Middle Orient

Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict (April 16 – May 7, 2024)

The southern arena: On the night of May 6, 2024, guided by intelligence, IDF forces began a targeted activity in limited areas of eastern Rafah, achieving operational control on the Gaza side of the Rafah Crossing. Meanwhile, IDF forces continued attacking terrorist targets and rocket launchers in the central Gaza …

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What goes around comes around – how a German invention becomes a doomsday tool in Europe, curtsey of Hamas and Hezbollah

Amphetamines have been around for more than a century, used to overcome ADHS, sleep deficiency and obesity. Well-known as Pervitin, used by the German Wehrmacht in WWII, it has become a means to overcome fear, fatigue and moral issues. To this day, one of the main derivates, Fenetyllin, originally produced …

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Hamas Fires Rockets at Kerem Shalom Crossing Hours After Reopening

Latest Developments Hamas launched rockets at a key Gaza humanitarian aid entry point on May 8, just hours after Israel reopened it following a fatal strike by the terrorist group the previous week. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), terrorists launched eight rockets toward the Kerem Shalom crossing from …

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Withdraw U.S. troops from syria and iraq

Key points The war between Israel and Hamas has increased the threat to U.S. troops in the Middle East, particularly for the 3,400 personnel in Syria and Iraq. Since October 7, 2023, dozens of U.S. troops have been injured in attacks perpetrated by Iran-backed Shia militias in both countries, at …

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Where U.S. troops are stationed in the Middle East

With the Israel-Hamas war escalating, the United States risks becoming involved in a larger conflict that could entangle some of the more than 40,000 U.S. military personnel based across the region. Why it matters: U.S. troops and military contractors in Iraq and Syria have been targeted in over a dozen …

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Is Hezbollah working more closely with the Houthis?

Hezbollah now plays a greater role in deciding where the Houthis allocate funds. A report in Al-Ain media in the UAE claimed to reveal an interesting development in Yemen. According to the report, Hezbollah has “confiscated” funds in Yemen from the Houthis and is playing a role in that country. …

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Israel Wants to Destroy Gaza, Annex the West Bank: But What Does Gaza Want?

What is taking place in occupied Palestine is not a conflict, but a straightforward case of illegal military occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and outright genocide. Those who insist on using ‘neutral’ language in depicting the crisis in Palestine are harming the Palestinian people beyond their seemingly innocuous words. This morally …

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US Policy In Northeast Syria: Toward A Strategic Reconfiguration – Analysis

Amid escalating regional tensions since October 7 last year and reports of American contemplations of troop withdrawal from Syria, the US administration should reassess its Syria policy, and consider a long-term, minimalist presence coupled with robust political and diplomatic efforts in the interest of regional security and peace. The ongoing …

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The Islamic State: Background, Current Status, And US Policy – Analysis

The Islamic State (IS) is a transnational Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group. At its 2015 height, the group controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria from which it launched attacks in the region and beyond. While the group no longer controls territory outright in Syria and Iraq, U.S. military …

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Will Palestinian Groups Create A New Palestinian Political Project? – OpEd

In Cairo, representatives from Hamas held indirect negotiations with Israel for a ceasefire. The sticking point for several of the rounds was the order of events. Israel wanted the hostages to be released before it would stop the bombing, while Hamas said that the bombing must stop first. Israel has …

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