Middle Orient

Palestinian officers killed in West Bank firefight with undercover Israeli forces

The two Palestinian officers opened fire on the undercover Israeli forces, reportedly unaware they were conducting a terrorism raid. Three Palestinians, including two members of the Palestinian Authority’s security service, were shot dead in an exchange with Israeli special forces in the early hours of Thursday in the northern West …

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Iran’s hard-liners take page from China’s election playbook

Iran’s hard-liners have long been disillusioned with a system in which all citizens are encouraged to vote. Another presidential election is unfolding in Iran. Many observers expect a low turnout as many ordinary Iranians are either discouraged or disillusioned. However, those in power seem not to mind. The political elite …

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Muslim Brotherhood: We have ‘no connection’ with the Islamist Movement

“The Brotherhood stresses that there is no connection – ideological or organizational – between it and this movement.” A dramatic political development occurred last week when the United Arab List, the political wing of the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, signed a coalition agreement that paved the …

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Houthis claim they arrested a Mossad spy in Yemen

Yemen’s Houthis have threatened Israel in the past, including threats to attack Israeli vessels in the Red Sea and fire rockets and drones towards Israel. The Houthis arrested a Mossad spy in Yemen and plan to release documents over the next few days about the spy’s operations in the country, …

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Alleged Israeli airstrike targets Syria from Lebanese airspace

Some eight Syrian soldiers were killed and a number of others were injured in the strikes, according to opposition-affiliated reports. An alleged Israeli airstrike targeted Syrian territory from Lebanese airspace on Tuesday night, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA. The airstrikes targeted sites in central and southern Syria …

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Erdan to AP CEO: Hamas worked on anti-Iron Dome tech in AP Gaza building

Hamas had intelligence, research and development offices in building Israel struck last month. Hamas worked on a device to disrupt the Iron Dome missile-defense system in the same Gaza building that housed the Associated Press and was bombed by Israel during Operation Guardian of the Walls, Ambassador to the UN …

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IDF chief Kohavi: Be modest with how long Gaza deterrence will last

Deterrence is “an elusive concept subject to the cruel judgment of the time,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi said. Operation Guardian of the Walls was not meant to overthrow Hamas, but to bring about deterrence by severely hitting the capabilities of the terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, …

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Top US general warns of Iran, China and Russia in Middle East

Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of US Central Command, on Monday warned about Iran’s destabilizing activities and the roles of Russia and China in the Middle East. During a special briefing, he spoke about his visit to Iraq and Syria and the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. “Another priority is deterring Iran’s …

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Displaced Syrians rally against ending cross-border aid

Dozens of displaced people in rebel-held northwest Syria on Tuesday protested efforts by Damascus and its allies to end humanitarian aid crossing from Turkey into the impoverished war-ravaged enclave. The U.N. Security Council mandate for humanitarian aid deliveries, now reduced from four initial international crossing points to a single border …

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