Friday, January 16, 2026

Middle East

US charges CIA official with leaking document on Israeli attack on Iran

The United States has charged a man who worked for the CIA overseas with leaking a classified document last month that assessed Israeli preparations for an attack against Iran.

Erdogan says Turkey severed all relations with Israel

Ankara has cut all ties with Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced

Iran strongly condemns Israeli official West Bank annexation comment 

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman has strongly condemned an Israeli cabinet minister’s statement regarding the annexation of the West Bank by the regime, calling it part of the regime's genocidal act.

US says to continue sending arms to Israel despite dire conditions in Gaza

The United States will not change its policy on weapons transfers to Israel even though the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains dire, the State Department has announced.

Trump picks hardliner Mike Huckabee as Israel’s envoy

US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Mike Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, to be his ambassador to Israel, putting a figure who has refuted the existence of the Palestinian people at the centre of US diplomacy with Israel amid its wars on Gaza and Lebanon.

UN official warns Israeli acts in Gaza ‘reminiscent of gravest international crimes’

The United Nations aid chief has highlighted the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, describing it as "a wasteland of rubble" where there are "acts reminiscent of the gravest international crimes".

Iran, Russia, Turkey censure Israeli crimes in West Asia

Tehran, Moscow and Ankara have condemned Israel's continuous atrocities in West Asia, calling for increased international endeavours to secure an "immediate and permanent" ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Yemen’s Houthis say conducted missile, drone attacks on US warships

US warships came under sustained missile and drone attack from Houthi fighters as they sailed off the coast of Yemen, the Pentagon has confirmed, with the Yemeni armed group claiming it attacked the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and two US destroyers.

US military says targeted ‘Iranian-backed’ fighters in Syria for a second day

The US military says it has carried out fresh air raids in Syria targeting “Iranian-aligned targets” following a recent rocket strike against American soldiers at a base in Syria’s northeastern Hasakah province.

At least 2,000 civilians killed in northern Gaza amid Israeli attacks

At least 2,000 civilians have been killed in northern Gaza amid a campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing by Israel, the blockaded enclave’s media office has reported.

Qatar’s Emir orders cabinet reshuffle

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has appointed six new ministers in a major cabinet reshuffle.

Netanyahu plans to push for West Bank annexation when Trump takes office

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to push for annexing the occupied West Bank when US President-elect Donald Trump takes office, according to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN.

Aid groups say Israel missed US deadline to enhance humanitarian help for Gaza

Israel has failed to meet United States demands to allow greater humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, where conditions are worse than at any point in the 13-month-old war, international aid organisations have announced.

Over 320 humanitarian workers killed in Gaza since onset of war: UN

At least 322 humanitarian workers have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the war started in October 2023, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the occupied Palestinian territory said.

Trump chooses Iran hawk as UN ambassador

US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a staunch ally of Israel and a foreign policy hawk, to serve as the next US envoy to the United Nations.

Iran VP praises OIC-Arab League summit, calls for closer relations with Saudi Arabia

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has stated that the joint summit meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab States in Riyadh led to alignment among Islamic and Arab states and was a great success for Tehran.

Israel’s finance minister tells authorities to prepare for West Bank annexation

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has told his department to prepare for the annexation of the occupied West Bank in the wake of Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential elections.

US claims attacks in Syria targeted ‘Iranian backed groups’

The US military has carried out airstrikes against targets in Syria in what the US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed was a response to recent raid on US forces by “Iranian-aligned groups” in the country.

Holding referendum sole democratic solution to Palestinian issue: Iran

Holding a referendum involving all Palestinians is the sole lasting democratic solution to the Palestinian issue, Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has stated at the Extraordinary Joint Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Hezbollah says Israel failed to occupy one single village in Lebanon

The Lebanese resistance movement’s Media Relations Officer, Mohammad Afif announced that Israel has fallen short of occupying even a single village in southern Lebanon.

Human rights organization calls for famine declaration in northern Gaza

The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has urged the international and United Nations organizations to officially declare a famine in northern Gaza, where aid and goods have been blocked from reaching hundreds of thousands of residents for more than 50 days.

Netanyahu working from protected room in light of security fears since drone attack: Report

Benjamin Netanyahu is conducting most of his duties from a reinforced room on the basement level of the Prime Minister’s Office, rather than his usual office on a higher floor, in accordance with instructions from security officials, Channel 12 news reported.

Iran calls OIC, Arab League meeting on ending conflict in Lebanon, Palestine

Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said that an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League will start later on Monday at Iran's proposal, with the aim of ending the ongoing conflicts in Lebanon and Palestine.

Riyadh summit can help stop Israeli crimes in Gaza, Lebanon: Iran’s president to Saudi crown prince

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, expressed confidence that an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League in Riyadh will yield "effective and tangible" outcomes in halting  Israel's aggression in Gaza and Lebanon.

Israel PM admits giving green light for Lebanon pager attacks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he approved a deadly September attack on communications devices that exploded in Lebanon – the first time Tel Aviv admitted involvement in the terrorist incident.

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