UN estimates that 1.9m people displaced from Gaza’s 2.3m population Organisation indicates that women and children account for 70% of fatalities from death toll of almost 47,000Fri Jan 17 2025 - 15:47
Hamas renews its ranks in face of Israeli military onslaughtBinyamin Netanyahu’s aim of returning 200,000 Israelis to southern and northern communities abandoned during war is unlikely until Gaza has been pacified by political meansThu Jan 16 2025 - 17:05
New prime minister pledges ‘construction of the new Lebanon ... rooted in justice, security, progress and opportunities’Nawaf Salam seen as a man of change who could secure reforms required for the country to access $20bn in international funds to rebuild its shattered economy and war-ravaged regionsTue Jan 14 2025 - 16:47
Saudi Arabia calls for end to sanctions on Syria after Riyadh meetings Regional and western ministers along with senior diplomats pursue ways to advance country’s recoveryMon Jan 13 2025 - 16:53
Election of Joseph Aoun ends Lebanon’s two years without a presidentUN official calls on new president to appoint a prime minister, after two years of caretaker cabinetThu Jan 09 2025 - 17:01
Diplomats tread the road to Damascus as Syria’s new regime seeks international supportHayat Tahrir al-Sham has held talks with European and US officials, as well regional government ministersTue Jan 07 2025 - 15:41
Bethlehem cancels Christmas celebrationsWar means there will be little visitor presence in the birthplace of Jesus this ChristmasMon Dec 23 2024 - 13:00
Human Rights Watch claims Israel’s deprivation of water in Gaza is an act of genocideHRW says dehydration and malnutrition ‘undermine people’s abilities to heal from wounds and disease, leading to infections, illnesses and deaths’Thu Dec 19 2024 - 16:38
Assad’s fall sees Iran’s regional influence waneYemen-based Houthis are the only full-strength survivors of Tehran’s axis of resistanceThu Dec 12 2024 - 16:33
Turkey set to benefit from Assad’s downfallPresident Erdogan determined to further his nation’s regional interests by helping to ensure the transition to a stable new political regime in SyriaWed Dec 11 2024 - 17:05
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani: Profile of the HTS leaderPoliticised in 2000 by the second Palestinian intifada, the man who helped get rid of Bashar al-Assad started thinking about ‘defending a people who are oppressed by occupiers and invaders’Tue Dec 10 2024 - 16:19
Arab rulers fear Syria could slip into factional chaosArab leaders and analysts surprised and shocked by Assad’s sudden fall and flightMon Dec 09 2024 - 18:41
Rebels face task of preventing Syria from fracturing into fiefdomsAnarchy could spill over into neighbouring Lebanon and Jordan and destabilise the eastern Arab worldSun Dec 08 2024 - 17:35
Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, Amnesty International report says Israel has repeatedly denied genocide allegations and cites right to defence against Hamas attacksThu Dec 05 2024 - 06:20
Hamas and Fatah agree on postwar Gaza administrationIsraeli government yet to indicate whether it supports the moveTue Dec 03 2024 - 13:18
Advance of Syrian rebels threatens wider instability in Middle EastFall of Aleppo to al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has delivered major blow to the government amid economic crisis caused by mismanagement and sanctionsMon Dec 02 2024 - 16:15
Mahmoud Abbas names temporary successor in Palestinian Authority but rejects calls to resignAbbas blamed for rampant corruption and mismanagement and held responsible for rift with HamasThu Nov 28 2024 - 18:11
Hizbullah withdrawal will not erase its presence in south LebanonFollowing ceasefire deal, Shia movement will halt attacks on Israel, but will assume huge responsibilities in rebuilding towns and infrastructureWed Nov 27 2024 - 15:39
Figures outline the devastation and suffering in GazaAmid death, destruction, deprivation and disease, Gaza is at ‘breaking point’, says UNTue Nov 26 2024 - 17:24
More than 1,000 doctors and nurses killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza in past year, officials sayMore than 310 other medical personnel ‘arrested, tortured and executed in prisons’, Hamas-run health authorities sayMon Nov 25 2024 - 16:45
Iraq bans alcohol in clubs and hotels as pro-Iranian Shias tighten gripIraqi critic says decision by pro-Iranian Shias marks attempt to ‘transform Baghdad into Kandahar’Sun Nov 24 2024 - 11:00
Hamas says it has killed 20 armed looters following hijacking of aid trucks entering Gaza Operation targeted gangs of young men from Bedouin tribes, and is first phase in campaign to stamp out theft of humanitarian aidTue Nov 19 2024 - 21:16
Pope has called for international investigation into allegations of Israeli genocide in GazaPope Francis for the first time publicly used the word ‘genocide’ in reference to GazaMon Nov 18 2024 - 15:17
Israel accused of Gaza war crimes over forced displacements‘Systematic and widespread’ forced displacement of Palestinians is a crime against humanity, Human Rights Watch saysThu Nov 14 2024 - 20:12
US failing to push Israel to improve Gazans’ access to life-saving aid, say international agenciesUS continues to supply weapons even though Israel has met few of the 19 demands it set for improving conditions in GazaWed Nov 13 2024 - 15:50
Muslim-Arab summit demands Israel take steps to end Gaza and Lebanon conflictsSaudi crown prince opens major Riyadh gathering by demanding Israel immediately cease ‘military aggression’ and blockade of humanitarian aid to GazaMon Nov 11 2024 - 17:53
Donald Trump’s re-election likely to embolden IsraelUS president-elect is likely to support Binyamin Netanyahu’s interests, but relations with other Middle Eastern leaders are less assuredThu Nov 07 2024 - 19:27
Blinken calls on Israel to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza‘The entire Palestinian population in North Gaza is at imminent risk of disease, famine and violence’ according to aid agenciesTue Nov 05 2024 - 16:42
UN agencies forced to postpone second round of polio shots in northern Gaza amid Israeli attacks and mass displacementVaccinations postponed due to Israeli attacks, widespread displacement and difficulty accessing locationsThu Oct 24 2024 - 19:00
What next for Hamas? Assassination of leadership by Israel taking heavy tollMany Palestinians now questioning wisdom and conduct of October 7th operation, which precipitated Israel’s total war on GazaFri Oct 18 2024 - 15:41
Iranian foreign minister holds talks with Egyptian president Sisi After the first visit to Cairo in 13 years by Iran’s top diplomat, Mr Araghchi flew on to Turkey, the ninth stop on his regional tour amid rapidly rising regional tensionsThu Oct 17 2024 - 16:56
Humanitarian agencies fear Gaza-type scenario in LebanonUnicef and World Food Programme call for urgent funds as Lebanon suffers ‘same trauma, same fear’ as in GazaWed Oct 16 2024 - 18:01
UN agencies begin second stage of polio vaccinations in Gaza under Israeli bombardmentAttacks continued on Tuesday while children lined up to receive the vaccine and vitamin A to protect them from diseases which can be contracted from raw sewage and uncollected rubbishTue Oct 15 2024 - 17:37
Fate of Iran Revolutionary Guards commander uncertain amid conflicting reportsEsmail Qaani has been variously reported as being in line for a medal, or as having been detained for questioning over Israeli infiltrationFri Oct 11 2024 - 16:04
Saudi Arabia fails in bid to get seat on top UN human rights bodyRelaxations of social and cultural restrictions under crown prince Mohamed bin Salman have not ended rights abuses in the kingdomThu Oct 10 2024 - 17:01
Iran foreign minister travels to Gulf nations to discuss regional tensionsAbbas Araqchi warns Gulf states not to allow use of their airspace or US military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates in the event of an Israeli attack against TehranWed Oct 09 2024 - 18:01
Gaza humanitarian crisis: For the people still alive, things are getting worseAbout 1.2 million people have been forced to go an Israel-designated ‘safe zone’ that has no shelters, sewage or water. The IDF has bombed it six timesTue Oct 08 2024 - 16:10
Israeli tactics echo 1982 invasion of LebanonBombing of south, Beirut and Bekaa Valley, divisional deployment and compelling civilians to flee reveal extent of ‘limited’ incursionsThu Oct 03 2024 - 19:47
Pragmatic Iran has been keen to avoid direct confrontation with Israel over Lebanon US says Tehran is preparing to launch ballistic strikes at Israel, in what would amount to reversal of Iran’s longstanding policyTue Oct 01 2024 - 14:58
Nasrallah assassination marked by declarations of days of mourning and widespread condemnationIran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urges Muslims to stand with Hizbullah in ‘confronting’ IsraelMon Sept 30 2024 - 16:47
Assassination of leader always loomed as Hizbullah looks to successor for Nasrallah Nasrallah’s cousin Sayyed Hashem Safieddine is the most likely successor to the Israeli-killed secretary general of HizbullahSun Sept 29 2024 - 19:02
Extent of US military and economic aid reveals Israel’s reliance on Washington Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has received $310bn in US assistance, making Jewish state the largest recipient of US foreign aidFri Sept 27 2024 - 15:55
‘Israel bombs whole villages to hit one Hizbullah’ One family’s struggles a typical tale as thousands forced to flee for their safety due to widespread Israeli bombardment of LebanonThu Sept 26 2024 - 19:10
Israel’s Lebanon offensive against Hizbullah leaves Iran in difficult situationFiring Iranian ballistic missiles at Israel risks massive Israeli-US retaliation against Iran’s infrastructureTue Sept 24 2024 - 14:46
Russia and Iran sign partnership agreementDeal lays out two decades of co-operation in political, defence, regional and international affairsMon Sept 23 2024 - 21:16
Palestinian president welcomes toughening of Saudi position against normalising relations with IsraelMahmoud Abbas praises what he sees as a unified Arab and Muslim stand on Palestinian statehoodFri Sept 20 2024 - 16:28
Lebanon explosions: Hizbullah faces huge dilemma over response to attacksMovement must retaliate strongly for losses and humiliation, but cannot risk full-scale war with IsraelWed Sept 18 2024 - 17:19
Pezeshkian calls for warmer relations with Saudi Arabia as Iran aims to end regional isolationAt his first press conference since taking office in July, Iran’s president said the US ‘must show they are not hostile towards us’Tue Sept 17 2024 - 17:04
Some 625,000 Palestinian face second year without schoolUnrwa official says a million Gazans will not have enough food this month because Israel has blocked entry to lorries carrying essential suppliesMon Sept 16 2024 - 03:05
Rolling crises propel Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood to largest number of seats in election Gaza war, economic crisis, corruption and electoral reforms contribute to brotherhood’s achievementThu Sept 12 2024 - 18:41
