War in the Middle East

How Effective Is UNIFIL?
How Effective Is UNIFIL?

With its mandate set to expire on August 31, 2025, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is once again facing scrutiny over its effectiveness in fulfilling its mission. Enlarged under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in 2006 to prevent the presence of armed groups south of the Litani River, UNIFIL has struggled to enforce its ...

Barrack’s Third Visit: Lebanon at a Crossroads
Barrack’s Third Visit: Lebanon at a Crossroads

As US envoy Thomas Barrack prepares for a potential third visit to Beirut on July 28, Lebanon stands at a critical juncture. Barrack is expected to deliver Washington’s official response to Lebanon’s recent proposal—alongside the “miracle solution” he hinted at before his last departure. At the heart of Lebanon’s plan is a coordinated ...

Ceasefire Talks Underway After Southern Syria Clashes, Says Druze Group
Ceasefire Talks Underway After Southern Syria Clashes, Says Druze Group

Negotiations are underway between Syrian authorities and Druze representatives in southern Syria to halt the fighting that has left around 100 people dead, one of the main Druze armed groups told AFP on Monday evening. Syrian government forces are advancing toward the city of Sweida, held by Druze fighters, following clashes since Sunday with ...

Almost 100 Killed as Syria Sectarian Clashes Rage
Almost 100 Killed as Syria Sectarian Clashes Rage

Syrian government forces were advancing towards the southern city of Sweida on Monday amid clashes in the region between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes that have killed nearly 100 people, according to a war monitor. As the violence escalated, Israel, which had previously warned that it would intervene in Syria to protect the Druze, said it ...

Hamas Says Netanyahu 'Unwilling' to Reach Gaza Truce Deal
Hamas Says Netanyahu 'Unwilling' to Reach Gaza Truce Deal

Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday of not wanting to reach a deal to end the war in Gaza as talks in Qatar entered their second week. "Netanyahu is skilled at thwarting one round of negotiations after another and is unwilling to reach any agreement," the Palestinian militant group said in a statement on its Telegram ...

SOHR: 89 Killed as Clashes Rage in Southern Syria
SOHR: 89 Killed as Clashes Rage in Southern Syria

At least 89 people were killed in the southern Syrian province of Sweida as clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters raged for a second day Monday, a monitor said. As the violence escalated, Israel, which had previously warned that it would intervene in Syria to protect the Druze, said it struck "several tanks" in Sweida, without ...

Gaza Civil Defense says Israeli Strikes Kill 43 as Truce Talks Deadlocked
Gaza Civil Defense says Israeli Strikes Kill 43 as Truce Talks Deadlocked

Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli air strikes on Sunday killed more than 40 Palestinians, including children at a water distribution point, as talks for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas stalled. Delegations from Israel and the Palestinian militant group have now spent a week trying to agree on a temporary truce to halt 21 months of ...

Israeli Drone Strike Kills Hezbollah Fighter in Wata al-Khiam
Israeli Drone Strike Kills Hezbollah Fighter in Wata al-Khiam

An Israeli drone targeted a house in the town of Wata al-Khiam in southern Lebanon. Upon inspection, the body of a Hezbollah fighter, Wissam Abou Abbas, was found. A statement issued by the Public Health Emergency Operations Center, affiliated with the Ministry of Public Health, announced that the Israeli strike on the house in Wata al-Khiam ...

Gaza Truce Talks in the Balance as Israel and Hamas Trade Blame
Gaza Truce Talks in the Balance as Israel and Hamas Trade Blame

Gaza ceasefire talks hung in the balance as Hamas and Israel on Saturday accused the other of blocking attempts to strike a deal, nearly a week into an attempt to halt 21 months of bitter fighting in the Palestinian territory. A Palestinian source with knowledge of the indirect talks in Qatar told AFP that Israel's proposals to keep its ...

Two-State Solution Conference Rescheduled for Late July at UN
Two-State Solution Conference Rescheduled for Late July at UN

An international conference meant to revive work on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been rescheduled for July 28-29, diplomatic sources told AFP. Originally set for mid-June, the conference at UN headquarters in New York was postponed at the last minute due to Israel's surprise military campaign against Iran. It has ...

UN: Nearly 800 Killed Seeking Aid in Gaza, Most Near GHF Sites
UN: Nearly 800 Killed Seeking Aid in Gaza, Most Near GHF Sites

Nearly 800 people have died trying to access aid in Gaza since late May, with most killed near the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's sites, the UN said Friday. An officially private effort, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operations on May 26 after Israel halted supplies into the Gaza Strip for more than ...