Articles in this Cluster
18-07-2025
Israel launched airstrikes on Syria, targeting the presidential palace and Defense Ministry in Damascus, claiming the attacks were meant to protect the Druze minority in southern Syria amid sectarian clashes. The strikes killed at least three people and injured dozens, including women and children, before a ceasefire was announced. Many readers expressed skepticism about Israel's stated intentions, suggesting the actions were driven by broader geopolitical ambitions rather than protecting the Druze minority.
18-07-2025
Violence in southern Syria's Suweida province has killed almost 600 people, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. The clashes, which began on Sunday, were sparked by a dispute between the Bedouin and Druze communities. The SOHR reported that 300 Druze, including 146 fighters and 154 civilians, were killed, while 257 government personnel and 18 Bedouin fighters also died. Israel carried out air strikes, citing protection of the Druze and preventing government forces from withdrawing from Suweida, killing 15 government personnel. A ceasefire was announced, but a prominent Druze leader rejected it, and an uneasy calm has since held.
18-07-2025
At least 20 people were killed in a crush at a US-backed aid distribution centre in southern Gaza run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The GHF reported that 19 were trampled and one was stabbed amid a chaotic surge, blaming "armed and affiliated with Hamas" individuals for fomenting unrest. However, Hamas denied the claim and accused the GHF of trying to "cover up" a crime. Nasser hospital received 21 bodies, stating they died from suffocation due to tear gas inhalation and the crush. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with crowds funnelled into narrow passageways and contractors firing "pepper bombs." The incident highlights the desperation and chaos surrounding aid distribution in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands gather at few distribution points, and the UN has recorded numerous killings near GHF sites.
18-07-2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed regret over a deadly strike on Gaza's only Catholic Church, saying it was caused by "stray ammunition". The strike killed three people and injured several others, prompting condemnation from the Pope and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said an initial inquiry suggested that fragments from a shell fired during operational activity had hit the church mistakenly, and that it regretted any unintentional damage.
18-07-2025
An Israeli shell struck the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, killing three people and wounding 10 others, including the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the strike was a mistake, saying "stray ammunition" had hit the church. The church, which was sheltering around 500 displaced people, including Christians and Muslims, sustained damage. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the "targeting of innocent civilians and of a sacred place," and called for an immediate ceasefire. Pope Francis, through a statement from the Church in Rome, also called for a ceasefire, expressing his "deep sadness" over the loss of life.
18-07-2025
The Israeli military launched a rare airstrike in Damascus, Syria, hitting the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters, amid clashes between government forces and Druze armed groups in the southern city of Sweida. The US Trump administration expressed concern over the Israeli strikes, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling for "the fighting to stop." The clashes in Sweida have resulted in hundreds of casualties, with reports of government forces attacking Druze civilians, and Israel has vowed to escalate its involvement, saying it is supporting the Druze minority. The Syrian government has struggled to consolidate control since the ousting of former leader Bashar Assad in December, and the country's new rulers face suspicion from religious and ethnic minorities.
18-07-2025
Israel launched airstrikes on Damascus, targeting the presidential palace, defence ministry, and army command, killing at least one person and wounding several others, in response to violence against Druze in Syria.
18-07-2025
Israel launched a strike near the Syrian Defense Ministry's headquarters in Damascus amid escalating clashes between Syrian regime forces and the Druze minority in southern Syria. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was acting to protect the Druze community, with whom Israel has a "bold and strong relationship." The clashes began with kidnappings and attacks between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze armed factions, and Syrian regime forces have been accused of carrying out extrajudicial killings and looting and burning civilian homes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Druze in Israel not to enter Syria, saying they were "endangering their lives" and harming the IDF's efforts.
18-07-2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Israel's strike on Damascus was "likely a misunderstanding" amid concerns over unrest that erupted in Syria, with clashes between the Druze and Bedouin groups, and subsequent Syrian government crackdowns on Druze civilians. Rubio said he had been in communication with both sides and expressed hope for de-escalation and progress towards stabilizing Syria. The Israeli strike damaged the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters, killing three people and injuring nearly three dozen others, and was reportedly in response to the Syrian government's targeting of the Druze minority group in southwest Syria.
18-07-2025
Israel has expressed "deep regret" after its forces hit Gaza's only Catholic church, killing three people and injuring nine others. The Israeli military said a "stray ammunition" hit the Holy Family Church, and an investigation is underway. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem strongly condemned the incident, saying it was a "targeting of innocent civilians and a sacred place". Pope Leo expressed his sadness and called for an immediate ceasefire, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office shared the grief of the families and the faithful.
18-07-2025
Syria's president has vowed to protect the Druze population after Israel launched airstrikes in response to violence involving local fighters, government authorities, and Bedouin tribes in the south. A ceasefire agreement has been reached, and Syrian government forces have largely withdrawn from the southern province of Sweida, with Druze factions and clerics taking over internal security. The violence had reportedly killed over 300 people, prompting Israel to launch airstrikes on targets in Damascus, including the defence ministry and a site near the presidential palace. The UN Security Council is set to discuss the situation.
18-07-2025
Syrian government forces have largely pulled out of the southern province of Sweida after days of fighting with Druze minority militias, under a truce mediated by the U.S., Turkey, and Arab countries. The conflict had escalated after tit-for-tat kidnappings and clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze armed groups, and drew airstrikes from Israel in defense of the Druze. Under the truce, Druze factions will maintain internal security in the area. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported nearly 600 fighters and civilians were killed on both sides, and at least 86 Druze Syrians were executed by government forces. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to protect the Druze and keep the area demilitarized.
18-07-2025
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of an "even bigger blow" to the US and Israel, claiming that a recent attack on a US airbase in Qatar was just the beginning. Khamenei's threats come as Western nations consider reimposing sanctions on Iran if nuclear negotiations fail by the end of summer. US President Donald Trump said he is "in no rush to talk" to Iran despite the looming deadline, while security experts warn that snapback sanctions could prompt Iran to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran's missile capabilities remain intact despite recent Israeli strikes, with estimates suggesting it still possesses around 1,500 medium-range ballistic missiles.
18-07-2025
The US Central Command reported that Yemeni National Resistance Forces seized over 750 tons of advanced Iranian military equipment, including cruise missiles, drone engines, and radar systems, meant for Houthi rebels. The seizure, the largest in the forces' history, included equipment manufactured by an Iranian company affiliated with the Ministry of Defense, which is under US sanctions. Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander, praised the Yemeni forces and stated that the interdiction highlights Iran's role as a destabilizing actor in the region. The Houthi rebels have been launching attacks on military and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
18-07-2025
The US launched a large-scale military operation, "Operation Midnight Hammer", against Iran's nuclear programme on June 22nd, involving over 125 aircraft and dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles. The operation's impact is disputed, with assessments varying wildly, making it impossible to determine the extent of the damage inflicted on Iran's nuclear programme.
18-07-2025
Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire, ending a 12-day war between the two countries. The ceasefire was announced by Donald Trump on social media, catching both Israel and Iran off guard, and was later confirmed by both countries.
18-07-2025
Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have escalated attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, disrupting international shipping and threatening $1 trillion in annual trade. The Houthis have targeted vessels over Israel's war in Gaza, sinking several ships and killing or injuring sailors. The US State Department has condemned the attacks, and experts are calling for the US to support Yemen's legitimate government to topple the Houthi regime. A Middle East expert suggested that the US should back, fund, and train southern forces to retake key ports and advance on the capital, Sanaa, to eliminate the Houthi threat.
18-07-2025
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo believes that President Trump can remake the Middle East after the Israel-Iran War by continuing to apply pressure on Iran. Pompeo argues that the recent diminishment of Iran's regional power presents an opportunity to build a brighter future for the region. To achieve this, Israel must finish its war against Iran's proxies, and the US should re-impose economic sanctions on Iran, renew its diplomatic isolation, and continue to use hard power against Iran and its proxies. Additionally, Pompeo suggests supporting Iran's democratic opposition movement and advocating for the Iranian people's aspirations on the world stage. He believes that with Trump's leadership, a regional transformation may be possible, delivering lasting peace and prosperity to the Middle East.
