Articles in this Cluster
20-07-2025
Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire, according to the US ambassador to Turkey, after several hundred people were killed in clashes in southern Syria involving local fighters, government authorities, and Bedouin tribes. The violence escalated after Israel launched airstrikes, including attacks on the defence ministry in Damascus and a target near the presidential palace, in response to what it saw as a massacre against the Druze community. The US worked to end the conflict, with the secretary of state saying steps had been agreed to end the "troubling and horrifying situation", and the ceasefire is reportedly supported by Turkey, Jordan, and others.
20-07-2025
The Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels have signed a ceasefire deal in Qatar, known as the Declaration of Principles, aimed at ending fighting in the region. The agreement requires both sides to refrain from attacks and "hate propaganda" and outlines a roadmap towards a permanent settlement by August 18. The deal is seen as a milestone in efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, but its success is uncertain given the history of failed peace deals. A final peace deal must align with a US-brokered deal between DR Congo and Rwanda, signed last month.
20-07-2025
Syria is struggling to quell deadly clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters in the south, despite a ceasefire announced by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Over 900 people have been killed in the past week, with reports of atrocities committed by all sides, including government forces. The clashes began after a Druze merchant was abducted on the highway to Damascus, sparking long-running tensions between the two groups. The US and Israel have intervened, with the US demanding an end to the violence and Israel pledging to protect the Druze minority. The Syrian government has deployed security forces to the area and established checkpoints to prevent further fighting, but violence persists.
20-07-2025
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was injured during an Israeli strike on a Supreme National Security Council meeting last month, according to U.S. intelligence sources. Iranian state media reported that Pezeshkian sustained leg injuries while escaping through an emergency shaft. Pezeshkian told Tucker Carlson that Israel attempted to assassinate him, saying "they did try, yes...they failed." The incident occurred during a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran that killed hundreds and saw both sides claim victory after a ceasefire.
20-07-2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa have agreed to a ceasefire, according to US Envoy Tom Barrack, following recent Israeli airstrikes on Damascus. The ceasefire is also backed by Turkey and Jordan, and comes after deadly clashes between Druze and Bedouin communities in southern Syria. The US had previously announced a deal for Syrian government forces to pull back from the area, but clarified that it did not support the Israeli airstrikes.
20-07-2025
The Syrian ceasefire is unraveling, and regional chaos is escalating as Israel, Iran, Turkey, and the US become increasingly entangled. Israel's airstrikes in Syria, launched in response to atrocities against the Druze minority, have complicated a fragile ceasefire and sparked debate within Israel about how to proceed. Some Israeli policymakers advocate for supporting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as an anti-Iranian strongman, while others push for broader military action to create a buffer zone. The crisis has also drawn in other regional players, including Turkey, which is invested in al-Sharaa's success and hopes to leverage him for influence and economic ties in post-war Syria. Iran, meanwhile, is watching and waiting, ready to exploit any missteps by others and reassert its influence through proxies or diplomatic manipulation. Regional analysts are calling for a diplomatic effort to stabilize Syria, potentially involving a regional summit with the US, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Israel.
20-07-2025
The Syrian city of Sweida is in ruins after sectarian violence between Druze militia and Arab tribal fighters left bodies strewn in the streets and homes burned. The violence began after government forces clashed with pro-Assad groups, sparking sectarian attacks that killed hundreds of civilians from the Alawite minority. The Druze, a Shiite Islam sect, control Sweida, and fighting broke out between them and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes. A US-brokered ceasefire is in place, but the situation remains volatile, with an estimated 30,000 civilians trapped in the city. The Syrian government has deployed security forces to the area, but they have struggled to impose order. The new president has urged calm, but his words have failed to persuade some minority groups to lay down their arms, and tens of thousands of lives are dependent on finding a solution quickly.
20-07-2025
At least 32 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured by Israeli gunfire near two aid distribution points in southern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which runs the sites, denied any incidents occurred at or near their locations, but acknowledged Israeli military activity in the area beforehand. Witnesses described the gunfire as "targeted to kill," and the incident is the latest in a series of deadly events near GHF sites, with the UN recording 674 killings in the vicinity of the organization's sites over six weeks.
20-07-2025
Israeli troops opened fire on crowds of Palestinians trying to reach food distribution sites run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in southern Gaza, killing 32 people. The incidents occurred near Khan Younis and Rafah, with witnesses describing the shooting as "indiscriminate" and saying troops fired warning shots before opening fire on the crowds. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distributed millions of meals to Palestinians, but the distribution process has been chaotic, with crowds charging into the centers to grab food. The Israeli military said it fired "warning shots" after a group of suspects approached troops, and is investigating reports of casualties. The violence has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where over 2 million Palestinians are on the brink of famine.
20-07-2025
A child is seen fleeing an Israeli strike on the Bureij Refugee Camp in Gaza, with munitions striking near a UNRWA school behind her, as reported by CNN. The article also highlights other global news, including Jair Bolsonaro facing coup charges, Taiwan conducting a 10-day military drill, a humanitarian crisis in Gaza's hospitals, and various other international incidents, including Israeli airstrikes on Syria and Gaza's only Catholic church being hit by an Israeli tank, resulting in casualties.
20-07-2025
More than 30 Palestinians were killed and around 100 injured when Israeli troops opened fire on crowds waiting for aid near distribution hubs in Gaza, according to witnesses and hospital officials. The incidents occurred in two areas, with at least 32 deaths reported on Saturday, and were described as a "massacre" by one witness, who claimed the troops fired indiscriminately. The Gaza health ministry reported over 58,000 Palestinians killed since the 21-month war began.
20-07-2025
The killings of two young men, including a 20-year-old American citizen, in a West Bank village marked an escalation in the battle between Israeli settlers and Palestinian residents over land. The village, Al-Mazra'a Al-Sharqiya, is home to many U.S. citizens who have maintained their Palestinian identity and land ownership. Israeli settlers have been encroaching on the village's land, blocking access to olive groves and intimidating residents. The villagers have resisted, holding weekly demonstrations that have sometimes turned violent. The U.N. reports that settler violence in the West Bank has reached its highest level in at least two decades, and the U.S. government has been criticized for not pressuring Israel to punish the settlers. The killings have highlighted the vulnerability of even relatively wealthy and American-connected communities to settler violence.
