May, 2026

• 21 May

  Did Xi Really Trade Iran for Taiwan?

  

  Ali Alizadeh: The American readout of the Trump–Xi meeting claims that Xi explicitly agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, that there must be no tolls, that China opposes the militarisation of the Strait, that China will buy more American oil to reduce its dependence on Hormuz, and …

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• 21 May

  Hezbollah drones limiting 80% of Israeli army operations in Lebanon

  

  Israeli media says Hezbollah’s explosive drones are restricting up to 80% of Israeli army operations in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah’s explosive drones are limiting around 80% of the Israeli forces’ assaults in southern Lebanon, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, as the armed group’s growing drone capabilities continue to challenge Israeli …

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• 21 May

  Tehran sees US ‘softening’ as Iran rebuilds military leverage

  

  Iranian analysts say Washington has softened parts of its negotiating position as US officials warn Tehran used the ceasefire to strengthen its military power. A cloud of uncertainty continues to hang over relations between Tehran and Washington as the region swings between renewed military confrontation and a fragile political settlement, …

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• 21 May

  With shelling and raids, Israel is killing southern Syria’s agricultural sector

  

  The residents describe how Israeli military raids and incursions have occurred almost daily, and how this is a disaster for the agricultural season. The countryside of Quneitra and Daraa, southern Syria, has witnessed further violence in recent hours by Israeli occupation forces, involving artillery shelling and repeated military incursions targeting …

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• 21 May

  UN Urges Israel to Prevent Gaza “Genocide”, End Occupation of Palestine

  

  The UN has called on Israel to prevent “acts of genocide” in Gaza and raised concerns over “ethnic cleansing” across the Palestinian enclave and the occupied West Bank. A new UN report has confirmed that Israel has committed “serious violations of international humanitarian law” which “may have amounted to war …

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• 21 May

  Brussels and Baku Are Talking Again: What Next?

  

  Azerbaijan’s relations with the EU appear to be going from strength to strength after several years in the deep freeze following the military escalation in Karabakh in 2023 and Azerbaijan’s bitter fallout with France and several other EU member states. In March, European Council President António Costa traveled to Baku …

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• 21 May

  Iran War Puts Saudi Arabia at Odds With Growing Israel-UAE Axis

  

  As Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly become increasingly involved in the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, the conflict is straining the cohesion of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and accelerating a shift in the lines of the region’s geopolitical sands. While …

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• 21 May

  Putin’s Beijing Stopover and the Alliance Trump Couldn’t Crack

  

  The back-to-back summits in Beijing revealed not only China’s growing diplomatic confidence but also the emergence of a deeper Sino-Russian axis that increasingly challenges the foundations of the US-led global order. Donald Trump flew home from Beijing with Boeing orders and a framework label. Forty-eight hours later, Vladimir Putin touched …

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• 21 May

  Reactions of Tehran and the Approach of France in the War Against Iran

  

  Post-2022 geopolitical developments and escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf have significantly strained relations between Iran and France, raising questions about the future of diplomatic engagement between the two countries. After the June 2025 military strike against Iran, France did not condemn it, and the subsequent triggering of the snapback …

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• 21 May

  Balikatan 2026 : Une tentative calculée contre la Russie et la Chine

  

  Les puissances occidentales, menées par les États-Unis, s’approchent dangereusement de la base navale russe de Vladivostok et des flottes chinoises de l’Est, du Sud et du Nord. Ces manœuvres navales, menées sous couvert d’exercices militaires, pourraient s’avérer extrêmement dangereuses. La 41e édition de l’exercice militaire conjoint américano-philippin Balikatan s’est déroulée …

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