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

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  Russia says ‘possible restructuring’ of military facilities in Syria under discussion

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Russia said on Wednesday that the “possible restructuring” of its military facilities in Syria is being discussed, Anadolu reports. In remarks to journalists at a media briefing in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia’s military presence in Syria is a topic of discussion in contacts with Damascus, including in the context of a “possible restructuring of the functionality” of Russian military facilities. “However, this, again, falls under the purview of our security apparatus – the Ministry of Defense,” Zakharova said. Zakharova added that bilateral cooperation is developing “very actively,” and that government agencies and business circles from the two countries are involved in efforts aimed at expanding ties. Russia maintains two key military facilities in Syria: a naval logistics

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  Iran says repeated US ceasefire violations harming diplomatic process

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Wednesday that repeated US ceasefire violations, contradictory messages, and shifting demands are undermining diplomatic efforts, Anadolu reports. “Diplomatic processes do not take place in a vacuum,” Baghaei told reporters. “To advance any negotiation or diplomatic process, a minimum level of conducive conditions is required to allow diplomacy to move forward,” he said. Baghaei said the US was damaging the diplomatic track through what he described as contradictory messages, frequent changes in positions and demands, and repeated violations of the ceasefire. “Unfortunately, the United States, through the contradictory messages it sends, the repeated changes in its positions and demands, and, worst of all, repeated violations of the ceasefire, is harming the diplomatic process,” he said.

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  Israel places detained Gaza hospital director Dr Hussam Abu Safiya in solitary confinement

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Israeli authorities have moved Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, into solitary confinement after holding him for more than 500 days without charge. Abu Safiya, 53, was detained by Israeli forces on 27 December, 2024 while working at Kamal Adwan Hospital, which had continued operating through more than 80 days of siege and repeated Israeli attacks. According to details first reported by The Guardian, Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) received information that Abu Safiya had been transferred from Ketziot prison to Ramon prison, part of the Ganot prison complex, where he was placed in solitary confinement. PHRI said it had not been informed of the reason for the move. His son, Elyas

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  Danantara and the Gulf could finally turn Indonesia’s renewable energy ambition into reality

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Indonesia has no shortage of renewable energy ambition. What it lacks is capital, execution and, above all, trust. For years, successive governments have promised a green transition. The targets have become increasingly ambitious, culminating in President Prabowo Subianto’s pledge to accelerate Indonesia’s energy transition and build up to 75 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity in the coming decades, a plan that could require at least US$235 billion in investment.  Yet the reality remains sobering. Indonesia’s renewable energy mix remains far below the national target. The government originally aimed for renewable energy to contribute 23 percent of the national energy mix, but the figure remains stuck at around 16 percent. Even that number includes geothermal energy, which, while classified as renewable,

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  Christian leaders in Lebanon’s Tyre urge international intervention after Israeli evacuation warning

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Christian religious leaders in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre have called for urgent international action to prevent an attack on the city’s Christian quarter after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings covering the coastal area. In a joint statement on Tuesday, senior church leaders appealed to the international community and Lebanese authorities to intervene amid growing fears that military operations could expand into parts of the city that have so far avoided direct attacks. The appeal was signed by Archbishop George Iskandar of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Archbishop Elias Kfoury of the Greek Orthodox Church of Tyre and Sidon, and Maronite Archbishop Charbel Abdullah. Their statement came after Israeli evacuation warnings prompted hundreds of residents to flee the

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  Hamas warns of escalating Israeli demolitions across the occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  The Palestinian group Hamas has warned of Israeli demolition operations across the occupied West Bank, following new demolition notices affecting dozens of residential and commercial structures in the Hebron area, in the southern occupied West Bank. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Hamas said the demolitions form part of a broader effort to undermine the Palestinian presence in the occupied territory. “The widespread and escalating demolitions in the West Bank, which aim to displace our people from their land, will not succeed thanks to the steadfastness and resilience of our people,” the movement said. Hamas argued that the demolition campaign is intended to force Palestinians from their homes and communities but said such measures would not weaken Palestinian attachment to

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  Israeli army says Hezbollah fighter crossed border as northern communities placed on high alert

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  The Israeli military said a Hezbollah fighter crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory before being killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces, triggering a major security alert across parts of northern Israel. In a statement, the army said its forces identified the fighter after he crossed the border in the Mount Ramim area and opened fire shortly afterwards. The military said ground troops, special forces units and air force aircraft participated in the pursuit and search operations that followed the incident. According to a preliminary military investigation cited by Israeli Army Radio, the fighter managed to penetrate an area beyond the border fence and was carrying a rifle and a knife. Israeli security officials said he exchanged fire

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  Kuwait in talks with Saudi Arabia and UAE on alternative oil export routes

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Kuwait is holding discussions with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on the possibility of exporting its crude oil through their pipeline networks, a senior Kuwaiti energy official said on Monday. Speaking at the Atlantic Council’s energy forum in Washington, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Nawaf Saud Al-Sabah said the talks are focused on expanding existing pipeline infrastructure to facilitate Kuwaiti oil exports. “We are in discussions with our brothers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE about how to expand their pipeline systems to accommodate Kuwaiti barrels,” he said. Al-Sabah said Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are coordinating closely to address the challenges created by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key

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  Israel kills 8 more Palestinians in Gaza attacks despite ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Israeli attacks killed eight more Palestinians in the last 24 hours in the Gaza Strip, pushing the death toll since October 2023 to 72,988, the Health Ministry said Tuesday, Anadolu agency reported. Another 34 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli army fire during the same period, the ministry said in its daily statistical report. The ministry did not provide details on the circumstances of the casualties, as the Israeli army continued to violate a ceasefire agreement in effect since 10th October 2025, through shelling and gunfire. According to the ministry, at least 978 people have been killed and 3,097 others injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire. The agreement was reached after two years of a genocidal war Israel launched on

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  Iran says enemy cannot achieve in talks what it failed to achieve militarily

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  The commander of the Aerospace Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Majid Mousavi, said that “the enemy will not be able to achieve at the negotiating table what it failed to achieve on the battlefield”. In a post on X on Tuesday, marking 100 days since the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, Mousavi said Iran “will neither surrender nor gets deceived”, adding that Tehran “does not trust the enemy’s promises”, in an apparent reference to the United States and Israel. Amid a mix of setbacks and cautious optimism, Tehran and Washington have been holding talks since the current truce began on 8 April in an effort to end the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran

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  Islamabad urges Somalia to free Pakistani sailors held off Somali coast

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, spoke by phone on Tuesday with Somali Foreign Minister Abdisaalam Abdi Ali about ongoing efforts to release Pakistani hostages on board the tanker MT Honour 25, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan. A spokesperson for Ishaq Dar said in a statement that Pakistan has been actively communicating with Somali authorities since the ship was hijacked off Somalia’s coast in April. Dar expressed Pakistan’s deep concern over the situation and stressed the need to ensure the hostages’ safety and secure their swift release and safe return. Somali Foreign Minister Abdisaalam Abdi Ali reassured him that his government is making serious, ongoing efforts to free the hostages as soon as possible.

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  Israel plans wide Gaza operation amid ceasefires elsewhere

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  The Israeli military is preparing for the potential resumption of large-scale combat in the Gaza Strip, amid ceasefires on the Iranian and Lebanese fronts and assessments indicating that Hamas has exploited the situation to rebuild its military capabilities. Israeli military sources told Haaretz that the so-called commander of the Southern Command claimed no international body has been able to disarm Hamas. Israel will not limit its operations to the yellow-line areas of Gaza. The army believes that if fighting resumes, it will need to enter areas it has previously avoided. READ: Hamas: Iran seeking end to war on all fronts, including Gaza

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  B’Tselem releases video showing Israeli soldier shooting Palestinian baby in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  A new video released on Tuesday by the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights B’Tselem shows an Israeli soldier shooting a Palestinian baby, aged seven months, while he was in his mother’s arms in Hebron, southern West Bank, four days ago. B’Tselem said it obtained footage showing the shooting of the Abu Hikal family, which killed baby Sam Abu Hikal and injured his parents. The video clearly shows that the Israeli soldier fired at the car as it was slowing down to stop, while still at a distance from the soldiers and posing no threat. It also shows the father holding the child and trying to stop the bleeding from his head, while the mother, who was also hit while carrying her son, sits

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  Iran says it targeted US bases in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait, warns of stronger response

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Wednesday it had expanded its response to US strikes on sites in southern Iran, claiming it had targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain with drones, Jordan’s Azraq Air Base with long-range missiles, and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. Iranian state media quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying the operation was carried out in response to what it described as “US aggression”, warning that Tehran would respond “more forcefully” if American attacks continued. The Revolutionary Guard said the US strikes caused damage to a communications tower and two water tanks in the southern Iranian coastal city of Sirik, according to Reuters. Separately, Iranian media quoted Iran’s unified armed forces command as saying that

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  Resistance security detains alleged collaborators in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on June 10, 2026

  Gaza’s resistance security forces said on Tuesday they had arrested several people they claim were working as agents for groups cooperating with Israel. The detainees are accused of planning sabotage and committing crimes inside the Gaza Strip. According to local media quoting the security sources, the suspects admitted during questioning that they had tried to create chaos and lure police officers into specific areas to target them. Preliminary investigations reportedly revealed plots against resistance members and security leaders. Authorities said investigations are ongoing. The sources added that available information points to plans for further sabotage, which they said Israel had attempted to carry out through these cells. Security forces said they had seized weapons and other equipment from the detainees

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  UN warns of ‘immense’ humanitarian needs as Israel allows only one crossing into Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  The UN warned Tuesday of worsening humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, as Israel reopened the only approved cargo crossing into the besieged territory amid food shortages and a sharp decline in meals to civilians, Anadolu reports. Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq reported at a news conference that “Israeli authorities reopened the Kerem Shalom Crossing, which remains the only crossing point for approved cargo to enter Gaza.” “Meanwhile, the UN and our humanitarian partners continue to respond to people’s needs despite bureaucratic hurdles and funding shortfalls, to maintain the response and reach as many vulnerable people as possible,” he added. Despite ongoing aid efforts, “needs remain immense,” he said, noting that “tens

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  Hamas says acceptable approaches reached on contentious Gaza ceasefire issues

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  The Palestinian movement Hamas said Tuesday that “acceptable approaches” had been reached on the “contentious issues” of a Gaza ceasefire agreement with Israel following talks in Cairo. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Anadolu that discussions in the Egyptian capital had produced “acceptable approaches from the parties participating in the talks regarding the contentious issues of the ceasefire agreement.” He said Hamas and other Palestinian factions had dealt “with flexibility and positivity” with proposals presented by mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, “out of a national responsibility to stop the genocide in Gaza.” Qassem said “the ball is now in the court of the (Israeli) occupation and the Board of Peace, represented by its executive director (Nickolay Mladenov,) in order to

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  Amnesty says UK sanctions leave ‘architects’ of West Bank occupiers’ violence untouched

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Amnesty International UK on Tuesday urged the British government to impose sanctions on senior Israeli officials, arguing that new measures announced earlier in the day fail to hold the “architects” of settler violence in the occupied West Bank accountable, Anadolu reports. “Today’s announcements are a step, but they are not enough,” Kristyan Benedict, Amnesty International UK’s crisis response manager, said in a statement after Britain and five other countries announced sanctions targeting networks “financing and enabling settler attacks” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. He said that if the British government is serious about sanctioning those “who support and sponsor violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank,” it must recognize that settlements and settler violence are “state policy

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  The ghost that haunts the Caribbean

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  The sea does not forget. Sixty-four years ago, Soviet missiles pointed at the heart of an American empire from a sliver of a Caribbean island, and the world held its breath at the edge of annihilation. The crisis passed. The missiles were removed. However, the punishment never ended. What Washington called an embargo, what Havana has always called by its true name, a blockade, began on February 3, 1962, and has never stopped. It is the longest sustained campaign of economic strangulation in modern history, outlasting the Cold War, outlasting the Soviet Union, outlasting every justification ever offered for it, and now, in the spring of 2026, it has metastasized into something that should terrify anyone still capable of being

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  Trump says US ‘must’ respond after alleged Iranian attack on helicopter

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington is compelled to respond to an alleged Iranian attack that brought down a US military helicopter, Anadolu reports. “I have just been informed by our great military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. He said both pilots were rescued and are uninjured, but “the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.” CENTCOM confirmed that two crew members were recovered after the crash Monday, though the cause remains under investigation. Iran has not accepted responsibility for bringing down the military helicopter. The incident followed several days of

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  Lebanese president says Israeli withdrawal would help end armed presence outside state control

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  President Joseph Aoun said Tuesday that an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory would enable the state to extend its authority across the country and remove the justification for any weapons outside state control, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency, Anadolu reports. Aoun made the remarks during a meeting with a European parliamentary delegation led by French lawmaker Arnaud Le Gall, head of the French-Lebanese Friendship Committee. “Israel’s withdrawal would allow Lebanon to extend its authority, end armed manifestations and remove any justification for the existence of weapons other than those of the state,” said Aoun. He stressed the need for a political, military, economic and social approach to Hezbollah’s weapons to preserve the political, security and social stability

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  Turkiye, Saudi Arabia ink railway, transport agreements

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Turkiye and Saudi Arabia reached a historic milestone in the transportation and logistics relations by signing memorandum of understanding agreements in transport, railway fields, the Turkish transport and infrastructure minister said on Tuesday, Anadolu Agency reports. “In this context, we are launching a new phase that will strengthen the exchange of expertise and technical cooperation across a wide range of areas, from logistics centers to modern applications,” Abdulkadir Uraloglu said on Turkish social media platform NSosyal. He said the two countries are also advancing their joint efforts in the railway sector by establishing a stronger and more sustainable framework for cooperation, particularly in the fields of technology, infrastructure, training, and human resources. “May these steps, which will contribute to the connectivity,

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  6 nations impose sanctions on networks financing, enabling occupiers’ attacks in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  The UK, Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, and Norway on Tuesday announced sanctions targeting networks “financing and enabling settler attacks” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu Agency reports. The move came in response to record settlement expansion and rising Israeli occupiers’ violence in the West Bank, according to multiple statements. “With our British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, and Norwegian partners, we are today imposing new sanctions against those responsible for intensifying colonization and violence in the West Bank,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on US social media company X. In a statement, the UK Foreign Office noted that the UK also firmly advises British businesses against activity in illegal Israeli settlements. At the national level, Barrot noted that

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  Israel obstructs travel of 17,000 Gazan patients for treatment: Health Ministry

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Gaza’s Health Ministry accused Israel on Tuesday of obstructing the departure of more than 17,000 Palestinians for medical treatment abroad, warning that deaths could rise among patients waiting for care, Anadolu Agency reports. “The number of documented medical referrals had reached 17,757 as of May 20,” acting Deputy Health Minister Maher Shamiya said at a news conference at Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City. He said only 3,226 people have been able to leave through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom (Karam Abu Salem) crossings, including 1,204 patients. Gaza’s health sector is suffering a broad collapse following Israel’s two-year war, which has caused extensive destruction to hospitals and health infrastructure, along with severe shortages of medicine, fuel and medical supplies. The Rafah

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  “May your problems always be so small”: Palestinian pain, Pakistani silence

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  At a recent gathering of social scientists in Washington, DC, a Pakistani-American academic spoke movingly about Palestine. The vocabulary was polished, the grief sincere, the analysis appropriately grave. Then a Palestinian academic asked the question that should stalk every Pakistani and South Asian intellectual in the West: why are you so eloquent about Palestine and so silent about Pakistan? Why can you name Zionism but not Imran Khan? Why can you speak of genocide but not General Asim Munir, Trump’s favorite field marshal, presiding over Pakistan’s quasi-dictatorial order? Why does Pakistan — the country you analyze, inherit, visit, romanticize, and perform — become unspeakable precisely when it most needs speech? To her credit, the Pakistani-American academic did not disappear into

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  More than 100 public figures warn UK court over ‘terrorism’ sentencing in Israeli arms factory protest case

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  More than 100 public figures have warned that four human rights defenders face a “grave miscarriage of justice” if terrorism-related sentencing provisions are applied in a case involving an action at an Israeli arms manufacturer, Anadolu Agency reports. In an open letter published Tuesday by Artists for Palestine UK, signatories including writers, actors, academics, politicians and musicians urged the judge overseeing the case, Jeremy Johnson, to drop what they called a “terrorism connection” in the sentencing of Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio and Fatema Zainab Rajwani, known as part of the Filton 25. The four activists were found guilty by a jury of criminal damage over a 2024 action at an Elbit Systems UK factory near Bristol. However, the jury

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  Israeli air base hit in recent Iranian missile strikes, satellite images suggest

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  A hangar at Ramat David Air Force Base in northern Israel may have been hit during recent Iranian missile attacks, satellite imagery analyzed by an Israeli monitoring company showed. A low-resolution image taken by Soar on Monday “shows a dark spot where the hangar was located,” compared with imagery from June 5, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said Tuesday. The analysis suggested the hangar “may have been hit during the escalation with Iran.” However, the report said it remains unclear what was inside the structure at the time of the apparent impact or the extent of any damage. The Israeli army has not commented on the report. Iran’s military said Sunday that it targeted Israel’s Ramat David Airbase with ballistic missiles,

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  2 high-ranking military personnel killed in Monday’s Israeli strikes on Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Two high-ranking Iranian army personnel were killed in Israeli strikes on Iran on Monday, the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported. Funeral ceremony for Bahman Hosseini and Alireza Abiri will be held later Tuesday, said the outlet, adding that they were killed while on a mission “to defend the country’s skies.” Tensions escalated on Sunday when Israel bombed the Lebanese capital Beirut despite an ongoing ceasefire, prompting Iran to launch missiles at northern Israel in retaliation, with Israel responding with several waves of airstrikes against Iran. The escalation continued into Monday, but Iran’s military later said it had halted attacks on Israel while warning of a “crushing” response if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continued. The region has remained on edge since

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  European countries warn Israeli NGO law threatens humanitarian response in Gaza, West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  A group of 22 countries and senior European officials on Monday voiced deep concern over Israel’s top court rejecting an appeal by international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) against a controversial registration law, warning that the measure could severely undermine humanitarian operations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Anadolu Agency reports. In a joint statement, the signatories said the recent decision by the Israeli High Court to uphold the law would “affect and severely limit” the ability of INGOs to operate in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. “The recent decision by the Israeli High Court to reject the INGOs’ appeal regarding the registration law is deeply concerning,” the statement said. The countries urged Israel not to implement the legislation in its current

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  Israeli ministers call for bombing Lebanese capital, detaining women in revenge on Hezbollah

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Israeli ministers have escalated rhetoric against Lebanon, calling for bombing Beirut, detaining Lebanese women and occupying territory in retaliation for Hezbollah drone strikes, Anadolu Agency reports. “We must think outside the box regarding Hezbollah, and we should also consider occupying territory and killing many terrorists,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said during a meeting of Israel’s Security Cabinet on Monday evening, as cited by Maariv newspaper. Ben-Gvir also called for “arresting their women and children,” saying, “This is what hurts them most.” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Hezbollah of seeking to drag Israel into “a war of attrition.” The Israeli army has mounted deadly airstrikes on Lebanon since a Hezbollah cross-border attack on March 2, killing more than 3,600 people,

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  Egypt’s Family Law deepens Egyptians’ hardship

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Egyptians are awaiting the long-anticipated new Personal Status Law, widely known as the “Family Law”, amid concerns that it could introduce new restrictions and penalties that would place additional burdens on families and contribute to rising divorce rates and family breakdown in a country where, according to official figures, a divorce takes place every two minutes.  The draft law, which comprises around 355 articles, has sparked extensive social, religious and political debate over marriage conditions, divorce procedures, alimony, child custody, visitation rights, the marital home and other contentious issues affecting family relationships. The controversy escalated after Al-Azhar said the draft law had not yet been referred to it and that it had not taken part in drafting it. In a

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  Iran says US removed World Cup ticket quota for its fans, calls on FIFA to act

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Iran’s football federation said the US has removed the ticket quota allocated to Iranian fans for the World Cup, leaving the federation unable to distribute tickets through its official system, Anadolu Agency reports. The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran said Tuesday that FIFA regulations and standard procedures allocate 8% of ticket capacity for each match to the federations taking part in the World Cup. This system allows fans from each country to purchase tickets through an official mechanism coordinated with their national federations, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported. The federation had already begun selling tickets via its official website for Iran’s matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt after receiving its allocated quota, Tasnim added. The federation said

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  Italy’s Foreign Minister Tajani blasts Ben-Gvir remarks amid probe over flotilla detainees

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Italy’s foreign minister on Tuesday condemned “unacceptable” remarks by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who attacked Rome after learning he was under investigation over the treatment of activists detained during seizure of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, Anadolu Agency reports. “These are unacceptable words, unworthy of a minister,” Antonio Tajani said, referring to comments made by the far-right Israeli minister. “Italy is a friend of Israel that has always defended freedom and democracy,” Tajani added, saying Ben-Gvir’s words “demonstrate the moral standing of this gentleman.” Rome prosecutors have launched an investigation into Ben-Gvir in connection with the treatment of Italian nationals detained during the interception of the flotilla, according to Italian media reports. The probe is part of a broader investigation

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  Trump says talks with Iran remain ongoing, with deal possible in 2 or 3 days

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Negotiations between the US and Iran remain ongoing, President Donald Trump said early Tuesday morning, just hours after Iran and Israel agreed to halt attacks on one another that threatened to shatter a shaky ceasefire, Anadolu Agency reports. Trump said the talks with Tehran did not stop during the escalation in violence, signaling that a deal to formally end the war could be reached within “one or two days from now, but I think it’s going well.” “They were going back and forth, and now they both agreed through me to stop, and we’re in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal that will not allow in any way, shape, or form nuclear weapons, etc.,”

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  Pakistani, Lebanese military chiefs discuss regional security amid Israeli attacks on Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Pakistani and Lebanese military chiefs on Tuesday discussed the regional security situation and bilateral military cooperation amid Israeli attacks on Lebanon, according to an official statement, Anadolu agency reported. Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, the commander-in-chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces, met with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, said the Pakistani military media wing in a statement. “During the meeting, both dignitaries exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, evolving regional security environment, defense cooperation and prospects for enhancing bilateral military relations,” it said. The statement added: “The discussions focused on strengthening professional interactions, training cooperation and institutional linkages between the armed forces of the two

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  What if the American violations ahead of the World Cup happened in an Arab country?

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Even before the first whistle of the 2026 World Cup, scandals have already begun to surface. Long before reaching the pitches, we are currently stuck at airport gates and bogged down in visa complications, where the arbitrary measures and blatant violations practised by US immigration authorities reveal a narrow, security-obsessed mindset. These hostile actions completely contradict the very spirit of a global sporting tournament and the values of hospitality and passion that are supposed to unite the peoples of the world. The latest and most embarrassing example is the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, recognised as one of the finest officials in Africa. FIFA selected him to participate in the World Cup, making him the first Somali referee in

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  Israeli Knesset approves bill expanding deductions from Palestinian Authority funds

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  The Israeli Knesset on Monday approved, in its second and third readings, a bill expanding the mechanisms for deducting money from funds transferred to the Palestinian Authority. The law allows Israel to make additional deductions from Palestinian tax clearance revenues to cover compensation and benefits paid by Israeli institutions as a result of Palestinian operations. According to the text of the law, introduced by Likud Knesset member Avichai Boaron, the new deductions will include compensation paid by Israel to people it describes as victims of Palestinian operations, as well as National Insurance payments to those injured and to the families of those killed. The deductions will also cover compensation for property damage paid through Israel’s Compensation Fund and Property Tax

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  ICC prosecutor Karim Khan suspended over misconduct allegations

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan was suspended from his duties late on Monday after the court’s oversight body referred him for disciplinary proceedings amid growing pressure. In a case that has attracted controversy for more than two years, Khan faces allegations of sexual misconduct involving a female aide. He has strongly denied any wrongdoing. The final decision on the future of the British lawyer now rests with the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC’s governing body, which will hold a special session to determine whether Khan should remain in his position. The Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties, the executive committee of the court’s oversight body, said in a statement on Monday that its assessment was based

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  Iran’s Qaani: New ‘resistance security belt’ will stretch from Hormuz to Bab al-Mandab

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Iran’s Quds Force commander Esmaeil Qaani said a new “security belt” of resistance would extend from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and from the Gulf to the Red Sea. In remarks carried by Iranian media, Qaani said: “The timely and decisive action of heroic Yemen shows the wisdom of the resistance front, and if necessary, others will also join.” He added: “From the Strait of Hormuz to Bab al-Mandab, and from the Gulf to the Red Sea, there will be a new resistance security belt.” The Quds Force commander said that “the actions of the Zionist entity and the United States in the region will trigger a response from a united resistance front”. READ: US companies benefit

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  Israeli forces demolish 15 homes in village near Jenin, occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Israeli forces carried out a large-scale demolition operation on Monday in the village of Bartaa, southwest of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank targeting residential buildings that authorities said lacked the required permits. Local sources said Israeli bulldozers demolished 15 homes in what they described as one of the largest demolition operations carried out in the area in recent months. According to the sources, the structures included multi-storey residential buildings housing dozens of families. The demolitions are expected to leave a number of residents without permanent housing and have raised concerns about possible displacement. Residents said the operation forms part of a broader pattern of demolitions in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinian communities frequently face demolition orders linked

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  Top Armenian diplomat expresses belief in full normalisation with Turkiye in ‘near future’

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Monday said he believes his country will achieve full normalisation with Turkiye in the “near future”, Anadolu Agency reported.  Citing remarks to lawmakers at a joint committee hearing in parliament, state news agency Armenpress reported that Mirzoyan said Armenia’s dialogue with Turkiye has continued. Noting that several meetings have taken place in this context, Mirzoyan said one of these meetings included one held by the working group established for the reopening of the Kars-Gyumri railway. “My expectation and belief is that in the very near future, at some stage, we will have tangible progress in terms of the full normalisation of our relations with Turkiye,” Mirzoyan said. “I want to express confidence that in

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  Israeli army assaults 4 children after new incursion in Syria’s Quneitra countryside

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Israeli forces assaulted children following their incursion into Quneitra in southern Syria on Monday, in the latest violation of the Arab country’s sovereignty, Anadolu agency reported. Syrian state television channel Al-Ekhbariya reported that “Israeli occupation forces entered the area west of the town of Al-Rafid in the southern Quneitra countryside, beating four minors, and confiscated their phones.” Earlier on Sunday, the broadcaster reported that “Israeli occupation forces entered the village of Al-Hurriya in the northern Quneitra countryside with five military vehicles and more than thirty soldiers and searched a number of houses.” Israeli forces have carried out near-daily incursions and military operations in southern Syria, including raids, checkpoints, house searches, and detentions, according to Syrian media reports. Following the fall

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  Palestinian prisoners rights group warns of deteriorating conditions in Israel’s Ofer Prison

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  The Prisoners’ Media Office has warned of a severe deterioration in conditions inside Israel’s Ofer prison, citing food shortages, inadequate medical care and worsening health conditions among Palestinian detainees. In a statement issued on Sunday, the office said prisoners have experienced significant weight loss as a result of the Israeli policy of starvation and the poor quality of food provided inside the facility. According to the statement, the situation has been compounded by a lack of medical care, contributing to the spread of skin diseases among detainees. “The continued starvation policy in Ofer prison has led to significant weight loss for a number of prisoners due to a severe shortage of food and its poor quality.” The office said scabies

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  Eisenkot says Netanyahu failed to achieve war objectives across multiple fronts

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader and former army chief Gadi Eisenkot has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to achieve the objectives of Israel’s military campaigns across the region. In a statement posted on X on Monday, Eisenkot said: “The Israeli government failed to achieve its war objectives on all fronts.” Eisenkot argued that the government’s handling of multiple conflicts had allowed regional issues to become increasingly interconnected, particularly regarding Iran and Lebanon. “The absence of a strategy has become a strategy in itself. Due to Netanyahu’s lack of political courage and his political weakness, he succeeded in linking the war fronts in an unprecedented way.” The remarks came amid continuing political debate in Israel over the conduct and outcomes of

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  Lebanon says Israel committed 3,491 ceasefire violations since 17th April

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Lebanese authorities say Israel has committed thousands of violations of the ceasefire agreement since 17th April, including airspace incursions, air strikes and ground operations. Information Minister Paul Morcos announced the figures following a cabinet session chaired by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, during which Defence Minister Michel Mansour presented ministers with an assessment of recent developments. According to Morcos, the Israeli military committed 3,491 airspace violations during the reporting period. He said the violations also included 407 bombardment operations, six bulldozing incidents and six ground incursions into Lebanese territory. Morcos added that Israeli warplanes carried out 70 air raids on Sunday alone, while 33 missiles were fired on the same day. READ: Israel to halt attacks on Iran at Trump’s request, to

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  Israeli military says it intercepted drone launched from Yemen over Eilat

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  The Israeli military said early on Tuesday that it intercepted a drone launched from Yemen after air raid sirens were activated in the southern Israeli city of Eilat. In a statement, the military said the Israeli Air Force had intercepted a drone launched from Yemen after it entered the airspace of Eilat, without providing further details. Israeli Army Radio reported that it was the first drone launched from Yemen in about two months and the second attack carried out by the Houthi movement in less than 24 hours, after missiles were fired towards central Israel early on Monday. There was no immediate comment from the Houthis on the drone launch. On Monday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a

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  Italian prosecutors investigate Ben-Gvir over Global Sumud Flotilla case

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over the Global Sumud Flotilla case, according to Italian news agency ANSA. The investigation is linked to remarks Ben-Gvir made in May, when he mocked activists who were shown kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs at Ashdod port after being detained by Israeli authorities. ANSA said prosecutors in Rome had already opened a case several weeks ago into Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including allegations of torture and unlawful detention. The probe covers the interception of the activists, including Italian citizens, and the conditions in which they were held after Israeli forces seized the vessel. READ: Lawyers ask ICC to expand Palestine investigation to

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  Hamas: Iran seeking end to war on all fronts, including Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on June 9, 2026

  Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the movement highly valued the Iranian and Yemeni responses to what he described as escalating Israeli aggression against the Lebanese people, saying the stance represented a genuine model of solidarity among the region’s nations in confronting Israeli attacks. In a press statement on Monday, Qassem said Hamas viewed the position as “the true form of solidarity that should prevail among all components of the nation”. He called on regional forces to regard this level of support and backing as a duty at this stage in support of the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples. Qassem said Hamas had received repeated assurances from Iranian and Yemeni officials that they were seeking to end the war on all fronts,

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  US did not intercept Iranian missiles fired at Israel, report says

  by Mehdi Editor on June 8, 2026

  The US did not intercept any Iranian ballistic missiles launched toward Israel overnight, contrary to an earlier claim by an Israeli military official, according to a CNN report citing a US official. CNN reported that the US military did not intercept any of the Iranian missiles fired during the latest exchange, marking a departure from previous rounds of conflict when US forces used missile defense systems to help defend Israel against Iranian attacks. The official also told CNN that the Israeli military coordinated closely with the US military during the operation. Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly held two conversations with US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Adm. Brad Cooper, according to the report. READ: Israel to halt attacks

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  Israel demolishes 6 Palestinian homes, displacing dozens in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 8, 2026

  The Israeli army demolished six homes and a carpentry workshop owned by Palestinians across the West Bank on Monday, in the latest demolitions in the occupied territory, Anadolu reports. Israeli bulldozers razed five Palestinian homes in the town of Barta’a, west of Jenin in the northern West Bank, displacing dozens of residents, Barta’a council chief Ghassan Qabha told Anadolu. He said the demolished structures were part of demolitions targeting 20 homes in the town on claims of lacking building permits. “An Israeli court rejected an appeal filed by residents against the demolition order for 20 Palestinian homes in the town on the pretext they were built without permits in areas classified as Area C under the Oslo Accords,” he said.