Middle East
Who is Nasrallah?
Slain Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, whose death was confirmed yesterday by his Iran-backed movement, wielded great power in Lebanon but led a life in hiding to avoid assassination by his group’s arch-enemy, Israel.
Khamenei moved to a secure location
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been transferred to a secure location inside the country with heightened security measures in place, two regional officials briefed by Tehran told Reuters.
Tens of thousands protest against Lebanon 'bloodbath' in Iran, Yemen
Tens of thousands protested in Iranian cities and in the rebel-held Yemeni capital on Friday to condemn Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Gaza, AFP journalists and state media reported
Israel hits Hezbollah HQ in Beirut with heavy airstrikes
The Israeli military said it had targeted Hezbollah’s central headquarters in Beirut’s southern suburbs yesterday in an attack that shook the Lebanese capital and sent thick clouds of smoke over the city.
Over 30,000 crossed into Syria from Lebanon
Well over 30,000 people, mainly Syrians, have crossed into Syria from Lebanon in the past 72 hours, the UN refugee agency said yesterday, amid an escalating conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah that has killed hundreds of people in Lebanon.
Israeli strikes kill 92 in Lebanon in past 24 hours: ministry
Israeli strikes have killed 92 people in Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the country's health ministry said late Thursday
Israel rejects truce proposal from US
Israel yesterday rejected global calls for a ceasefire with Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, defying its biggest ally the US and pressing ahead with strikes that have killed hundreds in Lebanon and heightened fears of an all-out regional war.
Iraqi Islamic Resistance drone hits Israel’s port
The pro-Iran Islamic Resistance in Iraq group said it attacked Israel’s Red Sea port of Eilat Wednesday as another group urged more attacks amid soaring tensions over Gaza and Lebanon.
India, Iran sign deal to develop port project
India and Iran yesterday signed a 10-year contract to develop and equip the strategic Chabahar port in Iran as India seeks to grow trade in west and central Asia.
Gaza bleeds on as death toll tops 35,000
Israel sent tanks into eastern Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip early yesterday, after a night of heavy aerial and ground bombardments, as the death toll in the Palestinian enclave exceeded 35,000 people.
‘Hot summer of protest’ waiting
About a dozen students arrested by police clearing a sit-in at a Denver college campus emerged from detainment to cheers from fellow pro-Palestinian protesters, several waving yellow court summons like tiny victory flags and imploring fellow demonstrators not to let their energy fade.
Israel expands Rafah evacuation order
Israeli strikes yesterday hit parts of Gaza including Rafah where Israel expanded an evacuation order and the UN warned of “epic” disaster if an outright invasion of the crowded city occurs.
UAE hits out at Netanyahu for saying it could help run Gaza
The United Arab Emirates hit out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday after the Israeli leader said the Gulf state could be involved in aiding a future government in Gaza after the war.
Iran conservatives tighten grip in parliament vote
Iran’s conservatives and ultra-conservatives clinched more seats in a partial rerun of the country’s parliamentary elections, official results showed yesterday, tightening their hold on the chamber.
More than 200 dead in Afghanistan flash floods: UN
Flash floods that have ripped through northern Afghanistan left more than 200 people dead in a single province, the United Nations said on Saturday
UNGA backs Palestinian bid for membership
The United Nations General Assembly yesterday backed a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognising it as qualified to join and recommending the UN Security Council “reconsider the matter favourably.”
Pro-Gaza Protest: Encampment dismantled at the MIT
Police early yesterday dismantled a pro-Palestinian tent encampment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and moved to clear protesters from University of Pennsylvania’s campus in Philadelphia, just hours after police tear-gassed protesters and took down an encampment at the University of Arizona.
Israel closure of Gaza crossings ‘crippling’ aid: UN
Israel’s closure of key crossings into Gaza has cut off the main entry point for aid, and particularly fuel, rendering humanitarian operations all but impossible, a senior UN official warned.