the escalation in the region began, British Airways said it has assisted thousands of

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  Israeli army claims Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani killed near Tehran

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  The Israeli military said Tuesday that it had killed Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in an airstrike near Tehran, Anadolu reports. A military statement claimed that Larijani was “eliminated” in a “precise strike,” describing him as “the de facto leader” of the Iranian regime. There was no immediate response from Iran to the Israeli claim. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz earlier claimed that Larijani was killed in an overnight strike. Israel and the US have continued joint attacks on Iran since Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. ⁠Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing

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  Russia protests Israeli strike near Bushehr nuclear plant

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Russia has lodged an official protest with Israel following an airstrike near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, warning of potential risks to Russian personnel working at the facility. According to political sources cited by the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Moscow sent a formal protest via its embassy in Israel after a strike targeted an area close to the residences of Russian experts involved in operating the plant. The sources said Russia stressed that the location of its personnel was known in advance and that the strike took place near their accommodation, raising serious safety concerns. It remains unclear whether the residences were directly hit. The targeted site lies close to the Bushehr nuclear plant, Iran’s only civilian nuclear facility, located about

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  Iran says Strait of Hormuz open to all except US and allies

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has declared that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to global shipping, but warned that access is effectively closed to the United States and its allies amid escalating regional tensions. Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, Araghchi said Iran was exercising its right to self-defence in response to the American-Israeli aggression. “From our perspective, the strait is open, but it is closed only to our enemies and their allies,” he said, adding that Iran would continue to resist “with pride”. Araghchi rejected suggestions that Tehran had sought a ceasefire, stating that Iran had not initiated any such request. READ: US allows Iranian oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz to maintain global supply: Treasury secretary “We

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  The original sin: How Churchill’s oil and Khomeini’s vision fuelled decades of Middle East turmoil

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  The war in Iran did not begin with a missile strike or a declaration. It began in the sweltering August of 1953, in the offices of a CIA operative named Kermit Roosevelt Jr., grandson of a president, architect of a coup d’état. It began when American and British intelligence agencies decided that democracy was too dangerous — that a people’s right to their own oil, their own sovereignty, their own future, was an inconvenience to be extinguished. Mohammad Mosaddegh was everything the postwar West claimed to want: a secular, democratically elected leader, confirmed by parliament and Shah alike, who believed — naively, fatally — that the law might protect a nation’s right to its own resources. When he nationalized the

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  Egypt permanently designates senior Muslim Brotherhood figures as terrorists

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Egypt has formally designated several senior figures from the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorists on a “permanent and definitive” basis, following final court rulings, authorities announced. The Office for Regulating Terrorist Entities and Terrorists said the decision applies to Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, Mahmoud Ezzat Ibrahim and Moaz Mansour El-Sharkawy, among others, in line with Egypt’s Terrorist Entities Law. According to the statement, the designation follows final and unappealable judicial verdicts convicting the individuals in cases related to their activities. Aboul Fotouh and Ezzat are currently serving 15-year prison sentences, handed down in May 2022, after being convicted on charges including leading an organisation established in violation of the law and spreading false news deemed harmful to national security. The latest

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  Mohsen Rezaei appointed military adviser to Mojtaba Khamenei

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Iran has appointed former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohsen Rezaei as a military adviser to Mojtaba Khamenei, according to Iranian state media. The move marks Rezaei’s return to the core of Iran’s military decision-making apparatus at a time of heightened regional tensions. Rezaei is considered a longstanding and influential figure within Iran’s military establishment, having served for years as commander of the IRGC, one of the country’s most powerful institutions. In addition to his military career, he has held several senior political and economic roles, including positions within the Expediency Discernment Council and the Iranian government. READ: Tehran warns US against attacks on Kharg Island oil facilities

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  Israel shocked by Hezbollah capabilities amid fears of prolonged war

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Signs of growing shock within Israeli political and military circles are emerging over Hezbollah’s military capabilities, with officials acknowledging that previous intelligence assessments may have significantly underestimated the group’s strength. The reassessment follows Hezbollah’s forceful entry into the confrontation alongside the ongoing regional war involving Iran, prompting concerns in Israel about the prospect of a prolonged war of attrition. According to Hebrew media reports and analysis, earlier Israeli evaluations suggested that Hezbollah’s capabilities had weakened, particularly after disruptions to supply lines linked to developments in Syria. However, recent battlefield developments appear to have contradicted those assumptions. READ: Houthi- and Hezbollah-linked group threatens to target Barakah nuclear facility in Abu Dhabi Momen Miqdad, a researcher specialising in Israeli affairs, said a state

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  Tehran warns US against attacks on Kharg Island oil facilities

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Tehran has warned the United States that it will respond if there are any new attacks on its oil facilities on Kharg Island, Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Abu al-Fazl Shekarchi told Tasnim News Agency on Monday. Shekarchi said Iran would destroy all oil and gas facilities of any country involved in such attacks. On Saturday, US forces struck around 90 Iranian military targets on the island, a key hub for Iran’s oil exports, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. US President Donald Trump also warned that any interference with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would lead to action against Iran’s oil infrastructure on the island. READ: Pezeshkian sets terms for ceasefire talks

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  Palestinian student Leqaa Kordia released from US detention after a year

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  The family and legal team of Palestinian national Leqaa Kordia, 33, have expressed strong relief after she was released from custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following more than a year in detention. However, they warned that the legal battle is not yet over, citing ongoing challenges to policies under President Donald Trump’s administration targeting migrants and dissenters. Sarah Sherman-Stokes, the lawyer leading Kordia’s defence team, said in a statement: “We are elated and relieved that Leqaa can finally return home to her family in New Jersey after a long year in ICE detention.”  She added: “This is an important step in restoring Leqaa’s rights as she continues to be unlawfully targeted by the government for her advocacy

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  Drones intercepted near US embassy in Baghdad as explosions strike Erbil

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Air defence systems intercepted drones near the US embassy in central Baghdad early on Tuesday, according to widely shared footage. Initial reports indicate heightened security measures and heavy aircraft activity over the area. The group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it had launched drones towards US bases, vowing to continue its attacks. Media outlets also quoted Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as threatening to press on with operations until US bases in the region are evacuated and destroyed. In Erbil, several explosions were reported, particularly targeting a military base. Preliminary information suggests the site was hit multiple times within a short period, amid intense aerial activity and a wide security alert. There has been no official confirmation

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  Pezeshkian sets terms for ceasefire talks

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said there was no point in talking about stopping attacks unless there were guarantees that Iran would not face further aggression. In a post on platform X, Pezeshkian referred to a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron about what he described as US and Israeli aggression against Iran. He said “I emphasized that Iran did not begin this atrocious war,” adding: “Defending against invasion is a natural right, in which we are good at.” READ: Trump warns NATO faces “very bad future” if allies refuse to back US war on Iran “Speaking of ending the war is meaningless, until we ensure there will be no more attacks in our land in the future,” he underlined.  Pezeshkian

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  Fatwa urges Eid prayers near Al-Aqsa Mosque amid ongoing closure

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque and former Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, has issued a fatwa (religious ruling) calling on Muslims to perform Eid prayers at the nearest point to Al-Aqsa Mosque, which has been closed for more than two weeks. Palestinian platforms reported that the ruling urges all Muslims to head towards Al-Aqsa Mosque and pray as close to it as possible. It also calls for mosques across Jerusalem to be closed and for Eid prayers not to be held inside them. Israeli forces prevented worshippers from observing Laylat al-Qadr at Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday, as the site remained closed for the 17th consecutive day. Hundreds of people were forced to mark the night,

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  Ireland rules out joining mission to reopen Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said on Monday that Ireland would not take part in a mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz following a US call to deploy naval forces in the area, Anadolu reports. Martin ruled out Irish involvement in any EU mission to reopen the strategic oil route ahead of his visit to the White House on Tuesday. “We don’t have that offensive military capacity in any shape or form, so obviously it’s not something that’s on our agenda,” he said. Several European countries have also rejected calls from the US to deploy naval forces in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that they have no intention of engaging militarily in the escalating conflict with Iran. Earlier Monday,

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  Israeli forces attack worshippers, arrest several youths in Jerusalem

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Israeli forces on Monday evening attacked worshippers performing the Isha and Taraweeh prayers near Bab al-Sahira in occupied East Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Governorate said forces fired stun grenades at the worshippers and arrested a number of young men. In a related development, Israeli authorities threatened to close a restaurant in the Khan al-Zeit market in Jerusalem and prevented its owner from preparing and distributing hot meals to residents and passers-by in the Bab al-Amud area. The meals are usually provided by donors as a charitable initiative during the holy month of Ramadan. Israeli authorities have continued to close Al-Aqsa Mosque and prevent worshippers from accessing it for the 17th consecutive day, citing security concerns linked to the US-Israeli war on

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  Why has violence increased among Egyptians?

  by MI on March 17, 2026

  Minutes before iftar, Mamdouh A. (45) and his neighbour Sayed A. (63) were fatally shot during Ramadan following the renewal of a blood feud between two families in a village in the Deshna district of Qena governorate in southern Egypt. In a separate incident in the Nile Delta, Hosni Atta Allah (41) was fatally stabbed by a friend following a dispute between them, hours before iftar in a village in the Tanta district of Gharbia governorate, according to local media. Bloodshed in Egypt’s streets took a tragic turn on the first day of Ramadan when a young man killed his father, Ezzat Sh., and burned his body following a dispute between them in the city of Senbellawein in Dakahlia governorate

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  No time for losers: Why the war meant to save Israel may destroy it

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  When Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu launched their military aggression against Iran on 28th February, they appeared convinced that the war would be swift. Netanyahu reportedly assured Washington that the campaign would deliver a decisive strategic victory—one capable of reordering the Middle East and restoring Israel’s battered deterrence. Whether Netanyahu himself believed that promise is another matter. For decades, influential circles within Israel’s strategic establishment have not necessarily sought stability, but rather “creative destruction.” The logic is simple: dismantle hostile regional powers and allow fragmented political landscapes to replace them. This idea did not emerge overnight. It was articulated most clearly in a 1996 policy paper titled A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm, prepared for then-Israeli

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  Iran’s IRGC warns US-linked industries in region to evacuate ahead of attacks

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday issued a renewed warning to owners of US-linked industries in the region, urging workers and nearby residents to evacuate ahead of possible attacks, Anadolu reports. In a statement, carried by Fars news agency, the IRGC’s public relations office warned what it described as the “defeated American regime” to evacuate all American-linked industries in the region. The statement also called on people living near factories, in which US entities hold shares, to leave the surrounding areas to avoid harm. “These industries will be targeted in the coming hours,” the statement said. Israel launched joint attacks with the US on Iran since Feb. 28, killing so far more than 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader

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  Trump advisers express regret over Iran war planning: Axios report

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  Some members of President Donald Trump’s inner circle are experiencing “buyer’s remorse” over the decision to go to war with Iran, with growing fears that the administration underestimated the regime’s resilience, according to an Axios report published on Monday, Anadolu reports. According to the report, some key officials were reluctant or wanted more time before launching the campaign. One source said Trump ultimately brushed aside the hesitation, saying “I just want to do it.” The source added that Trump had been encouraged by recent military successes, including last summer’s strikes on Iran and the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and had overestimated his ability to topple the Iranian regime without ground troops. “He was high on his own

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  Poland criticises Trump for framing NATO as ‘them’ in Gulf dispute

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Monday criticised US President Donald Trump for referring to NATO allies as separate from the United States while urging them to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. “It is slightly disconcerting that President Trump is speaking of NATO in terms of ‘them,’ and not in terms of ‘us,’” Sikorski told reporters in Brussels, responding to Trump’s call for European allies to help clear the blockade of the strategic Gulf waterway. Speaking ahead of talks with fellow foreign ministers, Sikorski said it was “a little disturbing” to hear the US president refer to NATO in those terms while pressing European countries to contribute to efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key

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  Dubai stocks enter bear market as conflict-driven selloff hits banks, property shares

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  Dubai’s main stock index slipped into bear-market territory on Monday after falling more than 20% from its February peak as escalating regional tensions triggered broad selling across banking, real estate and travel-linked shares, Anadolu reports. The Dubai Financial Market General Index reached a recent high of 6,785.48 on Feb. 10 and later dropped to 5,391.98 on March 13, according to Dubai Financial Market data. That represents a decline of about 20.5%, meeting the widely used definition of a bear market. Selling pressure persisted Monday, with Reuters reporting that Dubai’s benchmark fell another 2%, led by a 3% drop in Emaar Properties and a 1.4% decline in Emirates NBD as investors reacted to rising geopolitical uncertainty in the Gulf. The index

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  Death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon rises to 886

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  The death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon has risen to 886 since the start of Israel’s expanded offensive on March 2, the Health Ministry said Monday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry said the victims include 111 children and 67 women. The Public Health Emergency Operations Center added in its daily report that the total number of those injured during the same period reached 2,141. The report also noted a rise in casualties among healthcare workers, with 38 killed and 69 others injured. Israel continues to carry out airstrikes and attacks on several areas in Lebanon amid escalating tensions along the southern border. READ: Germany urges Israel to abandon Lebanon ground offensive plans

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  Trump’s Iran miscalculation: When power meets a civilisation that refuses to collapse

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  Donald Trump’s confrontation with Iran appears to have been built on a fundamental misreading of the country he chose to confront. The assumption in Washington seemed to be that a sudden decapitation strike against Iran’s leadership could trigger a rapid political collapse. In that scenario, eliminating senior figures would produce confusion inside the system, spark internal competition for power and potentially encourage political actors inside the country to align themselves with the United States. Variations of this strategy have appeared before in American foreign policy thinking, particularly in states whose institutions are weak or heavily dependent on a single leader. Yet the reaction that followed the opening phase of the war demonstrated that Iran operates under a very different political

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  Gulf economies risk worst slump since 1990s if Iran war drags on

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  The US-Israeli war on Iran could push several Gulf economies into their worst downturn since the early 1990s if the conflict continues and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz persists, according to Bloomberg. Citing Goldman Sachs economist Farouk Soussa, Bloomberg said Qatar and Kuwait could each see gross domestic product shrink by 14 per cent this year if the war continues through the end of April and results in a two-month effective halt to oil and gas flows through Hormuz. Such a collapse would mark the sharpest hit to those economies since the turmoil triggered by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the Gulf War Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates would be in a stronger position because they can

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  Trump warns NATO faces “very bad future” if allies refuse to back US war on Iran

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has warned that NATO faces a “very bad” future if its members refuse to support Washington’s efforts in Iran, according to the Financial Times. In remarks published by the FT, Trump said it was “only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” as he pressed allies to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz after it was effectively shut amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. Trump added: “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.” The comments amount to an open attempt to pressure NATO states into joining a

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  How do we even talk about Palestine and Israel?: One group’s experience in unspoken territory

  by Marwa A on March 16, 2026

  The Tavistock Clinic in London, which was set up in the aftermath of the First World War, is one of the UK’s leading mental health institutions. Offering outpatient therapeutic services to children and adults facing a range of challenges as well as training mental health professionals, the clinic has a long history of dealing with serious problems. However, after the 7th October 2023 Hamas attack and Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, communities in the UK whether Muslim or Jewish had to grapple with the consequences of it. There was also a feeling that different sides struggled to talk to one another and that facilitating understanding between the communities was something few wished to host. Those who are involved in the

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  US allows Iranian oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz to maintain global supply: Treasury secretary

  by MI on March 16, 2026

  The US is allowing Iranian oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz in order to maintain global oil supplies, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday, Anadolu reports. “The Iranian ships have been getting out already, and we’ve let that happen to supply the rest of the world,” Bessent told CNBC, adding that tankers supplying India had already made the crossing and that some Chinese vessels were also believed to be getting through. Bessent said the administration expected tanker traffic through the strait to increase further before the US Navy and allied forces begin escorting commercial ships through the waterway. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to regular commercial shipping since early March amid Iranian retaliatory strikes as