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

• 
  The Left’s Elif Eralp urges Germans to consider ‘Palestinian perspectives’ on conflict with Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  The Left party’s Elif Eralp, who is poised to become Berlin’s next mayor, said on Monday that Germans should pay greater attention to the “Palestinian perspective” in their conflict with Israel, Anadolu reports. “This government has paid far too little attention to the perspectives of Muslim and Palestinian people — and, for that matter, to those of many Jewish people as well. I view it as my task to acknowledge and unite all these perspectives, and I believe that is achievable,” said Eralp at a news briefing in Berlin, where she was joined by Ines Schwerdtner, The Left co-chair. “That is why we firmly oppose the instrumentalization of criticism directed at the Israeli government. We also oppose every form of

• 
  All Iranian airlines to shut down worldwide by Sept. 23, US Treasury chief says

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Operations of all Iranian commercial airlines will shut down globally beginning Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday, Anadolu reports. “On September 23rd, all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world,” Bessent told US television network CNBC, outlining broad secondary sanctions aimed at isolating Tehran’s civil aviation network. Bessent explained that international hubs servicing Iranian planes would face complete exclusion from the American banking system. Foreign operators cannot refuel the aircraft, provide landing facilities, or sell passenger tickets without risking their access to dollar clearing, he warned. Iranian officials did not immediately issue a public response regarding the planned aviation restrictions. READ: US says ‘door is open’ for Iran to return to negotiations Bessent also warned third-party

• 
  Kuwait: Oil wealth and the need to rethink energy diplomacy

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Kuwait exports oil, yet relies on imported gas and regional electricity trade to power its economy. This dual position demonstrates why hydrocarbon wealth does not automatically deliver energy security. Oil revenues provide purchasing power; reliable supply also requires functioning power plants, fuel-receiving infrastructure and dependable transport routes. On 2nd April 2025, rising demand and generation capacity restricted by maintenance prompted temporary power cuts in some industrial and agricultural areas. Reuters reported that the outages lasted less than two hours. The problem was not oil underground, but the temporary inability to turn available resources into deliverable electricity. Kuwait’s energy diplomacy must address both sides of this equation: maintaining oil exports and securing gas and electricity supplies. International agreements and domestic reforms

• 
  The dual failure: How conservatives and labour inherited—and deepened—Britain’s ruin

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  When I first arrived in London, the country stood on the threshold of a historic shift. The public mood was electric, buoyed by the anticipation of ending decades of Conservative rule—from Margaret Thatcher’s iron certainty to John Major’s exhausted pragmatism. I remember asking my university professor at the time—a veteran journalist who understood the shadows behind the doors of 10 Downing Street—why the British public seemed almost euphoric. His answer was sharp and unambiguous: “It’s the joy of emancipation. Conservative rule has wrecked the country.” I was not entirely convinced then. But I recall that moment vividly today as Britain relitigates its past, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham openly blaming Thatcher-era deregulation for the economic paralysis gripping the country. The

• 
  ‘Healthcare is being deliberately targeted every day’: Israeli fire forces second Gaza clinic to evacuate in a week

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Israeli gunfire near a medical point in central Gaza supported by Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) seriously injured a woman and her child this morning, forcing patients and medical staff to evacuate, the British charity said. It is the second MAP-supported facility to be evacuated after Israeli gunfire in less than a week. The shooting took place in Abu Madeen, between Al-Bureij and Al-Maghazi, in Deir al-Balah, where MAP’s partner, the Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA), runs the medical point.  Stray bullets hit the clinic, damaging a water tank on the roof. CFTA evacuated all patients and medical staff, with around 40 patients inside the clinic at the time. It remains unclear whether services will resume tomorrow. Less than

• 
  US refusal to issue visas to Palestinian delegation violates international agreements: Hamas

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Hamas on Monday condemned the US refusal to grant visas to a Palestinian delegation seeking to attend UN General Assembly meetings, Anadolu reports. “The decision constitutes a flagrant violation of the international conventions and agreements governing the work of the UN headquarters and a continuation of the policy of complete US bias toward the Zionist occupation,” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement. The restriction has continued for a second year. In 2025, Washington denied visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other officials to attend the meetings, forcing Abbas to participate by video link. On Thursday, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution allowing the State of Palestine to participate in the general debate of its 81st session

• 
  Gaza authorities hold Israel responsible for Al-Saada building collapse that killed 21 Palestinians

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Gaza’s government media office on Monday rejected the Israeli army’s account denying that it had targeted the Al-Saada residential building, saying an earlier Israeli strike on the structure’s foundations caused its recent collapse, which killed 21 Palestinians, Anadolu reports. On Wednesday, the Israeli army claimed in a post on US social media platform X that it had not targeted the Al-Saada building during the war. “Contrary to the claims, the IDF (Israeli army) did not strike the building in question during the war,” it said. In a statement, Gaza’s government media office said the Al-Saada building was directly struck by Israel on Oct. 9, 2023, in the early days of the war. “The bombardment targeted the building’s foundations and its

• 
  Refineries as battlefields: Ukraine’s Moscow strike and global diesel risks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  The reported Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region on 20th September 2026 illustrates how energy infrastructure has become a central target in the Russia–Ukraine war. Russian authorities said that three people were killed, more than 1,600 drones were intercepted across Russia, and approximately 450 were directed toward Moscow. Several drones reportedly reached the Moscow Oil Refinery, while another damaged a residential building. The attack occurred on the final day of Russia’s parliamentary elections, giving the incident both military and political significance.  The full extent of the damage remains uncertain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces had struck a major Russian oil facility and a logistics site linked to Russia’s war effort. The Associated Press reported damage to

• 
  Israel closes roads and West Bank crossings into Jerusalem for Yom Kippur

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Israeli authorities closed several main roads in Jerusalem to vehicle traffic on Monday, for the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, Anadolu reports. Footage showed barriers blocking roads across the city. Israeli forces also increased security at multiple locations. Authorities closed most checkpoints and crossings between the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem to Palestinians, disrupting travel and preventing some from crossing. The Jewish holiday season began with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, on Sept. 12-13. It continues with Yom Kippur, followed by Sukkot from Sept. 26 to Oct. 2 and Simchat Torah on Oct. 3. READ: Israeli forces detain 53 Palestinians in occupied West Bank

• 
  Trump called off planned US strikes on Houthis at last minute: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  US President Donald Trump called off planned airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen shortly before they were to be carried out, The New York Times reported Sunday. The reversal came by midday Sunday after military commanders had approved target lists and personnel were loading munitions onto aircraft designated for the operation, according to administration officials cited by the newspaper. Trump initially resisted launching airstrikes during meetings with advisers Wednesday but later ordered the Pentagon to prepare for military action following a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday, the report said. The Saudi crown prince urged Trump to intervene directly amid rapid territorial gains by the Houthis in Yemen, according to the newspaper. Trump reversed course

• 
  Israeli forces detain 53 Palestinians in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  The Israeli army arrested at least 53 Palestinians early Monday during a large-scale raid on the town of Biddu, northwest of occupied Jerusalem, Anadolu reports. Those detained were kept at an interrogation and detention center they set up inside a house seized during the raid, the Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement received by Anadolu Agency. Israeli forces searched, vandalized, and damaged several homes and physically assaulted Palestinians, it said, adding that the military operations in the town were still ongoing. In a separate statement, the Palestinian Prisoners Society said the Israeli army subjected more than 100 Palestinians to field interrogation across the occupied West Bank over the past two days amid an increase in such operations. The operations

• 
  Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say will change ‘geography of war’ if attacked again

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Tehran would change its weapons and the “geography of the war” if the US launched a new attack on the country. IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohibi made the remarks in a television program on Sunday evening, addressing a range of current issues. “If a new attack takes place, our defense and offensive operations will change significantly. We will change the weapons and the geography of the war, and we will bring new capabilities with new capacities into the field. The world will be surprised,” Mohibi said. “Our targets are no longer the same targets as before. We have identified new targets that have not yet been attacked.” “Iran is prepared for a long-term war,

• 
  US says ‘door is open’ for Iran to return to negotiations

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said on Sunday that the “door is open” for Iran to return to negotiations to end the conflict in the Middle East, Anadolu reports. Speaking at an Al-Monitor Live event in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Waltz said the Trump administration believes time is on its side in the conflict with Iran, which began Feb. 28. “I do believe that to be the case,” Waltz said when asked by Al-Monitor senior adviser Andrew Parasiliti whether Washington believes time is on its side. He added that the “door is open for Iran to come back to the negotiating table,” while dismissing as “fantastical” reports that Tehran has demanded an

• 
  Iran condemns Israel over Gaza, West Bank actions ahead of UN General Assembly

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Iran on Monday condemned continued Israeli “genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, urging the international community to take “serious and decisive action” to stop the killing of Palestinians, Anadolu reports. In a statement ahead of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, the Foreign Ministry also condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “shameless insult” against Al-Aqsa Mosque and the desecration of the Buraq Wall. Iran accused Israel of systematic killings and torture of Palestinians, saying more than 10,000 Palestinian women and children have been detained, with dozens allegedly dying in custody and hundreds suffering amputations or disabilities. It said at least three Palestinian prisoners die under torture each month, describing this

• 
  Egypt says Suez Canal ‘safe’ as shipping traffic returns to normal

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Egypt said the Suez Canal remains “safe,” with maritime traffic operating normally along one of the world’s most important shipping routes, Anadolu reports. According to a statement from the Suez Canal Authority, Chairman Osama Rabie spoke at a ceremony in Alexandria marking World Maritime Day 2026 organized by the Maritime Transport Sector of the Ministry of Transport. Rabie said vessel traffic through the canal was proceeding regularly and that revenue reached $567.1 million in August, up 56.7% from $326 million in the same month of 2025. He stressed that navigation traffic remained stable and services were being provided with high efficiency, adding that canal pilots — specialized local navigators who board ships to guide them safely through the narrow stretch

• 
  Israeli soldier who shot wounded Palestinian in the head pardoned ‘in the spirit’ of Jewish holiday

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Israeli President Isaac Herzog has pardoned Elor Azaria, the former army medic filmed shooting a badly wounded Palestinian in the head in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron in 2016.  Azaria shot Abdel Fattah Al-Sharif in March 2016. Al-Sharif had stabbed and wounded an occupation soldier, but Israeli troops had already shot him. The injured Palestinian lay on the ground for about 11 minutes before Azaria killed him. Al-Sharif was unarmed and badly hurt when Azaria approached him. The horrific killing of the Al-Sharif by Azaria was captured on video, sparking outrage.  Herzog’s office said the president acted on the recommendation of Defence Minister Israel Katz. It cited the time that had passed and the spirit of Yom Kippur

• 
  Trump administration prepares sweeping sanctions against ICC

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing to impose sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), in a new escalation of its confrontation with the court over its investigations and arrest warrants against Israeli officials. According to a report published by The Wall Street Journal on Sunday, the planned measures would go beyond sanctions imposed so far on ICC officials and judges to target the institution itself and most transactions involving it. The newspaper reported that the sanctions would prohibit most transactions with the ICC, but the restrictions would take effect after a six- to seven-month wind-down period, giving organisations dealing with the court time to decide before the measures come into force. READ: Trump bans CNN, MS

• 
  France diesel prices hit record high amid Middle East turmoil

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Diesel prices in France reached a new record high on Sunday, according to an analysis by Agence France-Presse (AFP), amid disruptions to global oil supplies caused by the war in the Middle East.  Since the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran began in February, fuel prices at filling stations around the world have risen sharply, compounded by renewed conflict in Yemen and attacks on energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. At 10.30am (8.30am GMT), the average price of a litre of diesel reached 2.41 euros ($2.76), according to an AFP calculation based on prices listed on the Economy Ministry’s website at more than 8,700 filling stations. The price exceeded the previous record set on Saturday. The average

• 
  Palestinians in Britain issue statement on National Council elections

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  As the Palestinian National Council prepares to be reconstituted, members of the Palestinian community gathered in London to affirm their people’s right to choose their representatives. They reiterated that the Palestinian National Council is an inclusive national body representing all Palestinians, both in Palestine and across the diaspora. A press statement from the gathering affirmed the following: First: Electing the Palestinian people’s representatives to the Palestinian National Council is a fundamental national and democratic right that must neither be denied nor circumvented. Second: We reject appointments as a substitute for elections. Legitimate representation derives from the will of the Palestinian people, expressed through free, fair and direct elections that ensure the participation of Palestinians in Palestine and the diaspora. Third:

• 
  How Germany’s anti-Palestinian crackdowns paved the way for the AfD

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Magdeburg, Germany, 6th September 2026. State elections were looming over Germany, an important day for nation’s democratic future. Center-left parties appeared visibly anxious and terrified at the eastern Germany state of Saxony-Anhalt. State media announced the exit poll just after eight in the evening. Alternative for Germany (AfD) has marked historical victory by securing 43.8 per cent of the vote in Saxony Anhalt, more than double its result five years earlier, and falls three seats sort of governing a German state alone for the first time since 1945. The AfD gained immense support by adopting the xenophobic and Islamophobic position following the refugee crisis in 2015, when Angela Merkel opened the Germany’s border and allowed more than a million refugees

• 
  UN rapporteur likens killing of Gaza children to Nazi Holocaust practices

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese on Saturday compared Israel’s killing of thousands of children in the Gaza Strip to practices carried out by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Albanese made the comment in a post on X in response to remarks by Israeli model Sarai Givaty to the Hebrew-language i24NEWS channel. The UN rapporteur reposted part of Givaty’s interview, in which she asked: “Is it possible for me not to feel sad about every child crying in the world?”  “I am sad. But I also realise that if we don’t act, this child will grow up to become a terrorist,” Givaty said. Albanese responded: “(Children will grow up.) This was

• 
  Israel places West Bank Islamic site under its authority, Palestine calls for ‘urgent’ intervention

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  An Israeli military force raided several areas in the occupied West Bank’s Tulkarm governorate on Sunday, including the Banat Yaqub shrine, and posted notices stating that the site had been placed under the authority of Israel’s Antiquities Authority. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, the building consists of two floors: a lower floor dating to the Roman period and an upper floor dating to the Mamluk period. It has domes, a prayer room and a basement leading to the ground floor. Two stone-built pools and two structures dating to the Roman period are located in front of the building. A modern adjacent building, known as Al-Fakhara, is linked to pottery production and contains a pottery kiln. The Palestinian Ministry

• 
  Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli official, settlers’ Al-Aqsa entry

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Saudi Arabia on Sunday condemned an Israeli official and a group of settlers entering the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, describing it as a “blatant violation and provocation to Muslims around the world”. In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said the kingdom strongly condemned and denounced the entry of an Israeli official and a group of extremist settlers into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli forces. It said the incursion was “a blatant violation and provocation to Muslims around the world”. Saudi Arabia reiterated its “categorical rejection of provocative practices and illegal and extremist acts of incitement and violence” by Israeli officials against Palestinians and holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territories.

• 
  Egyptian irrigation minister: Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is illegitimate

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Egyptian Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam said on Sunday that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is “illegitimate” and that Egypt has the right to take any measures it deems necessary to protect its water security. Sewilam made the remarks during a briefing for foreign media representatives in Cairo, organised by the government’s State Information Service. Egypt and Ethiopia have been at odds for years over the dam, which Addis Ababa began building on the Blue Nile in 2011. Cairo has called for a binding agreement on its operation to safeguard Egypt’s water security. READ: Italy offers to mediate between Egypt and Ethiopia over Nile waters Sewilam said the completion of the dam and the passage of time did

• 
  Syria reopens Holy Land School in Idlib after 60 Years

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Syria has reopened the Holy Land School in the Jisr al-Shughur area of Idlib governorate after it had been closed for around six decades, Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh announced on Sunday. Al-Saleh said he had participated in a ceremony marking the reopening of the school, which will once again receive students from the surrounding area. “After it was closed for about 60 years by the Baath Party and the Assad regime, today we participated in the reopening of the Holy Land School in the Jisr al-Shughur area,” Al-Saleh said in a statement. He welcomed the return of students to the building, describing its reopening as representative of “the Syria we dreamed of … a Syria

• 
  Saudi Arabia has the weapons. What about a strategy?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  A Houthi ballistic missile targeted Riyadh on Saturday. The Saudi-led coalition said its defenses intercepted it. Later, a plume of smoke rose near the capital’s airport. It was the first strike on the city since the fighting escalated this summer. The attack exposed a hard truth. Saudi Arabia owns one of the world’s costliest arsenals. Yet the movement it went to war against in March 2015 now holds Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast, according to AFP. It has seized Mokha and claims Perim Island, in the middle of the Bab al-Mandeb strait. Military power has not produced political control. The war has a long history. Saudi Arabia launched its air campaign on March 26, 2015, to stop the Houthi advance

• 
  Israel army imposes curfew affecting more than 2,500 Palestinians in Hebron

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  The Israeli army imposed a curfew on several Palestinian neighbourhoods in central Hebron on Sunday evening, affecting more than 2,500 residents, according to a local rights activist, as security measures were tightened during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Aref Jaber, a member of the Human Rights Defenders group, told Anadolu that the restrictions covered the Jaber, Al-Salaymeh and Wadi al-Hussein neighbourhoods. Jaber said the curfew began at 5:00 p.m. local time on Sunday and was expected to remain in effect until the end of Yom Kippur on Monday. According to Jaber, more than 2,500 Palestinians in the affected neighbourhoods were prohibited from moving freely, opening businesses or traveling to workplaces and schools during the restrictions. The Israeli military frequently

• 
  Ekrima Sabri says Israeli activities during Jewish holidays aim to assert Sovereignty over Al-Aqsa

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, has accused the Israeli government of using activities surrounding Jewish holidays to assert greater control over the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and gradually alter its longstanding status quo. Sabri said Israeli activities at and around the compound had moved beyond seasonal religious visits and were increasingly part of what he described as a broader political effort to demonstrate Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem and its holy sites. His comments came during Yom Kippur, following a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday evening to the Western Wall and nearby tunnels. Hundreds of Jewish visitors also entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Sunday under Israeli police protection, according to the Palestinian Information Centre. The

• 
  Gaza authorities launch emergency plan to evacuate and demolish 255 unsafe buildings

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Authorities in the Gaza Strip announced on Sunday an emergency plan to evacuate and demolish 255 buildings considered at imminent risk of collapse after sustaining damage during Israeli military operations. The announcement follows a series of partial and complete building collapses involving structures weakened by previous bombardment. Last Wednesday, 21 Palestinians were killed when the Al-Saada building in Gaza City collapsed, according to Palestinian authorities. In a statement, Gaza’s Government Media Office said the 255 buildings covered by the emergency plan had suffered extensive damage and were now at risk of complete collapse. The office said the initiative was intended to address the “imminent danger” posed by the structures and protect residents and displaced families who have continued to shelter

• 
  IOM says 1,000 people displaced in north Darfur as security deteriorates

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Around 1,000 people were displaced from three villages in Sudan’s North Darfur state in a single day amid worsening security linked to fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday. In a statement, the UN agency said the displacement occurred last Thursday in the Um Baru locality, affecting residents of the villages of Korabia, Qurbura and Wadi Arkuri. The IOM said most of the displaced families had crossed Sudan’s western border into neighbouring Chad. “The situation remains tense and volatile,” the organization said, adding that it was continuing to monitor developments in the affected areas. The latest displacement follows further population movements reported elsewhere in North Darfur

• 
  Settlements council head calls for major Israeli operation against Palestinian Authority

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  Yisrael Gantz, head of an Israeli settlements council in the occupied West Bank, has called on the Israeli government to launch a large-scale military operation against the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its security forces following a fatal shooting near the settlement of Neve Tzuf, northwest of Ramallah. Gantz called on the government to “dismantle the Palestinian Authority and disarm its agencies,” arguing that the PA’s continued existence poses a security threat to Israel. His comments followed a shooting near a spring in the Binyamin region of the West Bank in which an Israeli settler was killed. READ: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty urge EU to ban trade with Israeli settlements Israeli forces later announced that they had arrested the person suspected of

• 
  Prabowo’s tears for Palestine are not enough

  by Mehdi Editor on September 21, 2026

  On Saturday, President Prabowo Subianto was in the middle of a speech when he stopped talking, wiped his eyes with a small towel, and apologized to the crowd. “I am sorry,” he said. “I just remembered our brothers and sisters in Palestine. They are being slaughtered, they are bombed, they are attacked again and again. And we seem powerless to help them.” He was speaking at Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor in Ponorogo, East Java, one of Indonesia’s oldest Islamic boarding schools, marking its 100th anniversary. Later, the Palestinian ambassador gave him a keffiyeh, the scarf that symbolizes Palestine. Prabowo cried again, then chanted “Free Palestine” several times, saying a strong Indonesia can help its oppressed “brothers and sisters.” It was

• 
  Egyptian president meets CIA chief, calls for agreement to resolve Iranian crisis

  by Marwa A on September 20, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met in Cairo on Sunday with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and called for an agreement to resolve the Iran crisis and restore regional stability, Anadolu reports. Sisi expressed Cairo’s “full support for efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement that resolves the Iranian crisis, thereby contributing to the restoration of regional security and stability and ensuring the freedom of international navigation,” the presidency said in a statement. He also stressed Egypt’s rejection of any assault against the security and sovereignty of Arab countries, and underlined the need to solve regional crises through diplomatic means while addressing their root causes. Regional tensions escalated after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February, prompting Tehran

• 
  Nearly 147,000 Yemenis displaced in September amid escalating fighting, government says

  by Marwa A on September 20, 2026

  A Yemeni governmental body said on Sunday that nearly 147,000 people have been displaced this month amid ongoing military escalation in the war-torn country, Anadolu reports. The Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons Camps documented the displacement of 21,583 families, comprising 146,943 people, between Sept. 1 and 18 due to deteriorating security conditions. It said the displacement was recorded in eight provinces: Taiz and Lahj in the southwest; Aden, Abyan and Shabwa in the south; Al-Hudaydah in the west; and Hadhramout and Al Mahrah in the east. According to the report, Taiz received the largest number of displaced, with 11,534 families comprising 80,792 people, distributed across 15 districts. Lahj ranked second, receiving 5,472 families comprising 38,304 people across

• 
  Iran says US decided to resume strikes, vows retaliation

  by Marwa A on September 20, 2026

  Iran’s military said on Sunday that it has received information suggesting that the US decided to resume strikes against the Islamic Republic, Anadolu reports. “According to the information received, the criminal America, has once again decided to resume measures against Iran, with the green light of some regional countries, at a joint meeting in a European country,” the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a statement carried by state-run broadcaster IRIB. It vowed retaliation against US interests and deployment areas in the region If Washington “makes a mistake.” “We warn that if the countries of the region – by continuing their dual policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran – align with the Great Devil’s aggression against a powerful and

• 
  US urges Americans to reconsider travel to Middle East amid rising tensions

  by Marwa A on September 20, 2026

  The US on Saturday urged Americans outside the Middle East to seriously reconsider travel to and through the region, citing a complex security environment and the potential for rapid escalation, Anadolu reports. The State Department’s Travel.Gov account on a US social media platform said Americans in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and be prepared for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions. “Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” it said. It warned that Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks involving civilian airports, and said the conflict “has the potential to escalate rapidly.” Americans traveling to or from the region

• 
  Singer Ed Sheeran says his ‘heart broken’ by Gaza devastation, addresses Macklemore controversy

  by Marwa A on September 20, 2026

  Singer Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy Saturday surrounding rapper Macklemore’s removal from his US tour before performing at Lincoln Financial Field in the state of Pennsylvania, saying his “heart has been broken” by the devastation caused by the war in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. “I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet,” he told the crowd in the city of Philadelphia. Sheeran condemned the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel as “horrific,” while describing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza as “catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate.”

• 
  Israeli checkpoint closures prevent over 100 Palestinian teachers from reaching schools in West Bank

  by Marwa A on September 20, 2026

  The Israeli army has closed two checkpoints in the northern West Bank, preventing more than 100 Palestinian teachers from reaching schools, an education official said Sunday, Anadolu reports. Azmi Balawneh, director of education in Tubas Governorate, said 104 teachers were unable to reach their schools after the army had shut the Tayasir and Ein Shibli checkpoints in the northern Jordan Valley, the official news agency Wafa reported. He said the closure disrupted classes at six schools and a kindergarten attended by around 1,100 students. The Israeli army has closed the two checkpoints as part of broader military restrictions across the occupied West Bank. Meanwhile, Israeli army forces raided the village of Al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah in the central West Bank,

• 
  Around 100 Israeli occupiers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, perform Talmudic rituals

  by Marwa A on September 20, 2026

  Around 100 Israeli occupiers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday morning under the protection of Israeli forces, the Jerusalem Governorate said, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the governorate’s media office said the occupiers raided the compound’s courtyards and performed Talmudic rituals under the protection of Israeli police. The incident comes a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, several ministers and thousands of Israeli occupiers entered the Western Wall plaza in East Jerusalem amid tight security. The incursion also came as the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur begins Sunday evening and continues until Monday evening. Occupier incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque have intensified in recent months, particularly during Jewish holidays, amid Palestinian warnings against attempts to impose

• 
  Iran says Strait of Hormuz to remain closed until US fulfills commitments

  by Marwa A on September 20, 2026

  Iran’s parliament speaker said Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US fulfills commitments made under a June agreement and meets Tehran’s conditions, Anadolu reports. Addressing the parliament, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Iran has “explicitly conveyed its conditions to the opposing side through intermediaries,” according to state-run broadcaster IRIB. “The enemy is well aware that the path of deception and unilateral imposition is closed; until these conditions are met, the legitimate rights of the Iranian nation are recognised, and American commitments are fulfilled, there will be no opening for a return to the previous state of negotiations or for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. Tensions in the Middle East escalated after the

• 
  Gaza’s Kuwait Specialty Hospital suspends routine services over fuel shortage

  by Marwa A on September 20, 2026

  The Kuwait Specialty Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, announced on Sunday the suspension of operations in all departments, except for emergency care, due to a halt in fuel supplies amid the Israeli blockade, Anadolu reports. “We regret to announce the suspension of operations in the hospital’s departments, with the exception of the emergency department, starting today, Sunday, due to the cessation of fuel supplies necessary to operate the facility,” the hospital said in a statement. The facility warned that the continuation of the crisis results in “depriving thousands of citizens of medical treatment on a daily basis.” The development comes amid the repercussions of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, accompanied by a tightened blockade and widespread attacks

• 
  Iran calls on US to honor June framework deal

  by Mehdi Editor on September 19, 2026

  Iran on Saturday called on the US to abide by the framework deal the countries reached this June, saying the Pakistani-brokered pact represents a sovereign decision approved by the country’s highest leadership, Anadolu reports. Interior Ministry spokesman Ali Zainvand made the remarks while commenting on a possible visit to Tehran by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, according to Iranian state TV. “A large number of countries are making efforts to resolve this issue and bring the parties back to the point of understanding,” said Zainvand. He said Pakistan’s mediation role and other diplomatic initiatives are continuing strenuously. “International diplomatic efforts and mediation are still underway to resolve the problems and return to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” he added, using

• 
  US lawmaker blocks $2.8 billion weapons sale to Israel: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 19, 2026

  A top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, has placed a hold on a $2.8 billion weapons sale to Israel, The Hill reported on Friday. Shaheen has voiced frustration that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not addressed concerns raised by Democratic lawmakers over civilian deaths in Gaza, Israeli strikes in Syria, and growing violence against Palestinians by extremist Israeli occupiers in the West Bank. The proposed weapons package includes 40,000 one-ton bombs. The Biden administration had previously withheld similar munitions due to concerns over their use in Gaza and the resulting civilian casualties. Palestinian health officials estimate that around 70,000 Palestinians have been killed during the three-year war between Israel and Hamas since October 2023,

• 
  Yemen’s Houthis claim missile, drone attacks on Saudi capital

  by Mehdi Editor on September 19, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed it launched missile and drone attacks on “sensitive targets” in the Saudi capital Riyadh alongside a separate attack on facilities of oil firm Saudi Aramco in coastal Yanbu, Anadolu reports. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote on US social media company X on Friday that the group carried out two operations using “a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones.” He said the first operation targeted “sensitive targets” in Riyadh, while the second targeted Saudi Aramco in the western coastal city of Yanbu. There has been as yet no Saudi comment on the Houthi claims. Earlier Saturday, Saudi Civil Defense alerts reached Riyadh for the first time in the latest wave

• 
  Yemen’s army says 13 soldiers killed in fighting with Houthis in Taiz, Lahj

  by Mehdi Editor on September 19, 2026

  Thirteen Yemeni soldiers were killed in two days of clashes with Houthi forces in the southwestern provinces of Taiz and Lahj, the army said on Saturday, Anadolu reports. The army-affiliated Tur al-Bahah Military Axis only reported the fatalities in a statement, without giving further details. Several fronts across Yemen have seen renewed fighting in recent days between government forces and the Houthis, including Taiz, Marib, Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda and Lahj. READ: Bab al-Mandeb Strait’s shipping traffic comes to halt amid conflict in Yemen The latest fighting is part of a wider military escalation that began in early July, the most intense since a relative calm prevailed across the country following an April 2022 truce. Fighting accelerated further in September, with the Houthis

• 
  Syria says 11 soldiers killed in Friday’s blast at army site in Deir ez-Zor

  by Mehdi Editor on September 19, 2026

  The Syrian Defense Ministry said Saturday that 11 soldiers were killed in Friday’s explosion at an army site in the Ayyash area west of Deir ez-Zor province in northern Syria, Anadolu reports. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), citing the ministry, said the soldiers’ procession was set out from the National Hospital in Deir ez-Zor city. The authorities have not yet disclosed the cause or circumstances of the blast. READ: Israeli forces shell outskirts of Beit Jinn, launch incursion into southern Syria with 9 military vehicles The ministry’s Media and Communications Department said Friday that an explosion had occurred at one of the army’s sites in the Ayyash area west of Deir ez-Zor. It said authorities were investigating the causes and

• 
  Living in shadow of ruins: Gaza City residents face threat of collapsing structures damaged by Israeli attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 19, 2026

  Displaced Palestinian families in Gaza City are living under constant threat as heavily damaged structures risk collapsing amid ongoing military strikes, Anadolu reports. Families living in tents near the damaged Shawa Husari Tower expressed mounting fear that surrounding buildings could crumble at any moment. Residents from the area designated as the “Yellow Line” said they remain trapped with no alternative safe shelter. On Friday, five Palestinian children were injured after part of a residential building damaged by Israeli bombardment collapsed in the Sabra neighborhood of southern Gaza City, marking the second such incident in three days. It was the second such incident in three days. On Wednesday, 21 Palestinians, including 12 children, were killed and others injured when the Al-Saada

• 
  US military says over 1B barrels of oil shipped through Strait of Hormuz under US blockade

  by Mehdi Editor on September 19, 2026

  The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that more than 1 billion barrels of crude oil had transited the Strait of Hormuz in recent months under a US military blockade, Anadolu reports. “CENTCOM forces have supported more than 1 billion barrels of crude oil leaving the Gulf,” Adm. Brad Cooper said in remarks released by the command on US social media platform X. Cooper said US forces have also assisted more than 2,000 commercial vessel transits through the strategic waterway by providing coordinated protection. READ: Iranian body lists 77 vessels for violating Tehran’s Strait of Hormuz protocols He said the primary transit lanes in the strait have been cleared of mines and that thousands of ships have passed through the

• 
  7 Houthis killed in clashes near Bab el-Mandeb Strait: Yemeni official

  by Mehdi Editor on September 19, 2026

  Seven Houthi members, including a senior commander, were killed in clashes near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in southwestern Yemen, the Yemeni government said on Saturday, Anadolu reports. In a post on US social media company X, Deputy Information Minister Abdulbasit al-Qaedi said Houthi commander Firaq Mohsen al-Assar and six of his aides were killed on the Kahboub front. The Houthis did not immediately comment on the statement, but activists close to the group mourned al-Assar, without providing details about the circumstances of his death. READ: Bab al-Mandeb Strait’s shipping traffic comes to halt amid conflict in Yemen In recent days, the Kahboub front, which includes mountains overlooking Bab el-Mandeb, is said to have seen fierce clashes between government forces and the

• 
  In Gaza City, 500,000 students turn to tent classrooms to resume education amid devastating war damage

  by Mehdi Editor on September 19, 2026

  Palestinian students crowded into tent classrooms in Gaza City on Saturday, as local authorities and educators struggled to resume schooling amid widespread devastation left by the war, Anadolu reports. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education, around 700 tents have been set up across the Gaza Strip to serve more than 500,000 students whose regular schools were damaged, destroyed, or converted into shelters. Despite a fragile ceasefire, ongoing blockades and continued military strikes continue to severely disrupt daily life and access to basic services for residents across the enclave. According to the latest figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli violations of the Oct. 10, 2025 ceasefire agreement have killed 1,386 Palestinians and injured 4,784 others. Since October