UK’s Starmer hosts Israeli president for tense visit
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog for a contentious meeting Wednesday, with the visiting head of...Geostrategy
Qatar says reserves right to respond to Israeli attack, even as Trump delivers rare reproach of Israel
Doha, a key US ally that hosts the largest American base in the region, has hosted Hamas' political bureau since...Geostrategy
Tunisia’s Jabeur supports Saudi Arabia after criticism from tennis greats
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates--Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur on Saturday threw her support behind the potential staging of the WTA...She applauded the response of Saudi envoy to the US to criticism from two women tennis stars of the WTA's possible deal with the kingdom
Jabeur said that it will be amazing to see not just women but also men to be inspired and that it is very important to support Saudi Arabia's bid
Israel forges buffer zone inside Gaza at risk to civilians: experts
Since Hamas fighters stormed across the border on October 7, Israeli forces have targeted structures in Gaza within a kilometre...The plan, not publicly confirmed by Israel, appears to entail taking a significant chunk of territory out of the already tiny Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip
Last month, the Israeli army's deadliest day since the ground invasion began in late October offered a glimpse of the tactics being used to clear the border area
US and UK bomb Houthi targets in joint air raids
Scaling up attacks in the Middle East, US and UK carried out joint air raids in Yemen after a separate...The joint attacks hit 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen
The Houthis began targeting vessels in November in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza
No deal yet on Gaza truce, says Hamas official
Osama Hamdan, a top Hamas official in Lebanon, said the movement's leaders were reviewing a proposed framework hammered out by...The Hamas official said that an agreement had not yet been reached
He said the movement will announce their position soon
Hamas says US strikes in Iraq and Syria is putting ‘oil on fire’
Palestinian group Hamas condemned overnight US strikes in Iraq and Syria, saying Washington had poured "oil on the fire" in...The US launched air strikes against Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq and Syria and promised more, in retaliation for a drone attack that killed its three soldiers in Jordan.
The strikes killed at least 23 pro-Iranian fighters in Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said and in Iraq they killed 16 people including civilians.
US downed 8 drones off Yemen, hit 4 on ground
Washington, US - American forces shot down eight drones near Yemen and destroyed four more on the ground, the US military...A US Navy destroyer shot down one drone on Friday morning while F/A-18 warplanes and another ship downed seven later in the day.
"These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy and merchant vessels," US said
Displaced Lebanese lament bombed homes, lost livelihoods
Tyre, Lebanon - When Ines Tehini and her family fled their south Lebanon village after Hizbollah and Israel began exchanging fire...In Srifa, less than 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the border with Israel, farmer Abbas Fakih is staying in a house rent-free thanks to the generosity of residents.
"I had 250 goats. I've had to sell 50 or 60... just to put food on the table and feed the remaining cattle," he said, surrounded by his four children and their cousins.
Civilians among 16 killed in Iraq by US strikes on pro-Iranian group
The strikes hit "locations in the Akashat and Al-Qaim regions, including areas where our security forces are stationed", Awadi said....The strikes hit "locations in the Akashat and Al-Qaim regions, including areas where our security forces are stationed", Iraqi govt spokesman Awadi said.
"This aggressive air strike will push the security situation in Iraq and the region to the brink of the abyss," the spokesman Awadi added.
UAE allocates US$5m for UN’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza
ABU DHABI, UAE – As per the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs...The UAE is keen to support the humanitarian operations being carried out by the United Nations in the Gaza Strip.
The UAE stressed on the need to prevent further loss of life and avoid inflaming the situation in the Palestinian territory.
No Middle East escalation, urges EU foreign policy chief after US strikes
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on all parties to avoid further escalation in the Middle East after...US President Joe Biden vowing more attacks in retaliation for a deadly drone attack on an American base in Jordan.
The EU is aiming to launch a naval mission in the Red Sea later this month to help protect international vessels from attacks.
