Browsing: Region
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has condemned and denounced in the strongest terms the blatant Iranian aggression and the flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.In a statement issued Saturday by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia affirmed its full solidarity and support for the sisterly states, stressing that it is placing all its capabilities at their disposal to support any measures they take, and warning of the grave consequences of continued violations of state sovereignty and the principles of international law.Saudi Arabia also called on the international community to condemn these attacks and to take all decisive measures to confront what it described as Iranian violations that undermine the security and stability of the region. Source link
A Jordanian official military source said that two ballistic missiles targeting Jordanian territory were intercepted today.The source added that the sounds heard in the Kingdom’s skies over several areas are due to Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) aircraft conducting routine sorties as part of their operational duties.The source explained that these sorties are part of aerial reconnaissance and inspection operations, aimed at maintaining safety of Jordanian airspace and ensuring it remains free from any attempts at infiltration or illegal activities. Source link
Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced Saturday the suspension and cancellation of all flights departing from the State of Kuwait to Iran until further notice, citing the current political and military developments in the region and the resulting complete closure of Iranian airspace.Abdullah Al Rajhi, the authority’s spokesperson, said in a press statement that the decision was taken to ensure the highest standards of aviation safety and in compliance with international procedures followed under such exceptional circumstances.Al Rajhi added that some other flights may also be affected, as their previous routes relied on crossing Iranian airspace. This will result in delays to certain flights until air routes are reorganized and operational safety is fully ensured.The authority affirmed that it is closely monitoring developments around the clock in coordination with relevant local and international authorities, noting that any updates regarding the resumption of flights will be announced in due course. Source link
Iraq has closed its airspace in response to airstrikes targeting the Iranian capital, Tehran, and other cities across Iran.Spokesperson for Iraq’s Ministry of Transport, Maytham Al Safi, said in a statement on Saturday that the ministry had decided to shut Iraqi airspace, noting that the move was preceded by measures to clear the skies of all air traffic completely.Earlier, the management of Erbil International Airport announced the closure of its airspace and the suspension of all inbound and outbound flights until further notice.In a statement, the airport administration stated that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure safety of passengers and flight crews amid rising regional tensions following strikes that targeted sites inside Iran. Source link
Powerful explosions were heard this morning shaking the Iranian capital, Tehran. Source link
Supporters of Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr perform Friday prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan,in Baghdad,yesterday. Source link
Relatives of Palestinian policeman Khaled al-Zayan, who was killed in an Israeli strike on a checkpoint, according to medics, mourn during his funeral in Khan Younis…
People buy strawberries from a produce vendor after the second Friday noon prayers of the holy month of Ramadan in the old city of Jerusalem. A woman shops for bread from a bakery after the second Friday noon prayers of the holy month of Ramadan in the old city of Jerusalem. Source link
The US has warned Syria against relying on Chinese technology in its telecommunications sector, arguing it conflicts with US interests and threatens US national security, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The message was conveyed during an unreported meeting between a US State Department team and Syrian Communications Minister Abdulsalam Haykal in San Francisco on Tuesday. Washington has been co-ordinating closely with Damascus since 2024, when Syria’s now President Ahmed al-Sharaa ousted long-time leader Bashar al-Assad, who had a strategic partnership with China. Syria is exploring the possibility of procuring Chinese technology to support its telecommunications towers and the infrastructure of local Internet service providers, according to a Syrian businessman involved in the procurement talks. “The US side asked for clarity on the ministry’s plans regarding Chinese telecom equipment,” said another source briefed on the talks. Syria is open to partnering with US firms but the matter was urgent and export controls and “over-compliance” remained an issue, according to person familiar with the meeting in San Francisco. A US diplomat familiar with the discussions told Reuters that the US State Department “clearly urged Syrians to use American technology or technology from allied countries in the telecoms sector”.It was unclear whether the United States pledged financial or logistical support to Syria to do so. Source link
Israeli settlers set fire to vehicles and tents in the Palestinian village of Susiya on Tuesday night, residents said, in the latest incident of settler violence against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Videos verified by Reuters showed a masked group of men, who residents said were Israeli settlers, approaching the village near the city of Hebron, and later burning vehicles and Palestinian property. “They attack us almost every day, repeatedly, because we live near the main road… Last night they burned everywhere,” Halima Abu Eid, a Susiya resident told Reuters yesterday.The Israeli military said they had dispatched soldiers to deal with reports of “deliberate burnings of Palestinian property” and had opened an investigation into the incident. Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has increased sharply since the beginning of the war in Gaza in October 2023, with over 800 Palestinians displaced due to settler attacks in 2026 according to United Nations data. Attacks where masked settlers arrive at night to destroy Palestinian property or attack residents have become common, as Israeli settlers seek to control large swathes of land in the West Bank. An Israeli official previously blamed settler violence on a “fringe minority”, although Reuters reporting has shown well-organised plans to take Palestinian land in public settler social media channels. The UN has documented at least 86 instances of settler violence from February 3-16, leading to the displacement of 146 Palestinians and the injury of 64. Israeli indictments of settler violence are rare. At the end of 2025, Israeli monitoring group Yesh Din said of the hundreds of cases of settler violence it had documented since October 7, 2023, only 2% resulted in indictments. Israel’s far-right governing coalition has enabled the rapid spread of settlements, with some ministers openly stating they want to “bury” a Palestinian state. Most world powers deem Israel’s settlements, on land it captured in a 1967 war, illegal, and numerous UN Security Council resolutions have called on Israel to halt all settlement activity.Israel disputes the view that its settlements are unlawful and it cites biblical and historical ties to the land. Source link