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

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  Gaza family reunited with son believed dead after year in Israeli detention

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  A Palestinian family in the northern Gaza town of Jabalia has been reunited with their son after believing for a year that he had been killed by Israeli army fire, only to discover he had been held in an Israeli prison throughout that time. Inside the family’s home, which was damaged by Israeli bombardment, relatives broke down in tears of joy as 23-year-old Hamada Al-Banna returned unexpectedly after they had lost hope of ever seeing him again. His family had believed that Hamada and his brother, Adham, were shot dead by Israeli forces while on their way to collect food aid during the peak of the famine that hit the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2025. On Monday, Israeli

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  Widespread calls to mobilise at Al-Aqsa Mosque to counter Israeli plans

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  Palestinian groups and organisations in Jerusalem have renewed calls for mass mobilisation and a strong public presence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound amid growing concerns over increased settler activity and plans by extremist groups that they say aim to impose new Judaization realities at the site. Jerusalem-based organisations urged Palestinians to increase their presence and attend Friday prayers at the mosque, saying the move is intended to help protect the site, preserve its Islamic and Arab identity, and counter what they described as attempts to undermine its status. The appeals were directed mainly at Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem and inside Israel, as well as those from the occupied West Bank who are able to reach the city, encouraging them

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  Massad Boulos: Like a man calling Libyans to prayer from Malta

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  When Massad Boulos, the US President’s Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, chooses to meet senior Libyan officials from both East and West Libya in Malta rather than in any Libyan city, he resembles a man calling the faithful to prayer from an island where no one hears the call. Libyans continue to pray to the rhythm of their own cities — Tripoli, Misrata, Benghazi, Sabha — while Boulos raises his voice from Malta, a place that neither expects nor responds to such a summons. The metaphor is not ornamental; it captures the entire political moment. Libya’s crisis cannot be resolved from a Mediterranean balcony. It can only be resolved where Libyans actually live, negotiate, fight, and resist: on

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  Burnham admits Labour ‘got it wrong’ on Gaza as pressure grows for full break with Israel

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to become Britain’s next prime minister, has apologised for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, admitting that the party “got it wrong.” Burnham promised  a tougher approach towards Israel, including possible further sanctions and a ban on trade with illegal settlements. “Labour’s initial response to the treatment of Gaza caused huge hurt. We got it wrong and I am sorry for that,” Burnham said in a video message posted on X yesterday, in what is seen as an attempt to repair the damage caused by Labour leader Keir Starmer. Within days of Israel launching its genocide on Gaza Starmer said Israel has the right to cut power and water in Gaza. The comments sparked

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  Poll: 40 % of non-religious US Jews accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  A poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research has found growing divisions within the US Jewish community over Israel and the war in Gaza. The survey showed that around a quarter of American Jews believe Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, while the gap between religious and non-religious Jews in their views on the war and Israel has widened significantly. The report’s authors, David Crary, Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux and Peter Smith, said the war in Gaza, which began after the 7 October 2023 attack, has become the main factor deepening divisions within American Jewish communities. They said the differences between religious and non-religious Jews are now greater than at any time in recent

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  Palestinian Forum in Britain welcomes Andy Burnham’s remarks on Gaza and Palestine

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  The Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) has today issued a statement welcoming “the important and responsible remarks made by Andy Burnham regarding Gaza and Palestine.” The statement said Burnham’s remarks reflect a growing recognition within British public life that the United Kingdom’s approach to the ongoing crisis has fallen short of its moral responsibilities and its obligations under international law. “As Mr Burnham prepares to assume the leadership of the Government in the coming days, these comments should mark not the end of a political reassessment, but the beginning of a meaningful shift in British policy towards Palestine, one grounded in international law, accountability, and the universal principles of human rights and justice.” Adnan Hmidan, Chairman of the Palestinian Forum

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  Israel seeks US green light to strike Iran

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  Israel is seeking approval from US President Donald Trump to launch strikes on Iran amid the current escalation between Washington and Tehran. Israel’s public broadcaster Kan 11 reported on Thursday evening that the current confrontation remains “limited to the United States and Iran only, without any Israeli involvement”. The report said Israel expects the exchange of fire between Iran and the United States to continue over the coming days. Meanwhile, the New York Post reported on Thursday evening, citing Israeli sources, that Israel is prepared to join any future US attacks on Iran “should Washington seek help.” One source told the newspaper: “We’ve proven that we stand with the United States. I’m not sure it will be the interest of

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Ray McGovern: Who controls the CIA?

  by Mehdi Editor on July 10, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Richard Boyd: A Voice of Freedom on Behalf of an Oppressed Nation 

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  Erdoğan says NATO summit highlighted Türkiye’s central role in global security

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the NATO summit hosted in Ankara demonstrated Türkiye’s growing importance within the Alliance and the broader international security architecture. In a message published on X on Thursday, Erdoğan said Türkiye is “not just a host country, but a pivotal ally that directly contributes to the Alliance’s defence, diplomatic, and crisis resolution capabilities.” He said NATO’s “Vision 3.0” initiative is intended to strengthen Europe’s defence capabilities and better prepare the Alliance for emerging security challenges. Erdoğan added that Türkiye remains one of NATO’s strongest members due to its military capabilities, strategic geographic position, diplomatic experience, and expanding defence industry. Commenting on his meeting with US President Donald Trump, Erdoğan expressed optimism that the talks would

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  Volkswagen’s planned defence deal with Israel blocked by Qatari investors

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  Volkswagen’s plans for a defence partnership with Israel’s Rafael have been vetoed by the German automaker’s Qatari investors, media reported Friday, Anadolu reports. Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, Volkswagen’s third-largest shareholder, rejected management’s proposal to manufacture missile components and military vehicles at the company’s Osnabruck plant, the Bild newspaper reported. The move comes after Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said in March that the company will stop manufacturing Volkswagen Group vehicles at Osnabruck starting in 2027 and confirmed talks with several defence firms about shifting the plant for military vehicles production. Blume provided no further details at the time. The proposal has sparked significant controversy within Germany. Volkswagen employees, peace activists and opposition politicians have criticised the plan, arguing the automaker should

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  Hamas spokesperson survives Israeli assassination attempt

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem survived an Israeli airstrike on Thursday after his vehicle was targeted near Abbas Junction, west of Gaza City, according to Palestinian sources. The strike reportedly killed Mohammad al-Fayoumi, who was accompanying Qassem at the time of the attack. The reported assassination attempt came amid continued Israeli military operations in Gaza despite the ceasefire, according to Palestinian officials. Palestinian sources said that at least six Palestinians were killed and several others wounded in a series of Israeli airstrikes carried out on Thursday. In a separate incident later in the day, one Palestinian was reported killed and several others injured when an Israeli drone struck a civilian vehicle west of Gaza City. Earlier, two Palestinians were reportedly killed

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  Israeli military delegation holds talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  A delegation of senior Israeli military officers has held meetings with Egyptian military officials in Cairo as part of ongoing strategic consultations between the two countries, according to Israeli media reports. Israel’s public broadcaster Kan 11 reported on Thursday that the delegation spent the past two days in the Egyptian capital, where it held discussions with senior Egyptian military officials. Citing unnamed sources, the report said the meetings were part of a broader strategic dialogue focusing on shared regional interests. According to the report, the talks took place amid efforts to advance the next phase of developments in the Gaza Strip within the framework of the US-backed post-war plan, while negotiations continue over Hamas’s future role and the issue of

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  Shipping through Strait of Hormuz declines as US-Iran hostilities resume

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has declined sharply following renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran and recent attacks on commercial vessels in the strategic waterway. According to shipping data from Kpler, only six cargo ships had transited the strait by 14:30 GMT on Thursday, compared with 21 vessels on Wednesday, indicating a significant slowdown in maritime traffic. Following the ceasefire reached in mid-June, shipping volumes had recovered to their highest levels since the conflict began, although they remained well below normal, at roughly one-third of pre-conflict traffic. The latest decline follows attacks on several vessels earlier this week and growing security concerns in the Gulf. Shipping data indicate that many vessels transiting the strait since

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  Demolition of Yanoun School raises concerns over future of Palestinian village near Nablus

  by Marwa A on July 10, 2026

  The demolition of the Yanoun Mixed Elementary School by settlers on Wednesday has intensified concerns over the future of the Palestinian village of Yanoun, east of Nablus, with local officials describing the incident as part of a broader effort to prevent displaced residents from returning. According to Palestinian officials, Yanoun was largely depopulated about eight months ago after repeated settler attacks and escalating security pressures prompted dozens of families to leave the village. Rashid Marar, head of the Yanoun Village Council, said the destruction of the school was not an isolated act but part of what he described as a systematic campaign to remove all remaining signs of Palestinian life in the village. “The school was not just classrooms; it

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  Syria says arrested cell behind ‘terrorist bombings’ in Damascus

  by Marwa A on July 9, 2026

  Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab said Thursday that authorities have arrested a cell responsible for “terrorist bombings” that struck Damascus two days ago, Anadolu reports. “The cell responsible for the terrorist bombings that targeted Damascus two days ago is now in our custody,” Khattab said in a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). He added that authorities will disclose “the identities of the cell members, their roles, and all of their affiliations” once investigations are completed. Khattab did not provide further details about the suspects or the circumstances of their arrest. READ: Syria makes major achievement with US sanctions lift, support from Turkiye, Gulf nations: President

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  Israeli prime minister says Iran war ‘has not ended’

  by Marwa A on July 9, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Iran war “has not ended,” amid military escalation between Tehran and Washington in recent days, Anadolu reports. “The war has not ended. There are new challenges,” Netanyahu said at an air force graduation ceremony at Hatzerim Air Base in southern Israel, as cited by the daily Yedioth Ahronoth. “Maintaining air superiority is a fundamental pillar of Israel’s national security doctrine. It is key to preserving stability in the turbulent Middle East.” Iran and the US exchanged attacks over the past two days amid escalation following Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel and the US launched joint attacks against Iran in February, killing more than 3,000 people,

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  Germany’s Merz tells Netanyahu US-Iran deal is ‘best chance’ for stability

  by Marwa A on July 9, 2026

  German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call Thursday that the US-Iran framework agreement is the “best chance” for stability in the region, Anadolu reports. German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said in a statement that the two leaders “exchanged views, especially on the situation in Lebanon as well as in the Palestinian territories.” Merz “emphasized that there must be no steps toward a de facto partial annexation of the West Bank,” the statement said. He also “underlined the importance of the framework agreement between the US and Iran as the best chance for stability in the region,” Kornelius added. The spokesman did not provide further details about the leaders’ conversation or Netanyahu’s response to

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  12 Palestinians killed, 20 injured in Israeli strikes in Gaza amid ceasefire violations

  by Marwa A on July 9, 2026

  At least 12 Palestinians were killed and 20 others injured in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours amid ongoing violation of a ceasefire in effect since last October, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Health Ministry said eight people were killed and 17 others injured in Israeli attacks across the enclave over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll from Israel’s genocide since Oct. 8, 2023, to more than 73,118. The ministry did not provide details about the circumstances of the deaths and injuries. The ministry said a number of victims remain trapped under the rubble and on roads, as ambulance and civil defense teams are unable to reach them. Two more Palestinians were

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  Security situation in southern Lebanon remains ‘fragile,’ UN peacekeeping mission says

  by Marwa A on July 9, 2026

  The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) stated on Thursday that the security situation in southern Lebanon remains “fragile” despite a decline in “violence” since late June. “The recent reduction in violence has enabled its peacekeepers to gradually increase operational activities in southern Lebanon,” UNIFIL said in a statement. “As families begin returning to their villages, peacekeepers are expanding their presence to help consolidate the relative stability achieved in recent weeks,” it added. The mission said its peacekeepers are helping repair damaged roads and other infrastructure, contributing to recovery efforts and improving access for its operational activities. “While the level of violence has decreased since late June, the situation remains fragile,” UNIFIL said, stressing that dialogue, coordination and a sustained

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  Report exposes pro-Israel network pushing Germany to defund UNRWA

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  A coordinated network of Israel-aligned organisations working to pressure Germany into cutting support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), has been uncovered by a new report.  Commissioned by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation and written by German-Israeli researcher Alon Sahar, the report maps a transnational advocacy ecosystem that has worked for more than a decade to discredit UNRWA and weaken the Palestinian right of return. It argues that the campaign intensified after 7 October, 2023, when Israel accused UNRWA staff of links to Hamas, triggering a wave of donors suspending ties to the UN refugee group.   Germany is a critical target for the campaign. After the US halted contributions to UNRWA

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  Statement from the National Commission for Palestinian Popular Action on upcoming elections

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  The National Commission for Palestinian Popular Action has followed the recent publication in the Palestinian Official Gazette of the electoral system governing the Palestinian National Council, as well as the decree-law amending Decree-Law No. (1) of 2007 concerning Palestinian general elections and its amendments, along with reports regarding the imminent issuance of a presidential decree setting a date for holding Palestinian legislative elections in the coming period. While the Commission affirms that the renewal of national legitimacy through democratic mechanisms and free and fair elections is an indispensable principle in Palestinian political life, it believes that any electoral process cannot be separated from the national, political, and historical context that the Palestinian people are experiencing at this pivotal stage in

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  Funding failed paradigms for Palestinians in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Humanitarian aid is a failed paradigm, be it the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees or the Board of Peace’s scheming. UNRWA has always faced funding problems and it was never structured to deal with ongoing colonial expansion. The Board of Peace, on the other hand, has failed to generate funds for its alleged humanitarian concerns in Gaza and the reason is because it was never designed to truly meet humanitarian needs. The Board of Peace exists to facilitate Israel’s expulsion of the Palestinians from Gaza, so why should countries fund its humanitarian paradigm? US Ambassador to the UN Jeff Bartos begs to differ, it seems. Speaking at the UNRWA annual pledging conference, Bartos’s appeal to UNRWA’s donors

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  Hossam Abu Safiya; when a hostage sounds the alarm on behalf of thousands of detainees

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  At certain moments, a person transcends the self, and their voice becomes the voice of an entire community. This is precisely what is happening today with Dr Hossam Abu Safiya. The man who dedicated his life to saving the sick now stands, while in the grip of his captors, as a living witness to the ordeal endured by thousands of Palestinian hostages within Israeli detention centers. His recent cry for help, conveyed by his lawyer following a visit, is not merely a personal plea; it is an alarm bell ringing on behalf of all those hidden behind walls, and for all those whose humanity is being stripped away day by day, far from the world’s gaze. As the coordinator of

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  Gaza: On The Ground with Motasem A Dalloul | Week 08 July

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  MEMO spoke to Motasem A Dalloul, a survivor of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, in the first of a new series of regular updates from the ground. Dalloul describes the daily struggle to survive: hunger, cold, the collapse of healthcare, and ongoing Israeli violations despite the so-called ceasefire. WATCH: Gaza: On The Ground with Motasem A Dalloul | Week 22 Jun

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  Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says hit US command center, Jordanian air base with 10 ballistic missiles

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday it launched a missile strike targeting the US command-and-control center in West Asia and the Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan. In a statement carried by Fars News Agency, the IRGC said its Aerospace Force fired 10 ballistic missiles targeting the two sites, claiming the attack “destroyed” the two facilities. “If the aggression of the US terrorist army is repeated, other US bases in the region will not be spared from our heavy fire,” it warned. Jordan earlier said that its air defenses intercepted and downed eight missiles launched from Iran toward the kingdom. READ: CENTCOM says it completed another round of strikes on Iran

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  Abbas sets Nov. 28 for 1st Palestinian legislative elections in more than 20 years

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree setting Nov. 28, 2026, as the date for legislative elections, the official WAFA news agency reported Thursday. The decree calls on Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to participate in free and direct legislative elections to choose members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Issued under Decree-Law No. 1 of 2007 on general elections and its amendments, the decree marks the first legislative vote since January 2006. WAFA said the date for presidential elections, planned for the first quarter of 2027, will be announced in accordance with the law. Abbas, who has been in power for 21 years after taking office in January 2005, was elected to a four-year

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  The 4th of July: Tehran’s funeral and Trump’s birthday

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  The  meticulously disorganised  250th  anniversary of American  independence was  branded as the dawn of a new ‘golden  age ’, with the largest fireworks and miliary aerial pageantry display in history, along with a presidential address from Mount Rushmore. It was Trump’s ultimate vanity project,  a celebration of American exceptionalism designed to dazzle the world. Instead , the world watched Tehran. The broader ‘Freedom 250’celebration dissolved into a shambolic spectacle on the National Mall, where sweltering heat and power cuts left acres of exhibition fields humiliatingly thin.  Reports indicated Trump grew furious after seeing aerial photos of the sparsely populated fields during his separate D.C. campaign-style appearances. The calculatedly designed celebration is a reminder of how quickly spectacle can become farce.

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  India’s Israeli mirror

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Nations do not usually commit suicide in one spectacular act. They do it by acquiring a taste for poison and calling it policy. They rename moral vandalism realism, isolation autonomy, and borrowed brutality strength. Israel has performed this degeneration with almost obscene clarity. Modi’s India now appears less like a critic than an apprentice. The tragedy is not that India has interests. Serious states have interests. The tragedy is that India now mistakes interests for genuflection before a collapsing moral order. Once, India spoke in the idiom of Bandung, anti-colonialism, non-alignment, Palestinian freedom, and Global South dignity. It was never immaculate, but it had stature. It understood that power without ethics is only barbarism with a flag. Today, that inheritance

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  US strikes strategic railway bridge linking Iran to China, Russia

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  On the second straight day of its renewed strikes on the country, the US struck a strategic railway bridge in northern Iran linking it to China and Russia, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported Thursday. The cruise missile attack targeted the Ogtay Khan railway bridge in the northeastern Golestan province on Thursday morning, the agency added. The agency described the bridge as a strategic point on the railway corridor connecting China, Turkmenistan, and Iran. The reported strike came as Iran suspended passenger rail services between Tehran and the northeastern city of Mashhad after what locals described as a US-Israeli attack on a section of the line. Iranian state railway said repair crews were sent to the site and that stranded

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  Chief Rabbi leads calls to block Church of England discussion of Palestinian Christian genocide report

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Leading Zionist groups and figures in the UK have come out in force to suppress discussion within the Church of England over a report by Palestinian Christian groups about genocide in Gaza. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, who has a son serving in the Israeli army, has warned the Church of England’s General Synod that it risks damaging Christian-Jewish relations if it proceeds with a motion encouraging engagement with A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide, a document published by Kairos Palestine, also known as Kairos II. The General Synod, the Church’s legislative body, is due to consider the motion at its annual gathering in York. The motion does not ask the Church to endorse the document,

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  CENTCOM says it completed another round of strikes on Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced late Wednesday that it “completed an additional round of strikes against Iran,” hitting approximately 90 military targets, Anadolu reports. “US forces struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline. The latest strikes follow successful execution of offensive strikes in Iran the night before,” CENTCOM wrote on the US social media platform X. CENTCOM said the strikes were intended to “further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz.” Earlier Wednesday, CENTCOM said that American forces had begun a new round of strikes against Iran. “At the direction

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  How Israel and American Zionists are canceling First Amendment

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  While the world’s attention has been consumed by the Iran war, the fragile Lebanon ceasefire, and Trump’s reality show — AKA the “Board of Peace” — in Gaza, Israel has been executing a methodical, largely unreported Jewish apartheid program in the West Bank. It is ethnic cleansing in slow motion: intentional, documented, and normalised by journalists too timid, media outlets too embedded, and editors too biased to cover it honestly. The numbers tell the story that Zionist-managed Western media outlets will not. The West Bank is experiencing its largest forced population transfer since 1967, according to a recent briefing to the UN Security Council. Israeli-enabled Jewish-mobs, sweeping movement restrictions, home demolitions, and race-based military repression have triggered the worst wave

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  Amnesty International calls for investigation into Israeli air strikes on Lebanon as ‘war crimes’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Amnesty International on Thursday called for an investigation into three Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon carried out in March, saying they may amount to war crimes after killing 24 civilians. In a report published on Thursday, the rights group said the three Israeli strikes “killed 24 civilians, including 12 children, and wiped-out entire families”, adding that they “must be investigated as war crimes”. The strikes targeted homes in the cities of Tyre and Nabatieh, as well as the town of Erkay near Sidon, between 6th and 13th March.    Kristine Beckerle, the organisation’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “Within the space of just a week – the Israeli military obliterated entire families, including a dozen children, in Lebanon, demonstrating a callous disregard for

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  Qatari and Iranian foreign ministers discuss regional tensions and Strait of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi discussed the latest regional developments during a phone call on Wednesday, with both sides emphasizing the importance of preventing further escalation. According to a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the two ministers reviewed developments across the region, with particular focus on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. The ministry said the two officials stressed the importance of using diplomatic channels to address regional challenges and underscored the need to maintain communication and coordination to prevent further tensions. The conversation took place amid heightened instability following recent exchanges between the United States and Iran after attacks on commercial vessels in

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  Former Pakistani Air Force official says Israel does not want US-Iran agreement to succeed

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  A former deputy chief of the Pakistan Air Force, Muhammad Aryan, has said the success of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran will depend primarily on the willingness of both governments to fully implement its provisions. Speaking in an interview on Egypt’s Cairo News Channel, Aryan said Pakistan continues to support diplomatic engagement with both Washington and Tehran but stressed that responsibility for resolving the dispute ultimately rests with the two sides. He argued that military action cannot resolve the crisis, saying previous US strikes against Iran had failed to produce a lasting solution. Aryan also suggested that statements by US President Donald Trump should be viewed cautiously, arguing that the president’s positions can shift rapidly

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  Oil prices rise following new US strikes on Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Global oil prices rose sharply after the US Central Command announced additional military strikes against Iran, heightening concerns over the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes. Brent crude settled at its highest level in two weeks, rising more than 5 percent to close at $78.02 per barrel after briefly trading above $80 during the session. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude also gained, climbing to around $73.50 per barrel. The increase was driven by growing market concerns over potential disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz following attacks on three commercial vessels in the strategic waterway. Iran has denied responsibility for the attacks. Tehran has also condemned the

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  Hezbollah leader rejects Lebanon-Israel Framework Agreement, says ‘not a single clause will pass’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Wednesday rejected the framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel, declaring that it would not be implemented and urging the Lebanese government to abandon it. Speaking during a public address held alongside memorial events for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Qassem argued that the agreement serves Israeli interests and lacks legal and national legitimacy. “Not a single clause of this agreement will pass, and you will be powerless to stop it,” Qassem said, addressing Lebanese authorities. He credited Hezbollah’s military resilience and Iran’s support with securing the ceasefire in Lebanon, describing them as the two pillars behind what he called the resistance’s achievements. Qassem also reaffirmed Hezbollah’s strategic relationship with Iran, saying the

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  How Ankara rewired Syria’s future

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  The Trump–al‑Sharaa summit in Ankara was not diplomacy. It was a structural detonation—one that has dragged Syria out of humanitarian paralysis and into a NATO‑designed reconstruction matrix where sanctions relief, refugee repatriation, militia demobilisation, Gulf capital and digitised property courts fuse into a single Western‑Turkish governance engine. Ankara has become the Middle East’s new diplomatic capital.  NATO has mutated from a military alliance into a state‑building architecture. And Syria’s sovereignty is being rewritten through external intelligence systems, population engineering frameworks and civil society compliance regimes. The Levant’s future is no longer negotiated in Brussels, Washington or Damascus.  It is being co‑authored in Ankara’s corridors—where the West, Turkey and Syria are assembling a post‑Assad order that is part security pact, part

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  Lebanon conditions participation in Rome talks on Israeli withdrawal from two areas in the south

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Lebanon is conditioning its participation in the next round of negotiations with Israel on an Israeli withdrawal from two designated areas in southern Lebanon, according to a diplomatic source familiar with the talks. The source, speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on condition of anonymity, said Beirut is insisting that Israel withdraw from the two “pilot” or “experimental” areas specified in the framework agreement before negotiations scheduled for 15th–16th July in Rome can proceed. “Lebanon is demanding Israel’s withdrawal from two experimental areas as a condition for participating in the negotiations,” the source said. The Lebanese government has not yet publicly confirmed its official position. The Rome meeting follows five rounds of US-mediated negotiations held in Washington, which culminated late last

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  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan College of Health Sciences holds graduation ceremony in Mogadishu

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  The Recep Tayyip Erdoğan College of Health Sciences celebrated the graduation of a new class of students on Wednesday during a ceremony held at its campus in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. The event was attended by Somali Minister of Health and Humanitarian Services Ali Haji Adan, Minister of Culture and Tourism Abdifatah Qasim Mahmoud, officials from the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu, Commander of the Turkish Task Force in Somalia Sabahattin Kalkan, representatives of Turkish and Somali civil society organizations, academics, students, and family members. Addressing the graduates, the college’s dean, Professor Rashid Kondo, encouraged them to apply their knowledge in service of the country. “Today you are graduating, and tomorrow you will work throughout the country in the health sector,

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  Ultra-Orthodox Jews storm Israeli military base in protest over draft evaders’ arrests

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters stormed an Israeli military base on Wednesday evening in protest against the arrest of young men accused of evading compulsory military service. The Israeli military said the protesters, from the Haredi community, broke into the Beit Lid military base, which houses the Neveh Tzedek military prison and military courts. In a statement carried by Israel’s Channel 7, the military said the protest began outside the base before turning violent, with demonstrators forcing their way into the facility. It added that military police removed all the intruders from the base. According to the military, the protest was triggered by the arrest of Haredi youths wanted for compulsory military service after allegedly evading the draft. READ: Ultra-orthodox Jews protests disrupt

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  Israeli Knesset approves freezing more Palestinian clearance funds

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  The Israeli Knesset on Wednesday approved in its first reading a bill that would allow additional Palestinian Authority clearance funds to be frozen, a move expected to increase financial pressure on the authority. Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the bill would authorise the freezing of additional Palestinian Authority funds. Under the proposal, submitted by Moshe Passal of the Likud party, Israel would freeze each year an amount equal to the funds transferred by the Palestinian Authority to Gaza during the previous year. According to Haaretz, the frozen money would be used to pay compensation to people affected by what the bill describes as terrorist acts originating from Gaza. READ: Israeli air strikes, shelling and home demolitions continue across Gaza Strip The

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  Sudan: Crowds celebrate in Damazin after army retakes Kurmuk

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Thousands of people celebrated in the city of Damazin, the capital of Sudan’s Blue Nile State, on Wednesday after the army announced it had regained control of the strategic town of Kurmuk from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). Thousands of residents took to the streets chanting slogans in support of the army and praising Sudan, while vehicles sounded their horns in celebration of what they described as the armed forces’ victory in Kurmuk, Anadolu correspondent reported. Blue Nile State Governor Ahmed Al-Omda and Commander of the Fourth Infantry Division Major General Ismail Al-Tayeb toured the city’s streets in an open-top vehicle, where they were welcomed by cheering crowds. Addressing the gathering, Al-Omda

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Richard Boyd: A Voice of Freedom on Behalf of an Oppressed Nation

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with former CIA analyst Larry Johnson & Ray McGovern

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  Deferring a Crisis: The Iran-US Ceasefire Cracks

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Ceasefires in the Middle East seem especially susceptible to revision, alteration and contradiction.  Missiles still get fired; airstrikes initiated.  Destruction to infrastructure, and death, follows.  Yet despite the misunderstandings, the sniping and the harrying, these odd understandings are often described by those funny political coves as “holding”.  In the case of the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington, articulated with some fanfare with a Memorandum of Understanding, only the most piously delusional would claim it was holding in any way. The June 18 MoU stipulates from the outset that the US, Iran and their allies “declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and undertaken from now on not to initiate any war or any

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  Israeli air strikes, shelling and home demolitions continue across Gaza Strip

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Israeli forces have continued military operations across the Gaza Strip, with ongoing reported violations of the ceasefire agreement through artillery, air and naval attacks, targeting residential areas, displacement camps and shelters, alongside the demolition of homes and military movements on several fronts. On Thursday morning, new Israeli attacks were reported in different parts of the territory. Artillery shelled areas southeast of the Maghazi refugee camp while military vehicles opened fire. Israeli forces stationed northeast of the Bureij refugee camp also continued firing towards nearby areas. In Gaza City, military vehicles and drones opened fire near Al Hashimiya School in the eastern Tuffah neighbourhood as bulldozers advanced and expanded areas under Israeli military control. Drones also opened fire in the Sabra

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  Rights groups, UN experts warn over world’s silence on crackdown in Tunisia

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Rights organisations and UN experts have warned that the continued silence of the UN Human Rights Council and UN member states over developments in Tunisia is allowing the authorities to continue suppressing civil society and undermining the rule of law. The warning came during the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, which concluded on Wednesday in Geneva, where UN experts and civil society representatives expressed deep concern over what they described as the worsening human rights situation in Tunisia. Human Rights Watch, which documented the UN statement, said “the continued silence from UN member states all but signalled a free pass for Tunisian authorities to continue escalating their crackdown on civic space.”       On Tuesday, the organisation said: “Five

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  Lebanon’s Faustian bargain: The mirage of the trilateral framework

  by Mehdi Editor on July 9, 2026

  Can Lebanon extract a genuine, equitable peace from the 26th June Trilateral Framework Agreement (TFA)? The simple answer is yes, but that “yes” comes at a devastating cost. Marketed by Washington as a breakthrough, the framework is fraught with severe imbalances. As Lebanese political figures and civil society groups have already pointed out, the agreement demands sweeping internal concessions under the shadow of occupation, threatening to ignite internal conflict rather than resolve a regional war. What are Beirut’s realistic chances of normalising ties with Israel while still under occupation? Does Lebanon hold any actual leverage to extract meaningful concessions from an occupying power while it declares war on Hezbollah? The reality is that by signing this text, Beirut is being

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  Vice president says US will respond if Iran attacks shipping in Strait of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on July 8, 2026

  Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that the US would continue military strikes against Iran if it resumes attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran had violated an agreement to halt the actions, Anadolu reports. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Vance said the US agreed to lift its naval blockade after Iran pledged to stop targeting ships in the strategic waterway. “The basic deal that we cut was we’ll lift our blockade if you stop shooting at ships, but if you shoot at ships, we’re going to punch back, and we’re going to punch back harder than ever before,” he said. Iran resumed attacks on ships about a week after the agreement

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  US returns refueling aircraft to Middle East amid escalation with Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on July 8, 2026

  The US has begun returning aerial refueling aircraft to its bases in the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran, as Israeli officials believe Washington would give a green light for Tel Aviv to resume attacks against Tehran, according to Israeli media on Wednesday. “It is estimated that the Americans will give the green light to an Israeli response in Iran,” the public broadcaster KAN said. Channel 12 said Israel’s defense establishment is closely monitoring the situation following an exchange of attacks between Washington and Tehran on Wednesday. According to the outlet, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to hold a security consultation this evening with Defense Minister Israel Katz to discuss developments related to Iran. READ: Trump says US