Friday, January 16, 2026

Middle East

US sanctioning Israeli settler group over violence against Palestinians

The US Treasury Department has announced that it is imposing sanctions on an Israeli settler group accused of 'perpetrating violence' in the occupied West Bank, where violence against Palestinians has increased over the past several years

Cordial relations between Iran, Saudi Arabia to benefit region: Deputy FM

The Iranian deputy foreign minister for political affairs has stated that close ties between Tehran and Riyadh would benefit both Middle Eastern countries and the entire West Asia region.

London feared Israel arms ban would ‘undermine US confidence’ in UK, NATO: Report

The UK's newly elected Labour government continued to export F-35 components to Israel, despite suspending other weapons licenses, because of concerns that halting their delivery would “undermine US confidence in London and NATO”, the UK's high court has heard.

Hamas refutes reports about political bureau relocation

The Palestinian movement Hamas has dismissed as “false and unsubstantiated” reports circulated by some Israeli media outlets that the Gaza-based group has relocated its political bureau from Qatar to Turkey.

Iranian engineer resigns from Google in protest against “complicity in Israeli crimes”

An Iranian software engineer has tendered his resignation from Google in response to the company's ‘collaboration with the Israeli regime’ on the largely-perceived anti-Palestinian Nimbus project.

Pope Francis urges investigation into ‘genocide’ in Gaza

Pope Francis has called for an investigation into potential Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip, where Israel's war has killed around 43,000 people.

Over 100 foreigners executed in Saudi Arabia this year

More than 100 foreigners were executed by Saudi Arabia in 2024, a tally by AFP revealed.

Israeli attack on Lebanon kills Hezbollah spokesperson

An Israeli attack targeting a building in central Beirut has killed Hezbollah’s spokesman Mohammad Afif, officials from the Lebanese group have confirmed.

At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli air raid on northern Gaza

At least 50 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on a five-story residential building in the Beit Lahia Project area in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday morning.

Human rights group documents Israel’s murders, extrajudicial executions of Gazans

A human rights group has documented horrific premeditated murders and arbitrary extrajudicial executions of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza.

Flares fired toward Netanyahu’s home in Caesarea

Israeli police have announced that they detected two flares fired near the house of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Caesarea in northern Israel.

Israel’s president cancels trip to world climate summit due to security concerns

Israeli President Isaac Herzog decided to cancel his participation in the COP29 climate change conference in the Azerbaijani capital Baku due to “security concerns”, his office has announced

US denial of Gaza ‘genocide’ makes it complicit in Israeli war crimes: Hamas

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has strongly condemned the recent statements made by the US Department of State, which denied genocide and the forced displacement of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by Israel.

Israel’s actions in Gaza ‘consistent with characteristics of genocide’: UN committee

A report by a United Nations special committee says Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war and policies and practices in the Gaza Strip that may amount to a "possibility of genocide".

Lebanese officials study US ceasefire plan

The Israeli military has conducted air raids on the suburbs of Beirut as Lebanese officials reviewed a US proposal for a ceasefire.

Saudi Arabia scales back Neom plans to focus on sports

Riyadh has scaled back some of its ambitious plans for Neom, the megacity it is building in the northwest of the kingdom, to prioritise sporting events set to be hosted in the city in the coming years, according to Reuters.

Britain threatened with court-ordered ban on weapons exports to Israel

Two groups challenging the British government over its continued export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel say they will ask a judge to order a halt to all UK arms exports if the policy is not reversed.

EU’s top diplomat proposes suspension of ‘political dialogue with Israel’, citing Gaza, Lebanon wars

The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, says that he has proposed to EU member states the banning of imports from illegal settlements and the suspension of political dialogue with Israel, citing Tel Aviv's many violations of international law in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

Leader advisor dismisses claims Iran has abandoned resistance as a “joke” 

Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Iran's leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, on Friday flew from Damascus to Beirut to hold talks with Lebanese officials over the Israeli aggression on Lebanon and other regional issues. 

Senior advisor to Iran FM: No immediate plans to adjust military advisors in Syria

Ali Asghar Khaji, a Senior Advisor to Iran’s Foreign Minister, stated in an interview with RIA Novosti that Iran has not made any decision regarding a change in the number of its advisory forces in Syria.

Rights group accuses Israel of crimes against humanity over forced displacement of Gazans

Israel is using evacuation orders to pursue the “deliberate and massive forced displacement” of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, according to a report by Human Rights Watch, which announced the policy amounts to crimes against humanity.

UN Security Council condemns Israeli attacks on UNIFIL

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has condemned recent Israeli attacks on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Trump, Biden discuss Ukraine, Middle East in White House

US President-elect Donald Trump said he discussed the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East with President Joe Biden during a meeting at the White House, which he stated was “really good".

Lebanon bombing victims’ Iran judgment overturned by US appeals court

A US appeals court has thrown out a $1.68 billion judgment against Iran's central bank that had been won by family members of troops killed and injured in the 1983 bombing of the American Marine Corps barracks in Beirut.

Trump taps Iran hawk Marco Rubio for secretary of state

US President-elect Donald Trump made official his choice to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as secretary of state on Wednesday, slotting his former rival into his administration’s top diplomatic role.

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