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After high-profile flotilla, massive convoy sets off from North Africa to Gaza

An overland convoy of North African activists, lawyers and doctors aims to reach Gaza via Rafah, after traveling through Tunisia, Libya and Egypt

Associated Press | 19:48 | 06.09.25

Lebanon eyes Gulf tourists as path to economic recovery, despite lingering challenges

Beirut is banking on tourism rebound to revive shattered economy and ties with Gulf nations, especially Saudi Arabia; officials hope easing travel bans and regional tensions will draw visitors back, but warn reforms are key to lasting recovery

Assocoated Press | 11:32 | 06.07.25

'Why not?': Syrian leader signals nuclear ambitions, offers UN access to bombed reactor

With Assad gone and international inspectors returning, Ahmad al-Sharaa signals openness to nuclear cooperation, medical technology aid and potential energy development, even as IAEA seeks answers about country’s shadowy atomic past

Associated Press | 10:33 | 06.05.25

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lays a wreath of flowers at the grave of slain Hezbollah's Leader Hassan Nasrallah

Iranian top diplomat visits Lebanon, signals shift toward 'non-Interference'

Abbas Araghchi visits Beirut for talks with Lebanese leaders and Hezbollah, signaling support for post-war reconstruction and stability; Hezbollah expresses gratitude for Tehran’s backing while setting conditions for future dialogue

Lior Ben Ari | 14:41 | 06.04.25

Iran's top court upholds death sentence for 'Israeli spy' who killed nuclear scientist

Azad Shojaei found guilty of supplying equipment used in the 2020 assassination of Iran's top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and spying for Israel

Lior Ben Ari | 14:02 | 06.04.25

'We won't stand idly by': Israel warns Syria against renewing WMD ties with North Korea

Aviv Ezra, deputy director general for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign Ministry, warns of growing nuclear and missile ties between North Korea, Syria and Iran, calling them a real threat to Middle East stability

Itamar Eichner | 13:48 | 06.04.25

Iran's supreme leader rejects US nuclear proposal, vows to maintain enrichment

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls proposal a threat to national sovereignty and vowing to continue uranium enrichment, which he described as vital and a symbol of self-reliance

Reuters | 09:17 | 06.04.25

With US support, Syria to reintegrate 3,500 foreign fighters into Syrian Arab Army

Washington quietly shifts policy, endorsing containment over confrontation in post-Assad Syria

Rizik Alabi/The Media Line | 19:51 | 06.03.25

הברחת נשקים בתיאום עם חיזבאללה דרך גבול סוריה-לבנון

Lebanon, Syria step up drug and arms smuggling crackdowns amid regional shifts

Israel and Jordan are on alert amid rising smuggling attempts, including weapons bound for Hezbollah and drugs heading to Gulf states; Syrian and Lebanese forces report increased seizures, but questions remain over how much contraband still gets through

Lior Ben Ari | 14:39 | 05.30.25

Report: Saudi Arabia warned Iran to make deal with Trump or face war with Israel

Sources say Saudi defense minister warns Iran's leaders that rejecting nuclear deal could trigger Israeli military action; in rare visit to Tehran, Prince Khalid said window for diplomacy was closing fast and region couldn't afford another war

Reuters | 10:06 | 05.30.25

Report: US to present Iran with nuclear deal terms, warns of severe consequences if rejected

Washington plans to deliver proposal to Tehran demanding an end to uranium enrichment, warning of serious consequences if rejected, as Israel pushes to preserve its military options amid fears of a weak deal

Ynet | 08:20 | 05.30.25

נשיא סוריה אחמד א שרע אבו מוחמד אל ג'ולאני נפגש עם השליח האמריקני לסוריה תומאס ברק

US flag raised in Damascus, envoy says Syria-Israel peace is possible

Thomas Barrack raised the American flag over the ambassador's residence for the first time since the U.S. embassy closed in 2012

Reuters | 17:12 | 05.29.25

Footage shows damage at Sana’a airport after Israeli strike on 'last Houthi plane'

Operation targeted Airbus A320 belonging to Yemenia national airline, which Israeli officials say had been used by Iran-proxy to transport terrorists planning attacks against Israel

Lior Ben Ari | 22:42 | 05.28.25

Report: Iran to consider uranium enrichment freeze if US releases funds

Sources close to negotiating team say 'political understanding with the United States could be reached soon' if Washington accepted Tehran's conditions, which also includes recognition of former's right to refine uranium for civil use

Reuters | 19:30 | 05.28.25

Iran says executed a 'Mossad spy'

Pedram Madani's death sentence upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court; Iranian news agency says the accused met with Mossad handlers in Europe and Israel and was trained in enlisting operatives, gathering and transferring intelligence

Lior Ben Ari, AFP | 12:10 | 05.28.25

Despite $1 billion in damage from US-Israeli airstrikes, Houthi rocket fire continues

Houthis acknowledge suffering significant financial losses and in Yemen fears are mounting over the next likely Israeli strike, yet the Iranian-backed terror group remains undeterred, vowing support for Palestinians until 'Gaza blockade is lifted'; INSS researcher: 'Israel does not currently have the capability to disrupt Houthi launches on its own'

Lior Ben Ari | 23:45 | 05.27.25

Judge 'assassinated' in southern Iran

Ehsan Bagheri assassinated in Shiraz amid wave of attacks against judicial officials; attacker's motives unknown as chief justice orders probe

AFP | 13:10 | 05.27.25

Counterterrorism efforts, eliminating chemical weapons at center of US-Syria talks

The Trump administration’s reassessment of its Syria policy - shifting toward a more pragmatic strategy after more than a decade of war and sanctions - opens new pathways for cooperation but faces major geopolitical hurdles

Rizik Alabi /The Media Line | 20:35 | 05.26.25

מצעד צבאי באיראן לציון יום הצבא הלאומי, בהשתתפות הנשיא פזשכיאן

Iran says it 'won’t starve' if US talks fail, dismisses enrichment freeze

Delegations wrapped up fifth round of negotiations in Rome last week and, while signs of some limited progress emerged, there are many points of disagreement that are hard to breach

Reuters | 12:53 | 05.26.25

Qatar accused of targeting Baha'i minority in Human Rights Watch report

Group accuses Doha of decades-long discrimination against Baha'i community, citing arbitrary detentions, deportations and denial of rights, warning state-sponsored actions could threaten group's continued presence in country

AFP | 16:32 | 05.25.25

Member of Hezbollah who lost fingures in Israel's pagers' detonation casts his vote in Lebanon municipal elections

Hezbollah fares well in strongholds in Lebanon local elections, but turnout low

Low voter participation is attributed to the anger among Lebanese over the long war and violence; 'The will of life is stronger than death and the will of construction is stronger than destruction,' President Joseph Aoun says

Lior Ben Ari, News Agencies | 13:28 | 05.25.25

Syrian McDonald’s knockoff goes viral after US lifts sanctions

Syrian restaurant goes viral on social media, drawing false claims of being the first legitimate McDonald’s branch amid Trump’s sanctions lift

Lior Ben Ari | 13:27 | 05.24.25

המארח מוחמד בן סלמאן מביט בלחיצת היד ההיסטורית בין אחמד א־שרע לדונלד טראמפ

US issues orders easing Syria sanctions after Trump pledge

Trump administration lifts nearly all Syria sanctions via General License GL25, urging the new Sharaa-led government to expel foreign militias and combat ISIS

Reuters | 08:57 | 05.24.25

IDF launches wave of airstrikes across Lebanon, citing Hezbollah targets

Ahead of strike in southern village of Toul, the IDF issued a rare Arabic-language evacuation warning, identifying a Hezbollah-linked building; the site was hit about an hour later, with military saying structure stored munitions and launchers

Ynetnews | 22:04 | 05.22.25

Aldar Xelil of Democratic Union Party (PYD)

Kurds plan Damascus talks as visions for Syria's future collide

Syrian Kurdish parties talks aim for regional autonomy despite resistance from Islamist rulers, Turkey, and Syria's interim government

Reuters | 20:28 | 05.22.25

Iran warns Israel it will take 'special measures' to defend nuclear sites

Tehran says in the event of such an incident, it will see the U.S. as 'participant' regardless of the ongoing talks, warning that it will 'decisively respond' to any aggression

Reuters | 18:10 | 05.22.25

עמנואל מקרון נפגש עם מוחמד בן סלמאן בפריז

France and Saudi Arabia working on proposal to disarm Hamas, report says

Sources tell Bloomberg that current objective is to reshape terror group as a purely political body, believing that retaining degree of influence may make it more willing to hand over weapons

Ynet | 17:21 | 05.22.25

Turkey and Saudi Arabia: ‘Walking side by side, not necessarily in the same destination’

Ankara and Riyadh deepen economic ties while quietly diverging on foreign policy and regional leadership with ties since killing of Jamal Khashoggi shifting from estrangement to cautious recalibration

Giorgia Valente/The Media Line | 21:49 | 05.21.25

נשיא רוסיה פוטין עם יו"ר הרשות הפלסטינית אבו מאזן לקראת מצעד ניצחון במוסקבה

PA's Abbas to visit Beirut amid talks on disarming Palestinian factions in Lebanon

Palestinian leader to meet with Lebanese leadership, with meetings set to focus on the disarmament of Palestinian refugee camps in the country; PLO officials warn forced disarmament could spark unrest but say coordination with Lebanon is ongoing

Iskander Khabibulin | 23:44 | 05.20.25

חצאים אלי כהן, במבצע חשאי של המוסד הובאו לישראל כ-2,500 מסמכים, תמונות וחפצים אישיים של לוחם המוסד, אלי כהן ז"ל

Report: Syria returned spy Eli Cohen's archive to Israel as 'token of goodwill'

Sources say Damascus agreed in covert talks to measures including returning the remains of Cohen as well as three Israeli soldiers killed while fighting Syrian forces in Lebanon in the early 1980s

Reuters | 20:57 | 05.20.25

Rubio: Syrian transitional regime 'weeks away' from collapsing

U.S. top diplomat tells Senate Foreign Relations Committee assessment based on 'challenges they're facing,' saying collapse will lead to civil war of 'epic proportions'

Reuters | 18:22 | 05.20.25

נשיא לבנון ג'וזף עאון לוחץ את ידו של מואפק טריף, מנהיג העדה הדרוזית בישראל, במסגרת הטקס בוותיקן

Lebanon’s Aoun says didn’t know Israeli Druze leader after backlash over handshake photo

Lebanese president sparks uproar after greeting Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif at Vatican; his office downplays encounter; 'There’s no need to amplify such falsehoods and serve the Israeli enemy'

Lior Ben Ari | 06:51 | 05.19.25

Witkoff says uranium enrichment 'red line' for US in any Iran deal

Trump's Mideast envoy also says he is optimistic about negotiations and thinks the parties will hold talks again in Europe this week

Reuters | 19:52 | 05.18.25

Iran open to regional nuclear consortium, but will maintain own uranium enrichment

According to reports from Tehran, the proposal remains in its infancy and has not been discussed in detail while no specific countries have been approached to join this potential consortium with Iran

ynet correspondents | 08:56 | 05.18.25

Iran says it will continue nuclear talks with the US, shrugging off Trump’s threats

Negotiations have reached the 'expert' level, meaning the sides are trying to reach agreement on the details of a possible deal, but a major sticking point remains Iran’s enrichment of uranium

Associated Press | 20:12 | 05.17.25

Lebanon in shock after popular singer accused working with Mossad

Mohammad Al-Saleh, religious singer with strong social connections and familial ties to Hezbollah, was arrested by authorities over alleged work with the Israeli intelligence agency

Lior Ben Ari | 19:08 | 05.17.25

פריסה של כוחות סוריים שמאבטחים אזור בפרבר בדמשק

Syrian government forces raid Islamic State hideouts in Aleppo

Security source says new regime forces targeted sleeper cells in four locations, with one Islamic State terrorist blowing himself up and another killed in clashes

Reuters | 17:16 | 05.17.25

Master negotiator who 'drowns the devil in words': Iran's man in nuclear talks with US

Abbas Araghchi has spent decades honing his diplomatic skills, with his quiet pragmatism and deep ties within Tehran’s power structure may be the key to reaching a deal—and avoid war

Lior Ben Ari | 16:43 | 05.17.25

Major Gen. Oded Basiuk on the right, Ahmad al-Sharaa on the left

As Syria lauds Trump’s sanctions removal, Israel remains cautious

Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria has surprised allies and adversaries alike; While Damascus celebrates, Israel expresses caution, and US officials outline conditions for further relief

Lior Ben Ari | 12:08 | 05.17.25

Trump: US very close to nuclear deal with Iran

President says Tehran had 'sort of' agreed to the terms, adding that Washington is 'in very serious negotiations for long term peace'

Reuters | 10:17 | 05.15.25

Syrians welcome US sanctions relief, though likely won't lead to economic revival

In a partial policy shift, the US has eased some sanctions on Syria, allowing humanitarian aid, remittances and limited civil sector activity; how this impacts the average Syrian is still not clear

Rizik Alabi/The Media Line | 19:37 | 05.13.25

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

As US-Egypt relations strain, China expands influence in Cairo

Egypt is deepening ties with China through infrastructure, trade and emerging defense cooperation, even as it maintains its US alliance; analysts say Beijing's patient, investment-driven strategy is reshaping regional alignments

Giorgia Valente/The Media Line | 15:49 | 05.11.25

Lebanon dismantles Hezbollah’s smuggling empire at country's main airport

Lebanese government, bolstered by U.S. support, launches strategic overhaul of Rafic Hariri International Airport — dismantling Hezbollah’s smuggling networks and banning Iranian flights while choking terror group's airway routes

Ynet | 20:55 | 05.10.25

ג'ארד קושנר בחתימת הסכם השלום בין ישראל לאיחוד האמירויות בבית הלבן

Trump drops normalization demand for Saudi nuclear deal, counts on Kushner connection

As Trump prepares for a Middle East visit, Jared Kushner is quietly advising on talks with Saudi Arabia and other Arab leaders; While normalization with Israel seems distant, Kushner’s deep ties and strategic input are shaping Trump’s ambitious regional agenda

ynet correspondents | 12:30 | 05.10.25

Extent of damage revealed after Israeli strike shuts down Sanaa airport | Watch

Israeli strike on Yemen’s capital airport caused an estimated $500 million in damage, says airport director: 'The enemy destroyed the terminals and all equipment'; Photos, video reveal the extent of the damage

Lior Ben Ari | 20:36 | 05.07.25

Disney to build its 7th theme park, this time in Middle East

The waterfront resort will be built on Yas Island on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi city; Theme park to be built and operated by Miral, but Disney will handle the design and development

Associated Press | 19:52 | 05.07.25

Houthis warn of 'surprises’ after Israeli strike causes $500M damage to Sanaa airport

Officials say Israeli strikes left airport in ruins, with thousands stranded abroad and Yemen's crippled aviation sector left with just one functioning aircraft

Lior Ben Ari, Einav Halabi | 10:37 | 05.07.25

'They came to kill, loot and humiliate': Thousands of Druze flee massacre in Damascus

Hundreds of Syrian Druze families recount harrowing escapes, fear of further violence and the struggle to survive—some now receiving humanitarian aid from Israel in Mount Hermon region as tensions escalate in As-Suwayda

Einav Halabi | 22:47 | 05.06.25

תומכי חות'ים בכינוס לציון יום קודס בצנעא, תימן

Houthis to continue attacks on Israel: 'From now on, stay in your shelters'

Iranian proxy refuses to stop missile launches at Israel despite ceasefire with US; 'There will be no retreat from supporting Gaza, no matter the price'

Lior Ben Ari | 22:19 | 05.06.25

Surveying damage from Israeli bombardments, Houthis vow 'shocking response'

Israeli airstrikes hit Houthi targets in Yemen, including a cement plant and Hodeidah port, after drone and missile attacks on Israel; Yemeni rebels vow harsh retaliation as both sides brace for further escalation in the region

Lior Ben Ari, Yoav Zitun | 11:59 | 05.06.25

לוחם מורד סורי בוחן כדורי קפטגון (שם מסחרי של התרופה הפסיכוסטימולנטית פנאתילין) שיוצרו במעבדת ייצור מאולתרת בוילה חקלאית בעיירה אל-דימאס, כ-27 קילומטרים צפונית-מערבית לדמשק, ב-22 בדצמבר 2024

Despite raids, the Captagon threat outlives Assad and Nasrallah

Despite anti-drug claims by Damascus, Captagon smuggling continues unchecked, driven by a complex network involving ex-military, Hezbollah and regional actors

Rizik Alabi/The Media Line | 08:31 | 05.06.25

סוכני המוסד שהובילו את "מבצע הביפרים" משיאים משואה

‘Saudis cheered more than Israel’: Arab media split over Mossad role in Independence Day event

Mossad agents R, D and N, who led 'Pagers Operation,' drew widespread Arab media coverage; most outlets called it a 'rare public appearance,' noted their faces were hidden; Hezbollah-linked paper slammed Gulf channels

Lior Ben Ari | 18:18 | 05.05.25

שריפה ב קאזרון איראן במה שנטען כי הוא מחסן נשק של משמרות המהפכה

Explosion at Revolutionary Guard ammunition depot reported in southern Iran

Opposition media says that the explosion occurred after fire broke out at an ammunition warehouse belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Lior Ben Ari | 17:54 | 05.05.25

US airstrikes fail to stop Houthi recruitment surge in famine-stricken tribal areas

Iran-backed terror group is leveraging the Gaza war and widespread suffering in Yemen to recruit terrorists, including children, who join to escape poverty; Houthis frame conflict as part of a broader campaign to support Palestinians

Lior Ben Ari | 16:34 | 05.05.25

Lebanon warns Hamas it will face 'harshest measures' over attacks from its territories

Warning by Higher Defense Council, country's top military body, comes weeks after several Lebanese and Palestinians were detained on suspicion of firing rockets into northern Israel

Associated Press | 14:28 | 05.02.25

'They massacred us': Syria’s Druze plead for help as sectarian violence escalates

Syria’s Druze minority faces rising violence and political marginalization under President al-Sharaa’s regime, with over 70 dead in recent clashes and international calls mounting for urgent intervention to protect the embattled community

Lior Ben Ari, Einav Halabi, Itamar Eichner, Yair Kraus, Roi Rubinstein | 20:32 | 05.01.25

Weekend U.S.-Iran nuclear talks postponed, Oman says

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi says summit, set to take place in Rome, rescheduled due to 'logitical reasons'

Associated Press | 17:47 | 05.01.25

דמשק סורים חוגגים לאחר הדחת נשיא בשאר אל אסאד

Iran had imperial ambitions in Syria, but failed, secret embassy documents show

Papers outline Iran's dreams of a US-style Marshall Plan in Syria, having spectacularly failed with the fall of Bashar al-Assad; huge projects stymied early by corruption, sanctions and money problems

Reuters | 14:38 | 05.01.25

After the blast: Yemenis face airstrikes, hunger, and international indifference

A deadly strike on a Saada detention center highlights growing concerns about American operations in Yemen and the war’s intensifying humanitarian toll

Giorgia Valente/The Media Line | 08:20 | 04.30.25

Iraqi Shiite militia groups organize a military parade as part of the World Quds Day events in Baghdad

Tehran seeks comeback in Syria through Iraqi training camps

Syrian defectors are regrouping in Iranian-supervised camps in Iraq as Tehran scrambles to retain military and political influence amid regional power shifts

Hudhaifa Ebrahim/ The Media Line | 21:09 | 04.29.25

Mideast News