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

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  UK charity regulator opens inquiry into funding of illegal Israeli settlements

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into charities registered in England and Wales over concerns that charitable funds have been directed to illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine. The regulator will examine how much money charities have transferred to organisations or projects operating in the settlements, how recipients used the funds and whether the spending advanced the charities’ declared purposes. It will also consider whether charitable assets or beneficiaries face risks and whether it should take regulatory action. The inquiry will initially focus on eight unnamed charities selected according to factors including the location of their partners and how recently the alleged activity occurred. Read: UK Charity Commission urged to act against Zionist trust ‘fundraising’ for IDF The

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  US has used ‘virtually all’ key long-range missiles in Iran war – report

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  The US Army has used “virtually all” of its stockpile of two key long-range precision missile systems during Washington’s five-month war against Iran, raising serious questions about the country’s readiness for another major conflict, Reuters has reported. Citing three people familiar with internal military data, the report said the US has exhausted most of its Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), surface-to-surface weapons that allow forces to strike targets accurately from a considerable distance. Two of the sources described the remaining stockpile of the weapons as virtually depleted, although they declined to disclose the number of missiles still available. The disclosure highlighted the scale at which the US has consumed some of its most advanced and

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  Israeli forces raid refugee camp, town north of occupied Jerusalem

  by Mehdi Editor on August 5, 2026

  Israeli forces raided the Qalandiya refugee camp and the town of Kafr Aqab, north of occupied Jerusalem, early Wednesday and imposed strict restrictions, including preventing dawn prayers at mosques in the camp, according to the Jerusalem Governorate. In a series of statements received by Anadolu Agency, the governorate said Israeli forces launched a large-scale raid on Qalandiya and Kafr Aqab. The forces imposed a curfew on the streets of Kafr Aqab and heavily deployed military vehicles in the area, it added. Israeli forces prevented dawn prayers at all mosques in Qalandiya and sent text messages to several residents announcing the start of a large-scale military campaign in the camp, the governorate said. The forces also arrested the father of Laith

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  Ali Al-Zaidi may be the failure Iraq needs

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  We should at least entertain the theoretical possibility that Iraq’s new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, is not a fully formed Iranian proxy in the mold of Nouri al-Maliki or Adel Abdul Mahdi. Imagine the following scenario: al-Zaidi speaks the loud language of reform, but governs with cold pragmatism. His promises to “disarm the militias” and “eradicate corruption” give him moral cover to enact cosmetic adjustments that leave the core machinery of plunder untouched—the very swamp in which his government lives. Parliament, unable to bear the cost of toppling yet another prime minister, cooperates. His media campaigns—from a Washington visit packed with a box of carefully arranged illusions, to an upcoming pilgrimage to Tehran packed with a box of loyalty—are cheap

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  There are no “good” Pakistanis left: The geopolitics of obedience

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  For most of Pakistan’s history, the security state has divided the country into two convenient species: the obedient and the dangerous. The terminology changes with geography, ethnicity and political need. “Good” Taliban and “bad” Taliban. “Good” Baloch and “bad” Baloch. Patriotic Pashtuns and foreign-sponsored Pashtuns. Heroic Kashmiris and suspicious Kashmiris. More recently, acceptable supporters of Imran Khan and unacceptable ones — the former frightened into apology, the latter insufficiently broken to surrender. “Good” has never meant peaceful, democratic or law-abiding. It means useful. A good Pakistani mistakes submission for patriotism and silence for unity. A bad Pakistani asks the questions the state cannot survive: Who rules? By what right? For whose benefit? The present military order now faces a grave

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  Trump’s Iran war exposes Washington’s strategic drift

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  The confrontation with Iran has put one of Donald Trump’s central political promises under real strain. Trump built his political brand on a straightforward idea: America would stop pouring resources into endless wars and start putting its own interests first. “America First” meant restraint, making allies carry more of the load, and staying out of conflicts that offered no clear payoff for the United States. Instead of showing that discipline, Washington has looked increasingly reactive, locked into a policy without a clear political endpoint. The criticism is no longer coming only from Democrats. A growing number of conservative commentators, realist scholars, and voices inside the MAGA movement argue that the administration has entered a conflict without a credible way out.

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  Gaza Ceasefire Falters as Trump Remains Trapped in Israel-First Agenda | Palestine This Week

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  In this episode of Palestine This Week, we are joined by Palestinian political analyst Muhammad Shehada to examine the major developments of the past seven days. The episode covers the latest Hamas-Israel ceasefire negotiations, the role of Gaza in exposing dark money and foreign influence in US politics, Israeli-funded efforts to “poison” AI-generated information and important legal victories protecting anti-Zionist speech in the UK and Germany. We also discuss why Israel and the US are being mentioned in connection with the Ceuta migration crisis, as well as the debate sparked by Green Party plans to twin Greater Manchester with Ramallah and the history of terrorism in Palestine. In this episode of Palestine This Week, we are joined by Palestinian political

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  AIPAC spends $30m but fails to stop El-Sayed in Michigan

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has suffered a major electoral defeat after Dr Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, crushing pro-Israel congresswoman Haley Stevens despite an unprecedented spending campaign on her behalf. AIPAC’s super political action committee, the United Democracy Project, spent more than $30 million promoting Stevens and attacking El-Sayed, according to Federal Election Commission filings analysed by the New York Times. NBC News projected El-Sayed as the winner on Wednesday, dealing a major blow to the pro-Israel lobby’s efforts to determine the outcome of one of the most closely watched Democratic contests in the country. El-Sayed campaigned against US military assistance to Israel and repeatedly highlighted AIPAC’s intervention in the race. Stevens, by contrast, received

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  How standing up to Israeli genocide could win Democrats Congress in November

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  At 2 a.m. Michigan time last night, NBC projected that AIPAC’s candidate was on her way to look for a new job. Representative Haley Stevens’ defeat in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary is the last nail in AIPAC’s coffin. The once-feared Israel lobby is sinking, along with Israel, like a stone in American public opinion. Despite sixty-to-one spending against Abdul El-Sayed, Stevens couldn’t keep her head above water. AIPAC and its Israel-first Jewish billionaires turned Michigan into the most expensive Democratic Senate primary in American history and lost anyway. Just think about it for a second: a PAC that backs a conservative candidate who champions tax cuts for billionaires in one congressional district, while simultaneously bankrolling a liberal who wants to

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  Stillborn peace plans: Israel, Hamas and the question of disarmament

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  Another trumpeted achievement, another heralded occasion of momentous significance.  Or it may be nothing of the sort.  US President Donald J. Trump is again on the stage pulling on the strings of history.  This time, attention has shifted to whether Hamas and other armed groups in the Gaza Strip will disarm, something conditional on Israel withdrawing its forces from the war-torn enclave.  And there, we are presented with the first, insoluble problem. The latest roadmap published by the US-led Board of Peace is intended to advance the rest of Trump’s 20-point peace plan signed by Hamas and Israel in October 2025.  It involves the respective cessation by Israel, Hamas and relevant Palestinian factions of “all military operations in accordance with

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  What happened to the Gaza Board of Peace?

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

   It has almost been 7 months since President Donald Trump, in January 2026, announced the establishment of the Board of Peace to govern the post-war Gaza, oversee the construction of the devastated region, and establish an international force to monitor the ceasefire. Alas, nothing has emerged in the public domain about its progress or the actions on the ground. Today, the board seems to have been buried in the mounds of ongoing multi-front wars in the region and all the buzz around it seems to have been overshadowed by the diplomacy around Iran-US and Israel-Lebanon wars. Since the adoption of the charter during the Davos meeting on 22nd January 2026, only two meetings have been held. President Trump announced this

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  Ben-Gvir defies Israeli court over crocodile moat plan around prison holding Palestinian detainees

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, accompanied by Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, toured crocodile trenches surrounding a wing of Ketziot Prison housing Palestinian The visit came despite a temporary order issued by the Jerusalem District Court on 2 August suspending the plan to place crocodiles around the prison pending a ruling on a petition filed by the animal rights group Let the Animals Live. Ben-Gvir said: “There are supposed to be crocodiles here, but the court has issued an order and continues to put obstacles in the way of what we are doing.” Defying the court’s decision, he added: “There will be crocodiles, and we will fight the battle in court.” Silman said she had visited the site

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  Hamas threatens withdrawal from Gaza understandings amid continued Israeli air strikes

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  Hamas has told mediators it is considering withdrawing from the understandings currently being discussed to reach an agreement on Gaza, in protest at continued Israeli air strikes across the territory, according to Israeli media reports. Israel’s Channel 14 reported that the message sent to mediators could affect the course of the sensitive negotiations currently under way, as the parties work to draft an agreement setting out a framework for the next phase in Gaza. Israeli sources said the government is assessing the implications of Hamas’s message and the options available over the coming hours. Discussions are continuing within Israel’s political and security leadership over how to respond to the latest developments. According to the reports, the debate in Israel centres

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  Sudanese official says army pushes back RSF in two areas of North Darfur

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  The Governor of Sudan’s Darfur region, Minni Arko Minnawi, said on Tuesday that the Sudanese army and allied forces had defeated the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Hajar al-Marfaein and Bir Saliba areas of North Darfur State. In a post on Facebook, Minnawi said the battle in Hajar al-Marfaein and Bir Saliba was “a heroic epic” in which government forces proved that determination could overcome aggression after fierce fighting that ended in a battlefield victory. He added that forces on the ground had reported the killing of Major General Mahdi Adam, also known as Jabal Moon, the RSF’s Western Axis commander. Minnawi congratulated the forces involved in the operation, paid tribute to those killed, wished the wounded a

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  Netanyahu: US sent Israel draft Gaza Agreement but “we have not approved it”

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday evening that his government remains committed to what it described as its “security requirements” in the Gaza Strip, stressing that the Israeli military will not withdraw from its current positions until Hamas has been fully disarmed. Netanyahu said the government had instructed the military to “take all necessary measures” to protect Israeli soldiers, civilians and territory. He added that any future arrangements in Gaza must ensure that security threats cannot re-emerge. He said US President Donald Trump and his team believe it is possible to reach an agreement that would lead to Hamas being disarmed and the Gaza Strip becoming a demilitarised area. Netanyahu said Israel is reviewing the US proposal but

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  Gaza faces surge in infectious diseases amid escalating skin outbreaks

  by Marwa A on August 5, 2026

  As temperatures soar during the peak of summer, tents housing displaced people across the Gaza Strip have become like ovens, with no cooling facilities and little access to basic necessities. Inside a fabric tent at the Al-Attar camp for displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, 70-year-old grandmother Umm Ahmed Tabaza sits beside her two-year-old granddaughter, Sama, fanning her with a piece of cardboard in an attempt to cool her after she was exhausted by the heat and illness. Inflamed blisters have spread densely across the child’s body, causing severe itching that sometimes leads to bleeding. After she contracted chickenpox, the infection spread to several members of her family living with her inside the tent. Despite

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  Lebanon-Israel talks in Rome focus on border, security arrangements: Lebanese official

  by Marwa A on August 4, 2026

  The first day of the seventh round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in Rome focused on border issues and mechanisms to verify the implementation of security arrangements, a senior Lebanese official told Anadolu on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. “The first day of the seventh round of negotiations with Israel concluded, with the afternoon discussions divided into two meetings, one military and one political,” the official said. At the political meeting, the two sides discussed the border issue, with Lebanon presenting its position. The discussions are scheduled to continue on Wednesday, the official said. During the military meeting, participants discussed mechanisms to verify the implementation of the security arrangements, including an Israeli withdrawal, Hezbollah’s weapons, as well as the third party

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  Indian vessel sinks after Red Sea attack off Yemen, all 14 crew rescued

  by Marwa A on August 4, 2026

  An Indian vessel sank after coming under attack in the Red Sea by an explosives-laden boat off Yemen’s western coast, with all 14 crew members rescued, Yemen’s government-aligned National Resistance Forces announced on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The forces’ December 2 news agency said the Faize Noore Oliya was attacked while sailing about 13 nautical miles south of Al Hudaydah, in the Red Sea, causing it to sink. The agency did not give details about the circumstances of the attack or identify the party responsible. It said the Yemeni Navy and Coast Guard carried out a joint rescue operation that saved all 14 crew members, including 13 Indian sailors and one Yemeni. No casualties were recorded, and the crew members were

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  Understanding with Oman on Strait of Hormuz ‘within reach’ if US stops interference: Iranian official

  by Marwa A on August 4, 2026

  A senior Iranian official said Tuesday that Tehran is close to reaching an understanding with Oman on a new navigation arrangement for the Strait of Hormuz, provided the US stops interfering in the negotiations, Anadolu reports. Speaking to Iran’s Press TV, the official said talks between Tehran and Muscat have entered “a new phase” and are centered on establishing “a new corridor” to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the strategic waterway. The official said an understanding with Oman is “within reach if the US stops interference.” He accused US President Donald Trump of attempting to influence the talks and claim credit for the outcome, saying the actions have “only slowing the negotiating process.” The proposed corridor would

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  Israeli army launches renewed raids in southern Syria

  by Marwa A on August 4, 2026

  The Israeli army on Tuesday launched a renewed wave of raids in southern Syria, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Anadolu reports. Israeli forces advanced into the village of Mariya in the Yarmouk Basin area of Daraa province in southwestern Syria, SANA reported. They carried out a limited incursion into the western part of the village and searched several civilian homes before withdrawing from the area without making any arrests, the agency said. Since Monday, the Israeli army has also continued earthmoving operations and work to reopen an old dirt road north of Wadi al-Raqad from the direction of Mariya village, using a bulldozer accompanied by a tank and a pickup truck, it added. Southern Syria has witnessed

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  Israel commits 6 ceasefire violations in Lebanon despite Rome talks

  by Marwa A on August 4, 2026

  The Israeli army committed six ceasefire violations Tuesday in Lebanon, according to Lebanese state-run National News Agency, despite a new round of direct negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv in Rome, Anadolu reports. The reported violations came as the seventh round of US-mediated talks between the two sides opened in the Italian capital, despite the two countries signing a framework agreement in June. In southern Lebanon, the news outlet reported that Israeli military vehicles advanced from the town of Haddatha toward the outskirts of Aita al-Jabal in the Bint Jbeil district, while Israeli forces carried out artillery shelling and operated drones and reconnaissance aircraft above the area. It added that Israeli troops also fired machine guns toward Haddatha as military

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  Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism, UK appeal tribunal confirms in landmark ruling

  by Marwa A on August 4, 2026

  The UK Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has upheld a landmark ruling that anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism and constitutes a protected philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010. The judgment rejects the University of Bristol’s attempt to overturn the central findings in favour of its former professor, David Miller. The ruling reinforces a distinction which pro-Palestine campaigners, Jewish anti-Zionists and civil liberties advocates have defended for years: opposition to Zionism as a political ideology is not inherently the same as hostility towards Jewish people. In its judgment, handed down on today, the EAT upheld the findings that the university’s decision to dismiss Miller and its refusal of his internal appeal constituted unlawful direct discrimination. It also preserved the conclusions that his

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  Palantir revenue surges 93% amid criticism over support for Israel’s Gaza war

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  US artificial intelligence and data analytics company Palantir Technologies reported a 93% year-on-year surge in second-quarter revenue, despite mounting criticism over its support for Israel and the alleged use of its technology in the Gaza war, Anadolu reports. Revenue reached $1.94 billion in the three months ended June 30, up from $1 billion a year earlier, the company said Monday. Net income attributable to common shareholders more than tripled to $1.06 billion, while diluted earnings per share rose to $0.41 from $0.13. Palantir’s US revenue climbed 115% year-on-year to $1.57 billion. US commercial revenue jumped 149% to $764 million, while government revenue increased 90% to $809 million. “This quarter was otherworldly,” CEO Alex Karp said, citing accelerating demand for what

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  6 Saudi-flagged oil carriers reroute around Africa, avoiding Bab el-Mandeb

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Six Saudi-flagged very large crude carriers (VLCCs) sailing in ballast have turned away from the Bab el-Mandeb route and are heading south through the Indian Ocean, ship-tracking platform MarineTraffic said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. MarineTraffic wrote on US social media platform X that the first Automatic Identification System (AIS) destination changes for five of the six vessels were recorded July 30 as the tankers continued southward. The Ghinah and Laynah updated their destinations to Durban, South Africa, while the Burqan initially signaled Durban before switching to Algoa Bay and later Port Elizabeth. The Dilam and Hazm initially listed Gibraltar as their destinations. The Hazm subsequently changed its destination to Durban at 2220GMT on July 31, according to the platform. READ: Yemen’s Houthis

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  Over 600 Palestinians detained by Israel in West Bank raids last month: Advocacy group

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Israeli forces rounded up 630 Palestinians in military raids across the occupied West Bank in July as part of escalating arrest campaigns since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, a prisoners’ rights group said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Women, children and former prisoners were among those detained in the Israeli raids, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a statement. The group said the latest wave of arrests brought the number of Palestinians detained since the Gaza war in October 2023 to more than 25,000 people. “The arrest campaigns were accompanied by escalating violations, including field interrogations, violent night raids on homes, systematic destruction of property, assaults on detainees and their families through beatings, threats and humiliation, holding family members hostage,

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  Iraqi Airways resumes direct flights to Moscow after months-long suspension

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Iraqi Airways resumed direct flights between Baghdad and Moscow after a several-month suspension, Russia’s Transport Ministry said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The first flight arrived at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport earlier Tuesday, marking the resumption of regular direct air service between the Iraqi and Russian capitals. Flights are scheduled to operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, according to the ministry. Iraqi Airways said the decision to resume the route was driven by growing demand for direct flights between Baghdad and Moscow. The resumption comes as another Middle Eastern carrier prepares to restore direct service to the Russian capital. Syrian Airlines said it will resume flights between Damascus and Moscow from Aug. 16. The two developments expand direct air connections between

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  Israel allocates $37M to develop alleged Jewish heritage sites in occupied West Bank amid intensified settlement expansion

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Tuesday the allocation of $37 million to develop alleged Jewish heritage sites in the West Bank, amid intensified illegal settlement expansion in the occupied territory, Anadolu reports. “For the first time in history, 113 million shekels ($37 million) will be allocated to develop more than 70 heritage sites in Judea and Samaria,” Smotrich said on the US social media company X, using Israel’s biblical term for the West Bank. Smotrich, leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party, did not identify the targeted sites. In May, the Knesset approved the first reading of a bill to establish the so-called “Judea and Samaria Heritage Authority,” which would place Roman, Byzantine and Crusader-era sites under the authority

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  Red Cross appeals for greater support as humanitarian needs deepen across Sudan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) appealed Tuesday for greater international support for Sudan, warning that humanitarian needs continue to grow while funding falls far short, Anadolu reports. “Sudan is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, yet it is also one of its most overlooked,” IFRC Special Envoy for Sudan Derk Segaar told reporters in Geneva after returning from the country. Segaar said that while global attention has focused on Darfur and Kordofan, the consequences of more than three years of conflict are being felt nationwide. He said 35 million people require humanitarian assistance, more than 9 million are internally displaced and 4.5 million have fled Sudan. Segaar said the Sudanese Red Crescent, supported

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  Syrian Airlines to launch direct Damascus-Moscow flights on Aug. 16

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Syrian Airlines will begin operating regular direct flights between Damascus and Moscow starting Aug. 16, Syria’s General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport announced Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The authority said the new service will provide scheduled direct connections between the Syrian and Russian capitals, according to the SANA news agency. The announcement comes as Syria continues to restore international air links following years of disruption. On Saturday, Saudi carrier Flynas launched scheduled direct flights between Riyadh and Aleppo, while Syrian authorities have also announced that German carriers LEAV Aviation and Sundair will resume regular direct services to the country. In May, the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority said the number of airlines that had resumed services to and from Syria had risen

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  US, Iran may reach Hormuz deal by Tuesday or Wednesday: Treasury chief

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  The US and Iran could reach a deal by Tuesday or Wednesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore freedom of movement for commercial ships, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. “We are in talks with the Iranians,” Bessent told CNBC. “There is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the Strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict.” Asked whether Iran would be allowed to charge a toll, Bessent said the agreement would allow freedom of movement in the strait. “It would be freedom of movement,” Bessent said. “Even though things are still a little dicey there over the past few days, we saw quite a few ships coming

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  Qatar urges pressure on Israel to implement Gaza ceasefire, says Hamas committed to roadmap

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Qatar called Tuesday for pressure on Israel to implement its commitments under the Gaza ceasefire agreement, saying Hamas has fulfilled all obligations under the deal, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a news conference in Doha, Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said Hamas “has committed to everything it was expected to do under the roadmap.” “We ask the international community to pressure Israel to implement this agreement so that we can ultimately move toward the reconstruction of Gaza,” he said. READ: Hamas says Israel escalating Gaza attacks to derail ceasefire understandings His call came after the Board of Peace and US President Donald Trump announced Friday that Hamas had agreed to a roadmap for implementing the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, while Israel has

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  Lebanon says Beirut port blast indictment to be issued ‘within months’

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos said Tuesday that an indictment in the 2020 Beirut port blast will be issued within the next few months, adding that the investigation has entered its “final stages,” Anadolu reports. “Judicial investigations are no longer facing obstruction under the mandate of the current government,” Morcos told Anadolu on the sidelines of a sit-in organized by families of the victims on the sixth anniversary of the explosion. He did not provide further details on the course of the investigation or the obstacles it had faced. The sit-in was held near the Beirut port at a memorial for firefighters killed in the blast, with dozens of victims’ relatives renewing their demand for the truth to be revealed and those

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  Turkish foreign minister to attend ministerial meeting on Jerusalem in Jordan

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend a ministerial meeting on Jerusalem in Jordan’s capital Amman on Wednesday to discuss the city’s status, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and efforts to advance a two-state solution, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, Anadolu reports. According to the sources, the meeting will be hosted by Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. Senior officials from Türkiye, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia, Bahrain, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Somalia and Malaysia, as well as the secretary-general of the Arab League, are expected to attend. Participants are expected to discuss preserving the historical and legal status of Jerusalem’s holy sites, developments in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, Israel’s

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  Sciences Po Paris faces allegations of surveillance targeting pro-Palestine students

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  The administration of French university Sciences Po Paris reportedly used unprecedented surveillance methods against students involved in pro-Palestine demonstrations, according to local investigative outlet Mediapart, Anadolu reports. Citing several internal disciplinary files, Mediapart said on Monday that students were monitored on social media, photographed without their knowledge, and observed during gatherings to collect evidence for disciplinary proceedings. Since 2024, at least 48 students have reportedly been subjected to disciplinary investigations, while 13 were temporarily banned from entering the university’s premises pending decisions by its disciplinary body. Most of the temporary suspensions were later lifted, though at least two remained in effect, the report said. The investigation identified Pierre Catalan, then-director of student life at the university, as a central figure in the

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  Yemen’s Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi airport

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group claimed Tuesday that it carried out a drone strike on a “sensitive target” at Najran Airport in southern Saudi Arabia, Anadolu reports. Military spokesman Yahya Saree alleged on the US social media company X that the attack accurately hit its intended target. He said the operation was launched in response to what he described as Saudi drone violations of Yemeni airspace over the provinces of Saada and Hajjah. Saree warned that any future violation of Yemen’s airspace “will not pass without response and punishment.” ​​​​​​​There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities on the claim. READ: Yemen’s army says several Houthi fighters killed, injured in Taiz attack

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  Iranian president denies reports of resignation

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied on Tuesday reports that he had submitted his resignation amid ongoing military escalation with the US, Anadolu reports. “If I were going to resign, I would announce it publicly. I will not resign, and I will continue the struggle,” Pezeshkian said in a televised speech, excerpts of which were published by the official IRNA news agency. He also denied claims of disagreements with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and the armed forces, stressing that “we are working in full harmony.” “Everyone knows that if any disagreement arises, the armed forces would stand with Khamenei,” he said. READ: Iran denies seeking halt to US attacks, agreement to reopen Strait of Hormuz Iranian opposition media outlets earlier claimed that Pezeshkian had

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  Whose interests is the Board of Peace serving?

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  The Board of Peace High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov once again altered his rhetoric after Hamas announced its agreement to disarm, which raised the ire of Israeli officials. US President Donald Trump announced a deal had been reached in which Hamas would disarm while Israel would gradually withdraw its forces. Of course, Israel never had any intention to withdraw from Gaza. There was always a reason why the genocide was carried out in the first place and why, gradually, Israel cut off all vital resources for Palestinians, notably humanitarian aid through UNRWA. Without aid, forcibly displaced, and with barriers impeding the Palestinians return to their dwellings in Gaza, Israel entrenched itself in full view of the world, constructing barriers,

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  Iran, Oman near deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Iran and Oman are close to reaching an agreement to restore commercial maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, The New York Times reported Monday, citing Iranian and US officials, Anadolu reports. Under the potential deal, the report said, vessels entering the Gulf would travel through a shipping channel controlled by Iran and close to its coast, while outbound traffic would use a channel near Oman. Iranian officials told The New York Times that no tolls would be charged but said the agreement includes a “service fee” to cover environmental impacts, security for cargo ships and tankers, and staffing costs. They added that the revenue would be shared equally between Iran and Oman. READ: Iran says final Hormuz proposal to Oman requires control

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  Hezbollah chief says ‘no obstacle’ to public meeting with Syrian leadership

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Tuesday there is “no obstacle” to holding a public meeting between his group and the Syrian leadership, Anadolu reports. “There is no obstacle to holding a public meeting between Hezbollah and the Syrian leadership at a suitable time,” Qassem said in a televised speech on the group’s Al-Mayadeen television. Hezbollah publicly entered Syria’s civil war in 2013 in support of former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. As its confrontation with Israel intensified in 2024, the group withdrew a large portion of its fighters back to Lebanon. The subsequent lightning offensive by Syrian opposition forces and the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024 effectively brought Hezbollah’s military presence in Syria to an end. “We emphasize

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  Palestinians mourn 112 people retrieved from rubble in Gaza

  by Marwa A on August 4, 2026

  Palestinians in Gaza held funeral prayers on Tuesday for 112 people recovered from under the rubble of homes destroyed during Israel’s genocidal war on the enclave, Anadolu reports. Thousands of Palestinians took part in the funeral in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, where the bodies were draped in Palestinian flags and placed near the ruins of the destroyed homes, according to an Anadolu reporter. The victims are set to be buried at the Baptist Cemetery in the Zeitoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City, after the funeral procession. The victims were members of the the Al-Hasayneh and Abu Sharia families, who were killed when the Israeli army bombed their homes while they were inside on Nov. 23, 2023. The funeral is considered

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  UN agency says Israeli forces raided its training center in East Jerusalem 5 times this year

  by Marwa A on August 4, 2026

  The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said Tuesday that Israeli forces have raided its Qalandiya Training Centre, its last operational facility in occupied East Jerusalem, five times since the start of 2026, Anadolu reports. Speaking to Anadolu during a tour organized by the agency at the center, Acting Head of UNRWA’s Media Office in the occupied West Bank, Abeer Ismail, said the center remains UNRWA’s last functioning facility in occupied East Jerusalem. “UNRWA has not received any Israeli order to close, confiscate or demolish it,” she said. According to Ismail, Israel’s law banning UNRWA’s activities in Jerusalem came into force more than a year ago, leading to the closure of the agency’s headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, its

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  Israeli occupiers burn 3 Palestinian vehicles, damage power grid in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Israeli occupiers escalated attacks Tuesday on Palestinian towns and villages in the northern occupied West Bank, burning three vehicles, attacking homes and damaging a power grid, Anadolu reports. Palestinian anti-settlement activist Bashar al-Qaryouti told Anadolu that a group of occupiers attacked citizens’ homes in the area between the villages of Jalud and Talfit, south of Nablus, and set fire to three vehicles. The occupiers also tried to set fire to a residential building, but residents noticed the attack and confronted them, preventing the fire from spreading, Qaryouti said. In a separate attack early Tuesday, occupiers damaged part of the electricity network in the town of Madama, south of Nablus. Madama village council head Rami Nassar said occupiers from a newly established outpost

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  Aramco reports higher revenue as US-Iran war boosts oil prices

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Saudi energy giant Aramco reported a sharp increase in its second-quarter net income, up 44%, as the ongoing US-Iran conflict drives global oil prices higher and disrupts regional supply chains, Anadolu Agency reports. Aramco’s net income reached $32.7 billion in the second quarter, up from $22.67 billion in the same quarter 2025, the firm announced on Tuesday. The geopolitical conflict drove global oil prices up and allowed the Saudi company to capitalize on its diverse asset base. The company’s net income also reached $65.2 billion during the first half of the year, up from $48.68 billion in the same period last year. Aramco President and Chief Executive Officer Amin H. Nasser said the unprecedented supply disruption defined the performance of

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  Palestine Football Association says FIFA failed to enforce rules against Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  The Palestine Football Association (PFA) says FIFA has failed to apply its own rules against Israel, accusing the governing body of years of inaction despite what it described as the devastation of Palestinian football, Anadolu reports. In a statement Monday, the PFA said more than 1,013 players, coaches, referees, officials and members of the Palestinian football community have been killed during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, while stadiums, training facilities and football infrastructure have been destroyed. The PFA also criticized FIFA for failing to act against Israeli settlement clubs in the occupied Palestinian territory, saying complaints it has raised for more than 15 years remain unresolved. READ: Norway uses influence in football to push for Israel’s suspension from FIFA “Silence, when a genocide

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  Qatar urges Gulf coordination to implement US-Iran memorandum of understanding

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Qatar on Monday called for greater Gulf coordination to implement the US-Iran memorandum of understanding in separate calls between Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and his counterparts in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, Anadolu reports. The talks focused on regional developments, particularly diplomatic efforts and joint coordination to reduce tensions and strengthen security and stability across the region, alongside bilateral cooperation, according to a statement by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry. Al Thani stressed the need for all parties to remain committed to dialogue and diplomacy and to implement the provisions of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding including ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz to preserve regional security, safeguard recent

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  Trump says Hamas has agreed to disarm. The negotiations tell a different story

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  US President Donald Trump declared that Hamas had agreed to lay down its arms, and much of the international media echoed the announcement as though a final agreement had already been reached. The statement suggested that the Palestinian resistance had finally accepted Israeli and American terms. The negotiations themselves tell a different story. Neither the 15-point draft currently under discussion nor the public statements issued by Hamas leaders support the claim that the movement has agreed to unilateral disarmament. What exists is a framework for negotiations whose implementation depends on reciprocal commitments carried out in carefully sequenced phases. The principal disagreement is not whether there should be an agreement, but in what order each side must fulfil its obligations. Israel

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  WHO demands protection for Gaza health care facilities amid Israeli attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  The World Health Organization (WHO) called Monday for an immediate end to Israeli attacks on medical facilities in Gaza following a strike that destroyed a critical storage unit and essential supplies, Anadolu Agency reports. “WHO calls for the protection of health care. Health care facilities must never be attacked or militarized,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. Over the weekend, an Israeli attack targeted a storage site adjacent to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, damaging the main building and destroying medical equipment, including items recently delivered by the WHO. Ghebreyesus noted that despite an existing ceasefire, insecurity remains high in the enclave as residents struggle with malnutrition, disease and a lack of medical care. READ: Gaza health ministry says death toll

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  Israeli defense minister backtracks on West Bank commander’s dismissal amid army row

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz sought to walk back his announcement that the army’s Central Command chief would be replaced, insisting on Monday that the move had been initiated months earlier on the recommendation of Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Anadolu reports. According to Israel’s Channel 15, associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contacted Katz after his televised interview on Sunday to seek clarification over the circumstances surrounding the appointment. Katz was quoted as telling Netanyahu’s associates that the uproar was “a storm in a teacup.” “I didn’t dismiss him. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir requested the appointment of Dado Bar Kalifa as his successor, and now he’s turning against me,” Katz said, according to the broadcaster. Katz later issued a statement

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  Iran canceled plans to strike 3 sites in Ukraine after Kyiv ‘apology’: Top Iranian military adviser

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Iran was prepared to launch strikes on three sites in Ukraine before scrapping the operation after an “apology” from Kyiv, a top military adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Monday, Anadolu reports. In an interview with Iranian state television, Mohsen Rezaei said Iran’s armed forces had completed preparations for the strikes before the operation was called off. Rezaei also warned that Iran would not allow any maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz outside Iran’s designated route, saying any hostile naval vessel attempting to use an “illegal route” would be targeted. He also said that Iran had inflicted heavy losses on US forces during the recent 17-day conflict, adding that Iranian missile and drone attacks had thwarted Washington’s military objectives. READ: Iran

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  2 Israeli ministers urge Netanyahu to prevent deployment of Gaza stabilization force

  by Mehdi Editor on August 4, 2026

  Two Israeli ministers called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to prevent the deployment of an international stabilization force in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. In an urgent letter sent to Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlement Minister Orit Strock demanded the immediate convening of Israel’s Security Cabinet and the suspension of the entry of the International Stabilization Force (ISF) into Gaza, The Times of Israel daily reported. They claimed that the Israeli decision to allow the ISF to deploy in Gaza had been based on “incorrect information” and that the Board of Peace roadmap for the Palestinian enclave “is dangerous to Israel and completely contradicts the disarming of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza.” Last week, Israel’s Security Cabinet