Browsing: Region
Lebanese authorities announced that the death toll from the Israeli airstrikes at dawn on the “Basta” and “Zuqaq Al Blat” areas in Beirut has risen to 10, in addition to 27 wounded.In a statement, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health’s Health Emergency Operations Center said that it recorded the killing of two people and the injury of six others in airstrikes carried out by the Israeli entity on the town of “Sahmar” in the Western Bekaa, east of Lebanon. Two people, including a paramedic, were also killed and another was injured in an Israeli raid that targeted a car in the Corniche area of Sidon, in the south of the country.In addition, four people were killed and seven others were injured in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the Ras Al Ain neighborhood of Baalbek.Earlier today, the center revealed that an Israeli airstrike on an apartment in “Zuqaq Al Blat” in Beirut led to two deaths and 14 injuries, according to initial reports. Source link
An Israeli airstrike killed at least three people including a child in the Gaza Strip Tuesday, local health authorities said, the latest violence jeopardising the ceasefire which has been under strain during the Israeli-US war against Iran.Medics said the airstrike targeted a vehicle in the western area of Khan Younis, south of the enclave, killing three people, including a child, and wounding 12 other people. There was no immediate Israeli comment.Israel’s military has continued to strike Gaza during the regional war with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. On Sunday it killed 12 people in Gaza, including nine police officers in one strike that Israel said targeted a Hamas cell. The military has cited threats or fire from Hamas as the reason for its attacks.Israel’s assault has since killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, Gaza’s health authorities say, including more than 670 since a ceasefire was reached last October. Gaza health officials said at least 40 people have been killed by Israeli fire since the US and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran at the end of February.Three sources told Reuters on Monday that envoys from US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” have met representatives of Hamas in Cairo in an effort to safeguard the October Gaza ceasefire, which has come under serious strain.A Palestinian official with knowledge of the Cairo talks said that Hamas believed Israel was exploiting the war on Iran to slip away from its obligations under Trump’s plan. Israel rejects this.Israel and Hamas have traded blame for ceasefire violations.Separately, Israeli forces shot and killed a 17-year-old Palestinian and wounded another in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, health officials said Tuesday.Rights groups and medics say Israeli settlers are taking advantage of curbs on movement imposed during the US-Israeli war on Iran to attack Palestinians in the West Bank, with military roadblocks preventing ambulances from reaching victims quickly.Settlers have killed at least five Palestinians in the West Bank since the Iran war began on February 28, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Related Story Source link
For the first time since war began in Gaza, Raeda Abu Diya has bought special clothes for her daughter for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.Bu while a fragile ceasefire now holds in the Israel-Hamas war, Palestinians in Gaza fear the Iran war will make the world forget their suffering, and lead to prolonged shortages of crucial aid.”This year I decided that my children and I would be happy and celebrate with what is available to us,” said 38-year-old Abu Diya, who lives with her daughter and husband in a tent after their home was destroyed.”The shelling is much less than before.”Her 15-year-daughter Fidaa is thrilled, proudly detailing the new jeans, T-shirt and jacket her mother got her to mark the holiday.She still misses her old room filled with all her belongings.But she hopes the upcoming celebration will mark the “beginning of the return of the sweet life to Gaza”.While the family hopes to make the most of the Eid al-Fitr, which should come either Thursday or Friday depending on the moon, her mother is worried that the US-Israeli war with Iran has drawn focus away from their plight.With nearly all of Gaza’s 2.2mn residents forced from their homes during over two years of war sparked by Hamas’s storming of Israel, many people still live in tents or makeshift shelters in enormous camps, facing shortages as well as persistent fear and uncertainty.”Gaza is now forgotten and the world ignores the suffering of its people,” Raeda Abu Diya said.Each day she is glued to the latest news of the Middle East conflict from local radio stations that recently resumed broadcasting.It is not just the current events that weigh upon her: the memory of relatives — including her brother — killed by Israeli strikes, is always with her.”We are trying to create a little joy, but sadness does not leave us,” she said.The truce in place since October between Israel and Hamas has seen the level of violence drop in Gaza — even though there are still regular reports of Israeli strikes and deaths.The Israeli army, which under the terms of the ceasefire still controls about half of the Gaza Strip including all border areas, reported its troops killed three Palestinian fighters in one strike and one firefight in Gaza Saturday.It reported killing six more Hamas fighters in a single strike in central Gaza Sunday.For other Gazans, the upcoming holiday only compounds the difficulties they’re already facing.Ammar al-Buhaisi, who lives in Deir al-Balah, is struggling to get enough food, let alone new clothes for his children — and has been avoiding their expectant questions.As the US-Israeli conflict with Iran engulfs the region, he said any “optimism for an improvement in the situation is diminishing”.Hussein Duwaima, whose original clothes shop was destroyed, said life was coming back “gradually” in Gaza and demand has picked up ahead of the holiday as crowds of shoppers pack makeshift markets.Due to a lack of supply caused by the closure of Gaza’s borders and steep transportation costs, the prices are high.A child’s shirt for example costs the equivalent of between $15 to $30, while a kilo of chocolates can be even pricier.Israeli forces completely or partially destroyed most of Gaza’s markets during the war, though the market in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood has been partly restored already.Imad al-Bahtimi plays Eid chants on a loudspeaker at his stall to help “attract children and spread joy among the people”.Hamas police officers have deployed again at markets and on the streets of Gaza since the start of the ceasefire.”It increases a sense of security,” Bahtimi said.Hossam al-Shafa received Eid clothes and sweets for his three children from a local charity.He said that Israel still bombs eastern areas of nearby Khan Younis on a regular basis, demolishing homes.”We are tired of war and destruction,” he said.Despite the ongoing dangers he and his wife are trying their best to create a festive atmosphere, gathering firewood to bake cakes on their stove.”These are the best days we have had since the war began,” he said. Related Story Source link
Ali Larijani, former chairman of the parliament of Iran, registers as a candidate for the presidential election at the Interior Ministry, in Tehran, Iran May 31,…
The deployment of US military forces in the Arabian Gulf has constituted a defining feature of the regional security architecture since the final decade of the twentieth century. As the Middle East’s geopolitical environment has grown increasingly complex, American military bases have become a central component in the regional balance of deterrence and stability within a geographic space of exceptional strategic and economic significance. The geostrategic importance of the Arabian Gulf extends beyond its vast hydrocarbon reserves—among the largest globally—to include its controlling position over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most vital maritime chokepoints in the international energy trade. Accordingly, the American military presence was never a temporary tactical arrangement; rather, it crystallized gradually into an integral component of a broader strategic approach aimed at managing regional equilibria and safeguarding global economic interests.Challenges Arising from the Military PresenceDespite its stabilizing intent, this security arrangement generates a complex set of political and strategic dilemmas. The presence of foreign military bases in a region characterized by persistent security tensions is liable to draw host nations indirectly into the dynamics of regional and international conflict. This dynamic has become particularly visible during the recent confrontation between the United States and Israel on one side and the Islamic Republic of Iran on the other, which has led to massive Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks on Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. Tehran claims that it is targeting its Gulf neighbors because these countries host American military installations, despite their own lack of direct involvement in combat operations. Moreover, these states have consistently and categorically prohibited the use of their territories as launchpads for offensive military actions against Iran, adhering to a deliberate policy designed to avoid direct engagement in the conflict. Nevertheless, they continue to find themselves at the center of regional escalations simply because of their geographic location and security partnerships. Historical Context of the American Military PresenceThe roots of the American military presence in the Gulf can be traced back to the structural transformations that reshaped the region beginning in the late 1970s. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 brought down one of Washington's most important strategic allies in the Middle East, creating a significant vacuum in its regional security architecture and a need for a new arrangement. However, the decisive expansion of the US military footprint occurred in the aftermath of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. This crisis fundamentally altered the Gulf security order and reinforced the conviction among regional states that the nature and magnitude of regional threats could exceed their own defense capabilities.In the years that followed, the United States steadily expanded its network of military installations, establishing air, naval, and ground facilities across several member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which itself was formed in the wake of the Iranian revolution.Strategic and Economic Dimensions of the Security PartnershipInternationally, available estimates indicate that the United States maintains military bases in approximately 80 countries—typically through bilateral defense arrangements based on mutual interests. For the Gulf states, this military presence represents one of the most effective instruments of strategic deterrence against regional threats, particularly given the chronic state of tension with Iran. These bases provide more than a conventional security umbrella, however; they also offer access to advanced defense systems, intelligence capabilities, and military technologies that would be exceedingly difficult to develop independently. Furthermore, the military partnership with the US contributes to the institutional enhancement of the Gulf armed forces through joint exercises, operational coordination, and intelligence sharing. Economically, the stability underpinned by this security architecture not only ensures the uninterrupted flow of energy supplies and the steadiness of global markets—an essential factor for Gulf economies whose revenues remain heavily dependent on hydrocarbon exports—but plays a pivotal role in the diversification of Gulf economies away from hydrocarbons, by allowing them to attract capital and talent for other sectors. The Normative Paradox in Iranian DiscourseThese bases are not without controversy, however, especially within Iranian political discourse. Yet within the ongoing debate over the legitimacy of foreign military bases in the region, a striking normative paradox emerges in Iran’s own position. While Tehran consistently condemns the foreign military presence in the Gulf as an infringement upon regional sovereignty, in practice the Islamic Republic has developed an extensive network of military influence beyond its own borders, particularly in Arab states such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. In Lebanon, for example, Iran helped establish Hezbollah as part of its “forward defense” strategy against Israel, enhancing the armed group’s capabilities to the point that it is the most powerful organization in the country and challenges the sovereignty of the Lebanese state. In Syria, Iran provided direct military, logistical, and political support to the massively unpopular regime of Bashar al-Assad, while keeping the country as a land bridge for its proxy network. Tehran also played an instrumental role in persuading Russian President Vladimir Putin to deploy Russian forces on Syrian soil to prop up the regime—an intervention that led to the establishment of permanent Russian military bases under long-term agreements.Despite its opposition to the American presence, Iran has actually engaged in indirect coordination with the US military at various points, including in Iraq during operations against armed groups. Iranian officials even acknowledged that this tacit cooperation with Washington helped stabilize the political situation in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Taken together, these realities raise questions about the internal consistency of Iran’s criticism of foreign military bases while it simultaneously projects military influence in ways that undermine the sovereignty of other states. Future Prospects for the American Military Presence in the GulfThe question of American military bases in the Arabian Gulf sits at the intersection of national security considerations, national sovereignty requirements, and geopolitical balance calculations. As the international political order undergoes structural changes and competition among major powers intensifies, the US military presence in the Gulf is likely to persist. However, it is expected to evolve in form and function. Future deployments are likely to rely increasingly on flexible basing arrangements, advanced military technologies, rapid-response units, and remote operational capabilities.Ultimately, the success of this security equation will remain contingent upon the ability of the US and Gulf states to strike a precise and sustainable balance between the requirements of collective security and the preservation of sovereign decision-making autonomy within an international system characterized by accelerating shifts in the balance of power and influence.Dr. Khalid Al-Jaber serves as the Executive Director of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs in Doha. A leading researcher and academic, he is widely recognized for his expertise in international relations, political communication, and the dynamics of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Source link
Israeli warplanes continued their airstrikes on southern Lebanon today, targeting several towns and areas.The Lebanese National News Agency reported that Israeli aircraft struck several towns in the south, with no casualties reported.Lebanese authorities announced yesterday that the death toll from the Israeli offensive on Lebanon since Mar. 2 has risen to 886 killed and 2,141 injured. Source link
Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinians killed in an overnight Israeli strike, according to medics, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip,…
A Palestinian young man was killed by live ammunition while two others were injured, in addition to another beaten, during an attack by Israeli settlers on the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, on Saturday.Medical sources reported that one man was killed and two others were injured, and a fourth was assaulted and beaten during the attack.With the death of the Palestinian young man, the number of people killed by settler gunfire and assaults in March has risen to seven.According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, settlers carried out more than 192 attacks during the two weeks of war and the prevailing regional tension.The Commission also stated that the number of people killed by settler gunfire since the beginning of 2026 has risen to eight, while the total since Oct. 7, 2023 has reached 44, amid escalating settler attacks on Palestinian villages, towns, and communities in the West Bank.The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission indicated that these attacks were concentrated in the governorates of Hebron with 47 attacks, Tubas with 42 attacks, Nablus with 35 attacks, Bethlehem with 14 attacks, and Jerusalem with 12 attacks, in addition to others in Salfit, Jericho, and Qalqilya. Source link
Spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Dany Ghafary, called on all parties to de-escalate and return to a cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon.In statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Ghafary said that 7,500 UNIFIL troops representing 48 countries are carrying out their duties south of the Litani River (southern Lebanon) in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, noting the continuation of military escalation and exchanges of fire across the Blue Line since March 2.The UNIFIL spokesman explained that there have been more than 800 deaths and more than 1,900 injuries in Lebanon since the start of the latest Israeli escalation that began on March 2, pointing to the displacement of more than 800,000 people, in addition to around 120,000 people staying in shelters.He affirmed that UNIFIL forces are carrying out tasks to monitor and record violations and submit reports to the Security Council, in addition to facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance and protecting civilian populations.Ghafary condemned attacks targeting UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon, adding that a shooting incident targeting the UN peacekeeping forces occurred during the recent escalation, and calling on all parties to fulfill their obligations to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers at all times.The UNIFIL spokesman concluded his remarks to QNA by saying that, according to the Security Council decision, UNIFIL’s mandate has been renewed for a final time, with its mission ending on Dec. 31, 2026, and withdrawal beginning during 2027, stressing the force’s commitment to the Security Council resolution to carry out its duties until the end of its mandate. Source link
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against the risk of the situation in Lebanon worsening, due to the ongoing Israeli attacks on wide areas of the country and the accompanying deterioration in humanitarian conditions.In response to a question posed by Qatar News Agency (QNA) correspondent during a press conference in Beirut regarding an Israeli statement suggesting turning Lebanon into ‘another Gaza’, Guterres said that he has not seen the statement in question, yet he affirmed that if it truly exists, then it is totally condemned, adding that the situation in Gaza is a catastrophe, and nothing like this can be justified or accepted.The UN Secretary-General highlighted, “The Lebanese people did not choose war, but were dragged into it,” and called for a ceasefire, saying, “There is no military solution – only diplomacy, dialogue and the full implementation of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions.”Guterres said, “We have witnessed widespread destruction in Lebanon, and there are fears that the south will turn into a wasteland and the suburbs face the risk of being bombed until they are completely destroyed.”He stressed the importance of Israel respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and noted that the Lebanese state alone should guarantee security, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701.The UN Secretary-General urged the international community to intensify efforts to support Lebanon, noting that the number of victims has reached hundreds of dead and wounded.Guterres further emphasized that attacks against UN peacekeeping forces and their positions are unacceptable, constitute a violation of international law, and may amount to war crimes.He pointed out that the UN is continuing its efforts on the ground, and that peacekeeping forces remain in their positions to ensure neutrality and protect civilians while maintaining continuous contact with all concerned parties.The UN Secretary-General noted that diplomatic channels remain available, including through his Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis‑Plasschaert and through key member states, in order to spare communities on both sides of the Blue Line further unnecessary suffering. Source link