Middle East

Israeli veterans issue ‘extraordinary alert regarding deep fracture’ in military over judicial crisis

Former Israeli soldiers raised an "extraordinary alert" over the "deep fracture" in the military caused by the ongoing judicial crisis. In a joint statement, they stressed that the situation is far worse than what the army leadership has described and is now affecting active-duty soldiers.

Yemen says won’t transfer oil and gas revenues to Saudi bank

Yemen has rejected a proposal by Riyadh to transfer oil and gas revenues to the Saudi National Bank in return for the kingdom to pay public sector wages in the war-torn country.

Iraq says OIC to hold emergency meeting over Quran sacrilege in Europe

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry has announced that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) plans to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the desecration of the Holy Quran in Europe. However, it did not specify the exact time and venue of the OIC’s emergency meeting.

Netanyahu to be fitted with pacemaker overnight

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be fitted with a pacemaker overnight between Saturday and Sunday, he stated in a video statement released by his office.

Turkey to give in to EU demands over immigration rules: Report

Turkey will amend its immigration policy to make it more difficult for asylum seekers to gain Turkish citizenship, as Ankara seeks to meet European Union requirements and boost its bids to join the bloc, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet has reported.

Islamic countries should cut diplomatic, economic relations with Sweden: Hezbollah leader

Leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has called on Muslim countries to sever their relations with Sweden in reaction to the desecration of the Holy Quran in the European country.

Palestinians call for international investigation into Israeli killing of teenager

Palestinian Foreign Ministry has called for an international probe into the Israeli killing of a teenager in the occupied West Bank town of Sebastiya. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the start of 2023.

Huge crowds march in Israel as vote on judicial curbs nears

Tens of thousands of Israelis opposed to a judicial overhaul sought by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marched to Jerusalem on Saturday as pressure mounts on his rightwing government to scrap a bill that would curtail the supreme court’s powers.

Pentagon files reveal flaws in US claims about Syrian casualties in Daesh leader raid

Confidential documents provided new details about one of the most celebrated US military operations in recent history — and revealed flaws in the Pentagon's claim that deadly airstrikes on the Daesh leader in Syria did not hit civilians.

Iraqis attempt to storm Baghdad’s Green Zone over Quran burning

Hundreds of people in Baghdad have attempted to storm the city’s Green Zone, a heavily fortified area with a number of foreign embassies and the seat of Iraq’s government, over the sacrilege of the Holy Quran in Denmark.

US Senate introduces new legislation to boost normalisation with Israel

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has introduced new bill aimed at strengthening normalisation with Israel through proposals with nearly $120m in funding, naming Saudi Arabia as a "key regional partner" that would be eligible for many of those programmes.

Israeli soldiers fatally shoot another Palestinian teenager in West Bank

Israeli troops have killed a Palestinian teenager during a raid on the northern West Bank town of Sebastia. It comes only a few hours after the Israeli forces killed a teenage Palestinian boy in the occupied territory.

Israeli soldiers kill 17-year-old Palestinian in West Bank

Israeli soldiers have shot dead a 17-year-old Palestinian boy in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials have confirmed.

Turkey’s Erdogan to host Netanyahu and Abbas next week

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will be hosted in Ankara during the same week, the Turkish presidency has announced.

US dispatching Marines, more warships to ME amid rising tension with Iran

The United States is sending marines and additional warships to Middle Eastern waters amid rising tensions with Iran, the military announced Thursday.

Hezbollah chief calls on Muslims to expel Swedish ambassadors after Quran desecration

The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah has urged all Arab and Muslim countries to expel the Swedish envoys from their capitals in reaction to a fresh desecration of the holy Quran in the European country.

Footage: Iranian Navy aircraft monitor extra-regional warships in Persian Gulf

Iran’s national television shows footage of Navy aircraft conducting surveillance patrols over extra-regional warships sailing in the Persian Gulf.

Iraq expels Sweden envoy over Quran burning

Iraq has expelled the Swedish ambassador hours after protesters angered by the burning of copies of the holy Quran in the European country, stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, scaling the walls of the compound and setting it on fire.

Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian, injure 4 in West Bank

Israeli soldiers have shot dead a Palestinian and injured at least four others – two in serious condition – in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, the Palestinian health ministry and the Red Crescent have confirmed.

Turkey inks $50 billion in deals with UAE during Erdogan’s visit

The United Arab Emirates and Turkey signed several deals worth $50.7 billion during a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Abu Dhabi as he toured wealthy Persian Gulf Arab nations for investment and funds.

Herzog in US a ‘palatable’ cover for Israeli violence against Palestinians: Jewish American groups

Israeli President Isaac Herzog may not be an ally to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or an official part of the Israeli government, but as a representative of Israel, he is complicit in the occupation of and discrimination against Palestinians. This is the message from several progressive Jewish American groups to US politicians as Herzog visits Washington.

Protesters storm Swedish embassy in Iraq over Quran burning

Demonstrators angered by the recent burning of a copy of the holy Quran in Sweden, stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad, scaling the walls of the compound and setting it on fire.

US blacklists over a dozen Iraqi banks in dollar smuggling crackdown: Report

The US has banned 14 Iraqi banks from conducting dollar transactions as part of its crackdown on corruption and “dollar smuggling to Iran.”

Persian Gulf Council says willing to hold ‘deep talks’ with Iran

The Persian Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) has announced that the normalization of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia has contributed to the region’s stability and security, expressing willingness to engage in serious discussions with Tehran.

UN experts urge Bahrain to release students “tortured into confessions”

UN experts called for the release of six imprisoned Bahraini students who they say are being held arbitrarily after “confessing to crimes under torture and undergoing unfair trials.”

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