Iraq says drones that struck military radar are foreign-made, doesn’t identify perpetrators
Sabah al-Numan, the military spokesman for the prime minister, said that Iraq identified "the origin of the drones used in...Geostrategy
Israeli tank shell strikes Gaza’s only Catholic church, killing three
Pope Leo XIV said he was "deeply saddened" by the loss of life, which a witness said was the result...Geostrategy
UN warns of manmade starvation in Gaza as food aid remains blocked by Israeli authorities
The World Food Programme says it has run out of food in Gaza, warning that hot meal kitchens—Gaza’s last major...WFP, one of the main providers of aid in the Palestinian territory, said it had "delivered its last remaining food stocks to hot meals kitchens in the Gaza Strip" on Friday
After blocking aid during an impasse over the future of a ceasefire with Hamas, Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza on March 18, followed by a ground offensive
WFP says has depleted all Gaza food stocks as Israel blocks aid
After 18 months of war, the situation in Gaza "is probably the worst" now, the United Nations' humanitarian agency OCHA...WFP added that all 25 bakeries it supports in Gaza were forced to close on March 31 as wheat flour and cooking oil ran out.
"This is the longest closure the Gaza Strip has ever faced, exacerbating already fragile markets and food systems," it said.
Saudi Arabia normalizing ties with Israel ‘will happen’: Trump
"Saudi Arabia will go into the Abraham accords," Trump said, referencing the historic agreement struck at the end of his...Trump is set to visit Saudi Arabia next month on a Middle East tour that was expected to be his first overseas trip since retaking the White House.
Trump forged close relations with Riyadh in his first term and is expected to push Saudi Arabia towards normalizing ties with Israel as a major foreign policy objective.
Trump confidant Steve Witkoff leads Iran talks amid nuclear tensions, Europe urged to rejoin diplomatic efforts
Witkoff, a businessman friend of Trump who has become his globe-trotting negotiator, last met Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday...Witkoff, a businessman friend of Trump who has become his globe-trotting negotiator, last met Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday in Rome
The State Department announced that Witkoff would himself attend the technical talks to take place Saturday in Oman where he held his first meeting with Araghchi on April 12
India and Pakistan urged to have ‘maximum restraint’ after Kashmir attack
The United Nations urged India and Pakistan to show "maximum restraint" as the nuclear-armed rivals imposed tit-for-tat diplomatic measures over...Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday vowed to hunt down the gunmen responsible for killing 26 civilians at the popular tourist site of Pahalgam
Denying any involvement, Islamabad called attempts to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack "frivolous" and vowed to respond to any Indian action
Israel military issues evacuation order two north Gaza areas
"To all of the civilians of the Gaza Strip staying in the areas of Beit Hanoun and Sheikh Zayed. This...Israel resumed its intense aerial and ground assault across Gaza from March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas that had largely halted fighting in the territory.
Meanwhile, initial probe released by Israeli army said Israeli tank fire killed a UN worker in Gaza last month, after initially denying operating in the area.
Lebanon parliament approves changes to banking secrecy law
Beirut, Lebanon -- Lebanon's parliament on Thursday approved amendments to banking secrecy legislation, a key reform demanded by the International...The international community has long demanded major fiscal reforms to unlock billions of dollars in aid to restart the Lebanese economy in the wake of a five-year economic collapse
The crash since 2019 has seen the local currency lose most of its value against the US dollar and has pushed much of the population into poverty.
Abbas urges Hamas to free Gaza hostages as Israeli strikes kill 25
"Hamas has given the criminal occupation excuses to commit its crimes in the Gaza Strip, the most prominent being the...Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim called Abbas's remarks "insulting". "Abbas repeatedly and suspiciously lays the blame for the crimes of the occupation on our people."
Hamas's armed wing the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades later issued footage it said was of an Israeli hostage alive in a Gaza tunnel. He identified himself as 48-year-old Omri Miran.
Germany, France, UK say Israel’s Gaza aid blockade ‘must end’
Germany, France and Britain on Wednesday called on Israel to stop blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning of "an acute...After 18 months of devastating war and an Israeli blockade on aid since March 2, the UN has warned of a dire humanitarian situation for the 2.4 million inhabitants
The heads of 12 major aid organisations warned last Thursday that "famine is not just a risk, but likely rapidly unfolding in almost all parts" of the coastal territory
Trump to visit Saudi, Qatar, UAE in May amid tensions over Iran, trade, and security
Saudi Arabia's top diplomat held talks in Washington earlier this month to lay the groundwork for a visit by Trump...It will be his second foreign trip since returning to office, following his planned attendance at the Vatican for Pope Francis's funeral on Saturday
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, promised in January to pile $600 billion into US trade and investments
