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

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  US: Clinton says Netanyahu is ‘obsessed’ with Iran, Saudi normalization

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “persistent” and “obsessed” with striking Iran and normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia during her tenure, Anadolu reports. Speaking in an interview with New Yorker Editor David Remnick at an event in New York City, Clinton discussed Netanyahu’s approach while she served as secretary of state. Clinton said Netanyahu was relentlessly insistent on attacking Iran. “He would say, ‘You have to support us in attacking Iran.’ This was during the period from 2009 to 2012,” Clinton said. READ: Trump says Israel’s Netanyahu must be ‘more responsible’ on Lebanon She said the issue of attacking Iran was a recurring topic and recalled a lengthy phone conversation with Netanyahu

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  Israel approves Jewish religious school construction in occupied West Bank’s Hebron

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israeli authorities on Wednesday approved the construction of a Jewish religious school in the city of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank, in an unprecedented move, Anadolu reports. The decision marks the first implementation of Israel’s announcement on Tuesday that it was stripping the Palestinian Hebron municipality of its authority over building and planning, in violation of the Hebron Agreement. The Higher Planning Committee in the Civil Administration approved plans to build 576 new housing units in Judea and Samaria, as part of the government’s policy to expand settlements, Israel’s private Channel 7 reported. Judea and Samaria is the biblical term Israel uses for the West Bank. As part of the decision, approval was also granted for the first time

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  Pope Leo stresses need for US-Iran deal to enhance security, stability across Middle East

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday stressed the need for the recently announced agreement between the US and Iran to enforce security and stability across the Middle East, Anadolu reports. “I hope that this agreement will contribute to strengthening mutual trust, security, and stability in the Middle East, and promote paths of dialogue and cooperation among the peoples,” the pontiff said through US social media platform X. He also welcomed, “with satisfaction,” the agreement as an “encouraging outcome of patient work in dialogue and negotiation.” “I express my gratitude to the countries that have strived to foster the encounter between the parties and make such an understanding possible,” the pope added. Washington and Tehran reached a temporary truce this April through Pakistani

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  Israeli Security Minister Ben-Gvir appoints relatives of slain Israelis as prison inspectors: Reports

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has decided to appoint relatives of slain Israelis as official prison inspectors in a move aimed at tightening detention conditions for Palestinian detainees, Israeli media reported Wednesday. “The minister’s goal is to worsen the conditions of security prisoners,” people close to Ben-Gvir said, according to Israel’s Channel 12. Israel uses the term “security prisoners” to refer to Palestinian detainees. According to the broadcaster, Ben-Gvir decided to appoint the family members as official visitors and inspectors of Palestinian prisoners instead of qualified professionals. “Minister Ben-Gvir reduced the number of inspectors to fewer than 20, and instead appointed bereaved families,” the channel said. The inspectors are responsible for overseeing prisoners and monitoring their detention conditions and

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  Iran won, power no longer looks the same

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  The most dangerous mistake in international affairs is to confuse military destruction with strategic success. That mistake now risks obscuring one of the most consequential geopolitical shifts in the modern Middle East. For decades, the United States and its allies defined victory through familiar metrics: air superiority, precision strikes, technological dominance, sanctions pressure, and the ability to shape the diplomatic endgame. Yet the outcome of the 2025–26 Iran conflict suggests a different reality. Despite absorbing devastating attacks, suffering immense economic damage, and confronting the combined weight of American and Israeli military power, Iran emerged with something far more valuable than an unscarred battlefield: it emerged with leverage. And in contemporary geopolitics, leverage is power. If the reported contours of the

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  When peace becomes a media battlefield

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  When a war begins to give way to diplomacy, the battle rarely ends at the negotiating table. It continues in headlines, guest segments and the emotional frame through which audiences are told to interpret a possible end to violence. Reuters has reported that the United States and Iran have agreed on a framework to end their war, halt Washington’s blockade and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while The Associated Press has reported that mediators were working to finalise agreed language. The details remain uncertain and the hardest questions, including sanctions and Iran’s nuclear programme, may be pushed into another phase. Yet even a fragile opening can threaten the political usefulness of panic. That is why the media war matters. Iran

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  ‘Without me there is no Israel’ says Trump warning Tel-Aviv to stop flattening homes

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has delivered a rare public rebuke of Israel’s military conduct in Lebanon, warning that Israel is killing too many civilians in its war with Hezbollah and does not need to destroy entire apartment buildings in pursuit of individual targets. Speaking to reporters at the G7 summit in France, Trump said: “Israel’s fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed. And you don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody. Because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you.” Trump said Israel doesn’t need to knock down an apartment building every time it’s looking for someone

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  UAE plans to cut Strait of Hormuz dependency to ‘zero’: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates is working on a major plan to eliminate its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz after the recent closure of the critical waterway exposed the vulnerability of Gulf trade and energy flows, Anadolu Agency reports. UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani Al Zeyoudi said the country is moving toward “zero Hormuz dependency,” according to a Bloomberg report. The plan comes as global markets await the full reopening of the strait following an interim peace deal between Iran and the US. The Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed before the war, has been disrupted since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February.

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  Israeli occupiers set fire to 2 mosques, army demolishes Palestinian home in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israeli occupiers on Wednesday set fire to parts of two mosques in the villages of Jiljilya and Mazra’a al-Nubani, north of the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, and sprayed Hebrew slogans on their walls, while Israeli forces demolished an inhabited Palestinian home east of Yatta, Anadolu Agency reports. A group of occupiers stormed Jiljilya at dawn and set fire to the village mosque, burning the women’s prayer hall and damaging the mosque’s exterior walls, local sources told Anadolu Agency. The village has recently witnessed an escalation in occupier attacks, the sources said. Last month, occupiers attacked the village and stole a flock of sheep. In a separate incident, occupiers attacked Mazra’a al-Nubani and set fire to a mosque

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  Trump says Iran pact ‘not final,’ warns of renewed strikes

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the deal announced with Iran this week is a “memorandum of understanding” and remains subject to change, Anadolu reports. “If I don’t like it, we’ll go back to shooting at them,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. He warned that if Iran’s leaders “don’t behave,” the US will resume “dropping bombs” on their territory. Washington and Tehran reached a temporary truce this April through Pakistani mediation before announcing a framework agreement this Monday to end the conflict. The accord is expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday. Nuclear goals, funding denied Trump said the core objective of the deal is preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear

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  HRW: Israel escalating home demolitions, evictions in East Jerusalem

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israeli authorities are accelerating home demolitions and forced evictions of Palestinian residents in the Silwan district of occupied East Jerusalem, Human Rights Watch said today. The organisation said the forcible deportation or transfer of the population of an occupied territory within or outside the territory, unless justified on a temporary basis for the protection of the population itself or imperative military reasons, is a violation of international humanitarian law and amounts to a war crime.  Silwan lies south of Jerusalem’s Old City. Among its 12 neighbourhoods, al-Bustan and Batn al-Hawa have for decades been the primary focus of eviction and demolition campaigns led by Israeli authorities and settler organisations such as Ateret Cohanim. These campaigns intensified under cover of the hostilities in Gaza and, this year,

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  Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya warns Israel of ‘harsh response’ over southern Lebanon violations

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  The Iranian Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters said on Tuesday that Israel has violated the ceasefire in southern Lebanon 84 times over the past two days, warning that continued actions would trigger a “harsh” response. The headquarters said in a statement that the Israeli army had “violated the ceasefire in southern Lebanon 84 times over the past two days”. The statement further alleged that Israeli forces persisted in their attacks and killings in Lebanon even after US President Donald Trump announced the end of the war. It warned that if Israel continues its actions in southern Lebanon, it should expect a “harsh response” from Iranian armed forces. On the ground, Israeli forces continued strikes and demolitions in southern Lebanon, which Khatam al-Anbiya

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  The art of the recycled deal: Trump and the outcome Israel cannot tolerate

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  There are many lessons to be learned from the lates made-for-Israel war on Iran. The first and most damning is that the war resolved the very crisis it created. Donald Trump celebrated the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the blockade against Iran. Two conditions that were fully in place before Benjamin Netanyahu dog walked Trump into this war. The agreement that concluded the war took us back to exactly where we stood before America spent $200 billion, and where Americans continue to pay Israeli surcharge tax at the pump and grocery stores.  As for Iran’s nuclear program, the arithmetic does not lie. The 400 kilograms of 60-percent enriched uranium that Iran possessed were zero before

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  Al-Aqsa preacher says opening of embassies in Jerusalem will not change its Palestinian status

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  The head of the Higher Islamic Council in Jerusalem and preacher of Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, said on Tuesday that Jerusalem “was, is and will remain Palestinian,” stressing that opening embassies in the city would not change its status.  His remarks came in a statement following the opening of an embassy for the self-declared Somaliland region in occupied Jerusalem on Monday, attended by Somaliland leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. Sabri said that any political or diplomatic steps related to the holy city would not grant legitimacy to the Israeli occupation or alter its historical and national identity. READ: President of Somaliland breakaway region makes 1st visit to Israel, to open embassy in Jerusalem He added

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  Trump considers dismissing senior officials opposed to Iran deal, including defence secretary, CIA chief

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  US President Donald Trump is considering dismissing several senior officials in his administration because of their opposition to a developing agreement with Iran, according to Hebrew media reports on Tuesday. The Hebrew daily Israel Hayom, citing senior US sources, reported that Trump is reviewing the possible removal of a number of high-ranking figures from the White House and US security and military institutions. The sources said the main reason behind the move is the officials’ opposition to the emerging agreement with Iran. According to the report, those whose positions could be at risk include US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. READ: US rejects Israeli request to review Iran agreement memorandum, Hebrew media report

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  Israel strips Hebron Municipality of planning and construction powers

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that Israel has cancelled the Hebron agreements in the southern occupied West Bank and transferred their powers to Israeli authorities. Speaking during the announcement of a new settlement in Hebron on Tuesday, Smotrich, a far-right minister, said what he described as a “historic” step had been completed, under which all planning and construction powers granted to the Hebron Municipality under the Hebron Agreement had been withdrawn. According to Smotrich, planning and construction authorities, as well as responsibility for the Ibrahimi Mosque, are no longer under the control of the Hebron Municipality and have been returned to full Israeli responsibility. READ: Ben-Gvir raids Hebron neighborhood following Israeli curfew in occupied West Bank

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Ronnie Chatah: Will The Big Boys Squeeze Lebanon?

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Phyllis Bennis: The Deal Will be Signed, But at Whose Expense?

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  Israeli media: UAE security delegation visited Israel secretly during Iran war

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  A senior UAE security delegation secretly visited Israel during the war on Iran as part of ongoing security and military coordination between the two sides, according to Israeli media reports. Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 reported on Tuesday evening that the delegation held undisclosed meetings with Israeli security and military officials to discuss coordination and developments related to the conflict. According to the report, the visit took place in the early days of the war launched by Israel and the United States against Iran on 28 February, revealing that senior Emirati officials travelled to Israel while the conflict was ongoing. READ: Israeli premier made secret trip to UAE to meet President bin Zayed Kan 11 said the delegation met senior figures

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  US rejects Israeli request to review Iran agreement memorandum, Hebrew media report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  The United States has rejected a formal request from the Israeli government to review the memorandum of understanding being developed between Washington and Tehran, according to Hebrew media reports. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Israel had submitted an official request to the United States to examine the memorandum of understandings taking shape between Washington and Iran, but the request was refused by the US side. The broadcaster said the move indicates that Israel still does not know the full details of the agreement, which is expected to be signed in Switzerland on Friday. Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he would hold a press conference on the agreement with Iran, stating that he would “read the document word for word”.

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  Call for Hamas de-proscription

  by Mehdi Editor on June 17, 2026

  In the years of Pro-Palestine demonstrations I’ve attended since 7th October 2023, there is rarely a mention of the group at the core of the whole issue: Hamas. For people are fearful to talk about them. But whilst calling for support for Hamas may be illegal, seeking its de-proscription is not. The UK Government’s 2000 Terrorism act permits requesting the de-proscription of any “terrorist” group. You can’t be penalised for calling for de-proscription. Citizens have the right to appeal against proscription if you give a reason as to why its proscription affects you. Following the events of 7th October 2023, I did exactly that and launched a petition to the Home Secretary. Initially I tried to get the petition before

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  Iraq’s bid to rein in Iran-linked militias becomes key test of US ties

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  The Iran war thrust Iraq’s powerful Iran-linked militias back into the spotlight, Anadolu reports. Throughout the conflict, armed groups operating from Iraq claimed attacks against US interests, carrying out drone and missile strikes linked to the wider confrontation, underscoring how quickly Iraq can be drawn into regional conflicts despite government efforts to stay on the sidelines. The violence also highlighted one of the biggest challenges facing Iraq’s new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who has made bringing weapons under state control a central priority of his administration. Ibrahim al-Marashi, an associate professor of modern Iraqi history at California State University, San Marcos, said Iraq’s leadership faces an increasingly delicate balancing act. “Zaidi will have to balance between a chastened US failing

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  Israeli analysts call Netanyahu ‘liar,’ ‘humiliated’ by Trump after US-Iran deal

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Israeli analysts sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, describing him as a “failure” and a “liar,” while noting that US President Donald Trump “humiliated” him by excluding him from an agreement with Iran to end their military conflict, Anadolu reports. On Monday evening, Netanyahu acknowledged that he was unaware of the details of the memorandum of understanding reached between Washington and Tehran to end the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran on Feb. 28. Netanyahu claimed he had saved Israelis from “nuclear annihilation” by launching the war against Iran and acknowledged differences of opinion with Trump, saying such disagreements “exist in the best of families.” While Trump said Monday that the US and Iran had

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  Iran, Oman reaffirm commitment to ‘safe, free’ navigation through Hormuz after US deal

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Iran and Oman reaffirmed their commitment on Tuesday to ensuring safe and free maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz following a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, Anadolu reports. During a phone call, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi reviewed bilateral ties and underscored their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation across various fields based on principles of good neighborliness and longstanding historical and cultural links, according to Oman’s state news agency ONA. In light of the recent US-Iran understanding, the two ministers renewed their commitment to international law regarding “the safe and free passage of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,” the agency said. They also expressed hope that all parties would

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  Switzerland confirms US-Iran memorandum signing set for Friday at Burgenstock

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  A memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran is currently scheduled to be signed on Friday at the Burgenstock resort in central Switzerland, the Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed to Anadolu Agency on Tuesday. The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) said it has been in close contact for several days with the US, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar regarding the planned signing. “At this stage, the signing is scheduled for Friday, June 19, at Bürgenstock in the canton of Nidwalden,” FDFA spokesperson Pierre-Alain Eltschinger confirmed to Anadolu Agency in a statement. According to the ministry, the location was proposed by Pakistani and Qatari mediators, as well as by the US and Iran. “Switzerland is acting as a facilitator in this

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  4 killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon despite US-Iran understanding

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  At least four people were killed and several others injured in a series of Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, despite a fragile ceasefire and a recent understanding between the US and Iran to end the war, Lebanese media reported. An Israeli drone first hit a vehicle in the town of Meifdoun in Nabatieh before striking the area again as residents had gathered at the scene, the state news agency NNA said. A second vehicle was subsequently targeted in the same town, followed by a third drone strike on a vehicle in the nearby town of Choukine, the agency said. READ: Trump says Israel’s Netanyahu must be ‘more responsible’ on Lebanon Four people were killed and several others injured

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  The international community is fast losing its diplomatic relevance

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz gave a clear example of what happens when colonialism in its current form – with genocide as its armour – is capable of when left unchecked. On Monday this week, Katz declared that Israel will not withdraw from territories it occupied in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. The superficial reason given was “to defend the border and Israeli communities against jihadist elements.” That is a security narrative the West will not argue against.  The real reason, however, is land theft. Katz also described the Israeli military’s current territorial occupation “as a major lesson from the October 7th massacre”.  “We oppose the withdrawal of the IDF from Lebanon despite all existing pressures and those that may come

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  Trump says Strait of Hormuz to be fully reopened by Friday on permanent basis

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the Strait of Hormuz would be fully reopened by Friday and remain open to shipping toll-free on a permanent basis, Anadolu reports. Speaking to reporters at a meeting with the United Arab Emirates’ President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in France, Trump said: “We’re going to have it (Strait of Hormuz) fully open by Friday.” “The ships are starting to move nicely, oil is starting to go, and the prices are coming down rapidly. Stock market is going up rapidly, a lot of good things are happening, and most importantly, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. He said the waterway “is going to be open toll-free, and it’s toll-free beyond

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  Germany says Hormuz mine-clearing mission depends on US, Iran consent

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Germany is willing to contribute to potential mine-clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz, but any such deployment must be agreed upon by both the US and Iran, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Speaking to German broadcaster n-tv, Wadephul noted that the German minesweeper Fulda and the supply ship Mosel have already been forward-deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean. Both vessels are prepared to transit to the Hormuz region if specific conditions are met, he said. “We need to know that such a mission is desired—and by both sides,” Wadephul said. “After all, we cannot just enter the area if one side—specifically the Iranian side—does not agree and ends up firing at us. That certainly would not be

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  US-Iran deal may be seen as ‘betrayal’ in Israel, ex-premier Olmert says

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  A potential agreement between the US and Iran could be seen as a “betrayal” in Israel, a former Israeli prime minister told Irish public broadcaster RTE, Anadolu reports. “I think that maybe from the point of view of the original position of Netanyahu, it may be interpreted as a betrayal,” Ehud Olmert said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said Netanyahu would be unlikely to say so publicly because he is “entirely, completely dependent on the relations and support” of US President Donald Trump. Though the details of the agreement were not yet fully known, Olmert argued that there appeared to be “a big margin” between the initial expectations of the US and Israel when military operations began

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  Israel kills 2 Palestinians in strike on civilians in central Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Two Palestinians were killed on Tuesday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a gathering of civilians north of the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, medical sources and eyewitnesses said. The strike came amid continuing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement that has been in effect in the enclave since Oct. 10, 2025. The bodies of two Palestinians were brought to Al-Awda Medical Complex north of Nuseirat after they were targeted by an Israeli drone, medical sources told Anadolu Agency. READ: Hamas welcomes US-Iran truce deal, calls for end to Gaza and Lebanon attacks An Israeli drone struck a gathering of civilians on Jules Street north of the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing two Palestinians at the scene, eyewitnesses said.

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  Qatari emir says trade partnership with US will exceed $1T

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said on Wednesday that the trade partnership with the US will exceed $1 trillion, in remarks during a press briefing with US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in France, Anadolu reports. The recently announced deal between the US and Iran will lead to positive outcomes for the region, Sheikh Tamim said, according to Al Jazeera. “This is a very important deal, there’s still a lot of work to be done, but with this momentum — if we continue like that, Mr. president — I think we can achieve and do great things in the region,” he added. Doha is always ready to assist “whenever friends ask us to help,” the

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  The new oil fields: Why data centres are becoming strategic assets

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  For more than a century, oil determined the global balance of power. Nations with vast hydrocarbon reserves wielded strategic influence, while major powers designed foreign policies around securing access to energy supplies. The Middle East occupied a central place in this geopolitical order because it possessed the resource that fuelled industrial civilisation. Today, however, the foundations of power are beginning to shift. While oil remains vital to the global economy, a new strategic asset is rapidly emerging alongside it: data centres. At first glance, comparing a data centre to an oil field may seem exaggerated. Yet both serve a similar function in their respective eras. Oil powered the industrial age; data centres power the age of artificial intelligence. The countries

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  Trump says Israel’s Netanyahu must be ‘more responsible’ on Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be “more responsible” on Lebanon, while criticizing the scale of Israeli military operations against the Lebanese group Hezbollah, Anadolu reports. Speaking to reporters in France, Trump said: “I’ve had a great relationship with Bibi, but now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon.” “I would say, of all countries, they’ve been treated the worst, and they can’t defend themselves, and they have Hezbollah, which is a problem for them, so no, I’m not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and with Hezbollah,” he said in France, where he is attending G7 meetings. Trump also underscored US support for Israel, saying,

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  US military preparing to withdraw 20% of refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport: Reports

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  The US military is preparing to withdraw 20% of its refueling aircraft from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport following an agreement between Washington and Tehran to end their conflict, Israeli media reported on Tuesday. “The move comes after Washington and Tehran agreed on a memorandum of understanding that paves the way for a permanent end to the war,” Israel’s Channel 12 reported. The broadcaster did not say whether the aircraft would be relocated outside Israel or transferred to Israeli Air Force bases, as suggested on Sunday by Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev. READ: Iran says parliament speaker Qalibaf to lead delegation in US deal signing According to Regev, the US has 72 refueling aircraft stationed at Ben Gurion Airport, occupying nearly half

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  Iran says parliament speaker Qalibaf to lead delegation in US deal signing

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  The Iranian delegation will be headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf during the signing of a memorandum of understanding to end the war with the US in Switzerland, according to Iranian media. It is still unclear exactly where the signing will take place and what format it will take, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told reporters on Tuesday, according to semi-official Mehr news agency. Earlier, US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Vice President JD Vance is expected to attend the formal signing ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday. READ: Iranian ships cross US naval blockade area without obstruction for 1st time after deal: Report

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  Iranian ships cross US naval blockade area without obstruction for 1st time after deal: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  The first Iranian ships crossed the area of the US naval blockade without obstruction after a memorandum of understanding was reached to end the war between Washington and Tehran, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported Tuesday. At least three Iranian oil tankers and two cargo ships carrying essential goods broke through the US naval blockade following an accord between the countries. A large Iranian oil tanker known as a VLCC and another vessel used to transport livestock moved from open waters toward Iranian ports, the agency said. Another Iranian tanker carrying oil also crossed the Gulf of Oman toward its designated export port, Fars said, without providing further details about the destination. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country led

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  Israeli Supreme Court rejects appeal against Palestinian doctor’s detention, lawyer says

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  The Israeli Supreme Court rejected on Tuesday an appeal against the detention of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and approved his continued imprisonment under Israel’s ‘unlawful combatant’ law without filing charges, his attorney Nasser Odeh said, Anadolu reports. Odeh stated that the decision is “in clear contradiction with international law and the Geneva Conventions, which provide special protection for medical personnel during armed conflicts.” “Abu Safiya remains held in solitary confinement in Nafha prison under harsh detention conditions, deprived of necessary medical treatment and the most basic rights guaranteed to him,” Odeh said. Abu Safiya, who served as director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, was detained by Israeli forces on Dec. 27, 2024, after troops stormed the hospital during military operations

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  ‘I would have burned’: US citizen recounts Israeli occupier attack in West Bank town

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Deir Dibwan, a town east of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank, has not been spared from escalating Israeli occupier attacks, like many other Palestinian areas, Anadolu reports. What draws attention to the town, however, is that about 70% of its residents hold US citizenship. That status has not protected Palestinians in the town. On the contrary, residents say Deir Dibwan has faced repeated occupier attacks. The latest attack took place on Sunday, when vehicles were burned, an attempt was made to set fire to a mosque, and Palestinian homes and property were attacked, according to local sources. Anadolu visited the town and heard residents’ accounts of the latest attack, as well as remarks from Mayor Mansour Mansour, who

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  Qatar plans rapid LNG output restart after Strait of Hormuz reopens: report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Qatar is preparing to rapidly increase liquefied natural gas production once the Strait of Hormuz reopens, with plans to restore most of its export capacity within two months, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter, Anadolu reports. QatarEnergy, which operates the country’s LNG facilities, has told buyers it expects to lift output to about 50% of capacity one month after safe passage through the strait is restored and to roughly 80% within two months, according to the report. There has been no official confirmation yet from Doha or QatarEnergy. The remaining capacity, equivalent to two production trains, is expected to take years to fully restore after damage from Iranian missile strikes in March, Bloomberg cited the people as

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  Back to bad beginnings: The Iran-US Memorandum of Understanding

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Let us, if only briefly, give thanks for the peacemakers, whatever their poor qualifications and whatever folly drove them to war in the first place.  On June 15, the secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council revealed that, based on the agreement reached with the United States, “the war and military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, will end immediately and as of tonight, and in addition, the naval blockade against Iran will end immediately and completely.”  The Memorandum of Understanding between the states would be officially signed on June 19 in Geneva, with negotiations for a final solution “postponed until after the other party has fulfilled its obligations” under the MoU.  Tehran also offered thanks to the good offices

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  US envoy, Iraqi premier discuss Baghdad’s efforts to bring all weapons under state control

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  US Special Envoy for Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi discussed Baghdad’s ongoing efforts to place all weapons under exclusive state control, according to a joint statement, Anadolu Agency reports. The discussions took place during their meeting on Monday, said the statement released by the US Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday. It said the meeting addressed “the shared aspirational vision for the Iraqi government to build a brighter future free from terrorism” as well as plans to disarm and disband armed groups outside state control, consolidate all weapons under government authority, and strengthen sovereignty to keep the country out of regional conflict. “Prime Minister Al-Zaidi and Special Presidential Envoy Barrack underscored the urgency in full

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  Israeli Security Minister Ben-Gvir cancels US trip after visa difficulties: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has canceled a planned family trip to the US amid difficulties in obtaining a visa, according Israeli media on Tuesday. The US Embassy told Ben-Gvir that he would need to appear in person to provide biometric fingerprints as part of the visa process, Haaretz daily reported. The requirement was interpreted in Israeli media reports as a sign of reluctance to grant him a visa. Ben-Gvir has frequently made headlines for his provocative actions, which have drawn widespread criticism and international condemnation. READ: Ben Gvir attacks Trump-Iran deal: Israel ‘not bound by US agreement’

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  Tehran says end of war in Lebanon ‘prerequisite’ for ending war with Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that an end to the war on all fronts, including the cessation of Israeli attacks in Lebanon, is a “prerequisite” for ending the war between Iran and the US-Israel, according to Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA. Lebanon and Iran fronts “became somehow connected and dependent on each other, from day one, the Islamic Republic of Iran considered ending the war in Lebanon a prerequisite for ending the war with Iran,” Araghchi told a gathering of international missions in the capital Tehran. “Now that we have reached an end to the war, the end of the war will also be in Lebanon,” he said, calling the ceasefire in Lebanon an “inseparable” part of

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  Burhan: Sudan’s political process must remain an internal matter

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said on Monday that the political process is an internal Sudanese matter that must take place inside the country and be driven by the will of the Sudanese people. He added that Sudan welcomes any support aimed at achieving stability, peace and development, provided it respects the country’s sovereignty. His remarks came during a meeting with European Union ambassadors accredited to Sudan in the capital, Khartoum, according to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA). Al-Burhan briefed the diplomats on the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), referring to what he described as violations and atrocities committed by the RSF against civilians. He reiterated that any political

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  Iran vows continued support for Palestine, says foreign ministry adviser

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Ali Safari, adviser to the spokesperson of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said on Monday that the Palestinian cause remains a priority for Iran, stressing that Tehran will continue to support Palestine. In an exclusive statement to Safa news agency, Safari said Iran would continue efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip and focus on stopping what he described as Israeli crimes and violations against Palestinians. He said support for Palestine is a “fundamental and principled” position for Iran, adding that Tehran “will continue to support the Palestinians and make use of any opportunity to assist them”. Regarding the terms of the agreement with the United States, Safari said both sides had agreed to end the war on all fronts

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  Hamas welcomes US-Iran truce deal, calls for end to Gaza and Lebanon attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Hamas on Monday welcomed the announced memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran to halt military operations on various fronts, expressing hope that the agreement would help promote stability and reduce tensions across the region. In a press statement, the Palestinian group said it hoped the agreement would have a positive impact on pressing regional issues, particularly by securing an immediate end to the ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip and stopping attacks and violations affecting Lebanon and other fronts. Hamas said that achieving security and stability in the region depends on ending what it described as a war of “genocide, starvation and displacement” against Palestinians in Gaza, as well as addressing the roots of the conflict,

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  Dutch court sentences former Syrian regime figure to 26 years in prison

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  A Dutch court has sentenced a former Syrian regime figure to 26 years in prison after finding him guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Judicial authorities in the Netherlands prosecuted Rafik al-Qatrib, a former member of the regime-linked National Defence Forces militia, before a district court in The Hague on charges related to serious violations committed against civilians in Syria. The court handed al-Qatrib a 26-year prison sentence over allegations of grave abuses carried out during recent years against Syrian citizens. The trial was part of ongoing efforts to pursue and hold accountable former regime officials accused of crimes and violations against the Syrian people. According to Syrian media reports, al-Qatrib worked as an investigator for the National

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Phyllis Bennis: The Deal Will be Signed, But at Whose Expense?

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Jeremy Corbyn: Fight for Your Principle and Pay the Price

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  Israeli settlers destroy sole water pipeline serving Umm Safa village in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Israeli settlers on Monday damaged the only water pipeline supplying the village of Umm Safa in the central occupied West Bank. Local sources told Anadolu Agency that settlers destroyed the village’s main and only water pipeline while bulldozing Palestinian-owned land and constructing a settlement road near the village, northwest of Ramallah. The sources said the damage to the pipeline caused a complete water outage in the village. The village of Umm Safa is witnessing an escalation in settler attacks launched from surrounding settlements and outposts in all directions, preventing Palestinians from accessing their lands. The occupied West Bank has witnessed a rise in attacks by Israeli settlers and the Israeli army against Palestinian agricultural land, including arson, land clearing and

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  Ben Gvir attacks Trump-Iran deal: Israel ‘not bound by US agreement’

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has criticised US President Donald Trump’s announcement of an agreement with Iran, saying the deal is “not binding on Israel”. The announcement by Trump early on Monday triggered angry reactions within Israeli political circles, with Ben Gvir among the most outspoken critics. According to comments carried by Hebrew-language media, Ben Gvir said: “Israel is not subordinate to the United States. It is an independent and sovereign state, and any agreement reached by Trump does not bind us. We are committed first and foremost to protecting our citizens and soldiers.” READ: Iran-US deal ‘bad for Israel,’ says Israeli finance minister The Far-right minister added that his government was not a partner to the agreement, arguing that it