Breaking News
01/25/2025
Hostages Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy released by Hamas following 477 days in captivity
The four IDF soldiers were among seven abducted from the Nahal Oz surveillance unit during the October 7, 2023, attack, which claimed over 1,400 lives.
01/21/2025
Stabbing attack in Tel Aviv injures 3, suspect killed
A stabbing attack occurred Tuesday night in Tel Aviv, injuring at least three people. The attack took place at two locations—Nahalat Binyamin Street and Kalisher Street—at approximately 9:12 PM local time, according to the Magen David Adom emergency medical service.
Medics treated two 24-year-old victims, one seriously injured, and a 59-year-old man who had light injuries. The suspected terrorist was killed at the scene.
Israeli police have launched a manhunt for at least one additional suspect believed to have fled. Residents are urged to stay vigilant as investigations continue.
01/19/2025
3 Israeli hostages freed in Gaza ceasefire agreement’s 1st stage
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has confirmed it has taken custody of hostages Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher.
According to the IDF, the Red Cross notified Israeli officials that the three hostages were handed over by Hamas operatives in Gaza. The organization is now in the process of transferring them to IDF troops stationed inside the Gaza Strip.
Live footage aired shortly after the transfer showed the Red Cross facilitating the release. Reports indicate that initial assessments suggest the hostages are in “good condition.”
The three women were among 33 hostages set to be released in the first phase of the deal, which also includes the release of Palestinian prisoners, humanitarian aid provisions, and an Israeli withdrawal from certain areas of Gaza.
The IDF and the families of the hostages are now awaiting their safe return to Israel.
Ceasefire takes effect after 471 days of war
Following 471 days of war, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, shortly after the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced it had received the list of hostages that the Gaza governing group would release
01/15/2025
Israel and Hamas reach ceasefire deal; will take effect Sunday, says Qatar PM
Israel, Egypt, and US officials confirmed a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas with Qatar’s prime minister announcing the truce will take effect Sunday.
10/27/2024
Truck rams into bus stop in central Israel; suspected terrorist attack leaves multiple injured
Medics are responding to reports of multiple injuries after a truck crashed into a bus stop at Glilot Junction, north of Tel Aviv, on Sunday. Magen David Adom paramedics are treating dozens at the scene, with reports indicating at least 40 injuries, including 10 people in serious condition. Police have deployed large forces to the area and believe the incident was a terrorist attack. The alleged attacker was reportedly neutralized.
10/21/2024
7 Israelis arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran
Israeli authorities have arrested seven Jewish Israelis accused of spying for Iran, allegedly gathering intelligence on key military sites. The suspects, including an AWOL soldier and two minors, reportedly conducted hundreds of missions, targeting locations such as IDF airbases and Iron Dome batteries. Prosecutors say the group was motivated by financial gain and were paid through intermediaries linked to Iranian agents.
10/06/2024
One killed, several injured in terror attack at Beersheba bus station
A terrorist attack at Beersheba’s central bus station has left one woman dead and nine others injured. The assailant was shot and killed after reportedly attacking people at multiple locations around the station. Police are investigating whether the terrorist used both a firearm and a knife and have urged residents to avoid the area as they search for potential accomplices.
10/01/2024
6 killed in Jaffa terror attack
Six people were killed and at least seven others were wounded in a shooting attack near a light rail station in Jaffa, central Israel, on Tuesday evening. Two gunmen were shot dead by security forces, and police are still searching the area for a possible third suspect. Four of the wounded are in critical condition, according to the Magen David Adom emergency response organization.
09/17/2024
Explosion of communication devices wounds hundreds of Hezbollah members in Beirut
Hundreds of Hezbollah members, including fighters and medics, were seriously injured on Tuesday after the communication pagers they use unexpectedly exploded. A Hezbollah official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, called it the group’s “biggest security breach” in nearly a year of conflict with Israel. Ambulances were seen rushing through Beirut’s southern suburbs, where explosions continued for 30 minutes after the initial blasts, according to eyewitnesses. Explosions were also reported in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the incident.
09/01/2024
IDF recovers bodies of 6 hostages held by Hamas, including US citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin
The Media Line is saddened to report that the Israel Defense Forces have recovered the bodies of six hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and were killed in captivity, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a US citizen. The Goldberg-Polin family released a statement saying, “With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh. The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.” The discovery comes as efforts continue to secure the release of 101 remaining hostages.
08/27/2024
IDF rescues hostage Qaid Farhan al-Qadi from southern Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces announced Tuesday the successful rescue of hostage Qaid Farhan al-Qadi, who was found alive during an operation in southern Gaza. Al-Qadi, 52 at the time of his abduction, went missing on October 7 during the Hamas attack on communities near the Gaza border. A security guard at the Kibbutz Magen packing house, Al-Qadi lives near Rahat in the Al Qasoum area and is a father of 11 children with two wives.
07/03/2024
Report: Israeli strike in Lebanon kills senior Hezbollah commander
A senior Hezbollah commander has been killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon, according to a source close to the group. The commander, identified as Abu Ali Nasser, led the Aziz unit, which oversees the eastern district along the Israel-Lebanon border. The attack targeted a car in Tyre. The source, speaking anonymously, confirmed the incident to the media.
05/05/2024
Israeli cabinet approves ban on Al Jazeera operations in Israel
The Israeli cabinet announced on Sunday the approval of a decision to close down Al Jazeera’s offices and cease the operations of the news network within the country.
04/26/2024
Israeli National Security Minister Ben-Gvir injured in car accident after Ramle stabbing incident
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was involved in a car accident on Friday, shortly after departing from the site of a stabbing attack in Ramle. The incident Friday morning left an 18-year-old woman seriously injured. Following the accident, the minister’s office confirmed that Ben-Gvir is conscious and feeling well but will continue to receive medical treatment at Assaf HaRofeh Hospital.
03/04/2024
American employee at US Embassy in Jerusalem found dead, no foul play suspected
An American staff member of the US Embassy in Jerusalem has died, an embassy spokesperson confirmed on Monday. The embassy clarified that the individual was not the US ambassador and that there were no suspicions of foul play surrounding the death. “We can confirm the death of an American employee of the US Embassy in Jerusalem. It is not the US ambassador. Foul play is not suspected. We have no further details to share,” the spokesperson said.
02/29/2024
Deadly shooting attack near West Bank settlement of Eli claims 2 lives
Two people were killed in a suspected terrorist shooting near the West Bank settlement of Eli, the Magen David Adom ambulance service reported. The victims—a man in his 20s and a man in his 40s—were declared dead at the scene. Following the attack, which occurred at a gas station where four people were killed in an attack last summer, one assailant was neutralized, and efforts are underway to apprehend additional suspects.
01/15/2024
Car-ramming and stabbing attack in central Israel injures 18
Initial reports say terrorists carried out car-ramming and stabbing attacks at multiple locations in Raanana, in central Israel, including a supermarket. Eighteen people were injured, including a 70-year-old woman in critical condition and a man and boy, ages 34 and 16, respectively, in serious condition, according to the Magen David Adom emergency medical service.
01/04/2024
Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah named Kuwait’s new prime minister
Kuwait’s Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has officially appointed Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah as the new prime minister of Kuwait. The appointment was made on Thursday, marking a new chapter in Kuwait’s political landscape, reports the official Kuwait News Agency.
Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, a prominent figure in Kuwaiti politics, has been tasked with the formation of a new cabinet. This move comes amid a period of political reshuffling and is expected to bring fresh perspectives to the governance of the country.
12/01/2023
Israel resumed military action against Hamas after accusing the terrorist group of violating the ceasefire by firing a missile into Israel. Despite the new fighting talks in Doha are continuing.
11/28/2023
Tuesday’s swap of prisoners for female hostages in Gaza comes off despite Hamas violence. 10-month old not on list
11/27/2023
Gaza truce extended: Qatar announces 2-day extension in humanitarian pause
The State of Qatar has announced the extension of the humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip for an additional two days. This extension comes as the initial four-day cease-fire is nearing its conclusion. The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Al Ansari, confirmed this development through a statement on the social media platform X. The ongoing mediation efforts by Qatar aim to provide crucial respite and aid to the affected areas in Gaza, as both sides agree to prolong the pause in hostilities. This extension is a critical step toward furthering peace efforts and addressing the humanitarian needs in the region.
11/26/2023
14 hostages released by Hamas, including Russian-Israeli, in truce agreement
Israeli sources confirm that Hamas has handed over a group of 14 hostages, including a Russian-Israeli, to the Red Cross for their exit from the Gaza Strip. The hostages, re-entering Israel Sunday evening, included 3-year-old Avigail Idan, the Brodutch, Elyakim, Almog-Goldstein families, Elma Avraham, and Aviva Siegel. One hostage, Roni Krivoy, was released following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s direct intervention and has returned to Karmiel. The third group’s release, part of a four-day truce deal, is underway, with Egypt and Qatar as mediators. Over 120 aid trucks, including fuel and cooking gas supplies, have entered Gaza from Egypt.
Second Israel-Hamas Completed
13 Israelis and 4 foreigners have been released by Hamas after the second phase of swaps nearly collapsed.
11/25/2023
Hamas halts Saturday hostage release
Alleging that Israel has “fail[ed] to meet the agreed-upon standards for releasing prisoners,” Hamas said in a statement on Saturday that it is postponing the second release of the hostages.
11/24/2023
Hostages cross into Egypt
The 13 women and children selected to be the first hostages held by Hamas to be released were crossing into Egyptian territory at 6:00 pm local time (11 am US eastern time). The young, former hostages will be helicoptered to two Israeli hospitals.
First group of Israeli hostages released by Hamas into Red Cross custody
An Israeli official has confirmed the release of the first group of Israeli hostages. The 13 former hostages are currently in the care of the International Committee of the Red Cross and are being transported via ambulances through the Rafah crossing.
This release marks the initial phase of a broader agreement under which Hamas has pledged to free approximately 50 hostages over the span of the four-day cease-fire. The group predominantly consists of children, mothers, and other women. Additionally, there is a provision for the possible release of more hostages in exchange for an extension of the truce.
In a reciprocal gesture, Israel is set to release 150 Palestinian prisoners charged with terror offenses. All of these prisoners are either women or minors. Today, Israel will release 39 of these prisoners in exchange for the 13 Israelis returning home.
11/21/2023
Imminent Israel-Hamas truce, prisoner exchange to be announced
A humanitarian truce between Israel and Hamas, brokered in Qatar, is nearing finalization and is expected to be publicized soon. This anticipated five-day pause in the fighting involves the exchange of 50 civilians and foreign nationals held by Hamas for 150 Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody, including women and minors. The agreement also includes the delivery of 300 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza, comprising food, medical supplies, and fuel. A phased prisoner exchange process has been outlined, with a daily exchange of 10 Israeli for 30 Palestinian prisoners. Israel’s War Cabinet is expected to meet at 6 pm local time, the Security Cabinet at 7 pm, and the entire cabinet at 8 pm, to approve the deal.
11/05/2023
4 Kibbutz Be’eri residents previously thought killed may have been abducted by Hamas
Kibbutz Be’eri resident Thomas Hand told The Media Line Sunday night that the Israeli military has informed him there was a possibility that his 8-year-old daughter Emily Hand, her mother Narkis Hand, 12-year-old friend Hila Rotem, and Hila’s mother Raya Rotem may all be alive and captive in Gaza. Previously, it was believed they had been killed by Hamas on Oct. 7. No remains of the four have been found but their cellphones were retrieved in the Gaza Strip.
“We are very happy that there is a strong possibility that she is alive,” said Hand, an Irish national, about his daughter, adding that he hoped the Irish government would put “much pressure” on Hamas to get her released.
This brings the number of people who may have been abducted by Hamas to around 249, including four who have since been released and one who was rescued.
10/31/2023
Israeli national security adviser announces plan to evacuate Gaza hospitals
Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told reporters today that Gaza’s hospitals would be evacuated and replaced with field hospitals on the Egyptian side of the border city of Rafah and hospital ships off Gaza’s coast. Hanegbi said the hospitals in the Gaza Strip needed to be evacuated because they serve as cover for the underground “terror headquarters” of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Foreign medical ships are already en route to Gaza, he added.
10/29/2023
Antisemitic attacks unfold in Dagestan as rioters target Israelis at airport, hotel
Local residents in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, a republic of Russia in the North Caucasus, reportedly stormed the city’s airport in a targeted attack against Jews arriving on a flight from Tel Aviv Sunday, according to Russian media reports. Footage from local Telegram channels shows individuals chanting “Allahu akbar” and halting cars to scrutinize passenger documents for Israeli or Jewish identification. Meanwhile, in Khasavyurt, another city in Dagestan, rioters congregated at a hotel where Israelis were believed to be staying, conducting a search for them. Russian security forces have not been recorded intervening in either situation.
10/28/2023
Hamas declares readiness for immediate exchange of Israeli hostages
Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar said on Saturday that the armed Palestinian group was “ready to conduct” an immediate exchange of all Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip for all Palestinian security prisoners held in Israeli jails.
The Israel Defense Forces spokesperson characterized the timing of the statement as “psychological terror.”
10/23/2023
Israel’s Channel 12 reports release of 2 Israeli women from Hamas captivity
Israel’s Channel 12 News has reported that the families of Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, have been informed of their release from Hamas captivity. Both women were abducted from their homes in Kibbutz Nir Oz, near the Gaza-Israel border. While the two women have been released, their husbands remain in captivity in Gaza.
10/19/2023
Egyptian president, Jordan’s king to convene summit in Cairo on Gaza crisis
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is set to host a summit with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Cairo today, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. As violence escalates in the neighboring Gaza Strip, the two leaders aim to discuss strategies to halt what the Jordanian royal court refers to as “the Israeli aggression on Gaza.”
10/17/2023
Israeli military says Islamic Jihad rocket misfire caused Gaza hospital explosion
The Israeli military says a failed rocket launch by Islamic Jihad caused the explosion at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza Tuesday night that, Palestinian health officials say, killed around 500 people.
“An analysis of IDF operational systems indicates that a barrage of rockets was fired by terrorists in Gaza, passing in close proximity to the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza at the time it was hit,” the Israeli military said in a statement. “Intelligence from multiple sources we have in our hands indicates that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch which hit the hospital in Gaza.”
Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that rules the Gaza Strip, says the explosion was due to an Israeli airstrike on the hospital.
10/13/2023
30 additional bodies discovered near Gaza border
Thirty additional bodies have been discovered between Kibbutz Be’eri and the Gaza border fence, according to Yossi Landau, the head of operations for the southern region of ZAKA. Out of these, 15 have been confirmed as Jewish, while the identities of the remaining bodies are still unclear.
10/11/2023
Emergency gov’t formed in Israel; Gantz, Eisenkot join Netanyahu’s War Cabinet
An emergency government was officially established in Israel on Wednesday afternoon, following a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Unity party leader Benny Gantz at the Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv. Gantz and fellow party member Gadi Eisenkot will be sworn in as ministers, joining a War Cabinet alongside Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The formation of the emergency government comes after a public outcry for unified leadership since Netanyahu declared war on Hamas this past Saturday, following a significant attack by the militant group on Israel. Legal teams for both the Likud and National Unity parties stayed back after the half-hour meeting to finalize the details of the new governing arrangement.
10/08/2023
2 Israeli tourists fatally shot by Egyptian policeman in Alexandria tour bus attack
Two Israeli tourists were killed when an Egyptian policeman opened fire on a tourist bus, according to Egyptian reports and the Russian news agency RT.
10/07/2023
Hamas claims to have abducted 53 Israelis; Israeli emergency services report at least 100 Israelis dead
Hamas claimed responsibility for kidnapping 53 Israelis, including soldiers, in an operation they named “Al-Aqsa Storm,” surprising Israel with a multifront attack. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service reported at least 100 Israelis dead and hospitals are treating over 900 people with conditions ranging from light to very serious. In response, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared the country at war, initiating “Operation Iron Swords.” The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Palestinian forces have entered Israeli territory by land, air, and sea, overrunning villages and a military base.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says nation ‘at war’ after Gaza assault
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is “at war” following a surprise multifront attack by armed Palestinian groups from the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initiated a mass mobilization of reserve troops as terrorists launched a heavy barrage of rockets, infiltrated communities, and allegedly took hostages.
Early reports indicate at least 130 wounded at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. Meanwhile, Hamas claims it has captured and transported at least 35 Israelis, including both soldiers and civilians, into the Palestinian enclave. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has convened an emergency meeting with security services in Tel Aviv.
Social media footage shows armed individuals freely roaming and engaging in firefights in southern Israeli communities. Residents in areas near the Gaza border reported feelings of abandonment as they faced attacks with limited military presence. US Chargé d’affaires Stephanie Hallett condemned the “indiscriminate actions against Israeli civilians” and reaffirmed support for Israel’s right to self-defense.
Mohammed Deif, the reclusive leader of the Hamas’ military wing, announced a military operation called “Al-Aqsa Storm,” claiming responsibility for the attacks and urging armed individuals to continue their assaults on Israeli communities.
09/26/2023
Turkish President Erdogan announces possible visit of Israeli prime minister
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could visit Turkey in October or November. This announcement comes after Erdoğan and Netanyahu met for the first time in person at the UN General Assembly, signaling progress in restoring the diplomatic relations between the two nations and hinting at future cooperation in energy drilling.
09/11/2023
Israeli delegation attends UNESCO meeting in Saudi Arabia, marks first public visit
An Israeli delegation is currently in Riyadh for a UNESCO meeting, marking Israel’s first openly announced visit to Saudi Arabia. “We are happy to be here—it’s a good first step,” said an anonymous Israeli official, acknowledging the sensitive nature of the diplomatic move.
09/06/2023
Stabbing attack near Jerusalem’s Jaffa Gate leaves one seriously injured, another lightly wounded
Israel Police report that a stabbing attack near the Jaffa Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City has left one man in his 50s seriously injured and another lightly wounded. The assailant, said to be a 17-year-old youth from East Jerusalem, attacked with a butcher’s knife, and was arrested by the police. Magen David Adom medics transported the seriously injured victim to Hadassah Medical Center.
08/24/2023
BRICS nations add 6 new members, including 4 from MENA region
The BRICS group of nations has announced the admission of six new countries—Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Saudi Arabia—as full members of the emerging economies bloc. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement today at the BRICS summit, outlining the summit’s outcomes and affirming the commitment to the interests of the “Global South.”
08/23/2023
Private jet of Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin crashes in Russia, leaving 10 dead
A private jet owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner mercenary group, crashed in Russia’s Tver region on Wednesday, resulting in 10 fatalities, including Prigozhin and his deputy Dmitry Utkin. Initial reports indicate that the jet may have been shot down by an air defense system or targeted in a terror attack, though an official investigation is still underway. Prigozhin and his Wagner group staged a failed rebellion against the Russian government in June.
100,000 people evacuated from flooded villages in Pakistan’s Punjab province
Around 100,000 people have been rescued and evacuated from villages inundated by floods in Pakistan’s Punjab province, according to an emergency services representative.
08/22/2023
Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia to launch joint investigation into alleged killings of Ethiopian migrants
The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that Addis Ababa would partner with Riyadh for a joint investigation into a Human Rights Watch report that accused Saudi border guards of killing hundreds of Ethiopian migrants attempting to enter the Gulf kingdom. The ministry’s decision, shared on X, formerly Twitter, comes a day after the publication of the report ignited global outrage.
08/21/2023
Shooting attack on West Bank highway leaves Israeli woman dead, man seriously injured, child unharmed
A woman was shot and killed and a man seriously injured on Highway 60 in the West Bank near Beit Hagai Junction on Monday in a drive-by shooting. Israeli security forces have launched a manhunt for the assailants, who escaped the scene, while the nearby settlement of Kiryat Arba was placed under lockdown. The man is receiving emergency medical treatment, and a 6-year-old child in the car was unharmed.
08/20/2023
Palestinian Authority President Abbas retires 35 ambassadors
President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has announced the retirement of 35 Palestinian ambassadors, with 18 of them over the age of 65 and 17 exceeding 70 years old. This decision follows closely on the heels of a presidential decree from Abbas two weeks ago that sent 12 governors in the West Bank and Gaza Strip into retirement.
08/17/2023
Iran’s foreign minister touches down in Riyadh for historic visit
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran’s foreign minister, landed in Riyadh today, marking his debut visit to Saudi Arabia since the pivotal reconciliation agreement between the countries in March. He was accompanied by Iran’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati.
07/30/2023
Devastating explosion at political rally in Pakistan’s Bajur District leaves at least 40 dead, over 100 wounded
A catastrophic explosion tore through a political rally in Pakistan’s northwestern Bajur district, adjacent to Afghanistan, earlier today. The blast occurred at an assembly for Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema Islam party, resulting in at least 40 fatalities and over 100 injuries, according to police and health officials.
07/26/2023
Israeli Supreme Court declines to block law curtailing its powers
Israel’s Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it would not issue an injunction against the controversial amendment to the country’s basic law curbing its ability to void government decisions on the basis of their extreme unreasonableness. Despite petitions from multiple groups, including the Israel Bar Association, asking for an immediate, temporary stay on implementation of the amendment, the court said it would discuss the matter, part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to weaken the judiciary, in September.
07/24/2023
Knesset passes bill amending judiciary; legal challenge follows swiftly
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has passed the contentious amendment to Basic Law: The Judiciary, eliminating the reasonableness standard in judicial reviews of government decisions, with a 64-0 vote amid an opposition boycott. Following the approval, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel has lodged a petition with the High Court, seeking to declare the amendment unconstitutional and alleging that it disruptively alters Israel’s parliamentary democracy and its system of checks and balances.
07/16/2023
Israeli man seriously wounded, 2 girls injured in West Bank shooting attack
An Israeli man, 35, was seriously injured and two girls, aged 9 and 14, were lightly wounded in a shooting attack near the Israeli settlement of Tekoa, around 8 miles south of Jerusalem, on Sunday morning. The victims were evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. In response to the attack, the Israeli military has initiated a manhunt for the perpetrators.
07/09/2023
Jordanian special security force neutralizes 3 fugitives, including suspect in senior policeman’s murder
A special security force in Jordan killed three fugitives Sunday, one of whom was implicated in the death of a senior policeman during civil unrest last year, according to a security source. The senior officer was murdered amid protests against high fuel prices in a town near Maan, a poverty-stricken southern city.
07/06/2023
Palestinian gunman kills 1 outside Kedumim in West Bank, is shot dead by Israeli troops
A Palestinian gunman opened fire outside the Israeli settlement of Kedumim, in the West Bank Thursday afternoon, killing one person. The assailant fled the seen but was later killed by Israeli forces.
Rockets launched from Lebanon toward Israel, IDF responds with airstrikes
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Thursday at noon that it was conducting retaliatory strikes in southern Lebanon following a projectile launch from the region into Israeli territory. According to three security sources in Lebanon, two rockets were fired, one landing near the Lebanese village of Wazzani, the other near the disputed village of Ghajar on the Israel-Lebanon border. The IDF reported no incident within Israeli territory, but noted an explosion “beyond the border fence.” This escalation comes amid accusations by Hizbullah, the powerful Iranian-backed Lebanese group, against Israel’s “dangerous measures” in the northern part of Ghajar.
07/05/2023
Vehicle plows through protesters blocking highway after Tel Aviv police commander steps down
A man driving a gray BMW plowed through a group of protesters Wednesday night on the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. The driver was swiftly apprehended and no injuries were reported. The incident took place after thousands of Israelis flooded the streets Wednesday night, blocking major roads including the Ayalon Highway and Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv. The demonstration came in response to Tel Aviv Police Commander Ami Eshed’s sudden resignation, citing politically motivated actions directed by the government against him. Police deployed water cannons for riot control at the demonstration, with occasional skirmishes reported, and a protester was arrested for disturbing the peace.
06/26/2023
Hizbullah shoots down Israeli drone over Lebanon: reports
Al Jazeera and Lebanese media outlets report that Hizbullah, the Iran-backed armed group in Lebanon, has announced that it shot down an Israeli drone that penetrated Lebanese airspace at Wadi al-Azziya near the southern Lebanese town of Zibqin, around 4 miles from the Israeli border.
06/20/2023
4 killed in West Bank shooting attack
Four people were killed and at least four others injured in a shooting attack at a gas station near the settlement of Eli in the northern West Bank. The injured are being transported to the hospital, one in serious condition, two in moderate condition, and one lightly injured. One suspected assailant was killed at the scene and another has fled. Residents of Eli have been told to remain indoors while Israeli troops search the area. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will hold a situational assessment shortly.
06/16/2023
Russia announces embassy branch in Jerusalem
Russia on Friday revealed plans to open a branch office of its embassy in Jerusalem. This development comes as part of an agreement with the city of Jerusalem, the Russian Embassy and an Israeli Foreign Ministry official said on Friday.
05/17/2023
Turkey summons German ambassador amid claims of journalists’ detention in Frankfurt
Turkey has summoned the German ambassador, protesting the alleged detention of two Turkish journalists in Frankfurt. The reporters, working for the pro-government Sabah daily, were charged with the “dangerous dissemination of personal data,” although a local German prosecutor denies they are under arrest. The Turkish Foreign Ministry has labeled the incident a case of deliberate “harassment and intimidation” of the press.
05/15/2023
Turkish presidential race heads to runoff, Supreme Election Board confirms
Turkey is set for a presidential runoff poll on May 28, the Supreme Election Board has announced. Incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and main opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu are the top two finishers, triggering a runoff as no candidate secured a majority. With 99.87% of ballot boxes counted, Erdoğan has garnered 49.5% of the vote, falling just short of outright victory. Kılıçdaroğlu follows closely with 44.89%. Sinan Oğan received 5.17% of the vote, and Muharrem İnce, who withdrew from the race at the last minute but remained on the ballot, received 0.44% of the vote. The election saw an unprecedented 86.87% turnout—a historic participation rate in Turkish elections.
05/14/2023
Record turnout in Turkey’s election, initial results show Erdoğan leading
Polls have closed in Turkey’s historic election, and vote counting is now underway. The country witnessed its highest voter turnout ever at 89%. With 12.8% of polling stations reporting, the initial results are as follows:
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: 57.5%
- Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu: 36.7%
- Sinan Oğan: 5.3%
These numbers could change significantly as the vote counting continues throughout the night. Stay tuned for further updates on this closely watched election.
05/11/2023
Jordan, Palestinian Authority suspend recognition of Armenian Patriarch amid property dispute
Jordan and the Palestinian Authority have jointly suspended their recognition of Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, leader of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, citing allegations that he mishandled properties in the city’s Armenian Quarter, potentially damaging the Christian presence in the city.
IDF drone strike targets Gaza building, Islamic Jihad commander
(Courtesy)
05/10/2023
Heavy rocket fire toward southern Israel
Sirens are sounding along Israel’s Mediterranean coast from Ashkelon to Rishon Lezion as the area comes under a barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.
05/09/2023
US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides set to depart post this summer
US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides is stepping down from his position this summer after serving only two years, according to a report by the news site Axios. The report cited two US officials, revealing that Nides informed the secretary of state of his decision during a visit to Washington last week. Nides said the reason for his departure was personal, having been away from his family since December 2021.
05/07/2023
Arab League reinstates Syria after 11-year hiatus
The Arab League unanimously agreed to reinstate Syria’s government on Sunday, ending its 11-year absence following President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011. Syria will resume participating in Arab League meetings as diplomatic activity increases ahead of the Arab summit in Jeddah on May 19.
05/03/2023
Iranian president makes landmark visit to Syria
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Damascus today, marking the first visit by an Iranian president to Syria since the civil war began. Raisi, accompanied by a large ministerial delegation, will engage in political and economic discussions with Syrian President Bashar Assad and sign several agreements during the two-day visit, according to Syria’s state news agency, SANA.
05/02/2023
22 rockets launched from Gaza toward Israel, foreign worker seriously injured
The Israel Defense Forces reports that 22 rockets were launched from Gaza toward Israel today. Of these, four rockets were intercepted and 16 landed in open areas. A foreign worker in Sderot was seriously injured when one of the rockets struck a construction site in the city.
04/24/2023
Ramming attack in Jerusalem market injures 5
A ramming attack near Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda open-air market has injured at least five people: A 70-year-old man is in serious condition, a woman in her 30s was moderately injured, and three men—two 25-year-olds and a 50-year-old—were lightly injured. According to the police, the suspect was neutralized.
Warning: Graphic image
04/18/2023
Saudi FM to make first visit to Damascus since start of Syrian civil war
Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, is set to arrive in Damascus on Tuesday for an official visit to Syria, according to a statement by Syria’s Information Ministry. This marks the first time a Saudi official has visited the country since the start of the Syrian civil war.
04/16/2023
Iranian crown prince to visit Israel to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day
Reza Pahlavi, the son of former Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, is set to visit Israel on Monday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day. During his visit, Pahlavi will attend the opening ceremony marking Holocaust Memorial Day, meet with Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel and other officials, and visit a desalination plant to learn about Israel’s advanced water technologies.
04/10/2023
3rd victim in West Bank shooting attack, mother of other 2 victims, dies from her injuries
Lucy Dee, an Israeli-British woman, has died of her injuries three days after the West Bank shooting attack that also killed her two daughters. The gunmen remain at large.
Israeli forces kill Palestinian during raid in West Bank refugee camp
Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man during a raid on Aqabat Jaber refugee camp near Jericho in the West Bank on Monday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israeli military has not provided further information on the incident.
04/02/2023
Israel’s government approves 1.5% cut from all ministries to create National Guard
Israel’s government voted to approve a 1.5% cut from the budget of all government ministries, including defense and education, in order to create a National Guard that will operate under Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir. Several Cabinet ministers were opposed to the move, but still voted in favor, according to reports.
03/27/2023
Netanyahu announces suspension of Israeli government’s judicial overhaul push
After a day in Israel that saw a far-reaching general strike – including hospitals and banks – and a massive protest in front of the Knesset in Jerusalem as well as throughout the country, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced in a nationally televised address that the government would pause the judicial reform legislation making its way through the country’s parliament. The Otzma Yehudit, or Jewish Power party headed by Itamar Ben-Gvir, which is part of the government with its six seats, announced earlier that the legislation will be paused until the summer legislative term. Ben-Gvir reportedly had threatened to quit the government if the legislation was halted. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, whose Religious Zionism party has seven seats in the coalition, said in a statement that the government must continue with the judicial reform. Over 100,000 opponents of the judicial reform legislation protested throughout the day in front of the Knesset building in Jerusalem; a counter demonstration in support of the legislation also gathered in Jerusalem.
03/26/2023
Israeli prime minister fires defense minister over judicial reform opposition
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday evening for his opposition to the government’s proposed judicial overhaul. Former IDF Chief of Staff MK Gadi Eisenkot called the dismissal a “disgrace,” while Opposition Leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of endangering Israel’s security. Netanyahu must appoint a new defense minister within 48 hours.
03/23/2023
Saudi Arabia, Syria to resume diplomatic ties
Saudi Arabia and Syria have agreed to reopen their embassies after severing diplomatic relations more than a decade ago.
03/22/2023
Israel tells Washington, West it will strike Iran if it enriches uranium above 60%
Israel told the Biden administration and several European countries that Iran could trigger an Israeli military strike if it enriches uranium above the 60% purity level, Axios reported citing a senior Israeli official.
Jordanian House of Representatives votes to expel Israeli ambassador
The Jordanian House of Representatives, the lower house of the Jordanian parliament, voted Wednesday morning in favor of a motion to expel Israel’s ambassador due to the “racist” actions and statements of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
03/20/2023
Netanyahu’s Likud party votes to back new plan on High Court appointments
A meeting of the Knesset faction of the ruling Likud party voted Monday night to back a plan that gives the governing coalition full control over the selection of the first two High Court appointments during a Knesset’s tenure, as well as the appointment of the chief justice. Any additional appointments would be made with input from the opposition.
Four Likud MKs opposed the bill.
Judicial reform supporters describe the plan as a “softening” of the government’s position, while those opposed to the coalition’s judicial overhaul say it still ensures politicization of the court and does not amount to a compromise.
03/19/2023
2 Israelis injured in shooting attack in flashpoint West Bank town of Huwara
Two Israelis were injured in a shooting attack in the Palestinian town of Huwara on the West Bank. The condition of one of the wounded individuals was described as critical. Huwara was the site of an attack in late February that killed two Israelis. A revenge attack by hundreds of Israeli settlers on Huwara and nearby villages the same day left one Palestinian man dead and 100 others injured, four of them critically, and many buildings and vehicles were set on fire.
Syrian President Bashar Assad arrives in UAE for official visit
Syrian President Bashar Assad and his wife Asma arrived on Sunday in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi for an official visit. The Syrian president and first lady were received by UAE President Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the presidential airport.
03/14/2023
Clashes at Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s Lahore home as police move to arrest him
Clashes have erupted between supporters of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan and police officers who arrived at his Lahore home in order to arrest him.
There are reportedly two arrest warrants issued against Khan, one for corruption over allegedly misusing his office to sell state gifts and the other for terrorism.
The supporters of the former prime minister and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) threw rocks and bricks at the police, the media said, while the officers used tear gas, water cannons and batons to disperse the crowd surrounding Khan’s home. Several of Khan’s supporters and a number of police officers were reported to have been wounded.
Khan himself issued a video statement in Urdu on Twitter several hours earlier, urging PTI supporters “to stand resolute and fight for [true freedom] & rule of law.”
Last week, Pakistan’s media regulator banned the broadcast of speeches by Khan, less than a day after police attempted to serve arrest warrants to him and his supporters again blocked access to his home.
Khan, who was ousted as prime minister in a no-confidence vote in parliament last April, denies all charges against him.
03/09/2023
3 injured in shooting attack in Tel Aviv
Three people were shot and injured in an attack in Tel Aviv near a cafe on the popular Dizengoff Street. One of the injured is in critical condition, one in serious condition and one in moderate condition. One attacker was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer. A manhunt is on for a second attacker, according to reports. Police say they suspect the shooting was a terror attack.
03/06/2023
Suicide bomber kills 9 police officers in southwestern Pakistan
Nine police officers were killed in Pakistan when a suicide bomber attacked a truck in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, AFP reported. Some 16 officers were injured.
02/13/2023
Knesset Committee Approves Judicial Reform Bill as Tens of Thousands Protest
The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee approved by a vote of 9-7 the first part of the government’s judicial reform legislation, which would give the government coalition a majority on the Judicial Selection Committee. The legislation now goes to a first of three readings in the Knesset. The approval comes as tens of thousands of protesters clog the streets outside of the Knesset in Jerusalem for a protest against the government’s planned judicial overhaul.
02/10/2023
2 Killed, Including 6-Year-old Boy, in Jerusalem Car-ramming Attack
A 6-year-old boy and a man in his 20s were killed Friday in a car-ramming attack in Jerusalem. At least five other people were wounded in the attack at the entrance to the Ramot neighborhood of East Jerusalem, among them another child.
Local media named the attacker as 31-year-old Hossein Karaka, a resident of the Isawiya neighborhood in East Jerusalem, who rammed his vehicle into a bus stop. He was shot dead by an off-duty police officer at the scene, officials said.
A member of the ZAKA volunteer rescue service, Dovi Weinstern, said that “many families” had been waiting at the bus stop when the attack took place. He described the aftermath as a “a very difficult scene.”
“When I arrived there I saw a lot of commotion, difficult images of people and children dressed in Shabbat clothes lying near the station suffering from serious injuries, cries for help from all sides,” he said.
After the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ordered bolstered security forces in the area and the immediate arrest of suspects in the attacker’s inner circle. He also ordered the swift demolition of the attacker’s home.
The attack comes exactly two weeks after a Palestinian attacker shot dead seven people, including a 14-year-old boy, outside a synagogue in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Neve Yaakov.
02/01/2023
Iron Dome intercepts rocket fired into Israel from Gaza Strip
01/30/2023
US secretary of state calls for ‘urgent steps’ to restore calm in Israel, Palestinian territories
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem alongside Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, expressed his condolences for the “horrific terrorist attack” that killed seven Israelis in Jerusalem on Friday, reiterated US support for a two-state solution as “the best way” to bring security to the two sides, and called on all sides to “take urgent steps to restore calm, to de-escalate” in order to “create the conditions where we can start to restore a sense of security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
01/26/2023
Palestinan Authority announces end of security coordination with Israel
Nabil Abu Rudainah, spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, announced at a press conference in Ramallah Thursday evening that the PA had suspended security coordination with Israel in response to a raid on Jenin by Israeli forces Thursday morning that killed 10 Palestinians. “We consider the security coordination to no longer exist,” Abu Rudainah said. He added that the PA would turn to the UN Security Council and International Criminal Court to hold Israel responsible and called for a delegation from a UN Human Rights Council to investigate the matter.
At least 9 Palestinians killed during Israel Defense Forces operation in Jenin
At least 9 Palestinians have been killed and several others injured during an Israel Defense Forces operation in Jenin in the West Bank. The Kan public broadcaster reports that the operation was mounted to arrest a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative who was allegedly preparing an imminent major terror attack.
01/24/2023
Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu meets with King Abdullah II in Jordan
Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu flew to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah II, his office announced this afternoon. “The two leaders discussed regional issues, especially strategic, security and economic cooperation between Israel and Jordan, which contributes to regional stability,” according to a statement. “They also praised the long-standing friendship and partnership between Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom,” the statement also said. Relations between Israel and Jordan have been strained over the Jordanian Waqf’s stewardship of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound/Temple Mount, including the recent visit there by Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
01/22/2023
Israel’s Netanyahu removes Deri from ministerial posts on order of High Court
Ultra-Orthodox Shas Party leader Aryeh Deri was removed from his positions as minister of health and interior during Sunday’s weekly cabinet meeting. In a letter read at the meeting and then made public, Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu noted that the Supreme Court ordered him to remove Deri from his positions, but added, “I intend to look for any legal way in which you can continue to contribute to the State of Israel from your many experiences and skills, in accordance with the will of the people.” Deri can continue to serve as a Knesset lawmaker.
12/29/2022
Israel’s new government sworn in during special Knesset session
Israel’s new government, the 37th, and the sixth headed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, has been sworn in after several hours of debate. The government was approved by a vote of 63 to 54, after it voted to approve the new Knesset Speaker, Likud’s Amir Ohana, the first openly gay minister. Netanyahu’s speech introducing his new government ministers was punctuated by raucous shouting from the opposition. The new ministers w
Special Knesset session begins to swear in Israel’s new government
Israel’s new government, the 37th, and the sixth headed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, has begun meeting and, after several hours of debate, will swear in the new government ministers. Netanyahu’s speech introducing his new government ministers was punctuated by raucous shouting from the opposition.
12/18/2022
Tunisia opposition coalition calls for president’s resignation after low election turnout
The “Salvation Front” opposition coalition in Tunisia called for President Kais Saied to “immediately” resign a day after parliamentary elections in which voter turnout was reported to be 8.8%. The leader of the coalition called Saied an “Illegitimate president” and called the election a “fiasco.” Most of the country’s political parties had announced that they would boycott the election.
12/04/2022
Iran abolishes morality police, prosecutor general says
Iran has abolished its morality police, the country’s prosecutor general said Sunday, after more than two months of protests sparked by the death of a young woman in the organization’s custody.
Mahsa Amini, 22, died in a Tehran hospital in September, three days after her arrest by the morality police for improperly wearing a hijab. Her death led to mass protests across the country, which the regime has struggled to contain despite brutal crackdowns.
11/30/2022
Afghanistan: At least 16 killed, 24 wounded in madrassa explosion
At least 16 people were killed and 24 injured Wednesday by a blast at a madrassa in Afghanistan’s northern city of Aybak, the capital of Samangan province, a doctor at a local hospital said. “All of them are children and ordinary people,” AFP quoted a doctor, who asked to remain anonymous, at a hospital in Aybak as saying.
11/23/2022
1 dead, at least 19 injured in 2 explosions at bus stations near entrance to Jerusalem
A 16-year-old Israeli was killed and at least 19 people injured in two explosions at bus stations near the entrance to Jerusalem during the busy rush hour. The attack near the Central Bus Station reportedly was caused by a bomb in a bag placed near a bus. The second bombing was reported near a bus at the Ramot Junction in Jerusalem. The bombs are believed to have been detonated remotely and were packed with nails to increase the number of casualties. The bombings came hours after the body of a Druze high school student, an Israeli citizen, who was killed in a West Bank car crash, was stolen by armed Palestinian gunmen from a hospital in Jenin.
11/21/2022
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev wins reelection with 81.3% of vote
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has won Sunday’s election with 81.3% of the vote, Kazakstan’s Central Election Committee announced citing preliminary data. It is Tokayev’s second election to office, after calling early elections in the wake of deadly protests in January that began over fuel prices, which rocked the Central Asian country and left more than 230 people dead. Voter turnout was 69.4%.
11/16/2022
Oil tanker connected to Israeli billionaire attacked off coast of Oman
An oil tanker operated by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, a company owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer, was attacked by a bomb-carrying drone on Tuesday night off the coast of Oman. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, though Iran is suspected.
11/15/2022
3 Israelis killed, 3 in serious condition in West Bank gas station stabbing attack
Three Israelis were killed and an unknown number injured, including three in serious condition, in a stabbing attack Monday morning at a gas station in the Ariel industrial zone in the northern West Bank.
It was first reported that the attack was carried out by two assailants. But the Israeli military’s current assessment is that only one attacker was involved. It is thought that he first stabbed a security guard at the entrance to the industrial zone and then proceeded to the gas station, where he stabbed a number of additional people. He then fled in a vehicle, crashed into several cars on Highway 5, exited his car, and stabbed another man before he was shot by security forces.
11/14/2022
FBI opens probe into death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
The FBI has opened an investigation into the death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, a reporter for Al Jazeera. Abu Akleh was shot and killed while she was reporting on an Israel Defense Forces arrest raid in Jenin in the West Bank on May 11. The Palestinian Authority claims that Israeli troops deliberately shot Abu Akleh. The US Justice Department informed Israel’s Justice Ministry that the FBI would open the investigation, Axios reported, citing five sources briefed on the issue. It was first reported on Israel’s Channel 14.
11/13/2022
At least 11 hurt in Istanbul explosion
An explosion Sunday afternoon in the center of Istanbul, Turkey has injured at least 11 people. According to Israel’s Channel 13 News, at least one Israeli was among the injured.
11/03/2022
Lapid congratulates Netanyahu on election success, calls for ‘orderly transfer of power’
Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement issued by his office on Thursday evening that he called Opposition Leader Binyamin Netanyahu and “congratulated him on his victory in the elections.” The statement also said: “The State of Israel is above all political consideration and I wish Netanyahu success for the sake of the people of Israel and the State of Israel. I informed the chairman of the opposition that I had instructed all branches of the Prime Minister’s Office to prepare an orderly transfer of power.” Lapid placed the call after the unofficial final results of the counting of the ballots in Tuesday’s election showed Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc with 64 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, or Parliament.
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan shot in leg at political rally; suspect shot dead
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was shot in the leg while giving a speech at a political rally in Wazirabad on Thursday. He is in stable condition, Raoof Hasan, a senior Khan aide, told AFP. A suspect in the shooting was reportedly shot dead.
10/27/2022
Israeli gov’t approves Lebanon maritime border deal
The Israeli government approved the maritime demarcation deal with Lebanon on Thursday morning, Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office said in a statement, setting a border between the two countries for the first time since 1948.
10/12/2022
Palestinian man, 18, killed by gunfire from Israeli troops; IDF says he was throwing rocks at Israeli cars
A Palestinian man, 18, was killed by gunfire from Israel Defense Forces troops during clashes near the al-Aroub refugee camp in the West Bank. The IDF said in a statement that the man was part of a group of people throwing stones at Israeli cars and that its troops responded by firing at them. The Palestinian Health Ministry said that Usama Adwai was hit in the stomach with live gunfire.
Israel’s Security Cabinet approves maritime border agreement with Lebanon
Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the US -brokered maritime border agreement with Lebanon on Wednesday. All of the security cabinet members voted in support of Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s summary of the deal, with the exception of Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, who abstained. The agreement now moves to the full cabinet.
10/02/2022
At least 92 killed in Iran’s crackdown on protests over death of Mahsa Amini
At least 92 people have been killed in Iran’s crackdown on protests following the death of Mahsa Amini after she was detained by the country’s morality police for wearing her hijab incorrectly, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) non-governmental agency reported on Sunday. Another 41 people were killed in the city of Zahedan in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, according to IHR, during protests on Friday over accusationsthat a police chief in the province’s port city of Chabahar had raped a 15-year-old girl from the Sunni Baluch minority.
09/07/2022
Israeli forces kill Palestinian man in West Bank raid
A Palestinian man was killed during an Israeli raid in the West Bank on Wednesday. The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry identified the man as Yunis Ghasan Tayeh, 21, and said he was shot in the heart in clashes at the Far’a refugee camp, about 20 kilometers south of Jenin on the West Bank.
09/05/2022
Several killed, injured, including 2 diplomats, in suicide attack on Russian Embassy in Kabul
Several people have been killed and injured in a suicide bomb attack near the entrance to the Russian embassy in Kabul, according to reports. The attacker was shot and killed by armed Russian guards in front of the embassy as he approached the front gate. Two Russian diplomats are among the dead, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
09/04/2022
6 people injured in attack on bus carrying Israeli soldiers in the West Bank
A bus transporting Israeli soldiers on Route 90 in the Jordan Valley came under gunfire near the Israeli settlement of Hamra in the West Bank on Sunday. One soldier was injured seriously; five soldiers and the driver sustained light injuries. According to reports, the assailants opened fire toward the bus from a moving vehicle. When the bus stopped, the attackers attempted to pour gasoline on the bus and ignite it but ignited their own car instead. Two suspects were found injured near their burned car, in which weapons were found. The suspects were arrested and the Israeli military is searching for additional attackers.
08/31/2022
Israel’s prime minister, US president discuss negotiations on reviving Iran nuclear deal
Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid and US President Joe Biden had a “long” phone conversation Wednesday evening about the negotiations between Iran and the world powers on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and about efforts to stop Iran’s progress toward a nuclear weapon, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. The call comes days after a report that the White House rejected an Israeli request for an emergency phone call between the two leaders because Biden was on vacation.
08/29/2022
Ex-Mossad boss: Israel struck Iran nuclear program ‘on Iranian soil itself’
Sadr supporters storm Iraq’s Republican Palace: security source
Pakistan climate change minister: Third of country underwater
Pakistan’s climate change minister says one third of her country is currently underwater due to flooding caused by record rain.
Minister Sherry Rehman tells AFP that the rains have created a crisis of “unimaginable proportions.”
Iraqi Shiite cleric al-Sadr announces withdrawal from politics
Prominent Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr tweeted on Monday that he decided to withdraw fully from politics. “I’ve decided not to meddle in political affairs. I therefore announce now my definitive retirement,” he said in his tweet.
08/24/2022
US says airstrikes in east Syria hit areas run by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards; Iran denies link to groups targeted
The US military carried out airstrikes in eastern Syria in areas controlled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to “protect and defend US personnel” in response to an attack earlier this month targeting US forces, the US Central Command said in a statement early Wednesday morning. The airstrikes “took proportionate, deliberate action intended to limit the risk of escalation and minimize the risk of casualties,” according to CENTCOM. Syria so far has not acknowledged the attacks; Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied any link with the groups targeted by the US airstrikes
08/15/2022
Iran denies tie to Rushdie attacker
08/14/2022
At least 35 worshippers killed in fire at Egyptian church
At least 35 people were killed and 45 injured in a fire inside a church in the Egyptian city of Giza on Sunday, Reuters is reporting. Some 5,000 people were attending mass on Sunday when the electrical fire broke out.
Terrorist who injured 8 in attack near Jerusalem’s Western Wall turns himself in
08/07/2022
Israel, Islamic Jihad truce goes into effect but exchange of fire continues
Eight minutes after the Egyptian-mediated cease-fire between the Israeli military and Islamic Jihad forces officially went into effect, rocket fire was reported on Sderot, an Israeli city just outside the Gaza Strip. Israel was expected to respond with renewed airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
The exchange of fire continued right up to the last minute before the 11:30 cease-fire, including a large-scale Israeli strike against Islamic Jihad targets across the Gaza Strip and Palestinian rocket fire into Israeli border communities and the city of Beersheba.
Israel, Islamic Jihad cease-fire to take effect at 11:30 pm
Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group have finalized a cease-fire agreement, which is to take effect at 11:30 pm local time.
Cease-fire between Israel, Islamic Jihad imminent: media reports
Reports widely broadcast in the Arab media but unconfirmed by spokesmen on either side say Israel and Islamic Jihad have agreed to an Egyptian-brokered truce, to take effect at 8 pm.
08/05/2022
Israel carrying out airstrikes on Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza
Israel is carrying out pre-emptive airstrikes against Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip in a campaign it has codenamed “Operation Rising Dawn.” An emergency situation has been declared on the Israeli homefront and Iron Dome air defense batteries have been deployed throughout Israel. Residents of the Gaza border area have been instructed to remain near bomb shelters.
07/21/2022
US President Joe Biden tests positive for COVID-19
US President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing very mild symptoms, the White House announced on Thursday.
07/20/2022
6 Iraqi police killed in attack blamed on Islamic State: army source
07/12/2022
Israel says will legalize status of thousands of Palestinians
Israel will legalize the status of 5,500 undocumented Palestinians and foreigners living in the West Bank and Gaza, paving the way for family reunifications in Israel, according to the office of Hussein Al-Sheikh, Secretary General of the Executive Committee of the PLO. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) also announced the move, as well as an additional 1,500 permits for workers from Gaza, ahead of US President Joe Biden’s visit to the region. The moves were approved by Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz after his meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas last week.
Putin to travel to Tehran for Raisi-Erdogan summit on July 19: Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Ebrahim Raisi and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the presidents of Iran and Turkey, respectively, at a summit in Tehran next Tuesday, the Kremlin said. It will be Putin’s second foreign trip since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. In late June, he visited Central Asia.
07/07/2022
Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz, PA President Mahmoud Abbas Meet in Ramallah
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas received Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz at PA headquarters in Ramallah in the West Bank on Thursday night. Abbas stressed the importance of creating a political horizon, and called for respecting the signed agreements between Israel and the Palestinians, according to Hussein Al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Gantz said in a statement that he traveled to Ramallah to discuss security and civil coordination.
06/30/2022
Israel’s Knesset dissolves, Lapid will be interim prime minister
Israel’s Knesset voted 92-0 to dissolve itself and head to the country’s fifth elections in 3.5 years. November 1 has been set as the date of the upcoming election. Yair Lapid will become interim prime minister at midnight.
06/29/2022
Israel’s Prime Minister Bennett announces he will not run in upcoming election
Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced Wednesday night that he would not run in the upcoming parliamentary election. Bennett initiated the dissolution of the current Knesset after several members of his coalition joined forces with the opposition, leaving his government without a majority in parliament. In his announcement, he said that as the country heads to the polls, most likely in late October or early November, his right-wing Yamina party would be headed by Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked.
06/23/2022
Ukrainian ambassador to Israel tells The Media Line: Leftist parties are most sympathetic to Ukraine
Ahead of an address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to students at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Media Line’s Debbie Mohnblatt asked Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk what Israeli party in the anticipated upcoming parliamentary election is best for Ukraine. Korniychuk initially demurred, saying that he “could not intervene on your internal politics.”
Nevertheless, he observed that “historically, more leftists were more sympathetic to Ukraine – sympathetic to the countries that are in difficult situations like us. But I would not say that we are not working with the rightists or centrists – we do work with everyone.”
Korniychuk continued: “We are currently acting like a political party at the embassy during the war period. We are very active with the media, we talk with politicians a lot, we speak to the people, we do appreciate all of the assistance of the Israeli people and Israeli companies that donated support a lot to the NGOs, but definitely we could do more with the government.”
06/20/2022
Israel headed back to elections, Lapid to be interim PM
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid will announce at 8 pm local time that next week, they will submit a bill to voluntarily dissolve Israel’s 36th government, sending the country back to elections, which will probably be held in late October. In the interim period, Lapid will serve as prime minister.
06/15/2022
Israeli FM Yair Lapid says Biden’s visit to Israel, Saudi Arabia will have ‘lasting impact’
Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid says that Israel’s government “look(s) forward to welcoming next month the president (of the United States). He has been true friend of Israel all his life. I’m sure the president’s visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia will have a lasting impact.” Lapid was speaking to reporters to mark his first year as foreign minister. He also said in response to a question from The Media Line that Israel has “mutual interests with Saudi Arabia among them Iran.”
06/14/2022
US President Biden to meet Saudi crown prince during July 15 visit to kingdom, Saudi media says
US President Joe Biden will meet with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto ruler, during a visit to the kingdom on July 15, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The White House also released a statement announcing the trip but did not mention a meeting between President Biden and the crown prince. The US president will attend a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia the following day, on July 16. Prior to visiting Saudi Arabia, President Biden will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories beginning on July 13.
06/09/2022
Israeli prime minister makes surprise visit to United Arab Emirates
05/31/2022
Jordan’s FM asks PA President Abbas to delay withdrawal of Israel recognition
The Media Line has learned from a top Palestinian Authority official that the reason behind the unscheduled visit of Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to Ramallah on Tuesday was to persuade PA President Mahmoud Abbas to delay a decision to withdraw recognition of Israel and sever ties with Israel. The source told TML that Safadi asked Abbas and Palestinian officials he met with on Tuesday to hold off on any announcement until US President Joe Biden’s expected visit at the end of June.
Jordanian foreign minister travels to Ramallah for meetings with top Palestinian leaders
Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi traveled to Ramallah in the West Bank on Tuesday for a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the presidential compound. He is also scheduled to meet Hussein Al-Sheikh, who was recently named secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Executive Committee. and will hold a press conference with his Palestinian counterpart, Riad Malki.
05/19/2022
Lawmaker resigns from Israel’s government coalition, putting its future in doubt
Lawmaker Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, from the left-wing Meretz party, has resigned from Israel’s ruling government coalition. The coalition now has the support of only a minority of Knesset members, leaving its future uncertain. Zoabi, an Arab Israeli, wrote in her resignation letter that she “cannot support a coalition that is disgracefully harassing the society I come from.”
05/13/2022
UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan dies at 73
Sheikh Khalifa’s half-brother, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the crown prince and de facto leader of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi since 2014, will become the new president.
05/08/2022
Assailant shot after stabbing border policeman in Jerusalem
A border policeman was stabbed at Damascus Gate, outside Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday evening. Security forces responded, opening fire on the attacker. The policeman was evacuated to Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital in moderate condition.
05/05/2022
At least 3 dead, 3 injured in terror attack in central Israel
At least three people are dead and three injured in a terror attack in the central Israel city of Elad, committed as Israel’s Independence Day comes to a close. Police are searching for two attackers, one a shooter and one who was wielding an axe.
04/26/2022
Security for family of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett increased after death threat
Following a letter with a death threat and a live bullet inside that was addressed to Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his family, security officials in the Prime Minister’s Office will reinforce the security of the unit responsible for protecting Bennett’s family, a spokesman for the prime minister announced.
04/24/2022
Biden accepts Israeli PM’s invitation to visit Israel
US President Joe Biden has accepted an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Naftali to visit Israel. The US president intends to arrive in the coming months, an official Israeli statement said on Sunday.
04/18/2022
Rocket launched from Gaza Strip toward Israel intercepted by Iron Dome
A rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip toward the Eshkol Regional Council in Israel. It was intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system.
04/10/2022
Terrorist shot dead after stabbing border police officer in Hebron
An Israeli Border Police officer stationed at the entrance to the Cave of the Patriarchs holy site in Hebron was stabbed and lightly wounded Sunday evening. Security forces opened fire on the attacker, killing her.
04/07/2022
Israel launches manhunt on streets of Tel Aviv after terrorist kills 2
Over 1,000 soldiers and police officers are searching street by street, house by house, to find the perpetrators of an attack on Dizengoff Street in central Tel Aviv Thursday night that killed at least two people and injured several others.
The gunman, described as wearing black pants and a black short-sleeve T-shirt with a blue backpack and carrying a pistol, remains at large. Security officials have asked the public living in the area to remain indoors.
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center said 10 people arrived at the hospital with wounds of varying severity. At least four of them were rushed into emergency operations to treat their injuries.
The Islamic Jihad organization has taken responsibility for the attack, which was also praised by Hamas.
03/29/2022
At least 5 killed in shooting attack in Bnei Brak, Ramat Gan in central Israel
At least five people were killed in a shooting attack on Tuesday night in Bnei Brak and Ramat Gan in central Israel. The shooter reportedly opened fire with a rifle while driving a motorcycle, in what is a suspected terror attack. Another person reportedly is in critical condition. The shooter, identified as a 27-year-old resident of the West Bank who was in Israel illegally and had previously spent time in an Israeli prison, got off of his motorcycle and continued his attack on foot until he was shot and killed by a police officer, who was also shot by the assailant and later died. Police reportedly are investigating whether there was a second shooter. Residents of the two cities have been instructed to remain in their homes. It is the third attack on Israelis in one week.
03/28/2022
Some 40 Israeli schoolchildren went missing during trip to Dead Sea
About half of some 40 Israeli schoolchildren in 5th grade through 8th grade who went missing after being separated from the group during a school trip in Nahal Og in the Dead Sea on Monday have been rescued after a search by drones and the Israel Police’s Megilot Dead Sea Search and Rescue team. The rest have been identified and are in the process of being rescued.
03/27/2022
2 killed in terrorist attack central Israeli city of Hadera
Two people were killed and at least six people were injured when two terrorists opened fire Sunday night in the central Israeli city of Hadera, about 40 kilometers south of Haifa. Police returned fire and the terrorists were killed.
03/25/2022
Israeli foreign minister to host summit next week with US secretary of state, foreign ministers of UAE, Morocco, Bahrain
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid announced on Friday that he would host US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain at a “historic summit” in Israel on Sunday and Monday.
03/22/2022
4 killed in stabbing and car-ramming attack in southern Israel
Four people were killed and a number of others injured in a terrorist attack at a shopping center in Beersheba in southern Israel. Magen David Adom head Eli Bin said that the attacker stabbed three people to death and that a fourth victim, who was riding a bicycle, was hit by a car driven by the assailant. The alleged attacker, named as Muhammad Alab Ahmed Abu Alkiyan, was shot and killed by a passerby. Alkiyan was an Israeli citizen from the Negev town of Hura. He reportedly was a teacher who served time in prison for promoting the Islamic State group to his students. Islamic Jihad spokesperson Tariq Silmi praised the attack, saying, “Acts of resistance shall deter the occupation,” but did not explicitly say his organization was responsible for the attack. Hamas spokesperson Abd al-Latif al-Qanou said on official Hamas radio, “We salute the executor of the heroic operation in occupied Beersheba.”
03/21/2022
UAE crown prince, Israeli prime minister arrive in Egypt for ‘tripartite meeting’ with President el-Sisi
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, traveled today to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula hours after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrived for a previously unannounced meeting, in what a senior Israeli official described as a “tripartite meeting” with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
03/13/2022
Foreign instructors working at Lviv military base attacked by Russia: Ukrainian defense minister
Russian missiles overnight between Saturday and Sunday struck a military base where foreign instructors were working, close to Lviv, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the Polish border, the Ukrainian defense minister said. The minister, Oleksii Reznikov, said in a tweet: “russia has attacked the International Center for Peacekeeping&Security near Lviv.Foreign instructors work here.Information about the victims is being clarified.This is new terrorist attack on peace&security near the EU-NATO border.Action must be taken to stop this.Close the sky!”
03/05/2022
After Putin meeting, Israeli PM speaks with Zelenskyy, en route to Berlin to meet German chancellor
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett left Moscow a short time ago for Berlin, where he will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Bennett spoke earlier this evening with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following an unscheduled three-hour meeting on Saturday between the Israeli prime minister and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Israeli PM Naftali Bennett meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow
Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow to discuss the Russo-Ukraine war, Bennett’s office reported. Bennett flew to Russia early on Saturday morning, the Jewish Sabbath, despite being an Orthodox Jew, since it is permissible to break the laws of the Sabbath to save lives. Government minister Ze’ev Elkin accompanied Bennett in order to assist with translating.
02/24/2022
Israel condemns Russian attack, says protecting Jewish communities abroad is its top concern
Israel condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine Thursday as a “violation of the international order” but underlined its close ties with both Moscow and Kyiv. “The Russian attack on Ukraine is a serious violation of the international order,” Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said, adding that Israel “condemns” the assault. But Lapid also noted that “Israel has deep, long-lasting and good relations with Russia and with Ukraine,” and that hundreds of thousands of Jews live in both countries. “Maintaining their security and safety is at the top of our considerations,” Lapid said.
Turkish President Erdoğan: Russian invasion of Ukraine is a ‘heavy blow’ to peace
02/23/2022
Turkey ‘won’t recognize any step against Ukraine’s territorial integrity’: presidency
Israel expresses concern, support for Ukraine, omits explicit criticism of Russia
Israel expressed concern about Russia’s incursion into eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, without mentioning Russia in its statement. “Israel is a partner to the international concerns about the steps taken in eastern Ukraine and hopes a diplomatic solution will be found that will bring calm and is willing to enlist to do so if asked,” the Foreign Ministry stated. The statement also expressed support for “Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
02/21/2022
Russia recognizes breakaway regions in Ukraine as independent
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an official decree recognizing the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine as independent entities. The move is seen as a possible pretense for a Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Ukraine on Monday requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in an effort to de-escalate the crisis.
Iranian fighter jet crashes, 3 killed: state TV
An Iranian fighter jet crashed Monday in a residential area of Tabriz, killing three people, including two crew, state television reported. The head of the local Red Crescent organization said the plane smashed into a school and that one of the dead was a neighborhood resident.
02/18/2022
Rocket alerts sound in northern Israel
Code Red rocket alerts sounded Friday at noon in the northern Galilee and southern Golan Heights. Local residents report hearing an explosion, which the IDF announced was the downing of a hostile drone. The incident occurs a day after the leader of Hizbullah in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah said that it has the ability to convert rockets into precision missiles and that it has been producing drones for “a long time.”
02/15/2022
Turkish media: Israeli President Isaac Herzog will visit Turkey March 9 and 10.
02/14/2022
Ukraine’s president calls for day of national unity ahead of feared Russian invasion
Russia could invade Ukraine this Wednesday, February 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, in a video address to the nation posted on his Facebook page on Monday evening. Zelenskyy said that the country will make Wednesday a day of national unity. “We are told that February 16 will be the day of the attack. The decree has already been signed. This afternoon we will hang national flags, put on blue-yellow ribbons and show the world our unity,” Zelenskyy said. He called on state officials, politicians and business leaders who fled the country ahead of the impending Russian invasion to return in order to show their solidarity.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announces Bahrain trip
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will leave Monday evening for a visit to Bahrain, his office announced just hours before the scheduled take-off. It is the first-ever trip made to Bahrain by an Israeli prime minister. Bennett is scheduled to meet Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and its prime minister, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa during the 24-hour visit.
02/09/2022
PLO Central Council votes to suspend security coordination with Israel
The PLO’s Palestinian Central Council, currently meeting in Ramallah in the West Bank, decides to suspend recognition of Israel and to stop security coordination with it until it recognizes a Palestinian state. A similar resolution was passed by the body four years ago, though it was never implemented.
02/08/2022
Israeli soldiers kill 3 Palestinians in West Bank
Israeli troops shot and killed three Palestinians on Tuesday afternoon in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health. They have been identified as Adham Mabrouk, Mohammed al-Dakhil and Ibrahim al-Nabulsi. The three men were responsible for several recent shooting attacks against Israel Defense Forces and Israeli civilians, Israel’s Shin Bet security agency reported.
02/07/2022
PLO Central Council elects Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh to Executive Committee
Al-Sheikh’s election to a position on the Executive Committee formerly held by the late chief negotiator Saeb Erekat was expected. In an exclusive, in-depth interview he gave to The Media Line in July 2021, he said the Palestinian Authority was ready for direct talks with Israel.
02/06/2022
5 Pakistani troops killed by gunfire from Afghanistan
At least five soldiers from Pakistan’s military were killed by gunfire from over the border in Afghanistan Sunday afternoon, in an attack that was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, AFP reported.
02/03/2022
Islamic State leader dies in US counterterrorism raid in northwest Syria
US President Joe Biden announced Thursday morning that US Special Forces carried out a “successful” counterterrorism operation and have “taken off the battlefield” Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi. A senior administration official said al-Qurayshi died at the beginning of the operation when he exploded a bomb that killed him and members of his own family, including women and children, the New York Times reported. The operation took place on a building in northwest Syria near the Turkish border in Syria’s rebel-held province of Idlib. At least 13 people, including six children, were killed in the raid, that also destroyed a building, according to reports.
US Special Forces raid Syrian site in ‘counterterrorism mission,’ reportedly against ISIS leader
An operation by US Special Forces was carried out overnight Thursday in northwest Syria near the Turkish border in Syria’s rebel-held province of Idlib, which is home to several top al-Qaida leaders. The Pentagon said in a statement that “US Special Operations forces under the control of US Central Command conducted a counterterrorism mission this evening in northwest Syria. The mission was successful. There were no US casualties. More information will be provided as it becomes available.” The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog said US troops used helicopters to land in the area and attacked a house, clashing with fighters on the ground.
02/02/2022
Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz makes surprise visit to Bahrain
Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz landed in Bahrain on Wednesday afternoon for an unannounced visit. Gantz will sign Israel’s first Memorandum of Understanding with Bahrain, formalizing defense cooperation and other defense-related relations between the two countries, during what is reported to be a two-day visit. The MOU is also reported to include several arms agreements.
Turkey says 12 migrants ‘pushed back’ by Greece die at border
Turkey’s interior minister said on Wednesday that 12 migrants froze to death after Greek border guards stripped them of their clothes at their land border. “Twelve of the 22 migrants pushed back by Greek border units, stripped off from their clothes and shoes, have frozen to death,” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in a tweet showing blurred photographs of bodies lying by the side of a road.