Category: 2. Middle East

  • Syrians watch Iran-Israel crossfire as government stays silent

    Syrians watch Iran-Israel crossfire as government stays silent

    For days, Syrians have watched as Iranian missiles and Israeli interceptors light up the skies over their territory, but the new government in Damascus has so far remained officially silent on the unprecedented conflict.

    Iran was one of former ruler Bashar al-Assad’s biggest backers, playing a crucial role in propping up his government by providing military advisers and the support of affiliated armed groups throughout the 14-year Syrian civil war.

    Israel, meanwhile, has occupied the Golan…

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    News Source: www.al-monitor.com

  • Was Maher al-Assad, brother of ousted Syrian president, spotted in Moscow?

    Was Maher al-Assad, brother of ousted Syrian president, spotted in Moscow?

    Videos circulating on social media Tuesday purportedly show Maher al-Assad, the younger brother of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, at a cafe in Moscow. The younger Assad’s whereabouts are unknown, and he is wanted for alleged war crimes related to the Syrian civil war.

    What happened: Social media users posted an image of a man that resembles Maher al-Assad at a cafe. In a video widely shared on social, he is seen looking downward, likely scrolling on his phone and sitting across…

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    News Source: www.al-monitor.com

  • US bases in the Middle East

    US bases in the Middle East

    The United States has thousands of troops deployed on bases across the Middle East, a region in which Washington’s forces have carried out repeated military operations in recent decades.

    Israel launched an unprecedented air campaign against Iran last week, and US President Donald Trump has said he is weighing whether to join Israel in the fight.

    US involvement in the conflict would likely result in attacks by Tehran on American troops in the region, who were already targeted by Iran-aligned…

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    News Source: www.al-monitor.com

  • From Lebanon to Qatar, Israel-Iran war disrupts flights, airport traffic: What to know

    From Lebanon to Qatar, Israel-Iran war disrupts flights, airport traffic: What to know

    Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines canceled all flights to Iraq through Thursday as the ongoing Israel-Iran war forces widespread disruptions across Middle East aviation.

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    News Source: www.al-monitor.com

  • ‘Terrified’: Supporters fear for prisoners trapped in Iran

    ‘Terrified’: Supporters fear for prisoners trapped in Iran

    As Israel presses its aerial attacks on Tehran, concern is growing over the fate of foreign nationals and Iranians seen by rights groups as political prisoners imprisoned in the capital who have no chance of fleeing to safety.

    Iran is believed to hold around 20 European nationals, many of whose cases have never been published, in what some Western governments describe as a strategy of hostage-taking aimed at extracting concessions from the West.

    Rights groups also accuse Iran of holding dozens…

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    News Source: www.al-monitor.com

  • Iran launches new barrage of missiles toward Israel – Middle East Monitor

    Iran launches new barrage of missiles toward Israel – Middle East Monitor

    Iran launched a new barrage of missiles toward Israel, the Israeli army said Wednesday evening, Anadolu reports.

    Sirens sounded in the greater Tel Aviv area following reports of a new rocket barrage launched from Iran, a military statement said.

    Meanwhile, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the Israeli army successfully intercepted all the missiles launched by Iran.

    Between five to seven missiles were launched from Iran, some of them fell en route, while the…

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    News Source: www.middleeastmonitor.com

  • Putin eyes peacemaking role in Israel-Iran air war

    Vladimir Putin is eyeing the conflict between Israel and Iran as an opportunity to thrust himself to the forefront of the international stage, more than three years into his invasion of Ukraine.

    The Russian president has pitched himself as a possible mediator — though Moscow’s closeness to Iran and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine raise doubts about what kind of role he can play, experts say.

    The assault on Ukraine and the war in Gaza have strained Moscow’s traditionally good relations with…

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    News Source: www.al-monitor.com

  • Armenia's Pashinyan, Turkey's Erdogan to hold 'historic' talks amid Iran-Israel war

    Armenia's Pashinyan, Turkey's Erdogan to hold 'historic' talks amid Iran-Israel war

    The meeting comes as both countries weigh the fallout of a widening regional conflict and rising tensions along their shared border with Iran.

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    News Source: www.al-monitor.com

  • US Embassy to help Americans evacuate from Israel

    US Embassy to help Americans evacuate from Israel

    WASHINGTON — The US Embassy in Israel will facilitate departures via evacuation flights and cruise ships for American citizens seeking to leave the country amid the escalating conflict with Iran, Ambassador Mike Huckabee said Wednesday. 

    The announcement comes as Iran and Israel continue to exchange deadly fire, prompting the US State Department on Monday to raise its travel advisory for Israel to Level 4, “Do Not Travel.” 

    Huckabee posted to X a link to enroll in the State…

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    News Source: www.al-monitor.com

  • Turkey ramps up Iran border security as Ankara, UNHCR monitor refugee risks

    Turkey ramps up Iran border security as Ankara, UNHCR monitor refugee risks

    AL-Monitor is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the highest levels, as well as by media, thought and business leaders and academia.


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    News Source: www.al-monitor.com