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

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  Lebanese president condemns killing of 3 soldiers in Israeli strike

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Saturday condemned the killing of three Lebanese soldiers in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, calling it a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty and international law, Anadolu reports. The Israeli army acknowledged targeting a Lebanese military vehicle and said it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the strike. In a statement, Aoun condemned what he described as an Israeli attack on a Lebanese army patrol on the Khardali-Nabatieh road that killed two officers and a soldier. He said the attack was part of the ongoing Israeli escalation that threatens stability and security in southern Lebanon despite diplomatic efforts and ongoing talks in Washington aimed at ending Israeli attacks. Aoun urged the international community to assume

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  Iraqi football player questioned for 7 hours after arriving in US: Reports

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Iraqi football player Aymen Hussein was questioned for seven hours after arriving in the US city of Chicago ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Iraqi media reported Saturday. According to the reports, the incident occurred when the Iraqi national team arrived at Chicago’s airport. While the rest of the squad was cleared to leave, striker Aymen Hussein was reportedly held for additional verification and security screening. Members of the Iraqi delegation worked with airport authorities to resolve the matter, but the team ultimately returned to its base without its leading forward. Following seven hours of questioning and administrative procedures, Hussein was released and rejoined his teammates, the reports said. Iraq is set to play its final pre-World Cup friendly

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  Israeli strike on tent sheltering displaced Palestinians kills 6 in Gaza City

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  At least six Palestinians were killed and 10 others, including children, were injured on Saturday when an Israeli drone strike hit a tent sheltering displaced civilians in Gaza City, according to medical sources, Anadolu reports. The strike targeted a tent in the Al-Rimal neighborhood west of Gaza City, destroying it and damaging nearby shelters, witnesses told Anadolu. Medical sources said six people were killed and 10 others were injured in the attack. The Israeli army did not immediately comment on the incident. The attack came amid continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10, according to Palestinian authorities. Since the ceasefire entered into force, at least 951 Palestinians have been killed and 2,984 others injured

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  Hamas says Cairo talks begin on Gaza ceasefire implementation

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Hamas said Saturday that it has begun meetings in Cairo with mediators and Palestinian factions to discuss completing the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and arrangements for its second phase, Anadolu reports. In a video statement, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the meetings would focus on ensuring the full implementation of the first phase of the agreement, including ending what he described as Israeli violations, reopening border crossings and allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. He said the discussions would also address issues related to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, including proposals concerning the deployment of international forces in Gaza and the disarmament of Palestinian factions. Qassem said Hamas had approached the

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  Iran condemns US strikes on coastal facilities, calls them ceasefire violation

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned US strikes on radar and coastal surveillance facilities in the southern Sirik region and on Qeshm Island, describing them as a clear violation of the April 8 ceasefire agreement and an act of aggression against the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry said the facilities targeted in the early hours of Saturday were responsible for protecting Iran’s borders and ensuring the security of international shipping routes. It said the attacks formed part of Washington’s continued hostile and provocative actions against Iran and reflected what it described as a disregard for the principles of international law and the UN Charter. The ministry said Iran’s armed forces responded to the

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  US companies benefit from Strait of Hormuz disruptions, Rosneft chief says

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  The main beneficiaries of the Strait of Hormuz crisis have been US oil companies, which gained “noncompetitive advantages” and opportunities to sell supplies at higher prices, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin said Saturday, Anadolu reports. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Sechin said US hydrocarbon exports are “breaking all records.” Citing estimates by Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy, Sechin said US oil and gas companies could earn more than $60 billion in additional profit in 2026 if oil prices remain around $100 per barrel. “Additional tax revenues from the sector could amount to about $80 billion,” he added. Sechin also argued that China is better prepared than other countries for potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz due to what

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  Pope Leo says US-Israeli war against Iran not ‘just war’

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Pope Leo XIV said the war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran is not a “just war,” arguing that the centuries-old theory no longer reflects the realities of modern warfare, Anadolu reports. Speaking to journalists aboard his flight from Rome to Madrid during the fourth foreign trip of his pontificate, the pope was asked whether the conflict in Iran could be considered a just war after US Vice President JD Vance invoked the concept while defending Washington’s military actions against Tehran. “There is no just war there,” Pope Leo said. “The problem is that the just war theory comes from centuries ago, from a time when people could not imagine the weapons and destructive capacities that

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  Israeli strikes in Lebanon kills 10 people, including 3 Lebanese army members

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  10 people, including three members of the Lebanese army, were killed on Saturday in continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon despite a truce in effect since April 17, Anadolu reports. An Israeli airstrike occurred on a military vehicle on the Kfartebnit-Khardali road in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, killed two Lebanese army officers, holding the ranks of brigadier and captain, as well as a soldier, the Lebanese army said through US social media company X. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack “in the strongest terms,” the Lebanese Presidency also noted in a statement on X. Aoun considered the attack “a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty,” calling on the international community to “put an end to these repeated attacks,” according to the statement.

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  On World Environment Day, the Gaza Municipality issues an urgent appeal to save Gaza from its worsening environmental crisis

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  WATCH: A mass wedding ceremony for fifty couples was held in Gaza City under the sponsorship of the Turkish IHH

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  Air traffic resumes in Kuwait following brief suspension over Iranian attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Kuwait’s air traffic resumed on Saturday after it was temporarily suspended following Iranian attacks, the Kuwaiti Civil Aviation Directorate said on Saturday, Anadolu reports. “Air traffic has resumed since 6:15 am (0315GMT), following coordination with the relevant authorities and confirmation of stability and the removal of danger after the country was subjected to attacks” by Tehran, the directorate said in a statement carried by the Kuwaiti News Agency. Earlier, “the Kuwaiti airspace was temporarily closed as a precautionary measure, and 11 flights operated by Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways were diverted to nearby airports,” it added. READ: Iran strikes US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain after drone attacks on Iranian territory: Report Early in the day, the Kuwaiti officials said the country’s

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  Pakistan’s interior minister to visit Iran on Saturday amid US-Iran mediation push: Pakistani sources

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi will visit Iran on Saturday to discuss “some new proposals” regarding the Pakistan-mediated diplomatic process between the US and Iran, Anadolu Agency reports. Naqvi will meet senior Iranian leadership to discuss “some new proposals” to break the ongoing deadlock and to reach a temporary deal between Washington and Tehran, the sources in Islamabad said. The Pakistani minister will also discuss reviving a second round of talks between the parties to end the conflict, they added. Iran’s semi-official news agency Mehr also reported that Naqvi will pay a visit to the country to hold talks amid Islamabad’s ongoing mediation efforts. The visit comes as Naqvi and his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni met on Friday in the

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  Iran’s top diplomat Araghchi rebukes Lebanese president over remarks on Tehran’s role in Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized Lebanese President Joseph Aoun after the latter’s comments on Tehran’s role in Lebanon, Anadolu reports. In a post on the US social media company X, Araghchi said Aoun’s remarks created the impression that Iran, rather than another actor, was responsible for Lebanon’s current challenges. “Based on Mr. Aoun’s comments, one would think it’s Iran that has occupied 1/5 of Lebanon, displaced 1/4 of Lebanese and bombing his country on daily basis,” he wrote. The Iranian foreign minister also rejected the notion that Lebanon was being used by Tehran as leverage in negotiations. READ: Iran was ready to turn any Israeli advance on Beirut’s southern suburbs into “hell”, Rezaei says “Had Lebanon been bargaining chip for

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  Slovenian Presidential Palace raises Palestinian flag after premier removes it from government building

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Slovenia’s Presidential Palace raised a Palestinian flag on Friday, a day after the country’s new government removed it from the facade of the government building following a change of power in Ljubljana, Anadolu Agency reports. President Natasa Pirc Musar announced the move on US social media company X, saying the flag would remain on the facade of the Presidential Palace for one week before being moved inside the building. “The genocide against Palestinians has not been halted, and people in Gaza and the West Bank do not live in peace and dignity,” she said. Pirc Musar said the flag represents opposition to “gross violations of international humanitarian law and human rights” not only in Palestine but elsewhere in the world.”It is

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  US forces intercept drones launched by Iran toward Strait of Hormuz: CENTCOM

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  American forces intercepted and shot down four drones launched by Iran toward the Strait of Hormuz, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Friday, Anadolu reports. “Moments ago, CENTCOM forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that were launched toward the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM wrote on US social media company X. Arguing that “the attack drones posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic,” CENTCOM noted that “U.S. forces subsequently struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island to defend against further attacks.” “American forces remain vigilant and postured to respond to unjustified Iranian aggression in self-defense,” it added. READ: Iran says navy fired warning shots toward US destroyers in Sea of Oman CENTCOM said Iran

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  US State Department approves possible sale of counter-drone platforms to Kuwait

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  The US State Department said Friday that it decided to approve a possible sale to Kuwait for counter-unmanned aerial systems platforms and related equipment, Anadolu reports. “The estimated total cost is $1.98 billion,” it said in a statement. The sale includes counter-unmanned aerial systems platforms Roadrunner-Munition and Anvil-Kinetic, launch boxes, lattice command and control systems, long-range sentry towers, maritime sentry towers, pulsar electromagnetic warfare systems, and tactical operations centers, among other equipment and support services. “The proposed sale will improve Kuwait’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing electronic and kinetic defeat capabilities against unmanned aerial systems,” it said. The statement added that the sale supports US foreign policy and national security objectives by strengthening a major non-NATO

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  Iran strikes US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain after drone attacks on Iranian territory: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck “enemy bases” in Kuwait and Bahrain after US drones attacked sites on Iranian territory, Tasnim News reported Saturday. The IRGC’s Aerospace Force targeted the Ali al-Salem air base in Kuwait and key US Navy Fifth Fleet facilities in Bahrain with ballistic missiles, according to the semi-official news agency. The strikes came in response to American drone attacks on a telecommunications tower on Qeshm Island and a tower in Sirik, said the IRGC. READ: Trump says Iran retains only 21%-22% of missile stockpile after US strikes It warned that further aggression would prompt a response beyond limited strikes, including the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas shipments, rattling

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  Trump says Iran retains only 21%-22% of missile stockpile after US strikes

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Iran has lost most of its missile and drone production capacity, and retains only “21%-22%” of its missile stockpile, Anadolu Agency reports. “Most of the drone factories have been knocked out, most of the launching pads have been knocked out, and most of the missile manufacturing areas have been knocked out,” Trump said in an interview with NBC News set to air Sunday, excerpts of which were released on Friday. “They still have capacity. They have some missiles, they have some drones,” he said. “I would say percentage-wise, maybe 21-22% of their missiles, it’s a lot of missiles, but it’s not what it was when we first attacked.” Asked why Iran had not yet agreed

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  Netanyahu says no agreement currently in place with Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that there is currently no agreement with Lebanon, despite US-led efforts to end the fighting, according to Israel’s official broadcasting authority KAN. He made the remarks at the start of a meeting of Israel’s Security Cabinet. Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, said a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon “is not yet finalized,” emphasizing that “from Israel’s perspective, there is currently no agreement,” given Hezbollah’s opposition to the proposed terms. He added that “the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon has not been fully formulated and is not yet complete.” “Hezbollah opposes it, and therefore, from Israel’s perspective, there is no current

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  Thousands gather in Italy to commemorate Palestinian children killed in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  Hundreds gathered Friday in Milan to commemorate Palestinian children killed in the Gaza Strip, carrying a symbolic shroud bearing thousands of names through the city center, according to Radio Popolare, Anadolu reports. The demonstration began in front of the Duomo di Milano, where participants unfurled a 27-meter (99-foot) long shroud displaying the names of 18,457 Palestinian children killed in Gaza between Oct. 7, 2023, and July 31, 2025. Before the shroud was unveiled, protesters stood in silence in the square. Palestinian flags and keffiyehs were visible throughout the gathering. Organizers described the shroud as a symbol of the children killed during the conflict. The initiative was first launched after an Italy-Israel football match in October 2024 and has since been

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

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with John W. Miller: The Naval Armada Waiting Offshore, Now What?

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  Palestinian infant killed, parents wounded in Israeli fire in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 6, 2026

  A 7-month-old Palestinian infant was killed Friday and his parents wounded when the Israeli army shot at the family’s car in the Tel Rumeida area in the southern occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Anadolu Agency reports. It said the Israeli army killed Sam Abu Haikal and that his father, Fahd Abdul Aziz Abu Haikal, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, lived with his wife and son in Bethlehem. The shooting took place while Abu Haikal was on his way to his mother’s house in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood in central Hebron. Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition, wounding the father in his hand. His wife was also wounded by the same bullet, which pierced the jaw of their

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  US CENTCOM commander visits Middle East, meets regional leaders

  by Mehdi Admin on June 5, 2026

  Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), traveled across the Middle East to meet with senior regional leaders, the command said Friday, Anadolu Agency reports. During the trip, Cooper held meetings with senior officials from Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan. “He also met with deployed U.S. service members, recognized exceptional performers, and presided over the leadership transition for U.S. Army Central,” CENTCOM said on US social media company X, without giving further information about the date of the visit. Regional tensions have escalated since late February after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire took effect on April 8, while indirect contacts over a broader understanding have continued. READ: Israel, US launch talks to draft

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  Hamas delegation arrives in Egypt for talks on advancing Gaza ceasefire

  by Mehdi Admin on June 5, 2026

  A senior delegation from the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, arrived Friday evening in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials on completing the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, and establishing mechanisms for entering the second phase, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Hamas said the delegation is led by Khalil al-Hayya, the movement’s leader in Gaza and head of its negotiating team. “A new round of negotiations is scheduled to begin Saturday and will last for several days,” the statement said. It said the talks are set to focus on completing the implementation of the ceasefire, including remaining steps in the first phase and the mechanisms for entering its second phase. The delegation will

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  Polish football club rejects Israeli transfer offer, compares business ties with Tel Aviv to Nazi Germany

  by Mehdi Admin on June 5, 2026

  The owner of Polish football club Pogon Szczecin has rejected transfer offers from Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv, comparing business dealings with the club to doing business with Nazi Germany, Anadolu Agency reports. Club owner Alex Haditaghi said on US social media company X that he had informed Maccabi Tel Aviv of his decision not to pursue negotiations over the transfers of defenders Dimitris Keramitsis and Leo Borges. In a letter addressed to the Israeli club’s president and published on his social media account, Haditaghi said football should symbolize “hope, respect, unity and humanity” and be “more important than politics, borders or divisions.” However, he said the ongoing suffering of civilians in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran and elsewhere in the region

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  No military solution will provide security: Lebanese president tells Israel

  by Mehdi Admin on June 5, 2026

  Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned that no military solution can provide Israel with lasting security, urging Tel Aviv to resolve disputes through diplomacy rather than force, Anadolu reports. In an interview with CNN released Friday, Aoun said “Military solutions” will never bring security and safety to Israelis, asking the Israeli people whether they “really want to live” in a “perpetual war.” “Military activities or military solution will never provide you with security and safety to the northern people, we are ready to sit and talk,” Aoun said. “Aren’t you fed up with war since 1948? Do you want really to live in peace? Let’s sit and talk. For the Israeli government. It’s a time … for the power of reason

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  Has Europe learned anything from Moria? New migration pact begins in the ashes of a child

  by Mehdi Admin on June 5, 2026

  As the EU prepares to fully implement its Pact on Migration and Asylum on June 12, the memory of Moria remains a point of reference in debates over migration policy. The new framework aims to make asylum procedures more efficient, but it also raises questions about what Europe has learned from its most notorious refugee camp. The first image that returns to me from Davide Marchesi and Majid Bakhshi’s The Ashes of Moria is a child. Mo Zaman, a former resident of Moria Reception and Identification Centre on Lesvos, recalls a fire breaking out inside the camp. As residents rushed to extinguish the flames, he discovered the burned body of a twelve-year-old girl beneath a blanket. He remembers watching her

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  Russia expects to derive $13.6B from Strait of Hormuz oil spike

  by Mehdi Admin on June 5, 2026

  Russia is expecting that the ongoing maritime crisis in the Strait of Hormuz could inject 1 trillion Russian rubles (approximately $13.6 billion) in windfall revenue into the country’s budget, the Russian finance minister said in a recent interview, Anadolu reports. Anton Siluanov, speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, said the rising global oil prices reversed the unfavorable budgetary conditions of earlier this year, while shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz came to a halt amid the US and Israel’s attacks against Iran. Siluanov said the resulting regional instability is heavily benefiting Russia since petroleum is one of the country’s primary exports amid a sharp rise in crude oil prices. He noted that the current high price levels

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  IAEA chief says US-Iran talks close to nuclear framework agreement

  by Mehdi Admin on June 5, 2026

  International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said Friday that negotiations between the United States and Iran appear close to producing a framework agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a news conference following a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, Grossi said the agency remains in contact with both sides, although it is not directly involved in the talks. “Our sense is that they seem to be pretty close to agreeing on what I would describe more with regards to the nuclear … to sort of a framework, organizational structure to give themselves time to look into the different problems,” he said. Grossi added that the IAEA has made several efforts to restore verification

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  Ireland imposes travel ban on 2 Israeli Cabinet ministers

  by Mehdi Admin on June 5, 2026

  Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin confirmed on Friday that the government imposed a travel ban on two Israeli Cabinet ministers, Anadolu Agency reports. Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan introduced travel bans on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Martin said as he was in Montenegro for the EU-Western Balkans Summit, according to broadcaster RTE. Underlining that the two ministers’ actions and words “amount to a desire to see the elimination of Palestinians from Palestine,” Martin called for further EU measures against them. “In my view, their behavior justifies sanctions at EU level as well, and that’s something that we will raise; whether we can get sufficient support across the European Union is a different matter,” he

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  Iran says navy fired warning shots toward US destroyers in Sea of Oman

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  The Israeli army on Friday warned residents of nine towns in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes ahead of targeting the areas, despite efforts to solidify a ceasefire, Anadolu reports. Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued a warning to residents of Arnaya, also known as Arnaba, Anqoun in the Sidon district, and Kfar Fila in Nabatieh, ordering them to move at least 1,000 meters, or about 3,280 feet, away to open areas. The army later expanded the evacuation orders to include Sarafand, Tafahta, Babliyeh, Qa’qaiyet al-Snawbar, Marwaniyeh and Saksakiyeh in Sidon. Adraee urged residents to leave their homes immediately and head north of the Zahrani River. Israel has carried out an intensified deadly escalation in Lebanon in recent days, claiming that

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  Azerbaijan rejects CNN report alleging territory used for operations against Iran

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Azerbaijan on Friday rejected a CNN report alleging that its territory was used for military and intelligence operations against Iran and that Israeli forces were deployed in the country during the recent conflict, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry described the allegations as “entirely baseless” and called on CNN to retract the report. The ministry said it had repeatedly denied similar claims and had communicated its position to CNN before publication. It criticized the report for relying on anonymous sources without presenting credible evidence and said it ignored Azerbaijan’s official response, thereby violating the principles of objectivity and professional journalism. “As has been stated on numerous occasions, allegations that Azerbaijan’s territory has been used by any third country

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  Chilean court reopens case against soldier accused of Gaza war crimes

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  A recent judicial ruling in Chile has revived scrutiny of a criminal complaint against an Israeli-Ukrainian soldier accused of committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip, reviving a legal debate over the application of universal jurisdiction in the country. The Santiago Court of Appeals overturned a prior ruling by the Eighth Guarantee Court, which had refused to examine the complaint against Rom Kovtun. The appellate court ruled that the question of jurisdiction cannot be decided without hearing all parties involved.  A public hearing is scheduled for 12th June, where the complainant, the defence, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office will present arguments on whether Chilean courts have the authority to investigate alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed abroad.

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  Nearly 5,000 Belgian academics and students urge universities to cut Israel ties

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Nearly 5,000 staff, students and honorary degree recipients from Belgian universities have called on the country’s higher education institutions to end all collaborations with Israeli institutions and companies implicated in violations of international law. The open letter, titled “No honour in complicity: an open letter to our universities,” was published by Belgian Universities for Palestine and addressed to university rectors. It calls for Belgian universities to terminate existing partnerships, impose a moratorium on new collaborations, press Belgian and European authorities to comply with international law and provide structural support for Palestinian higher education. According to the signatories’ page, the campaign had gathered more than 4,700 signatures by 2 June, including more than 1,100 professors, 1,800 researchers, 1,500 students and 450

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  Israel, US launch talks to draft new security cooperation framework

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Israel and the US have launched negotiations to draft a new security cooperation framework to replace the current memorandum of understanding (MoU) on US military aid, which is set to expire in 2028, Anadolu Agency reports. Meanwhile, Israel’s Defense Ministry confirmed Friday that there are “formal talks on a new security cooperation framework to replace the existing MOU.” “Counselor of the Department of State Daniel Holler and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will lead the US team,” the ministry said. “The two sides held an inaugural formal meeting this week. Further sessions are planned in both countries in the coming weeks,” the ministry said. The agreement under discussion aims to strengthen the Israeli military’s qualitative military edge, the ministry said.

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  UAE invites citizens and residents to pledge allegiance to president

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates has launched a nationwide campaign inviting citizens and residents to sign an online pledge of loyalty and allegiance to President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The “Pledge and Commitment” initiative was launched by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the UAE’s minister of tolerance and coexistence, and later opened to the public through a dedicated website. According to UAE media, the campaign began at an event in Abu Dhabi attended by more than 4,800 people, including citizens, residents, students, investors, academics, business leaders and community representatives. The pledge asks participants to declare: “Hand in hand, we, the citizens and residents of this blessed land, pledge our loyalty and allegiance to our wise leader, His Highness

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  Iran’s supreme leader approves pardon for over 2,000 convicts

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Friday approved a request from the judiciary chief to pardon, reduce, or commute the sentences of more than 2,000 prisoners, Anadolu reports. The pardon came ahead of Eid al-Ghadir, one of the most significant religious holidays observed by Shia Muslims, according to a statement published on the supreme leader’s official website. Earlier, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei sought clemency for the prisoners. According to semi-official ISNA, inmates convicted of security-related offenses, espionage, actions against Iran’s internal or external security, and crimes threatening public security are not eligible for pardon. READ: Iranian FM: US bases are a source of instability in the region

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  Report: Mossad supplied Kurdish forces with weapons seized from Hamas and Hezbollah

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad supplied Kurdish militias with weapons seized from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon as part of a broader effort aimed at increasing pressure on Iran, according to a report published by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. The newspaper reported that the programme formed part of a wider plan intended to weaken the Iranian regime. According to the report, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was also involved in the initiative, although US President Donald Trump later halted the plan following pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Kurdish groups received financial assistance, vehicles and a range of military equipment, including light weapons, anti-tank missiles, hand grenades and mortars. The report said

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  Israeli media: Drone crashes in western Galilee minutes after Netanyahu leaves

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with several senior security officials, was in the Western Galilee shortly before a drone crashed in the same location. Channel 15 reported that sirens sounded in areas near the town of Shlomi while Netanyahu was there, prompting security personnel to quickly move toward the prime minister to take necessary protective measures. Images circulating online showed the aftermath of explosions in the Western Galilee region after Netanyahu left the site, raising questions about the timing of the incident and its proximity to the high-ranking Israeli official’s visit. In a related context, Netanyahu, during a discussion with mayors in northern Israel, claimed his government will invest the necessary resources to ensure the rehabilitation,

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  Israeli strike hits home in Zawaida, Gaza

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  An Israeli strike hit a house in the town of Zawaida in Gaza’s Deir al-Balah governorate on Thursday, reducing the building to rubble, Anadolu reports. The attack targeted a home belonging to the Rayyan family, according to local sources. Footage captured the moment of the strike, followed by scenes of extensive destruction at the site. Israel’s genocide in Gaza since October 2023 has killed nearly 73,000 Palestinians and injured more than 173,000, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian figures. Despite a ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, the Israeli army has killed 936 Palestinians and injured 2,903 in near-daily attacks, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. READ: Rights group says 360 Palestinian children are being held in

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  If Lebanon has no future, neither does the region

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Nearly half a century after Israeli tanks first crossed into southern Lebanon, a troubling question hangs over the region: how many times can the same military strategy fail before it is recognised as a political dead end? From Operation Litani in 1978 to the invasion of 1982, from the 2006 war to the current 2026 incursion, Israel has repeatedly entered Lebanon under the banner of security. The justification has remained remarkably consistent: neutralise cross-border threats, establish a buffer zone, protect northern Israeli communities, and restore deterrence. Yet the historical record tells a different story. Each campaign has inflicted immense destruction, generated mass displacement, reshaped Lebanon’s political landscape, and ultimately ended with Israeli withdrawal rather than strategic resolution. The cycle continues

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  Tunisia receives 48 US-made Humvees to strengthen border security

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Tunisia has received 48 Humvee military vehicles from the United States as part of ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries, the Tunisian Ministry of Defence said on Thursday. The vehicles were delivered on Wednesday at El Aouina Air Base near the capital, Tunis, during a ceremony attended by US Ambassador Bill Bazzi and senior Tunisian and American military and civilian officials. In a statement, the ministry said the vehicles would enhance the operational capabilities of the Tunisian armed forces, particularly in border security operations and efforts to combat terrorism, smuggling and organised crime. “These vehicles will strengthen the operational capabilities of the national army and support its readiness, particularly in the areas of protecting land borders, combating terrorism, smuggling

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  Egypt Rejects Guardian Report on Sudanese Refugees, Says It Ignored Cairo’s Efforts

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Egypt has formally rejected a report published by the British newspaper The Guardian on the situation of Sudanese refugees in the country, arguing that it presented an incomplete picture and failed to acknowledge Egypt’s role in hosting people displaced by the war in Sudan. The response came in a letter sent by Alaa Youssef, head of Egypt’s State Information Service, to the newspaper following publication of an article titled Poverty, racism and forced disappearances: why Sudanese war refugees are leaving Egypt for Europe.  In the letter, Youssef challenged what he described as the report’s conclusions and argued that it overlooked key aspects of Egypt’s response since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan in April 2023. According to Youssef, Egypt

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  Trump and Netanyahu: The odd couple

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  “He’ll do whatever I want him to do,” Donald Trump declared recently about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The statement may be one of the most revealing statements Trump has ever made—not for what it says about Netanyahu, but for what it reveals about Trump’s psychology. It was intended as a display of strength. Instead, it exposed the opposite. Trump has built a political persona around hyperbole, self-aggrandizement, and declarations of superiority to cover up for an oversized inferiority complex, he only knows its extent. When he insists that Netanyahu is acting at his command, he is projecting an authority he does not possess. The louder the boast, the more apparent the insecurity beneath it. If there is one lesson

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  Report: Israel expands security cooperation with Somaliland

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Israel has expanded its security cooperation with the breakaway region of Somaliland, including the training and equipping of security personnel, according to Israeli and British media reports. Israeli state radio reported that security ties between Israel and Somaliland have strengthened steadily in recent years. The report said Israeli authorities are involved in training and supporting security forces in the region. According to The Telegraph, 50 members of Somaliland’s special forces recently returned home after completing military training programmes in Israel. The newspaper said security cooperation has become a central component of the growing relationship between the two sides, citing Somaliland’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden and its proximity to the Red Sea shipping lanes and the Yemeni coast.

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with John W. Miller: The Naval Armada Waiting Offshore, Now What?

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Ali Akbar Dareini: How Long This no-War-no-Peace Will Last?

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  Rights group says 360 Palestinian children are being held in Israeli prisons

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  The Palestinian Center for the Defence of Prisoners said on Thursday that 360 Palestinian children are currently being held in Israeli prisons, including minors serving sentences and others being held without trial. In a statement, the independent organisation said that 160 children are serving prison terms, while 90 are being held under administrative detention, a procedure that allows detention without formal charges or trial. According to the center, child detainees face a range of challenges inside prisons, including overcrowding, limited access to medical care, and the spread of infectious diseases. “Child prisoners not only face deprivation of liberty, but also endure daily overcrowding, medical neglect, and the spread of infectious diseases, most notably scabies, in addition to punishments, solitary confinement,

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  From nuclear threshold to nuclear deterrence: Is Iran crossing the line?

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran over recent months has reshaped several dimensions of the conflict. Alongside the economic pressure Iran exerted by disrupting activity in the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear file remains equally consequential. Weeks ago, Iranian media outlets close to the Revolutionary Guard Corps, along with statements attributed to military sources, suggested that Tehran still possesses advanced weapons it has yet to deploy. Those signals raise a broader question about the nature and limits of Iranian deterrence, and whether the nuclear issue has become part of that undeclared deterrence strategy. The debate today is no longer centered on whether Iran possesses the technical capacity to develop nuclear weapons. Rather, it focuses on whether Tehran has made the political

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  Iranian FM: US bases are a source of instability in the region

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Iran had achieved strategic gains in recent months, stressing that the region’s security structure should be built by its own countries without foreign interference. In an interview with Al Mayadeen TV, Araghchi said the presence of US military bases had become “a source of instability” in the region. He also discussed domestic and international developments linked to the recent war, saying the Iranian leadership remained present on the ground and enjoyed broad domestic support. Araghchi said Iran’s previous leadership had emphasised staying close to the people and sharing any risks faced by the country. On military readiness, he said there had been clear signs that a confrontation could break out before earlier international talks. He

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  Iran was ready to turn any Israeli advance on Beirut’s southern suburbs into “hell”, Rezaei says

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Iranian Supreme Leader military adviser Mohsen Rezaei said Iranian forces had been waiting for any Israeli advance towards Beirut’s southern suburbs to turn northern Israel into “hell”. Rezaei, speaking about Iran’s military preparations during the recent war with the United States and Israel, made the remarks at a time of rising tensions on the Lebanese front. “All we had to do was wait for the enemy to move towards the southern suburbs. All our missiles were ready, and we would have turned the 40-day war in the north of the occupied territories into hell for Israel many times over,” Rezaei said. His comments suggest that Iran had prepared extensive military plans to respond to any Israeli advance into Beirut’s southern

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  Iran seeks to collect service fees, not tolls for crossing Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on June 5, 2026

  Iran said it will seek to impose service fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in return for ensuring maritime security, rather than charging transit tolls.  Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told Iran’s Mehr news agency on Thursday that Tehran “is not seeking to collect tolls, transit tariffs, or transit permit fees.”  Instead, he said Iran would seek compensation for services provided in cooperation with Oman, including navigational assistance, search and rescue operations, security and safety services, and environmental clean-up efforts in the event of pollution incidents. Gharibabadi said the strategic waterway lies entirely within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, adding that the two countries hold sovereignty over the strait under international law and the