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The head of Kyiv's military administration says Russia is "once again massively attacking" and has hit residential buildings.

Military · Geopolitical

Evening update Good evening Middle East Eye readers, If you are just joining us now, here are the latest developments from across the region: Israeli military sets off 'huge explosion' in southern Lebanon's Haddatha as the first day of a new round of Israel-Lebanon talks commence in Rome, expected to continue until Thursday A projectile sinks an Indian vessel near Yemeni waters, with all 14 seafarers safely rescued by the Yemeni coast guard Iran's foreign ministry says that talks with Oman are progressing 'positively' to negotiate a safe and secure route through the Strait of Hormuz Israeli forces continue to intensify town raids in the occupied West Bank as Israeli Knesset approves an additional $36m for settlement expansion US Central Command says it has redirected another ship in its blockade of Iranian ports, adding that the Strait of Hormuz remains 'free and open' for traffic Netanyahu says Israeli forces 'are not withdrawing from the current lines in Gaza', and that he disagreed with Trump's Board of Peace roadmap plan for Gaza White House is reportedly set to extend the Jones Act waiver, which has already reached its longest suspension since it was enacted, in an effort to try to lower gas prices amid the surge caused by the Iran war, according to Reuters

Military · Geopolitical

What's driving the rising unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir? Submitted by MEE correspondent on Tue, 08/04/2026 - 18:36 Frustration over basic affordability has mushroomed into a broader critique of the region's governance Protesters burn tyres along a road after clashes with police in Muzaffarabad amid unrest during the first phase of voting for the local legislature in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, on 31 July 2026 (Sajjad Qayyum/AFP) Off For decades, global attention on Kashmir has focused overwhelmingly on the Indian-administered side of the Line of Control (LoC), the heavily militarised de facto border that divides the disputed Himalayan region between India and Pakistan. International headlines have largely revolved around repression, insurgency, military deployments, and diplomatic confrontation. Far less attention has been paid to the political currents unfolding across the LoC in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, officially known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Long portrayed by Islamabad as a model of self-governance in contrast to Indian-administered Kashmir, the territory is now witnessing some of the most significant popular unrest in recent decades. What started as frustration over soaring electricity bills and flour prices has rapidly transformed into a systemic challenge to Islamabad’s authority in the region. Rather than rehashing the old geopolitical tug-of-war with India, this new wave of unrest reflects deep-seated frustration with local governance. Protesters are demanding genuine political participation, arguing that while Kashmir’s international fate hangs in limbo, their basic political and economic rights cannot remain frozen. In a region long treated as a geopolitical pawn, domestic disillusionment is now taking centre stage. From economic grievances to political awakening The protests have been led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a loose coalition of traders, lawyers, students, civil society activists, and local political figures that emerged in 2023 outside the traditional party structure. Rejecting established Pakistani political parties as ineffective or overly dependent on Islamabad, the JAAC focused directly on basic issues: high electricity bills, rising flour prices, heavy taxation, and poor public services. 'What we need to know is who will provide us with jobs and a fair life today' - Mujtaba Naqvi, JAAC supporter This message quickly united a region facing serious economic hardship. Youth unemployment in the area sits at roughly 27 percent, nearly triple Pakistan’s national average, while fewer than eight percent of women are in the formal workforce, Danish Khan, co-director of ‘The Inequality, Poverty, Power and Social Justice Initiative’ at Franklin & Marshall College, recently wrote in a piece for The Friday Times. As he noted, the region was generating a growing “reserve army of young unemployed people”. Development in the mountainous region continues to lag behind the rest of the country. Substandard roads severely restrict access to essential public services like healthcare and education, a situation that becomes especially dire during its harsh winters. Meanwhile, many communities still bear the visible scars and lingering devastation of the 2005 earthquake that killed tens of thousands of people. What began as a fight for affordable living soon sparked massive demonstrations across major towns, shutting down markets and forcing officials to negotiate. By 2024 and 2025, the government yielded to key demands: lowering electricity rates and subsidising wheat compared to the rest of the country. But many activists view these concessions as temporary quick fixes. “The price reductions addressed immediate grievances,” says political economy researcher Faisal Mir, “but they did not address the deeper structures of economic exclusion. ” The campaign against inflation has now mushroomed into a broader critique of governance, linking daily hardship directly to political arrangements that concentrate power away from the region. A younger generation, weary of traditional rhetoric about competing nationalisms, is now demanding accountability, transparency, and genuine representation. Rather than debating Kashmir’s future status, they are asking who governs them today and whose interests those leaders truly serve. “No one knows when the Kashmir dispute will finally be resolved,” Mujtaba Naqvi, a JAAC supporter in the regional capital of Muzaffarabad, told Middle East Eye. “What we need to know is who will provide us with jobs and a fair life today. ” Battle over refugee representation These questions have led directly to one of the most contentious features of Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s constitutional framework: the legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees living outside the territory. 'Erasing historical facts': India orders massive crackdown on books in Kashmir's libraries Read More » On paper, AJK, with a population of around five million, functions under a semi-autonomous structure complete with its own president, prime minister, parliament, and supreme court. Candidates must swear allegiance to Pakistan to run for office. The core of the current disputes lies in how the assembly is structured. Out of 53 total seats, 33 are elected by residents living inside the territory. The remaining 12 are reserved for Kashmiris who migrated to Pakistan from Indian-administered Kashmir during and after the 1947 and 1965 wars. Although these voters reside across Pakistan’s four provinces rather than in AJK, they continue to elect representatives to the regional assembly. Supporters maintain that these 12 seats safeguard the political rights of displaced families and uphold Islamabad’s diplomatic argument that the entire former princely state remains disputed internationally. Stripping refugee representation, they contend, would weaken Pakistan's position in a high-stakes standoff with India - a conflict that has triggered multiple wars since British India's partition in 1947, as well as a brief four-day military confrontation last year. The region’s supreme court in early June ruled that the 12 refugee seats are constitutionally protected. However, the JAAC and other local critics view the arrangement as a backdoor for federal meddling. Federal parties frequently use these 12 constituencies to swing majorities in Muzaffarabad. This setup has fuelled acute political turbulence, leaving AJK with four different prime ministers in the current regional assembly in rapid succession. “These 12 seats continuously dictate government formation,” political activist Raja Nafees, who supports JAAC's demands, told MEE. “Voters who don't even live here end up deciding who rules us. ” A crisis of legitimacy For decades, mainstream political parties in AJK, acting largely as extensions of Islamabad, dominated regional politics unchallenged. Today, that status quo has shattered. Unsettled by widespread unrest and informal boycott calls led by the JAAC over the 12 reserved refugee seats, authorities staggered the regional elections across three phases between 27 July and 10 August. The strategy backfired: voter turnout plummeted during the first two phases, leading analysts to declare the election null and void, and warning that the resulting assembly will lack a credible mandate. Political infighting has further eroded trust, with the Pakistan People’s Party, led by President Asif Ali Zardari, accusing the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of rigging the polls. At the same time, the nationalist slogan “Kashmir Banega Khudmukhtar” (Kashmir will be sovereign), promoted by groups like the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), has gained unprecedented public traction in the protests. This reflects an emerging political vocabulary that moves beyond the traditional choice between India and Pakistan. Negotiation, crackdown and uncertainty Since protests flared up in 2024, authorities in Islamabad and Muzaffarabad have tackled the uprising using a volatile mix of concessions and coercion. While early negotiations yielded subsidies on electricity and flour, the government adopted a harsher stance as demonstrations expanded into demands for structural political reform. When the JAAC announced a protest march from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad on 9 June, Pakistani authorities accused the group of disrupting public order. On 5 June, the movement was banned under anti-terrorism laws, and key leaders, including JAAC leader Shaukat Mir, were arrested. After negotiations failed again on 26 July, the JAAC called for a renewed march. However, the group accused state forces of using lethal violence to stop protesters. Independent estimates indicate over 45 people, primarily protesters, alongside law enforcement personnel and bystanders, have been killed in clashes since 5 June. Official details remain scarce as widespread internet blackouts and strict curfews severely hinder independent verification. A Kashmiri man searches for mobile phone signal following a partial internet shutdown imposed ahead of the first phase of the regional elections in Muzaffarabad, on 23 July 2026 (Sajjad Qayyum/AFP) Government officials maintain that constitutional disputes should be handled through legal avenues rather than through street protest. In a press briefing on 31 July, military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that the region has historically received state attention, care, and resource allocation. He said that authorities had “wholeheartedly” urged the JAAC to contest elections and pursue reform through courts and parliament. “But they want to pursue this by force, but only the state has the monopoly of violence," he added. Other government ministers went further, dismissing the JAAC as an “armed mob” and levelling unfounded accusations that the group had ties to India and Taliban militants. JAAC leadership firmly denies these claims, maintaining that their campaign remains peaceful and rooted in basic democratic rights. Amid the standoff, locals are bearing the brunt of the consequences. Continuous internet network blackouts have crippled daily commerce and tourism. In Rawalakot, the movement’s stronghold, where leaders called for a mass march, heavy curfews and road blockades brought the peak summer season to a halt. Local traders face mounting financial ruin, while residents endure severe communication outages and disrupted basic services, leaving the region locked in deep uncertainty. Fallout from Article 370 in India The constitutional debate in AJK has also unfolded against the backdrop of India's August 2019 revocation of Article 370. After ‘testing ground’ in Kashmir, pellet guns used on student protesters in India's capital Read More » By ending the limited autonomy and erstwhile "special status" of Indian-administered Kashmir and placing it under direct federal control, New Delhi fundamentally transformed the political landscape across both sides of the LoC. The move sparked widespread criticism from Pakistan and ignited major local demonstrations. When protesters, organised by groups like the JKLF, attempted to march toward the LoC in solidarity, Pakistani authorities forcibly stopped them. Analysts note that key organisers of those marches now help lead the JAAC. Perceiving Islamabad’s diplomatic response as inadequate, many AJK residents began questioning Pakistan’s commitment to preserving their distinct identity. Crucially, the region’s unresolved status complicates major infrastructure investments, particularly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. This has fuelled widespread speculation that Islamabad might eventually redefine AJK's legal status, potentially merging it with neighbouring Pakistani districts or converting it into a province. Although the government has never voiced those ambitions, this pervasive anxiety has reshaped public discourse, deepening institutional distrust and strongly reinforcing local demands for greater regional autonomy. Analysis Islamabad News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Military · Geopolitical

US depleted 'virtually all' long-range precision missiles during Iran war: Report The US has exhausted its stockpile of sophisticated long-range missiles during the war on Iran, suggesting that there are supply limits to President Donald Trump’s threat to subject the Islamic Republic to the "biggest attack" since World War II. The US has drained its supply of surface-to-surface weapons, known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two sources who said the US had used "virtually all" of these munitions. These long-range missiles are a critical part of the US’s arsenal, allowing it to accurately target foes from a distance without relying on warplanes that are vulnerable to air defence systems. Reuters reported that US Central Command - which oversees military operations in the Middle East - has had to replenish its stock of surface-to-surface missiles from other theatres of operation. The US and Israel first attacked Iran on 28 February. Fighting has flared throughout the summer despite a June ceasefire brokered through the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between the two sides. The US pulled some air defence systems and troops from East Asia at the beginning of the war. Ukraine, which is battling a Russian invasion, has used US-supplied ATACMS to target Russia. Read more: US depleted 'virtually all' long-range precision missiles during Iran war: Report A US Army Tactical Missile System fires a missile from an undisclosed location on South Korea's east coast during a live-fire exercise aimed at countering North Korea’s missile testing, on 25 May 2022 (South Korean defence ministry/AFP/Handout)

Military · Geopolitical

IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said last month that Iran's missile production rate increased during the ceasefire.

Military · Geopolitical

US depleted 'virtually all' long-range precision missiles during Iran war: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 08/04/2026 - 16:37 Military officials have warned President Trump that missile interceptors are also dangerously low A US Army Tactical Missile System fires a missile from an undisclosed location on South Korea's east coast during a live-fire exercise aimed at countering North Korea’s missile testing, on 25 May 2022 (South Korean defence ministry/AFP/Handout) Off The US has exhausted its stockpile of sophisticated long-range missiles during the war on Iran, suggesting that there are supply limits to President Donald Trump’s threat to subject the Islamic Republic to the "biggest attack" since World War II. The US has drained its supply of surface-to-surface weapons, known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two sources who said the US had used "virtually all" of these munitions. These long-range missiles are a critical part of the US’s arsenal, allowing it to accurately target foes from a distance without relying on warplanes that are vulnerable to air defence systems. Reuters reported that US Central Command - which oversees military operations in the Middle East - has had to replenish its stock of surface-to-surface missiles from other theatres of operation. The US and Israel first attacked Iran on 28 February. Fighting has flared throughout the summer despite a June ceasefire brokered through the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between the two sides. The US pulled some air defence systems and troops from East Asia at the beginning of the war. Ukraine, which is battling a Russian invasion, has used US-supplied ATACMS to target Russia. Depleted defensive weapons The Trump administration boasted for months during the height of the war that Iran’s air defence systems have been obliterated, but Middle East Eye and other outlets reported that Iran has received new systems from China and Russia. An F-15E warplane was shot down over Iran in April, sparking a massive manhunt for the crew. If Iran had captured the pilot, it would have been a big bargaining chip in ceasefire talks. In addition to offensive munitions, the US was running low on missile and drone interceptors before the war. The shortage was a reflection of US efforts to defend Israel during a war in June 2025 that culminated in the US bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities. 'Suez moment': US missteps in Iran echo across East Asia to the Gulf and Europe Read More » Reuters reported that US military leaders have for weeks warned Trump that stockpiles of defensive weapons, including Patriot interceptors, were also dwindling. The report was seen as a vindication for critics of the war that the conflict is sapping the US’s military prestige and draining precious resources. “CENTCOM used everything they had before the war and have drawn down from rest of the world to critical levels,” Saagar Enjeti, a conservative commentator and host of Breaking Points, who has argued against foreign intervention, wrote on X. “Thank you FDD and UANI for the wonderful policies you have been advocating for. They have made America stronger! ” Amir Handjani, a board member of the Quincy Institute think-tank in Washington, wrote on X, referring to the Foundation for Defence of Democracies and United Against Nuclear Iran, which critics say lobbied on behalf of the war. The report comes after Trump backtracked on a pledge to unleash massive new strikes against Iran. Trump said he planned to carry out “the biggest attack since World War II” on Iran last week. He backtracked on Monday, saying Gulf states asked him not to escalate the fight and claimed that a deal to return to the ceasefire is being negotiated. “I want to give them every last chance before decapitation,” Trump said Monday. Iran has denied it is in direct talks with the US. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Military · Geopolitical

The Kherson Regional Military Administration released a video showing a drone flying in front of a man, before detonating and injuring him. The army says the incident occurred on August 4, 2026. The war in Ukraine has become the first major conflict dominated by unmanned aerial vehicles. Kyiv has set itself the ambitious target of producing seven million drones by 2026, which is about 10,000 per day. Russia currently has the capacity to fire 350 to 500 long-range attack drones per day, according to Ukrainian estimates.

Military · Geopolitical

Camille Knight is pleased to welcome Dirk Segaar, IFRC Special Envoy for Sudan. Sudan's humanitarian crisis has become one of the defining yet least visible crises of the twenty first century. Segaar argues that the conflict can no longer be understood merely through the lens of shifting frontlines or military developments. Rather, he presents a picture of systemic societal collapse, in which war has hollowed out public services, displaced entire communities, accelerated disease, and created conditions where humanitarian need extends far beyond the active battlefields. Sudan is not simply a conflict zone but a nation experiencing the cumulative breakdown of its social, economic and institutional fabric.

Military · Geopolitical

Has the UAE's meteoric rise reached its limit? Submitted by Ahmed Mawlana on Tue, 07/28/2026 - 16:03 In recent decades, Abu Dhabi has become one of the region's most assertive powers - but the geopolitical landscape is changing rapidly UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the G7 summit in Evian, France, on 16 June 2026 (Mandel Ngan/AFP) Off Few major issues in the Middle East unfold today without the UAE playing a role. From backing Egypt ’s 2013 military coup, to intervening in Yemen, to supporting renegade general Khalifa Haftar in Libya and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, the Emiratis have built a network of influence across the Horn of Africa, while investing strategically in ports, energy, technology and defence. In less than two decades, Abu Dhabi has transformed itself from a relatively low-profile Gulf state into one of the region’s most assertive powers. How did a country of around one million citizens acquire such an outsized regional role? The UAE’s rise is linked to its ability to capitalise on successive regional crises, beginning with the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, accelerating with the Arab Spring, and gaining strength amid Washington’s declining engagement in the Middle East. Together, these developments created a power vacuum that Abu Dhabi filled through a combination of military capabilities, financial resources, security networks and international alliances. But the geopolitical conditions that enabled this rise are now changing, raising questions about whether the UAE’s strategy can endure. After Britain ’s withdrawal from the Gulf in 1971, the UAE emerged as a new federation facing significant domestic and external challenges. It had to build federal institutions, integrate the armed forces of seven emirates, and establish a permanent constitutional order, while navigating relations with two powerful neighbours, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Iran had already seized Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa just before the federation’s creation, while Saudi Arabia did not formally recognise the UAE until 1974, after Abu Dhabi ceded disputed border territory. Post-9/11 transformation For the country’s first two decades, the Emirati leadership focused on consolidating the new state. It adopted a cautious foreign policy, playing a limited role in regional affairs. Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 marked a turning point, demonstrating that wealth alone could not guarantee security. The crisis coincided with the growing influence of Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a Sandhurst graduate and air force commander who sought to strengthen the country’s military while cultivating strategic partnerships with major powers, enabling the UAE to reduce its dependence on Saudi Arabia. Between 1991 and 1996, Abu Dhabi purchased advanced weapons worth around $66bn and signed defence agreements with the US, France and the UK. Its armed forces grew to around 65,000 personnel, but this military buildup remained largely defensive in nature. The real transformation in the UAE’s political doctrine came only with the series of geopolitical shocks that unfolded at the start of the 21st century. The UAE expanded its influence by operating largely in fragile states, while avoiding direct confrontations with stronger regional powers. But that model is becoming harder to sustain The involvement of two Emirati nationals in the 9/11 attacks reinforced concerns within the country’s leadership about Islamist movements and how they could affect relations with Washington. The 2004 death of the UAE’s founder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, simultaneously cleared the way for a new generation of leaders headed by Mohammed bin Zayed, who embraced a more assertive foreign policy centred on military and security instruments. The oil boom of 2003-08 generated unprecedented financial surpluses that bolstered defence industries and sovereign wealth funds, providing the economic foundation for a more ambitious regional role. But the decisive shift came with the Arab Spring. Abu Dhabi viewed the collapse of several Arab regimes, and the electoral rise of Islamist parties, as a fundamental threat to regional stability. Domestically, a petition calling for political reforms – signed by 132 Emirati intellectuals and activists, including members of al-Islah – reinforced the leadership’s belief that political Islam represented the greatest challenge to domestic stability. Shortly after Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak resigned as president, Mohammed bin Zayed ordered the creation of the UAE Presidential Guard. Around the same time, the Obama administration’s policies – including its abandonment of Mubarak, and the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran – deepened Emirati doubts about the reliability of the US security umbrella. Abu Dhabi responded by adopting a more proactive regional strategy, joining Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen in 2015. Expanding influence Four developments thus converged: the weakening of several Arab states, fears of political Islam, uncertainty over long-term US commitments, and the availability of substantial financial and military resources. Together, they produced a new Emirati regional doctrine based on a belief that national security begins beyond the country’s borders. The UAE also found common ground with Israel. Shared concerns over Iran, Islamist movements and the decline of US engagement culminated in the Abraham Accords in 2020. Abu Dhabi subsequently built its regional strategy around supporting local partners aligned with its interests. It backed Egypt’s military against former President Mohamed Morsi, supported Haftar in Libya, partnered with Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council, and cultivated ties with paramilitary leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) in Sudan. Gold, arms and mercenaries: On UAE's shadowy networks in Sudan Read More » The UAE also developed relations with Somaliland and Somali federal member states independently of the government in Mogadishu. Fragmented political landscapes have often enhanced Emirati influence by allowing it to cultivate multiple local actors. The UAE expanded its influence by operating largely in fragile states, while avoiding direct confrontations with stronger regional powers. But that model is becoming harder to sustain. Tensions with Saudi Arabia contributed to the UAE’s withdrawal from Yemen, while the ongoing confrontation with Iran threatens the foundations of the Emirati economy, undermining its image as a secure hub for investment, tourism and logistics. Managing such risks requires Abu Dhabi to prioritise protecting its own territory over projecting power abroad. The return to power of Islamists in countries such as Syria and Afghanistan has likewise demonstrated the deep political roots of these movements. Rather than seeking simply to isolate them, the UAE has increasingly adopted a pragmatic policy of engagement with new rulers. Ultimately, the principal constraint on the Emirati model is structural. The UAE possesses immense financial resources and an extensive network of international partnerships, but it remains a small state with a limited citizen population and little strategic depth – making it difficult to sustain prolonged regional crises, or to confront larger powers directly. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye. Inside UAE Opinion Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:29 Update Date Override 0

Military · Geopolitical

Taiwan will begin its annual war games on Wednesday, testing for the first time its ability to counter a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) maritime blockade in the western Pacific during the 10-day exercise. The 42nd edition of the Han Kuang exercise, the island’s largest annual military drill, will incorporate US military planning practices to improve coordination and mission command. It will also test the wartime relocation of weapons production lines to safer locations as Taiwan seeks to...

Military · Geopolitical

US-Saudi strikes test Iraq's balancing act between Riyadh and Tehran Submitted by Zahra Ladha on Tue, 08/04/2026 - 10:28 The attacks complicate Baghdad’s efforts to reform security and attract foreign investment Members of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) stand guard outside the Basra Operations Command headquarters, following US-Saudi air strikes in Basra, Iraq on 29 July 2026 (Reuters) Off The unprecedented joint US - Saudi strikes on Iran -linked militias in Iraq last week have done more than raise the prospect of retaliation. They have exposed the fragile foundations of Baghdad's effort to balance closer ties with Riyadh and Washington while containing powerful armed groups aligned with Tehran, potentially forcing Iraq to make difficult choices that it has long sought to avoid. On 29 July, US and Saudi forces launched joint strikes on bases belonging to Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), killing at least 20 members of the paramilitary and four advisers from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Iraqi and Iranian media. The strikes, which marked the first time Riyadh has publicly joined strikes alongside the US, were in retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities launched from Iraqi territory. However, neither Riyadh nor Iraq's Iran-linked militias currently appear to want a sustained military confrontation. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry described the joint attacks as an act of "self-defence" while signalling that the kingdom would carry out further strikes if attacks on its soil resumed. These strikes also come at a sensitive moment for Iraq as it moves to bring weapons held by non-state armed groups under state control and deepen political and economic ties with the US and Saudi Arabia, placing renewed pressure on Baghdad to balance internal security with regional relations. Saudi deterrence Riyadh’s statement suggests it is seeking to avoid opening a new front with Iran-linked militias in Iraq while continuing to face Houthi threats from Yemen targeting its oil facilities and maritime trade. The strikes therefore appear aimed primarily at restoring deterrence against Tehran and its Iraqi allies, rather than opening a new front. Iraq's new PM wants business deals with Trump, but militias cloud visit Read More » “The strikes were targeted at specific militia sites linked directly to drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, to deter these groups,” Dr Hesham Alghannam, a Carnegie Middle East scholar based in Riyadh, told Middle East Eye. “But killing Iranian military advisers alongside militia fighters was not accidental. This was a message to Tehran that Saudi Arabia holds Iran responsible for what its personnel direct from Iraqi soil, regardless of which formation pulls the trigger. ” Similarly, while the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes the PMF, has vowed retaliation for the strikes, its rhetoric towards Riyadh has been more measured than its stance towards Washington. In a statement released on its Telegram channel on 29 July, the IRI said its “response to the American enemy is inevitable” while adding that it may target Saudi Arabia “if circumstances require”. Sending a message The IRI has given Baghdad until 7 August to respond to the US-Saudi strikes, but the deadline and threats of further escalation may also be aimed at influencing the government’s domestic policy. Some IRI-linked groups, including Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba and Saraya Awliya al-Dam, have called on Baghdad to sever ties with Saudi Arabia, suggesting that the pressure is also intended at shaping Iraq’s broader political response rather than signal an imminent escalation. 'Killing Iranian military advisers alongside militia fighters was not accidental. This was a message to Tehran that Saudi Arabia holds Iran responsible' - Hesham Alghannam, Carnegie Middle East scholar “These factions typically don’t set deadlines for retaliation or attacks, rather they launch surprise attacks,” Mustafa Alsaray, director of research at Al-Bayan Centre for Research and Planning, told MEE. “When they set such deadlines, they intend to send a message and achieve something, perhaps politically or in terms of security,” he added. Still, the groups may also be holding off until they can coordinate their response with Tehran. “Another possibility is that the groups are waiting for developments in the Iran-US conflict before coordinating their response with the wider Axis of Resistance,” Alsaray said. The Iran-US war has shown signs of de-escalation in recent days, with US President Donald Trump saying that direct negotiations with Tehran are under way. He also warned that the latest round is Iran's “last chance” to secure a deal. However, a renewed confrontation could prompt these groups to launch further attacks on Saudi Arabia, and potentially Jordan or other Gulf states. Complicating reform efforts The recent developments are likely to test whether Baghdad can advance its long-stalled security reforms and preserve growing economic and political ties with Riyadh. The US-Saudi attacks come as Baghdad seeks to further integrate the PMF, which is formally part of Iraq’s security apparatus but includes factions that retain significant autonomy. The government is also pursuing its disarmament plan, setting a 30 September deadline for armed groups to comply. However, the recent strikes on PMF bases, and Baghdad’s perceived inability or unwillingness to prevent them, have hardened some factions’ refusal to disarm. Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, secretary general of Kataeb Hezbollah, said that the US-Saudi attacks on Iraq have “reinforced the group’s commitment to retaining and developing its weapons”. Exclusive: Syria, Iraq and US plan to unveil Mediterranean pipeline deal to bypass Strait of Hormuz Read More » Likely in a bid to maintain public support, the IRI has also explicitly linked the strikes to Baghdad's disarmament push, challenging the government, which has "called for the Resistance's disarmament" to prove it can defend Iraq. As resistance to disarmament grows, the economic costs of Iraq’s stalled security reforms are becoming increasingly apparent. During an official visit to Washington in mid-July, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi signed 48 partnerships and agreements with US firms. However, US officials have indicated that deeper economic ties will depend on Baghdad’s ability to constrain or disarm militias involved in recent attacks on US military and diplomatic facilities. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for dozens of such attacks during the US-Israel war on Iran. Saudi Arabia could adopt a similar approach to investment in Iraq. Prime Minister Zaidi has said Baghdad is seeking an “economic partnership with Saudi Arabia”, but a failure to constrain these groups could undermine prospects for Saudi investment. “September 30 is the real test. If the disarmament process fails - on the same day US forces are set to withdraw from Iraq - Riyadh and even Abu Dhabi will quietly conclude that Baghdad cannot deliver, and their willingness to invest in Iraq will be reconsidered accordingly,” Alghannam said. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Military · Geopolitical

Japan’s latest defence white paper warns of China’s growing ability to sustain military operations farther into the western Pacific Ocean, while pledging to bolster its own monitoring systems, strike capabilities and ammunition production. Released on Tuesday, the 610-page document cautions that Beijing is strengthening its aircraft carrier force as it steadily improves its capacity to operate in more distant seas and airspace. The white paper frames China’s expanding reach as part of a broader...

Military · Geopolitical

Trump insists Iran talks under way, warns Tehran’s ‘last chance’ to secure deal Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 08/04/2026 - 11:07 Iran denies direct negotiations, warns that US military blockade carries the threat of ‘serious risks and casualties’ People walk past an anti-US billboard on a street in Tehran, Iran, 3 August 2026 (Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters) Off US President Donald Trump claims that direct negotiations with Iran are under way, and has warned that the latest round is Tehran’s “last chance” to secure a deal to end the war. Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, denied that any direct negotiations with Washington were ongoing, nor any plans for meetings, as the talks over the management of the Strait of Hormuz remain mediated by Oman. According to sources who spoke to Anadolu, Pakistani and Qatari negotiators are working to secure a meeting date and venue. On Monday, Pakistan issued an urgent invitation to Iranian negotiators to Islamabad, in what appears to be a bid to renew stalled Iran-US talks. During a phone call, Pakistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Ishaq Dar invited Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad “at his earliest convenience". "The U. S. Mohsen Rezaei, the top military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, warned that American military vessels and forces will “face serious risks and casualties” if Washington’s naval blockade on Iranian ports continues. must change its behavior — or we will not tolerate this. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz,” Rezaei said in a post on X. Iranian and US officials told the New York Times that Iran and Oman are close to finalising a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic, handing Tehran near total control over the contested waterway. Reuters reported on Tuesday that a Liberian-flagged ship was struck by an unknown projectile while crossing the Strait close to Oman’s coast. War on Iran: Rescuers search for survivors on Qeshm Island after US kills toddler and parents Read More » According to maritime sources, at least one seafarer remains missing after the crew abandoned the vessel. Meanwhile, Rezaei confirmed that a plan to conduct retaliatory strikes on three sites in Ukraine, following a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian ship, was scrapped after Kyiv issued an “apology”. In an interview with Iranian state television, Rezaei said that Tehran's armed forces had completed preparations for the strikes before the operation was aborted. The five month US-Iran conflict has sent oil giants’ profits soaring amid surging oil and gas prices, with BP reporting that its quarterly profits had more than doubled. Shell confirmed that it had doubled its net profit to almost $10bn in the three months to June, while Saudi-owned Aramco saw a 44 percent rise in net profits over the same period. Seventh round of peace talks Meanwhile, the seventh round of talks between Israel and Lebanon are under way in Rome. The three-day round of US-brokered negotiations will focus on continued Israeli violations of a conditional ceasefire struck in April, including land-clearing operations, explosions and the demolition of homes. A Lebanese official told Anadolu that their delegation will propose designating new pilot areas for Israeli withdrawal, with the second phase covering either Bint Jbeil or Khiam, both south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. Turkey urges Iran to halt attacks on Kurdish groups Read More » Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Monday that the talks will bring "nothing but shame, humiliation, and successive compromises" for Lebanon. In a televised address, Qassem said Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun "has not acted as an arbiter, nor as a unifying figure, but has become biased and divisive, which is incompatible with his role and with Lebanon's strength". The renewed talks come amid ongoing Israeli attacks and demolitions targeting homes in several southern Lebanese towns. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) said on Monday that it had continued to observe “daily Israeli violations of Lebanon’s airspace, roadblocks and activities in its territorial waters”. Peacekeepers reported 125 air violations, with the combined total overflight time exceeding 418 hours between Thursday and Sunday. “Peacekeepers also report extensive military activity on the ground in south Lebanon, including significant engineering works and active troop movements,” a UN deputy spokesperson said. Israel has killed over 4,300 people and wounded another 12,200 since it renewed its assault on Lebanon on 2 March. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Military · Geopolitical

The US Army has used up much of its stockpile of ⁠highly accurate long-range missiles during its five-month war with Iran, according to three people familiar with the data, raising concerns about the military’s readiness for future conflicts. The missiles are principally the Army’s surface-to-surface weapons, known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). The US has used “virtually all” of these weapons, according to two of the sources. The degree to which...

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How Morocco's Gaza deployment is reshaping its ties with Israel Submitted by Caroline Dupuy on Tue, 08/04/2026 - 09:41 Rabat frames joining stabilisation force as humanitarian mission, but activists decry move as 'complicity in post-war occupation' Moroccans celebrate the UN Security Council's backing of Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara in Rabat, 31 October 2025 (Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP) Off In July, Morocco became the first Arab and African nation to deploy its military to the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Palestine under Donald Trump’s "peace plan" for Gaza, bolstered by his equally dubious Board of Peace (BoP). Morocco signed an agreement in Rabat on 15 July to formalise its participation in the ISF. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita; Nickolay Mladenov, director general of the BoP; senior defence officials and ISF commander Jasper Jeffers. Morocco’s participation follows instructions from King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces and chairman of the Al-Quds Committee. The ISF was originally planned to deploy 500 Moroccan military officials to a refugee camp in the southern city of Rafah. The figure has now been reduced to just 200 Moroccan soldiers, Al Jazeera reported. The force is expected to work in collaboration with the Israeli military. Since Morocco signed the agreement, Hamas has announced its conditional disarmament proposal in keeping with Trump’s Gaza plan. However, Israel has disregarded its side of the agreement and shows no sign of withdrawing from Palestine and the territories in which it continues to occupy illegally. Instead of giving a withdrawal timeframe, Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proposed to extend its illegal settlements into the Gaza Strip. According to an official statement by Morocco’s National Defence Administration, Morocco's contribution “demonstrates its commitment to peace, international cooperation, and regional stability”. The move also aligns with Morocco’s role as a founding member of the BoP, the statement says. Explaining the benefits for Rabat, international relations professor Said Saddiki, at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, noted that joining the force “provides Morocco with an opportunity to regain a more visible diplomatic role in the Palestinian issue, complementing its longstanding role through the Al-Quds Committee and the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency”. Humanitarian narrative While other sources such as the Council on Foreign Relations also indicate the aim is for the ISF to serve as the primary security force in Gaza, replacing the Israeli military, Morocco has leaned heavily on the narrative that it will help establish a field hospital in Gaza under the ISF mission. The field hospital is “nothing more than a narrative,” according to Saadia*, a key member of Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) in Morocco and an organiser for the most recent Global Sumud flotilla. Fuelling the ‘machinery of genocide’: Morocco’s backdoor support for Israel’s war on Gaza Read More » Considering Morocco’s role, Saadia told Middle East Eye, “It is possible that Morocco is helping Palestine, but it is helping the Zionist entity more,” such as the kingdom’s role in shipping arms to Israel, she added. According to Professor Saddiki, the field hospital “should primarily be viewed as a humanitarian initiative rather than a military one”. While he noted Morocco’s good relations with both Palestinian and Israeli leadership, he emphasised that “the current regional environment leaves little room for any Arab state to play an effective mediation role. Morocco is therefore more likely to contribute through humanitarian assistance and diplomacy than through active mediation. ” However, Morocco’s Ministry of Defence has not shared details of the role that Morocco will be playing under the ISF in Palestine. “I don't know what Morocco’s role will be [in the ISF] other than perhaps disarming the resistance [Hamas] and even supervising a new colonisation of the Gaza Strip by the American-Zionist entity,” Saadia said. Professor Saddiki suggests Morocco’s “participation does not represent a strategic alignment against any party, nor does it come at the expense of the Palestinian cause. ” The professor highlighted that “domestically, Morocco has sought to balance its foreign policy with public support for Palestine”. Saddiki also recalled that pro-Palestinian and anti-normalisation movements in Morocco have remained highly active since October 2023. 'Complicity in genocide’ Despite the Moroccan state’s overt support for Israel, many Moroccan citizens have warned that any normalisation deals with Israel amounts to "complicity in genocide" of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Younes*, a central figure in Morocco’s pro-Palestine protest movement and the last two Global Sumud flotillas, told MEE: “Joining the ISF is full complicity in genocide. ” Morocco accused of using Israeli weapons to kill civilians in Western Sahara Read More » The activist added, “Entering Gaza on a Zionist tank to ‘impose’ peace from one side and oblige Palestinians to surrender and be demilitarised is a great sin which will not be tolerated. ” The peace plan and board have been widely condemned for breaching international law, from grassroots activism to country level. Younes added, “There is no peace plan, based on the history of deals with the Zionist entity [... ] they believe they can do whatever they want. ” A Moroccan activist from Rabat, who preferred to use the name Shams, described Morocco’s involvement as “very disheartening and disappointing”. Despite her disappointment, Shams said she is “not surprised” by Morocco’s involvement. That’s not to say the public is for the continued normalisation with Israel, she added: “I cannot speak for all Gen Z Moroccans, but I would say that most are opposed to the Moroccan military support joining the ISF. ” The 2025 Arab Index by the Arab Center Washington DC, published earlier this year, found that 89 percent of Moroccan’s oppose recognising Israel, with just six percent supporting normalisation with Israel. Israel recognises Morocco’s sovereignty over disputed Western Sahara Read More » A Moroccan journalist, who preferred to stay anonymous, told MEE that “the Moroccan state narrative frames normalisation as leverage, cooperation and support for a two-state solution in exchange for US backing”. However, the journalist noted that “Moroccan public trust is breaking down,” due to the gap between the official framing and what is visible on the ground, with Israel's continued settlement expansion on occupied land, “moving further away from any two-state outcome". For Shams, further military intervention with the help of Moroccan forces will not bring peace to Palestinians. “I don’t think military intervention is going to facilitate peace when the oppressor has been destroying and bombing and blockading and [committing] genocide for decades on end,” she said. “The US and Israel will only continue to destabilise, murder, kill and wreak havoc in Gaza, and destroy the lives of millions of Palestinians,” she added. Screaming into the void Morocco is the only North African and Arab nation deploying military forces to the ISF, joining Kosovo, Albania, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and more recently Uganda. Meanwhile, neighbouring Egypt has limited its involvement to training and logistical support. This unique positioning has sparked deep outrage among local activists. Younes expressed his frustration at how rapidly normalisation has spread across the country. Israeli flag flies in Morocco during military drill, sparking indignation Read More » “Zionists in Morocco successfully penetrated every single sector within a short period,” he explained. “What we gather as voluntary efforts and popular mobilisation to face this cancer during the past years isn't enough. ” Acknowledging the heavy weight of his assessment, he continued, “I think the more we struggle against accepting cooperation with Israel, the more Moroccan authorities normalise with these terrorists. We must change approaches and look for alternatives. ” Despite intensifying pressure from Moroccan state authorities, the pro-Palestinian movement maintains its defiance. Saadia, argued that governments participating in the ISF are labouring under a dangerous illusion. She warned that these nations wrongly think that “this American-Zionist axis will bring them some kind of security or protection”. Pointing to the broader geopolitical escalation across the region, she reflected on the current US-Israeli war on Iran: “From this war we can understand that the Americans don't protect anyone other than the Zionist entity. ” * Names have been changed Israel normalisation deals Rabat, Morocco News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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Throughout July, Russian troops struck over 80 sea vessels at Ukrainian ports and in the Black Sea

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Israel is not 'testing' its ceasefires. It's violating them Submitted by Barry Malone on Mon, 08/03/2026 - 15:45 As the Israeli military ignores deals in Gaza and Lebanon and continues its industrial-scale killing, the western media turns a blind eye A mourner carries the shrouded body of an infant killed in an overnight Israeli air strike at al-Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, on 2 August 2026 (Omar al-Qattaa/AFP) On How many people do you need to kill before you’ve violated a ceasefire? 10? 100? One, surely. But what about two? Or how about more than 1,200? That’s how many Palestinians Israel has killed in Gaza since agreeing to an ostensible ceasefire with Hamas in October. Israel has also continued to pummel southern Lebanon, despite a “ceasefire” there. But the western media appears to see no violations at all. Instead, it sees ceasefires that are “fragile”, “tested”, “strained” or “shaky”. Given that news reporting is supposed to rely on precision and accuracy, you’d imagine organisations such as the BBC, Reuters, the Associated Press and CNN have read the terms of the deal that was signed between Israel and Hamas in Egypt. It’s unequivocal, and there really isn’t much room for interpretation. There were conditions that needed to be fulfilled within the first 72 hours before the truce could take effect, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces to agreed lines within Gaza, and the return by Hamas of all remaining Israeli hostages, living or dead. Once the prerequisites were met, which they were, the text said that “all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment and targeting operations will be suspended”. Snuffed out It’s worth pausing on those words: “all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment and targeting operations will be suspended”. Now square that with more than 1,000 dead Palestinians. Square it with the fact that many were women and children. Square it with the Israeli attack on southern Lebanon that killed school principal Esperanza Ghandour, her mother, a domestic worker and a Syrian labourer as they travelled together in a car. Square it with the eight people killed at a Palestinian funeral last month. And dare try to square it with the Israeli attack on Gaza that killed Firas al-Masri; his wife, Salsabeel; and ​their three daughters and son. None of these firmly established truths seem to stop international journalists from abandoning their duty to call things what they are They were snuffed out by an occupying force as they slept in their family home, a place that is supposed to be one of love, safety and security. I could not find a single report in the western media that described the massacre of the Masri household as a ceasefire violation. That’s a pattern across similar atrocities. Israel said it was targeting a Hamas member without, as usual, providing evidence. But let’s assume for illustrative purposes that Firas al-Masri was in Hamas. After all, since the bogus October agreement, whenever Israel claims it has killed a Hamas member, the western media seems fine with it. But who did Israel agree the ceasefire with? Yes, Hamas. None of these firmly established truths seem to stop international journalists from abandoning their duty to call things what they are. Double standards A Reuters report on the targeted killing of the Masri family captured some of the horror, and quoted Masri’s father as he mourned the loss of his son, his daughter-in-law, his grandson and three granddaughters. But despite that, the news agency managed to write 500 words - which also catalogued five other Israeli attacks on Gaza in the preceding days - without coming even close to saying that Israel had violated the ceasefire. Instead, Reuters treated the truce as an existing reality, not a fiction that is ignored on a daily basis, using this remarkable sentence construction: “The latest deaths add to a toll of more than 1,160 Palestinians, mostly civilians, killed by Israeli attacks since an October ceasefire between Israel and ​Hamas militants took effect. ” “Since” the ceasefire took effect. It says a lot about the difference in how the international media reports on Israel, and how it reports on almost every other country, that a storied news agency known for the deliberation with which it chooses every word could come up that. Meanwhile, the BBC’s report on the attack on Lebanon that killed Ghandour and three others was astonishing for its naked double standard. In the headline, like Reuters, BBC opted for “since”: “Headteacher among four killed in deadliest Israeli attack on Lebanon since latest ceasefire”. The elusive “violating”, though, did appear in the story itself: “Israel continues to carry out sporadic strikes, accusing Iran -backed Hezbollah of violating the deal,” one paragraph read. The BBC published a piece about Israel’s killing of four innocent people, after which the Israeli army absurdly said it bombed the car because it “posed a threat” to its soldiers, and yet the only violations it mentioned were unproven Israeli accusations against others. Aid blocked Journalism like this goes against everything that was drilled into me as a young news reporter for a western organisation. That’s a key point: the journalists who work for these outlets would tell you that they are being fair and balanced. They would likely say that news organisations that call what is happening in Gaza a genocide - such as Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera and Zeteo - are partial, or that they are activists, not media professionals. But the opposite is true. Those newsrooms have stepped into a space abandoned by the mainstream when it comes to Israel; the space where events are reported accurately and with rigour. Though the killings are the most obvious breaches of the ceasefire agreements, there are others. The Gaza deal said in black and white that the Israeli army “will not return to areas it has withdrawn from”. It also noted that Israel had agreed to “immediate commencement of full entry of humanitarian aid and relief”. There is no ceasefire in Gaza Read More » Not only did the Israeli army return to areas it had withdrawn from, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly ordered the expansion of the Gaza occupation to 70 percent of the territory, trapping most Palestinians along a small strip of coastline. And according to United Nations agencies, Israel has not permitted the agreed amount of aid to enter Gaza, where the UN recently warned the risk of famine was growing again. Has the western media reported those verified facts as violations? Of course not. US President Donald Trump last week announced that Hamas and Israel had agreed to move to phase two of his Gaza plan, which involves the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian factions, and the withdrawal of the Israeli military from Gaza. But as thorny questions about the plan remain, Israel has continued violating the ceasefire, killing two more Palestinians on Saturday and destroying medicine storage facilities at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah. When - if - phase two moves forward, an Israel that sees no consequence for killing Palestinian men, women and children will likely violate its terms again. And the western media will refuse to see it. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye. Israel's genocide in Gaza Opinion Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:29 Update Date Override 0

Military · Geopolitical

Rodion Miroshnik noted that those strikes had become a part of the Ukraine's deliberate strategy to destroy civilian logistics

Military · Geopolitical

Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest developments from across the region: Iran was set to carry out attacks in Ukraine before Kyiv had issued an apology, a top military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Monday. According to Mohsen Rezaei, Tehran's armed forces had completed preparations for the strikes before the plan was scrapped. Top military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Mohsen Rezaei warned the US over its ongoing naval blockade against Iranian ports, saying its forces and vessels would face consequences. "If the blockade continues, American vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties," he said in a post on X. Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on Monday that there are no negotiations ongoing between Tehran and Washington, nor any plans for meetings, as the talks over the management of the Strait of Hormuz remain mediated by Oman. US President Donald Trump’s "Board of Peace" said that an essential prerequisite of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza is Hamas’s "complete" disarmament, after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The latest statement seemingly juxtaposes remarks made by its high representative Nickolay Mladenov last week, where he asserted that "withdrawal must move in lockstep with decommissioning". The Arab League secretary general has strongly condemned Israeli attacks on Gaza and accused them of attempting to sabotage the ceasefire agreement in a statement on Monday. Several other countries, including Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, have also slammed the ongoing Israeli assault on the besieged enclave.

Military · Geopolitical

Senior Iranian official says US will 'face serious risks and casualties' if naval blockade continues Top military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Mohsen Rezaei warned the US over its ongoing naval blockade against Iranian ports, saying its forces and vessels would face consequences. "The U. S. "If the blockade continues, American vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties," he said in a post on X. must change its behavior — or we will not tolerate this. The U. S. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz. " If the blockade continues, American vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties. must change its behavior — or we will not tolerate this. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz. — محسن رضایی (@ir_rezaee) August 3, 2026

Military · Geopolitical

Iranian plan to attack Ukraine canceled after Kyiv apology Iran was set to carry out attacks in Ukraine before Kyiv had issued an apology, a top military adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Monday. According to Mohsen Rezaei during an interview with state television, Tehran's armed forces had completed preparations for the strikes before the plan was scrapped. The operation came after Ukraine was accused of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea in late July, killing one crew member.

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Drone strike on North Darfur court kills at least 35, rights group says Submitted by Victoria Amani Mwaniki Kishoiyian on Mon, 08/03/2026 - 21:29 The attack comes amid heightened Sudanese army drone operations across Darfur Protesters in Warsaw, Poland, hold placards during a protest against the Rapid Support Forces committing mass atrocities in the Darfur region of Sudan, on 8 November 2025 (Neil Milton/Reuters) Off On Sunday, a drone strike, purportedly carried out by the Sudanese army, targeted Sudan's Customary Court in al-Zawiya Ghara, killing at least 35 people and injuring others. All the victims were inside the court building and its immediate surroundings when the attack occurred, according to the Emergency Lawyers Group, which monitors violence against civilians in Sudan. Al-Zawiya Ghara is one of many villages in North Darfur state controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The drone fired at least four missiles at the court building while local leaders conducted a meeting. Among the dead are two RSF field commanders, four tribal elders, and traditional leaders hailing from the Mahameed branch of the Rizeigat, according to the Sudan Tribune. Sunday's attack comes amid heightened Sudanese army drone operations across Darfur, closing in on RSF positions to weaken the paramilitary group after successive defeats in North Kordofan. The largely RSF-dominated Sudan Founding Coalition, known as Tasis, blamed the Sudanese army for the strike. In the Sudan Tribune, a Tasis spokesperson, Ahmed Tugod Lisan, urged an independent investigation to hold those responsible to account. The Emergency Lawyers Group has demanded an investigation into the drone strike and denounced the targeting of the court, deeming attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure a “grave violation of international humanitarian law”. It further stated that drones are increasingly used to target civilian areas and gatherings, exacerbating the risks faced by the population. The RSF also stands accused of committing war crimes, including carrying out drone strikes on civilians over the past three years of the war. The paramilitary group’s siege on el-Fasher, one of Darfur’s largest cities, in October of 2025, bore the “hallmarks of genocide” per a United Nations fact-finding mission. RSF commanders sentenced In early July, the anti-terrorism and crimes against the state court in Port Sudan sentenced RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, and 15 other defendants to death in absentia. UK hosting 'discreet' Sudan event featuring UAE-aligned RSF representatives Read More » According to the Sudan Tribune, they were convicted of their roles in the killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abdullah Abakar, crimes against humanity, war crimes, prohibited warfare, and genocide in el-Geneina. Presided over by special judge Mohamed al-Amin, the ruling constitutes the first judicial conviction of the paramilitary group’s leadership since the outbreak of Sudan’s war on 15 April 2023. The trial centred heavily on the 2023 assassination of Governor Abakar, a day after he denounced an RSF shelling on the el-Jamarik neighbourhood. Human Rights Watch concluded in 2024 that actions in the capital of West Darfur, el-Geneina, constituted ethnic cleansing and possibly genocide against the Masalit people and other non-Arab communities. Although video footage circulated online of Abakar’s body being mutilated by known RSF soldiers, the paramilitary group repeatedly blamed the Sudanese Armed Forces and denied responsibility. Middle East Eye reported in June 2023 that around 1,500 people were killed in el-Geneina in the first two months of the war, forcing tens of thousands of Masalit residents to flee el-Geneina and West Darfur on foot to seek refuge across the border in eastern Chad. Among the trial’s defendants were two brothers of Hemedti: RSF deputy leader Abdel Rahim Hamdan Dagalo and Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa, also known as al-Qoni. The court also handed down convictions to Abdel Rahman Juma Barkallah, the RSF commander in West Darfur, and al-Tijani al-Tahir Karshoum, the state’s former deputy governor. The court held Hemedti legally responsible for directing the genocide of the Masalit and siege of el-Geneina, citing the systematic destruction and looting of property, as well as deliberate attacks on civilians, residential areas, schools, and places of worship. Dagalo was convicted of co-organising the siege of el-Geneina, the civilian displacement, and the genocide of the Masalit. Qoni was found liable for facilitating the siege, while Barkallah was liable for leading frontline RSF soldiers during systematic assaults on Masalit neighbourhoods. The court ordered the confiscation of all RSF assets and instructed the state to request Interpol red notices to secure the arrest and extradition of those convicted. Sudan war News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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According to Press TV, Mohsen Rezaee, a military adviser to the Iranian supreme leader, earlier reported plans to attack three facilities on Ukrainian territory

Military · Geopolitical

Mohsen Rezaei, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, said the Iranian military had prepared to strike three targets in Ukraine following an attack on a merchant vessel in the Caspian Sea.

Military · Geopolitical

Pentagon is emailing military experts and asking best way to 'punish' Iran: Report The Trump administration seems to be struggling to figure out how to get out of its self-made Iran quagmire. According to a CNN report on Monday, the US military is now crowdsourcing ideas among military experts for what to do next in order to push Iran into a deal that is to President Donald Trump's liking. "We are looking for new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran," an email from an officer in US Central Command's (Centcom) intelligence branch read last week, according to the CNN report. A Centcom spokesperson said the move is not unusual, and that it "has a long history of thinking and working in innovative ways". But the email suggests the Pentagon did not plan for the conflict to drag out this long. The on-again, off-again US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on 28 February, led to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent energy prices skyrocketing and directly impacted Trump voters. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's state media said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had spoken to Trump over the phone, and reportedly stressed "the necessity of prioritising dialogue to de-escalate tensions and the importance of exerting all possible efforts to achieve a truce, which paves the way for diplomatic solutions". Read more: Pentagon is emailing military experts and asking best way to 'punish' Iran: Report The Pentagon, which houses the US Department of War, is seen from above in Arlington, Virginia, on 3 March 2022 (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)

Military · Geopolitical

Pentagon is emailing military experts and asking best way to 'punish' Iran: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 08/03/2026 - 18:47 Is the Trump administration's strategy hinging on crowdsourcing ideas? The Pentagon, which houses the US Department of War, is seen from above in Arlington, Virginia, on 3 March 2022 (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) Off The Trump administration seems to be struggling to figure out how to get out of its self-made Iran quagmire. According to a CNN report on Monday, the US military is now crowdsourcing ideas among military experts for what to do next in order to push Iran into a deal that is to President Donald Trump's liking. "We are looking for new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran," an email from an officer in US Central Command's (Centcom) intelligence branch read last week, according to the CNN report. A Centcom spokesperson said the move is not unusual, and that it "has a long history of thinking and working in innovative ways". But the email suggests the Pentagon did not plan for the conflict to drag out this long. The on-again, off-again US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on 28 February, led to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent energy prices skyrocketing and directly impacted Trump voters. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's state media said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had spoken to Trump over the phone, and reportedly stressed "the necessity of prioritising dialogue to de-escalate tensions and the importance of exerting all possible efforts to achieve a truce, which paves the way for diplomatic solutions". Talks Iran has denied that any talks are ongoing with the US despite a claim by Trump, who called off strikes on the country on Saturday. Iran denies talks with US as Trump halts strikes at the last minute Read More » Trump announced that negotiations with Iran would begin on Monday after he decided to hold off on new strikes against the Islamic Republic in order to pursue a deal. "Obviously, they don't want to be attacked," Trump told reporters on Sunday on board Air Force One. "Now what we're doing is we're talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon. " However, Iran's foreign ministry has said there were currently no negotiations with the US but that talks were taking place with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz. The foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said discussions with Oman were "constructive" and aimed at reaching an agreement on a new route. "We are not currently negotiating with the United States. Our negotiations are with Oman to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz," Baghaei said during a press briefing. "We hope that both regional and extra-regional actors will appreciate this responsible move by Iran and adopt a constructive approach. " He added that as long as a US naval blockade on Iranian ports continues, "the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain unchanged". War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant was operating at about 10% of capacity because of a lack of cooling riverwater. In Romania, the military blew up a rock outcrop in a bid to improve water flow to the Cernavoda plant.

Military · Geopolitical

Israeli settlers attack West Bank villages, pepper spray elderly Palestinian An elderly Palestinian was injured after being attacked by Israeli settlers, who pepper-sprayed him while he was on his land in the Abu Njeim area, southeast of Bethlehem, according to Wafa news, citing local sources. Wafa news also reported that Israeli settlers attacked and assaulted Palestinians in the al-Maghayyir and Abu Falah villages, northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Monday. A couple was assaulted by settlers, backed by the Israeli army, after their vehicle was intercepted on the Marj Si’ plain road while travelling with their children. Meanwhile, two brothers from the village of Abu Falah were detained by the army while tending to their farmland. Settler gangs additionally attacked the western outskirts of the al-Maghayyir village, and security sources told Wafa that Israeli forces had raided the Solomon’s Pools tourist area in Bethlehem, but no casualties were reported. Israeli army soldiers patrol during a military operation in Nablus in the occupied West Bank, on 2 August 2026 (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP)

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Romania's military detonated part of the Danube riverbed to redirect water towards the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant.

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How Israeli presence in Forest City exposes the Zionist-aligned underbelly of Malaysia Submitted by Miriyam Ilavenil on Fri, 07/31/2026 - 09:12 The controversy has fuelled debate over the country's pro-Palestine policy and broader questions about Zionist control People hold placards and Palestinian flags during a demonstration marking Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day after Friday prayers in Kuala Lumpur, 13 March 2026 (Mohd Rasfan/AFP) Off On 15 July, Anwar Ibrahim, the prime minister of Malaysia, said authorities would deport any Israeli nationals found in the Southeast Asian country, while strongly expressing that Malaysia would "not compromise" on its immigration policies. "If we find any Israeli, we will deport them immediately because we do not recognise Israel," the prime minister said, according to local media reports. His comments came as officials investigated allegations that Israelis were involved in a private residential and technology community in the southern state of Johor. Johor Chief Minister Dato Onn Hafiz Ghazi stated that at the state level, the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) and relevant agencies would re-examine the Network School's business regulations. He also called on the federal bodies of the Home Affairs, Immigration Department, Police and Customs Department to investigate the allegations of Israelis in the Network School. Malaysia's federal Home Affairs Ministry later that day ordered a probe. After two rounds of investigations, the Immigration Department said there were no violations among the 379 foreign nationals it investigated at the Network School, adding that 19 individuals' movements could not be traced. The Immigration Department's Director-General Dato Zakaria Shaaban said that these individuals could have entered or left the country illegally. He added that authorities are on the lookout for the untraced individuals. Then, on 17 July, Ghazi issued several notices to the Network School after authorities found that one of the premises linked to the school was operating without a valid business licence. On 23 July, the United States summoned Malaysia's ambassador to the US, Tan Sri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob, to explain the nation's position on Israel. The Malaysian government stated that it would not change its immigration stance towards Israel. Founder of the Network School, Balaji Srinivasan, announced on X that he wanted an audience with the prime minister to restore his confidence in Malaysia as an investable jurisdiction. Balaji Srinivasan: Venture capitalist and Zionist ally Balaji Srinivasan, a former Silicon Valley venture capitalist and Stanford professor, publicised the Network State in 2022. Marketing it vaguely as a startup society focused on peace, Srinivasan proposed building a "startup country" from the internet up. The Network State describes the idea on its website as "crowdfunding territory" and "eventually gaining diplomatic recognition from pre-existing states". Malaysia vows to deport Israelis found in digital nomads community Read More » The website calls this new state a composition of an "ethnic diaspora" in which emigrants are connected with "the motherland" and come together in person to build dwellings and structures. "In a sense, you can think of each physical outpost of this digital community as a cloud embassy," it says, adding that "recruits can visit either the virtual or physical parts of a network state, beta test it, and decide to leave or stay". Along with Srinivasan, the Network State is financed by tech entrepreneurs Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, Joe Lonsdale, Patri Friedman, as well as crypto firms like Coinbase and Praxis. Peter Thiel's Palantir has invested in Israeli military and surveillance startups accused of providing technological support to Israeli intelligence in the Palestinian genocide. Praxis, a company funded by Marc Andreessen, Sam Altman and Peter Thiel, has proposed building a tech-owned city on Greenland after US President Donald Trump's repeated threats to take the territory by force. Trump has also shared the intent to build a Trump luxury resort in Gaza. Critics argue that the Network State model resembles historical settler projects because it envisions digitally organised communities purchasing or controlling physical land. Some scholars have also pointed to Srinivasan's frequent references to Israel as an example of successful nation-building, arguing that his writings draw inspiration from Israel's state-building experience. In 2024, centring the pitch around proximity to Singapore, Srinivasan formed the Network School in Malaysia's Forest City, in the southern state of Johor. Making of Forest City: Fisherfolk and reclaimed land The project's location in Malaysia's Forest City in Johor has added another layer of complexity. In a recent video podcast, Srinivasan alludes to the Network School being born out of "nothing into something". The "nothing" on which the multibillion-dollar development is built is termed "reclaimed" land in Johor and has faced criticism for its environmental impact on coastal ecosystems and local fishing communities. Forest City is a joint venture between China's Country Garden Group and Malaysian private company Iskandar Esplanade Danga 88 Sdn Bhd (EDBS), whose shareholders include Johor's Sultan Ibrahim and interests linked to the United Malays National Organisation, a Malay nationalist political party. Palestinian engineer 'killed by Mossad' in Malaysia, says family Read More » Between July 2024 and June 2025, Malaysia attracted about $759m in data centre investments, with Johor emerging as a key hub alongside the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. An extensive investigation by Mongabay revealed how a Chinese builder began construction in the Forest City without an environmental impact assessment, devastating local seagrass and sparking strong community protests. The project also saw massive sand dumping, which destroyed marine habitats and hundreds of hectares of traditional fishing grounds. Rights groups have previously raised concerns that most of Forest City's workforce comprised low-wage labourers from South Asia, especially Bangladesh. The project has drawn controversy again, after allegations circulated online that Israeli nationals were participating in the Network School. The dispute exposed contradictions between Malaysia's pro-Palestine foreign policy and its efforts to attract international technology investment, even as government officials have maintained that enforcement actions were based on regulatory compliance rather than political considerations. Neocolonial Malaysia: US imperial base, pro-Zionist hub The developments surrounding the Network School have fuelled a wider debate over Malaysia's balancing of its support for the Palestinian cause and economic relationship with the United States and western capitals. The country is shaped by a constitutional monarchy, where political and economic power is concentrated among the federal government, state authorities and royal institutions. Israel condemns Malaysia's decision to bar its athletes from competing Read More » The Federation of Malaysia was formed in 1963 and has since come down heavily on the people's movement in Malaya (West Malaysia) and Borneo (East Malaysia), allowing projects like the Network State to be built without much public resistance. In 2024, Malaysia allowed a subsidiary of BlackRock to join a consortium to take ownership of Malaysia Airports (MAHB), Khazanah Nasional and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), under the jurisdiction of the finance ministry led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Civil society organisations in the country called on Ibrahim to make "the right and conscionable decision" by excluding the "Zionist entity conducting a settler-colonial and racist genocide in Gaza". Local media reported that the administration "launched an aggressive media campaign to discredit critics of the plan". In April, several international defence companies with business relationships with the Israeli military participated in the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security (Natsec) Asia 2026 exhibition in Kuala Lumpur. Companies included Lockheed Martin, a US defence contractor that supplies aircraft and other military equipment to Israel, MBDA, a European missile manufacturer whose products have been exported to Israel, and Colt's Manufacturing, a US firearms producer whose weapons are used by the Israeli military. Malaysia police free Palestinian kidnapped by Mossad agents: Report Read More » Civil society members pointed to investment links between Malaysian conglomerate Sime Darby and Caterpillar, whose bulldozers have been used by the Israeli military in demolitions in the occupied Palestinian territories. They also cited the operations of Australian rare earths producer Lynas in Malaysia, arguing that rare earth minerals are used in global defence supply chains, including those serving Israel. Campaigners in Malaysia have alleged that Malaysian ports have been used to facilitate shipments linked to Israel's military supply chain. In 2025, Ibrahim welcomed Trump during the ASEAN Summit despite protests against his visit. Police maintained tight security, while rights groups accused Malaysian authorities of detaining and intimidating pro-Palestine protesters during peaceful demonstrations. While officials have maintained that the country cannot sever ties with every international company that has business links to Israel, the Network School controversy has exposed Malaysia's projection of a pro-Palestine foreign policy alongside its ambition to attract foreign technology investment. Johor remains a key destination for data centres and AI investments as part of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. Technology Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0