Iraq approves three month mechanism to export crude via local, international firms
Iraq is seeking to diversify its oil export channels and maintain flexibility in marketing its crude amid the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Middle East
US working to establish Israel-Turkey-Syria deconfliction mechanism after Israeli strikes
Iranian envoy visits four nationals detained for three months in Kuwaiti prison
UAE gives all-clear after air defenses detect Iranian missile, Tehran denies attack
Syria's foreign minister confirms nuclear material found by IAEA at Deir ez-Zor site
Syria is not known to hold operational stockpiles of nuclear material for a weapons program, but Israel bombed a suspected Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007 in the country's eastern province.
Lebanon's Aoun seeks extension of UNIFIL mandate, despite failure to prevent Hezbollah activity
Despite Aoun’s support for the UN peacekeeping forces, UNIFIL has long been criticized for failing to take action against Hezbollah’s military buildup in southern Lebanon.
Israeli settler extremist confronts Palestinian-American at his besieged West Bank home
"Here's an American citizen being attacked in the West Bank by an American tax-funded army, American weapons used to attack Palestinian Americans in the West Bank," one resident told Reuters.
Trump declares Strait of Hormuz as 'new US territory,' day after MoU deadline expires
When asked whether he was working to extend the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Trump declined to answer and shook his head no.
Tehran readies to crush renewed unrest, risking war to maintain control in Strait of Hormuz
A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that Iran would shift to a “fully offensive” posture after Washington ruled out extending a temporary ceasefire agreement.
Iran's drone strike on Kurds may be warning over Trump administration's backchannel, analyst says
Two drones targeted the office of Masrour Barzani, the Kurdistan Regional Government's prime minister, and the home of the region's intelligence chief in northern Iraq on Monday.
Kushner: US will back Israeli resumption of war if Hamas fails to honor disarmament commitments
Kushner said Hamas could surrender weapons and tunnels within 60 to 90 days, calling demilitarization a potential major security gain for Israel.
Saudi Arabia tightens regulations on money flow to UAE, in latest sign of deepening rift
The measures, which were not announced publicly, could help explain why a number of companies say they have had difficulties transferring funds from accounts in Saudi Arabia to the UAE recently.
Hormuz Strait to remain closed until US meets interim deal conditions, Iran's top negotiator says
Ghalibaf claimed that the US only agreed to the original Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding “out of desperation,” alleging that the US has experienced “heavy political defeat.”
At a Gaza zoo, war takes its toll on the animals
Municipal records show that there were a number of zoos in Gaza before the Israel-Hamas war erupted, displaying exotic and wild animals, including lions and eagles.
