Middle Orient

Warplanes operate freely over skies of Islamic Republic in unprecedented op, with Israel saying it hit air defenses, key missile and drone sites, in response to ‘months of attacks’ Israel launched a long-awaited retaliatory strike against Iran early Saturday, almost four weeks after the Islamic Republic’s massive ballistic missile barrage …

Israel’s weekslong aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Lebanon has targeted the leadership and military capabilities of Hezbollah. Now, Israel has expanded its targets and hit civilian infrastructure, including banks, affiliated with Hezbollah, an armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. Experts say Israel’s aim is …

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the armed wing of the Autonomous Administration, has announced the restructuring of the “Deir-ez-Zor Military Council”, al-Watan writes. The unrecognized Kurdish Autonomous Administration (AA) has walked back controversial remarks made by Ilham Ahmad, the co-chair of its Department of Foreign Relations. Ahmad had previously offered …

The Syrian regime announced earlier this month plans to demobilize batches of officers and reserve soldiers as part of a new military restructuring strategy, according to Syria TV. Since September 27, the region has experienced significant escalation following the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah and senior Hezbollah leaders, Assad’s primary ally. …

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia will imminently deploy North Korean forces to unspecified combat zones on October 27 and 28, as Russian and North Korean officials continued to issue vague yet suggestive statements regarding the possible presence of North Korean troops in Russia.[1] Zelensky stressed that Russia’s involvement …

Israel launched airstrikes early Saturday targeting what it described as military targets in Iran in retaliation for a ballistic missile assault Oct. 1, officials said. There was no immediate information on damage in the Islamic Republic. Israel’s military described the attack as “precise strikes on military targets in Iran,” without …

“In order to maintain a degree of separation from the terror cells it operates in Europe and to ensure plausible deniability, there is no direct contact between Tehran and members of the cells. In the case of the recently detained French cell, instructions on where and when to carry out …

Turkish foreign policy has undergone fundamental change under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Less understood is the rise of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) as a tool of Turkish foreign policy. The expanded scope and sophistication of Turkey’s intelligence and clandestine1 operations have become integral to its foreign and security policy. …

In Doha, Blinken says mediators hope to ‘capitalize’ on Sinwar’s death to advance agreement, though Hamas’s position is yet unknown Mossad chief David Barnea will travel to Doha on Sunday to try to restart discussions on a deal to release Israeli hostages held in Gaza and halt the war between …

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed or wounded 150 civilians, including women and children, in an airstrike on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Thursday. This massacre is part of a systematic campaign, now 20 days old, to displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who remain in northern …