Middle Orient

Turkey is still blackmailing the U.S. (and NATO allies) that it may opt for a Russian fighter jet, the Su-57, for instance, in case it feels threatened by the lack of a new generation fighter aircraft. This is bluffing. Turkish Air Force generals know too well that switching from NATO-standard …

A Liberian-flagged cargo ship, recently owned by Israeli shipping magnate Eyal Ofer, was attacked on Saturday while sailing from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates, in an incident identical to previous Iranian strikes against Israeli vessels reported earlier this year. No casualties were incurred and the ship, CSAV Tyndall, …

The Israeli air force on Saturday night carried out airstrikes against Hamas military targets in the Gaza Strip, retaliating against the repeated launching of incendiary balloons by the terror group into Israeli territory. On Sunday morning, the military spokesman’s unit said that fighter jets had bombed two facilities belonging to …

Recent fighting between Israelis and Palestinians, coupled with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision to postpone elections, has produced a surge in support for Hamas. Most Palestinians believe Hamas prevailed in the May confrontation with Israel and as such, deserves to represent the Palestinian people. This shift in public opinion …

Gadi Eisenkot appears to imply US exit from accord was a mistake; also pans ‘irresponsible’ comments on covert Israeli actions, in seeming criticism of ex-Mossad chief, Netanyahu Former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot said Friday that Iran is nearer than ever to producing a nuclear weapon, while appearing to …

Former Bush Administration Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s death was accompanied by many of the apologies for state crimes that we’ve come to expect from the worshippers of U.S. militarism. This includes those emanating from journalistic elites – The New York Times being the most obvious case in point. The …

The Committee also approved $50 million under the Economic Support Fund for the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act. The House Appropriations Committee approved on Thursday the 2022 State and Foreign Operation fiscal bill, including $3.3 billion in US security assistance to Israel, as agreed to in …

The deputy head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog IAEA is to visit Iran for “routine” matters and no talks are planned, Iran’s envoy said on Saturday according to state media, as the agency awaits a reply from Tehran on an expired monitoring deal. In late June, the International Atomic …

Israeli security officials estimate that Iran is behind the attack on the vessel * No injuries have been reported as a result of the attack. A cargo ship previously owned by an Israeli businessman was struck by an “unknown weapon” in the northern Indian Ocean, causing a fire to erupt …

Russia first unveiled a ‘Security Concept for the Persian Gulf Region’ in mid-2019, in the aftermath of a series of dangerous and destabilising incidents including tanker seizures, sabotage attacks, and the shoot down of a $200 million US spy drone over Iranian airspace – which nearly prompted Washington to launch …