Middle Orient

Sen. Bob Menendez called on Turkish soldiers to leave Cyprus, according to Greek media. Northern Cyprus’ president is upset at a US senator for reported comments about the Turkish military on the disputed island. Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey visited Cyprus on Monday. During the trip, he reportedly …

Errant Syrian air defense missile explodes over waters off coast of central Israel, fragments found in north Tel Aviv; no injuries or damage reported Israeli planes carried out airstrikes near Damascus early Friday, Syrian state media claimed, and sounds of explosions were heard in central Israel shortly after. The noise …

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised Iranian vessels would bring fuel to Lebanon amid its harrowing energy crisis. An Iranian ship carrying fuel for Lebanon will dock in Syria shortly. Iran’s semi-official Al-Alam news outlet reported that the tanker will reach Syria’s Mediterranean port in Baniyas Thursday evening or Friday morning. …

A missile was shot from Syria toward Israel Thursday night, according to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman. The anti-aircraft missile exploded over the Mediterranean Sea. On Friday morning, residents of central Israel found fragments of the missile, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Twitter. Images from Israel’s …

Sen. Bob Menendez called on Turkish soldiers to leave Cyprus, according to Greek media. Northern Cyprus’ president is upset at a US senator for reported comments about the Turkish military on the disputed island. Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey visited Cyprus on Monday. During the trip, he reportedly …

Biden’s CIA director raised concerns about Beijing’s growing investment in Israel, according to a report. Israel opened a new terminal run by a Chinese firm at the port of Haifa on Thursday, in a move expected to boost Israel’s economy and open new opportunities for trade with Gulf countries. The …

Ankara denies the suggestion from Moscow that a second batch of S-400s is headed for Turkey and says it is an effort to stall Turkey’s talks with the United States and Europe. The military logic of Turkey’s highly controversial purchase of S-400 anti-ballistic missile defense systems from Russia in 2017 …

Local activists in Daraa said that the recent settlement reached by the central committees in the Daraa governorate with the regime’s security committee serves the interests of Daraa’s people and prevents the demographic change that Iran wants to impose. The Ahrar Horan Group quoted the Syrian journalist Mohammed al-Aweed as …

Afghanistan In rapid takeover, Taliban regained control over country, prompting fall of govt and ending 20-year U.S. occupation; uncertainty over new political order fuelled domestic and international security concerns. In dramatic shift, govt 15 Aug collapsed and Taliban gained control of most territory, including all border crossings and major urban …

Iran has fought Kurdish-Iranian groups recently. Iranian forces dismantled an unidentified terrorist group in the western Kurdistan province, state media outlets reported on Wednesday. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly encountered the “anti-Islamic Revolution terrorist group” last Thursday when it entered Iranian territory from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. …