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

• 
  Saudi-led coalition intercepts 2 Houthi ballistic missiles targeting eastern Saudi Arabia

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  The Saudi-led coalition said on Tuesday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Dhahran and Haradh in eastern Saudi Arabia, Anadolu reports. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki announced in separate posts on the US social media company X that forces intercepted onw missile heading toward Haradh and another toward Dhahran. The coalition said debris from the interception had fallen in a residential area in Dhahran and authorities are responding to the site. It did not provide details on casualties or damage. Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense issued a warning earlier Tuesday of “potential danger” in the Eastern Province before announcing minutes later that the danger had passed. READ: Trump says Houthis acting ‘very badly’ amid intensifying

• 
  Israeli forces raid Ramallah, shut down offices of several organizations

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Israeli forces raided the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, shutting down the offices of several organizations, Anadolu reports. During the raid, Israeli soldiers reportedly confiscated furniture and other belongings from the offices. Israeli army raids and attacks by occupiers against Palestinians and their property have intensified across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023. Palestinians say illegal settlement expansion and attacks threaten the possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian state in line with relevant international resolutions. READ: Israeli army arrests 30 Palestinians as occupiers assault family in occupied West Bank

• 
  Iran’s IRGC Navy threatens to sink US warships approaching Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  A senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy threatened to sink US warships on Tuesday if they approach the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA. “We are waiting for American warships to approach the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz so that we can sink them,” Rear Adm. Ali Azmaei said in televised remarks, adding that Iranian forces are “counting down” for the encounter. Azmaei claimed US warships “do not dare” approach the strategic waterway because of their vulnerability, saying a US aircraft carrier worth $13 billion had moved 700 kilometers (435 miles) from the strait. “If the Americans want to see whether the Strait of Hormuz is open or closed, let them

• 
  UN experts urge food agency to uphold human rights amid concerns about Gaza-related work

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  UN experts on Tuesday urged the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to uphold human rights and protect staff following concerns about the treatment of officials who worked on food insecurity and starvation in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. The experts expressed concern about remarks by the FAO director-general that appeared to link the departure of senior officials to their engagement with human rights issues. “Human rights principles are not peripheral to the FAO’s mandate; they are central to it,” said the experts. They said documenting starvation in Gaza was consistent with the agency’s mandate to combat hunger and did not constitute a breach of impartiality. The experts warned that potential reprisals could create a climate of fear among staff and

• 
  If You Cannot Say Genocide: Essays on Conscience and Witness

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  “What task is left to art when words are turned into weapons?” Yahia Lababidi’s If you Cannot Say Genocide: Essays of Conscience and Witness explores the depth of this question impressed upon the reader in the preface. For the author, who is a Muslim of Palestinian descent, the question is pondered from a position of distance as an “inheritor of family dispossession”.  Written between 2023 and 2026, this collection of essays leans upon memory, literature, experiences, observation and reflection, through which disillusion exposes reality. While there is no chronology in Lababidi’s reflections, the preoccupation with words and meaning is persistent. For example, Lababidi writes of his posting as a speechwriter for the UN office in Cairo, where he encounters the

• 
  2 Palestinians killed, others injured in Israeli attacks in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Two Palestinians were killed and several others, including a woman, were injured on Tuesday in Israeli airstrikes and gunfire in the Gaza Strip, while the army demolished residential buildings, Anadolu reports. The attacks came amid continued Israeli violations of a ceasefire agreement in force since Oct. 10, 2025, and more than three years after the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. One Palestinian was killed and others were injured when an Israeli drone struck a vehicle in the Al-Mashahara area of the Tuffah neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, a medical source told Anadolu Agency. Another Palestinian was killed when Israeli gunboats opened fire toward the coast of the al-Sudaniya area in northwestern Gaza, said a medical source at Al-Shifa Hospital.

• 
  Syria accuses Israel of arming, funding militias in Suwayda to sow ‘chaos’

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on Tuesday accused Israel of supporting armed militias operating outside state authority in the southern city of Suwayda, providing them with weapons and money to carry out an “agenda of chaos” in the region. Al-Shaibani made the remarks at a joint news conference in Damascus with Sabrina Dallafior, director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). He accused Israel of seeking to destabilize Syria since December 2024, when the Assad regime was toppled, through attacks on infrastructure and the occupation of additional Syrian territory. The minister also accused Israeli forces of forcibly displacing Syrians and carrying out arbitrary arrests, saying the fate of dozens

• 
  Global day of action for Palestine: Millions mobilise across 60 countries in synchronised worldwide solidarity

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  WATCH: Global Alliance for Palestine to launch worldwide day of action on 10 October

• 
  Trump says Houthis acting ‘very badly’ amid intensifying attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Tuesday denounced continued attacks by Houthis against Saudi Arabia, Anadolu reports. Asked if the US had made a decision to strike Houthi targets, Trump avoided a direct response when speaking to reporters before departing on a campaign trip to Alaska. “They’re behaving very badly,” he said. Trump later posted on his Truth Social repeating his comments about Houthis and said: “The Houthis are behaving very badly.” “I thought they learned their lesson a year ago when we bombed the HELL out of them and, at their request, stopped,” he said. Trump said the group had been “silent for a long time” but has “emerged again, probably at the behest of Iran,” which he described as

• 
  One year since the ceasefire, the UN commemorates its failures

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Nothing spells hypocrisy more accurately than the UN commemorating its failures. In a press release titled One year after ceasefire announcement, killings continue across Gaza, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office expresses its purported concern “about continued crimes under international law, including war crimes.” That is to be expected when, instead of halting genocide, a ceasefire is announced so belatedly that it holds no value except in international rhetoric. Since the so-called ceasefire, which did nothing but give the international community respite from having to face global outrage at Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, over 1,400 Palestinians have been killed, 1,076 of which have been identified by UN personnel. The press release also notes that

• 
  Americans urged to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia over Iranian, Houthi attack threats

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  The US Mission in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday urged Americans to reconsider travel to the kingdom, citing risks from Iranian and Houthi missile and drone attacks, armed conflict and terrorism, Anadolu reports. In a post on US social media company X, the mission shared a travel advisory maintaining Saudi Arabia at Level 3, or reconsider travel, while designating the area along the Yemen border Level 4, or do not travel. The US travel advisory system has two lower levels: Level 1, which calls for normal precautions and Level 2 for increased caution. Under the advisory, US government employees working in Saudi Arabia require special authorization to use any airport in the country and are prohibited from traveling within 20 miles

• 
  Saudi-led coalition launches airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen’s Sanaa

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  The Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes on Tuesday against Houthi positions in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, according to a Yemeni government official and the Houthis, Anadolu reports. Fayyad Alnoman, a Yemeni government official, said coalition aircraft began carrying out airstrikes on Houthi positions in Sanaa within an area that the joint forces had previously ordered evacuated. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Saudi forces were targeting Sanaa and that Houthi forces were responding to the attacks. The Houthis said a strike targeted the Yemen Petroleum Company facility in al-Sabahah, west of Sanaa. Earlier Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition ordered civilians to evacuate the company’s central al-Sabahah station ahead of a planned military operation. The strikes come amid escalating hostilities between the Saudi-led

• 
  IsDB chief in Jakarta: A US$2.56 billion plan with a missing climate pillar

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Dr Muhammad Al Jasser, chairman of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, spent four days in Jakarta, from 7 to 10 October 2026. The IsDB is a development bank owned by 57 mostly Muslim countries. It pays for roads, hospitals and farms using Islamic finance rules, which avoid interest. He left behind a five-year plan worth billions of dollars. It is a useful plan with one large hole. In a country that is among the most exposed to climate change, the plan has no climate pillar. On 8 October, Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara launched the partnership strategy for 2026 to 2030, the fourth of its kind. The bank attached an “indicative” figure of about US$2.56 billion. Indicative means a target,

• 
  ‘Peace Requires Justice’: Why Washington and Tel Aviv Want Neither | Palestine This Week

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  In this episode of Palestine This Week, we examine why Palestinian elections have been postponed again, plans for AI surveillance in Gaza’s classrooms and CNN’s findings linking a majority of hostage deaths in captivity to Israeli military actions. We also discuss the suppression of US diplomatic reports critical of Israel, the backlash against Navi Pillay, US sanctions on the ICC and a leading rabbi’s challenge to Zionism, alongside divisions within the Palestine solidarity movement and the Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia.     WATCH: Three Years of Genocide: What Gaza Has Exposed | Palestine This Week

• 
  Israel elections: Palestinian state caught between Netanyahu’s incitement, Eisenkot’s rejection

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  a warning splashed across large campaign billboards hanging over bridges and roads across Israel ahead of the Oct. 27 election. The slogan urges Israelis to vote for right-wing parties by portraying an opposition victory as opening the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state, Anadolu reports. Yet, the Palestinian state that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing allies repeatedly invoke as an election threat is largely absent from the political programs of the main opposition parties in Israel. Those parties broadly agree that a political settlement with the Palestinians is currently unattainable, although their positions range from maintaining the status quo while providing Palestinians with certain measures of relief to restoring relations with the Palestinian Authority (PA). The

• 
  Iranian attacks target 6 ships near Strait of Hormuz in 1 day, highest since war with US began

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Iranian attacks on vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz have reached their highest pace since the war with the US began on Feb. 28, with six ships targeted in a single day, according to data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) and international maritime security sources, Anadolu reports. Data from UKMTO and maritime security sources showed that more than 18 commercial vessels were targeted by Iran during the first 12 days of October, including six on Monday. Between Oct. 5 and 12 alone, at least 14 attacks, attempted attacks and interceptions involving vessels were recorded in and around the strait, according to the same sources. UKMTO data and statements by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

• 
  On the universality of Gazan resistance: A century-long struggle for human rights

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  The struggle of Gaza’s people is frequently interpreted through the competing languages of security, nationalism, religion and geopolitics. Each illuminates part of the conflict, yet each can obscure its most fundamental question: are Palestinians entitled to the rights every human being possesses simply by being human? Viewed through the history of human rights, Gazan resistance acquires a significance extending beyond one people or territory. It exposes the distance between humanity’s proclaimed commitment to universal dignity and its willingness to protect those whose rights are repeatedly denied. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, rejects hierarchies of human worth. Rights belong to people regardless of nationality, religion, political allegiance or recognition by a sovereign state. Palestinians therefore need no

• 
  UAE, Russian presidents discuss Middle East developments, strategic partnership

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral cooperation and developments in the Middle East during a phone call Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The two leaders reviewed various aspects of cooperation and joint efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership between their countries in a way that serves their mutual interests, according to the UAE’s state news agency WAM. They also exchanged views on several regional and international issues of common concern, particularly developments in the Middle East and ongoing efforts to address them. Both leaders stressed the importance of strengthening regional security and stability for the benefit of countries and peoples across the region. READ: Russia pledges continued humanitarian aid to Lebanon

• 
  Israeli army arrests 30 Palestinians as occupiers assault family in occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  The Israeli army rounded up 30 Palestinians in military raids across the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, while occupiers assaulted a Palestinian family near Nablus, leaving several people injured, Anadolu reports. The Prisoners’ Media Office said Israeli forces carried out widespread raids involving searches of homes and the conversion of one house into an interrogation center. The arrests were concentrated in the northern Nablus province, where 15 Palestinians were detained in the village of Tell, 12 in Asira al-Shamaliya and another in Talfit, the office said. Israeli forces also raided several homes in Asira al-Shamaliya and turned one into an interrogation center. Another Palestinian was arrested in Tubas in the northeastern West Bank and one more in Hebron in the

• 
  Qatar emir calls for accountability over Gaza genocide perpetrators

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday called for accountability for Israel’s ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, Anadolu reports. “What happened in the Gaza Strip is unquestionably genocide, and its perpetrators must not be allowed to escape accountability,” Tamim said during an address opening the 55th annual session of Qatar’s Shura Council in Doha. Qatar has played a mediating role in efforts to end the Israeli war in Gaza. Israel has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and injured over 175,000 in Gaza since October 2023, most of them women and children, while around 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to Palestinian authorities. In November 2024, the International Criminal

• 
  Egypt vows ‘any kind’ of support for Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Egypt is prepared to provide Saudi Arabia with “any kind” of support, as the kingdom faces intensified Houthi attacks, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. “Whatever is being asked by the Saudis, of course we will respond,” Abdelatty told Bloomberg Television when asked whether Egypt could provide military support to Saudi Arabia. “Without any reservation, we provide all kinds of support,” he added in an interview on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund in Bangkok on October 12-18. Abdelatty also said Egypt is seriously considering joining the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, which currently brings together Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan. “The issue is under serious consideration by the Egyptian side,” he added. The

• 
  E1 and the fight over Palestinian statehood

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Few pieces of land carry as much weight as the 12 square kilometres known as E1. It is an unremarkable stretch of hillside on a map, but for critics of Israel’s settlement policy it is the place where the two-state solution could be decided without negotiation, vote, or treaty. E1 lies between occupied East Jerusalem and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc. That location is the point. Building there would create a continuous belt of Israeli construction across the central West Bank, cutting the northern part of the territory off from the south and further separating East Jerusalem from the rest of the Palestinian territory. The plan was originally envisaged at roughly 3,400 housing units and has now reached the tendering

• 
  Israel attacks Netherlands over ban on Israeli football fans attending match

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Israel criticised the Netherlands on Monday evening over a decision to bar fans of Israeli football club Hapoel Be’er Sheva from attending their Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar, claiming the move “rewards those who threaten and incite violence”. The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement after local authorities in Alkmaar reaffirmed the ban on the Israeli team’s supporters attending the match, scheduled for 15 October, citing security concerns. “Two years after Israelis were hunted through the streets of Amsterdam, the Dutch answer is to ban the victims, not the attackers,” the ministry said. READ: Netherlands bans trade in products from Israeli settlements It described Alkmaar’s decision as contrary to the fundamental principles and spirit of sport, claiming it “rewards those

• 
  Trump says US may have gone too far in targeting Iranian leaders

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has suggested that Washington may have gone too far in targeting Iranian leaders, saying it should perhaps have stopped at the first or second level of escalation. Trump also said that Iran wants to reach an agreement but does not know how to do so. Last week, Trump said that no one knows who is running Iran, adding that the country’s leaders had been killed, followed by the second tier of its leadership. Trump has repeatedly boasted about the killing of Iranian leaders during the war involving Israel. READ: Trump says Iran has’virtually given up’ any plans for nuclear weapons

• 
  Saudi Arabia extends Riyadh airport shutdown as Arab airlines suspend flights

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Saudi Arabia on Monday extended the suspension of operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport following deadly attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement in recent days, without specifying when services would resume. An aviation source said the shutdown would remain in place until at least Thursday. The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement that the suspension had been extended to allow the necessary checks to be completed to verify the safety of airport facilities and their operational readiness.  A senior aviation industry source overseeing flights to the Gulf region said the airport would remain closed until the end of the Saudi working week, according to messages sent to the source’s company on Monday. READ: Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawiris

• 
  Haaretz: Saudi crown prince opposes Israeli involvement in war against Houthis

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has opposed Israel’s participation in military operations against the Houthis, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported. According to the report, published on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for Israel to join military operations against the Houthis, but Saudi Arabia’s position is an obstacle to the move. Riyadh’s stance reflects its regional security concerns and the potential consequences of widening the conflict in Yemen and the Red Sea. The report highlights differences between Netanyahu and bin Salman over Israel’s role in the confrontation. While the Israeli prime minister is seeking direct military involvement, the Saudi crown prince opposes the move, reflecting the sensitivity surrounding Israel’s direct participation in a regional war. READ: Saudi Arabia says

• 
  Washington’s diesel deal: A door in the sanctions wall

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  On Friday, President Trump described his phone call with Vladimir Putin as “highly successful.” By Monday, oil traders had reason to agree. Kyiv had reason to feel betrayed. In a single weekend, Washington dismantled part of the sanctions architecture it had spent four years building against Russia, all to shave a few cents from the price of diesel three weeks before an American election. The mechanics are straightforward. Russia banned its own diesel exports on 8th July after Ukrainian drone strikes crippled its refineries and constricted domestic supply. That ban, combined with the disruption the Iran war inflicted on Gulf shipping, helped drive diesel prices toward record highs worldwide. On 9th October, Trump announced that Putin had agreed to release

• 
  EU calls for Palestinian elections to renew legitimacy of institutions

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  The European Union’s foreign policy chief has called for Palestinian elections to be held as soon as possible, saying Palestinian institutions need to renew their legitimacy after nearly 20 years without elections.  The EU considers it important to advance the Palestinian democratic process and ensure that citizens can choose their representatives through the ballot box, the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said. She added: “The EU remains ready to support the process, including through our EU Election Observation Mission” to help ensure the vote is fair and transparent and strengthen confidence in its results. The remarks come amid continued calls from Palestinian and international parties for comprehensive elections to renew the institutions and strengthen their democratic legitimacy. READ: Fatah’s Democratic Reform Current

• 
  Bennett warns Israel faces ‘slow-motion suicide,’ calls for Netanyahu’s removal

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has warned that Israel faces a serious threat to its future under the current government, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of political failures and calling for a change in leadership. Speaking at an election conference organized by Yedioth Ahronoth and Ynet on Monday, Bennett described Israel’s current political and social trajectory as a “slow-motion suicide mission,” warning that continued divisions could undermine the state’s long-term viability. Bennett focused particularly on the controversy surrounding military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jews and government funding for institutions serving the community. He argued that exempting large sections of the ultra-Orthodox population from military service, while providing public funding to their institutions, placed an increasingly unequal burden on

• 
  Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawiris apologises after Saudi criticism over Riyadh airport attack

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawiris apologised on Monday for delaying his response to casualties from an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, following criticism from Saudi writer Wafaa Al-Rasheed. Al-Rasheed criticised Sawiris in a post on X, accusing him of remaining silent about the victims of the attack. “He didn’t utter a word about our dead in Riyadh… as if our blood isn’t even worth a word of condolence!” she wrote. She added: “How wretched the stance when masks fall, and silence regarding innocent lives becomes a testament to a bankrupt conscience—and what a conscience!” READ: Bloomberg: Saudi Arabia disappointed by limited support from Western allies Al-Rasheed tagged Sawiris’s account in her post, prompting a response from the Egyptian businessman.

• 
  Saudi Arabia prepared for various scenarios amid Houthi attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Saudi Information Minister Salman Al-Dosari said Monday that the kingdom was prepared for various scenarios, regardless of their likelihood, stressing that life was continuing normally despite repeated Houthi attacks, Anadolu Agency reported. Speaking at a government press conference in Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency, Al-Dosari said: “Life in the kingdom, praise be to God, continues normally.” “Increasing readiness does not mean anxiety; rather, it reflects the state’s preparedness for various scenarios, whatever the likelihood of their occurrence,” he added. Riyadh has faced repeated Houthi attacks in recent days, with strikes on King Khalid International Airport over two days forcing the temporary suspension of operations. Despite the attacks, the World Petroleum Congress opened Sunday in Riyadh with broad international

• 
  Federal agents search US representative Ilhan Omar’s home in criminal investigation

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Federal agents searched the Washington, DC, home of Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar early Monday as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, according to the US Department of Justice. Agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative division of the Department of Homeland Security, carried out the search under a judicially authorized warrant obtained by the Justice Department. The department confirmed the operation but did not publicly disclose the nature or scope of the investigation. Sources familiar with the case said investigators were examining possible immigration fraud involving documents submitted on behalf of Omar and her family when she arrived in the United States as a child refugee from Somalia. READ: US senator says Israeli forces violated international humanitarian law in Gaza

• 
  UN verifies 1,076 Palestinian deaths in Gaza since ceasefire, warns of possible war crimes

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  The United Nations Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory has verified the deaths of 1,076 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip between October 2025 and the end of July 2026, warning that continued Israeli attacks during the ceasefire period raise serious concerns about possible war crimes. In a report released on Monday, the office said Palestinian medical sources had recorded more than 1,400 deaths since the ceasefire was announced on 10th October 2025. Of the 1,076 deaths verified by the UN office, 268 were children and 126 were women, together accounting for approximately 37 percent of the total. The report also noted that more than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza since 7th October 2023. It indicated that

• 
  Fatah’s Democratic Reform Current accuses Abbas of delaying elections to remain in power

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Dimitri Diliani, a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council and spokesperson for the movement’s Democratic Reform Current, has accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of postponing elections to maintain his hold on power and avoid public accountability. In an interview with Quds Press on Monday, Diliani criticised the cancellation of legislative elections scheduled for 28th November 2026, and the decision to set 11th September 2027, as the date for simultaneous presidential and legislative elections. He said the postponement would prolong Abbas’s control over Palestinian political institutions and have significant political and national consequences. Diliani called for presidential and legislative elections to be held as soon as possible, arguing that voters should be given the opportunity to hold Abbas accountable for repeated electoral

• 
  The Riyadh attacks and the fragility of regional security: Implications for global politics, oil markets and the world economy

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  The recent attacks on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, particularly the strikes against King Khalid International Airport, represent a significant escalation in the security crisis affecting the Middle East. Beyond the immediate loss of life and disruption to civilian aviation, these incidents raise fundamental questions about regional deterrence, the internationalisation of the Yemen conflict, the security of global energy supplies and the resilience of the international political and economic order. According to reporting by Reuters and Al Jazeera on 12 October, 2026, a strike on Saturday killed 12 people and injured more than 300, while a subsequent attack on Sunday killed one person and injured 11. Saudi authorities and regional governments have attributed the attacks to Yemen’s Houthi movement, which is

• 
  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Dr. Nasser Hadian: How will Iran deal with US’s plan of total isolation?

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Col. Lawrence Wilkerson: Has Trump permitted Netanyahu to use nuclear against Iran?

• 
  Israel bars crew members holding 29 nationalities from flights to Ben Gurion Airport

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Israeli authorities have notified foreign airlines operating flights to Ben Gurion Airport of new restrictions on crew members holding dual nationality if one of their nationalities is among 29 countries on a list drawn up by Israel, according to aviation news website Paddle Your Own Kanoo (PYOK).   The Hebrew-language Walla website reported that the measures follow the thwarting of an alleged attack aboard a Flydubai flight on 30 September. Co-pilot Hamam al-Hamahi is accused of attempting to incapacitate the captain and take control of the passenger aircraft, which was heading to Ben Gurion Airport, with the alleged aim of crashing it into the terminal building. PYOK reported that several passengers and two pilots who were not assigned to the

• 
  The politics of gratitude: The corruption no one sees

  by EditorMehdi on October 13, 2026

  Not all political corruption begins with money. Sometimes, it begins with success. Public imagination has long been trained to look for corruption in suitcases of cash, shady contracts, and secret deals. Yet some of the most consequential distortions of political judgment emerge from a far subtler source: a politician’s emotional attachment to a project they helped create. This hidden dynamic lay beneath the recent controversy surrounding Andy Burnham’s comments on Manchester City. After initially suggesting that the club deserved fair treatment before later reaffirming that no institution stands above the rules, Burnham found himself at the center of a debate that extended far beyond football. At first glance, the story appeared to involve a politician defending a football club or

• 
  Iran’s IRGC says 3rd ‘offending’ supertanker hit in Strait of Hormuz in 2 days

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said Monday that a third supertanker it described as “offending” was struck in the Strait of Hormuz in two days and caught fire, Anadolu reports. In a statement issued by its public relations office, the navy said the tanker was hit Monday morning after switching off its navigation system and ignoring warnings. It alleged that the vessel, like those previously hit, had attempted to leave the strait and disrupt order and security in the waterway. The statement did not identify the tanker, its flag or operator, or specify how it was struck. The IRGC navy warned that any cooperation by commercial vessels and oil tankers with the US military in the Strait of

• 
  UN pledges technical support for Palestinian elections amid vote delay

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  The UN reaffirmed its commitment Monday to assisting Palestinian electoral authorities following the postponement of legislative elections originally planned for late November, Anadolu reports. “We will continue to support the Palestinian Central Election Commission to ensure that technical preparations are in place when the actual elections take place,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters. The remarks followed a decree issued Saturday by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rescheduling legislative elections for Sept. 11, 2027. The move formally rescinded an earlier order that had scheduled parliamentary elections for Nov. 28, 2026, which would have marked the first parliamentary vote in 20 years. The presidential decree instructs Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip to participate

• 
  Israeli army enters Syria’s Quneitra countryside, blocks construction work

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Israeli army forces entered Syria’s southwestern Quneitra countryside on Monday and blocked construction work in the area, according to state-run Alikhbariah TV. The broadcaster said six Israeli military vehicles advanced south of the town of Al-Rafid in Quneitra province. Israeli forces also prevented local residents from digging foundations for construction in the area, it added. READ: UN urges Israel to end harassment, intimidation, detention of civilians in Syria In a separate incident, Alikhbariah reported that Israeli forces blew up an abandoned military barracks at Tal Harboun near the town of Beit Jinn in the western Damascus countryside. Israel has expanded its military operations in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on Dec. 8, 2024, with forces advancing into the

• 
  Sudan’s Burhan orders inquiry after reported killing of 72 miners near Egyptian border

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Monday ordered a fact-finding investigation into the reported killing of miners near the Egyptian border on Saturday, Anadolu reports. The council said in a statement that the committee would include representatives of the Public Prosecution and relevant judicial and security bodies. It will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and submit a report on its findings. No deadline was announced. “Protecting the lives of Sudanese citizens and safeguarding their safety and dignity is a fundamental responsibility of the state,” Burhan said. He stressed “the need to deal with the incident seriously, ensuring that the facts are uncovered and borders are protected and respected.” “The leaderships of the two brotherly countries are

• 
  EU establishes new security support mission in Lebanon

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  The European Union on Monday established a new support mission in Lebanon to strengthen the country’s defense and security institutions, reaffirming its commitment to Lebanon’s stability, sovereignty and state institutions, Anadolu reports. The EU Council adopted a decision establishing the EU Support Mission in Lebanon (EUSM Lebanon), with an initial mandate of three years, according to a statement. The mission aims to contribute to peace and security in Lebanon, strengthen state institutions and promote lasting stability in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1701. It will focus on enhancing the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces, as well as supporting maritime security governance. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said foreign ministers had agreed to

• 
  Syrian, Qatari foreign ministers discuss regional developments, bilateral ties

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha on Monday to discuss regional developments and bilateral relations, Anadolu reports. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the two sides discussed the latest regional developments as well as ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and further develop relations between the two countries. They also stressed the importance of increasing coordination and joint consultations in a way that contributes to enhancing security and stability in the region. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the meeting addressed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, the latest developments in Syria and a range of issues of mutual interest. READ: UN urges Israel to end harassment, intimidation,

• 
  Israel demolishes 80 homes in Palestinian village in Negev, displaces around 400 people

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Israeli authorities demolished around 80 homes in the Palestinian village of Al-Dhahiya in the Negev region of southern Israel on Monday, displacing around 400 people, amid accusations that extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is using home demolitions as part of his election campaign. Israel’s public broadcaster KAN said teams from the Israel Land Authority, accompanied by reinforced police forces under Ben-Gvir’s ministry, demolished around 80 homes on claims that they had been “built without permits” in Al-Dhahiya, an unrecognized village north of the city of Rahat. The demolition came after the Beersheba District Court on Sunday rejected a petition seeking to postpone the demolitions, the broadcaster said, adding that around 400 people had been living in the homes. In

• 
  Russia pledges continued humanitarian aid to Lebanon amid Israeli attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that Moscow would continue providing humanitarian aid to Lebanon amid escalating Israeli military operations, Anadolu reports. Speaking during talks with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji in Moscow, Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. “I wish to confirm, clearly and unequivocally, Russia’s principled position in favor of ensuring Lebanon’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity,” Lavrov said. He said nearly 1 million Lebanese citizens had been severely affected by the hostilities, adding that the humanitarian situation remained tense. “We sent humanitarian aid to your country in April for those in need, and we intend to continue providing assistance,” Lavrov said. He also said the situation in Lebanon could not be

• 
  Israeli soldiers say ordered to drop heavy bombs on inhabited Gaza buildings without evacuation: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Four Israeli military intelligence soldiers acknowledged they received instructions to use “heavy bombs” against inhabited buildings in the Gaza Strip without evacuating residents first, in strikes that killed and injured hundreds of Palestinians, according to a media report on Monday. The soldiers gave their accounts to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, as Israel continues its genocide in Gaza, which began in October 2023. The Israeli army has repeatedly claimed that it warns civilians in Gaza to evacuate before strikes, a practice Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have frequently boasted. However, soldiers’ testimonies contradict these claims, as they revealed a complete change in open-fire regulations since the start of the war on Gaza, where approximately 2.4 million Palestinians live. One

• 
  Israeli army fire kills 5 more Palestinians in Gaza, death toll nears 74,400

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Israeli army fire killed five Palestinians in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll from Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023 to 74,382, the Health Ministry said Monday, Anadolu reports. In its daily statistical report, the ministry said the toll included three new fatalities and two people who died of earlier wounds, while 18 people were injured in attacks over the past day, raising the overall number of injuries to 175,416. Despite a ceasefire in effect since Oct. 10, 2025, Israel has continued daily attacks in the enclave, killing 1,493 Palestinians and injuring 5,299 others, according to the ministry. Israel’s war has also caused widespread destruction affecting around 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, with an

• 
  Iran says reviewing US proposals for talks as indirect messages continue

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Iran said Monday that it is reviewing US proposals for negotiations as Tehran and Washington continue to exchange messages through mediators, Anadolu reports. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told his weekly press conference that Pakistan and Qatar continue to play a mediating role between Iran and the US. “The exchange of messages between Iran and the US through mediators continues,” Baqaei said. “We are reviewing the Americans’ proposals for negotiations. Iran’s preconditions must be observed for any negotiations,” he added. Baqaei said Russia also continues to play a “constructive” role regarding Iran’s nuclear file, pointing to Moscow’s involvement in the 2015 nuclear agreement. He said Iranian and Russian relations are based on mutual trust and that Tehran welcomes supportive efforts

• 
  Abduction of Palestinians by Israeli occupiers on rise in occupied West Bank: Officials

  by EditorMehdi on October 12, 2026

  Abductions and arbitrary detention of Palestinians by Israeli occupiers have increased across the occupied West Bank, particularly targeting farmers and rural communities, Palestinian officials and rights groups said Monday, Anadolu reports. Salah al-Khawaja, director of the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission’s office in the central West Bank, told Anadolu that such incidents were often accompanied by abuse and violence. “Palestinians were being detained at makeshift checkpoints or seized during attacks on farmers and rural and Bedouin communities,” he said. Amir Daoud, the commission’s documentation official, said the repeated attacks make farmers fear for their lives and freedom when accessing their land and could discourage them from reaching their fields. “The impact of the attacks extends from the victim to the