Middle East

Turkey Arrests 357 in Crackdown on Islamic State Group
Turkey Arrests 357 in Crackdown on Islamic State Group

Turkish security forces on Tuesday arrested 357 people during operations across the country against the Islamic State militant group, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. "During simultaneous operations carried out this morning by our police forces in 21 provinces, we apprehended 357 suspects linked to ISIS. We have never given the ...

Saudi Arabia Condemns \
Saudi Arabia Condemns "Dangerous" UAE Moves in Yemen, Bombs Arms Shipment

Saudi Arabia declared a UAE-backed separatist advance in Yemen a threat to the kingdom's national security on Tuesday and called Abu Dhabi's actions "highly dangerous," as the rivalry between the Gulf monarchies boiled over into an open dispute. The strongly worded foreign ministry statement came hours after the Saudi-led coalition fighting in ...

Iran Designates Royal Canadian Navy a Terrorist Organisation
Iran Designates Royal Canadian Navy a Terrorist Organisation

The Iranian foreign ministry designated the Royal Canadian Navy a terrorist organisation on Tuesday in what it said was retaliation for Canada's 2024 blacklisting of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. In a statement, the ministry said that the move was in reaction to Ottawa declaring the Guards, the ideological arm of Iran's military, a terror group ...

Syria Imposes Night Curfew on Port City After Sectarian Violence
Syria Imposes Night Curfew on Port City After Sectarian Violence

Syrian authorities imposed an overnight curfew in the port city of Latakia on Tuesday after attacks in predominantly Alawite neighbourhoods a day prior. The interior ministry announced a "curfew in Latakia city, effective from 5:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, until 6:00 am (0300 GMT) on Wednesday, December 31, 2025". Individuals ...

Jailed Turkish Kurd Leader Calls on Government to Broker Deal for Syrian Kurds
Jailed Turkish Kurd Leader Calls on Government to Broker Deal for Syrian Kurds

Jailed Turkish Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan said Tuesday that it was "crucial" for Turkey's government to broker a peace deal between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Damascus government. Clashes between Syrian forces and the SDF have cast doubt over a deal to integrate the group's fighters into the army, which was due to ...

Trump, Netanyahu Signal Hard Line on Lebanon as Hezbollah Disarmament Takes Center Stage
Trump, Netanyahu Signal Hard Line on Lebanon as Hezbollah Disarmament Takes Center Stage

U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a tougher stance toward Hezbollah following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in Florida, warning that the group is “behaving badly” and stressing that efforts to disarm it remain a central focus of U.S. policy toward Lebanon. Speaking after the meeting at his ...

From Gaza to Iran: Trump and Netanyahu Review Regional Flashpoints
From Gaza to Iran: Trump and Netanyahu Review Regional Flashpoints

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held wide-ranging talks in Florida on Monday, addressing key regional crises including Gaza, Iran, Syria, and broader Middle East stability, as both leaders signaled continued strategic alignment despite ongoing regional tensions. The meeting, held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago ...

Peace with Israel: Lebanon's Path to Economic Revival
Op-edPeace with Israel: Lebanon's Path to Economic Revival

An unconditional peace treaty with Israel, inspired by the Abraham Accords' success, could reduce Lebanon’s security risks, unlock billions in foreign investments, revive trade, agriculture, and services, and create jobs—offering economic salvation while preserving Lebanon’s support of Palestinians.  Normalization could boost Lebanon’s ...

Yemen Declares State of Emergency as Separatist Conflict Flares
Yemen Declares State of Emergency as Separatist Conflict Flares

The leader of Yemen's presidential council declared a state of emergency and cancelled a security pact with the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday after Abu Dhabi-backed separatists seized swathes of territory. "The Joint Defence Agreement with the United Arab Emirates is hereby cancelled," a statement said, while a separate decree announced a ...

Lebanon Signs Deal to Purchase Natural Gas from Egypt
Lebanon Signs Deal to Purchase Natural Gas from Egypt

Lebanon said Monday it plans to purchase natural gas from Egypt, seeking to reduce its reliance on fuel oil for its ageing power plants in a country hamstrung by regular electricity cuts. The electricity sector has cost Lebanon more than $40 billion since the end of its 1975-1990 civil war, and successive governments have failed to reduce losses, ...

UN Visit to Sudan's El-Fasher Finds Traumatised Civilians in 'Unsafe Conditions'
UN Visit to Sudan's El-Fasher Finds Traumatised Civilians in 'Unsafe Conditions'

Traumatised civilians left in Sudan's El-Fasher after its capture by paramilitary forces are living without water or sanitation in a city haunted by famine, UN aid coordinator Denise Brown told AFP on Monday. El-Fasher fell to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in October after more than 500 days of siege, and last Friday a small UN ...