All articles tagged with #middle east crisis
The Israeli military announced it will use 'unprecedented force' in Gaza City, urging residents to evacuate southward amid ongoing heavy strikes and mass displacement, as international efforts and recognitions regarding Palestinian statehood unfold amidst the conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has warned Gaza City residents to evacuate as Israeli forces prepare for a ground maneuver amid ongoing airstrikes and escalating violence in Gaza and Lebanon, with significant casualties and international condemnation.
The UN chief criticized a US-backed aid operation in Gaza as unsafe and deadly, highlighting that aid efforts are being strangled, aid workers are starving, and civilians are being killed while trying to access food. The conflict has resulted in over 56,000 Palestinian deaths since October 2023, with ongoing Israeli strikes causing significant civilian casualties and international concern over the safety and effectiveness of humanitarian aid.
The US dollar initially surged following military strikes on Iran, reflecting safe-haven demand, but analysts warn this rally may be short-lived due to underlying concerns over US fiscal policy, trade tensions, and global demand for US assets, with some experts doubting the likelihood of a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Jordan's foreign minister summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest against Iranian comments that were seen as interference in the kingdom's internal affairs, following recent warnings from Iran's official media. This comes amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, with various countries expressing concern and condemnation over recent events, including Iran's attack on Israel and its aftermath.
The Israeli military is investigating after a reported airstrike on a convoy in central Gaza killed four foreign nationals, including aid workers from the World Central Kitchen, and their Palestinian translator. The group was delivering food and supplies to northern Gaza when their convoy was struck. The nationalities of the victims include UK, Australia, and Poland, with the fourth aid worker's nationality unknown. The source of the strike remains unconfirmed, and the World Central Kitchen has expressed that humanitarian aid workers and civilians should never be targeted.
Senator Roger Wicker criticizes President Biden's plan to send Army logistics vessels to build a floating pier for delivering aid to Gaza, calling it a dangerous and illogical election-year gimmick. Wicker questions the lack of planning, protection for soldiers, and a delivery plan, emphasizing the risks and broader implications of the mission. He argues that the U.S. military is being stretched too thin and urges Biden to reconsider the mission in line with the "Weinberger Doctrine."
Hamas claims that those killed at al-Shifa hospital by the Israeli military were patients and displaced people, while Israel alleges that the hospital harbored militants and terrorist infrastructure. The US has drafted a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as Arab ministers meet in Cairo to discuss efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war. Meanwhile, tensions rise as Israel vows to take control of Rafah, even if it leads to a potential breach with the US, and a burning object is thrown at the Israeli embassy in The Hague.
Jewish students at Stanford University have reported feeling threatened and discriminated against by anti-Semitic protestors on campus, with incidents including a teaching assistant expressing support for assassinating President Biden and making threatening remarks towards Jewish students. Pro-Palestine protests have led to clashes and harassment of Jewish students, with some experts suggesting that the behavior could constitute grounds for a discrimination lawsuit. The university has faced criticism for not taking stronger disciplinary action in response to these incidents.
The bodies of six-year-old Hind Rajab and two paramedics were found in Gaza City almost two weeks after Hind's distress call for help, where she was trapped in a car next to the bodies of her relatives who were killed in an Israeli strike. The Palestinian Red Crescent dispatched two paramedics to rescue Hind, but they were also killed in a suspected Israeli strike, leading to accusations of deliberate targeting of the ambulance.
Qatar's foreign ministry reports that Hamas has given initial positive confirmation to a proposed ceasefire deal involving the release of Israeli hostages, but a Qatari official states that there is no deal yet and they are waiting for Hamas' response. Meanwhile, the US has ordered reprisal strikes against an Iranian-backed militia, and the UK could recognize a Palestinian state after a ceasefire in Gaza. Additionally, Palestinians rounded up in Gaza have reported abuse and torture while in Israeli detention, and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees warns of shutting down operations if funding does not resume.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards stated that Iran is not seeking war with the United States but is prepared to respond if attacked. President Biden has decided on a U.S. response to the drone attack that killed three American soldiers in Jordan, with potential targets in Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Israel has called for defunding the UN agency aiding Palestinians in Gaza, while Israeli forces have been accused of storming the grounds of a hospital in Gaza. The Israeli military has confirmed that it has begun flooding Hamas tunnels in Gaza.
The U.K. is considering recognizing a Palestinian state, including at the United Nations, in an effort to advance a two-state solution and defuse the Israel-Hamas war. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron emphasized the importance of giving the Palestinian people a political horizon and setting out what a Palestinian state would look like. The U.S. and dozens of other countries have pulled funding from the U.N. aid agency over allegations, while Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt have been negotiating a temporary pause in the fighting in Gaza.
Israel and Hamas are reportedly moving closer to a ceasefire deal, with the US carrying out new strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The UN secretary general has condemned the rejection of a two-state solution by the Israeli government and called for increased aid access to Gaza. Meanwhile, the US has conducted strikes in Iraq against Iran-backed militia, and the Israeli prime minister has emphasized the pursuit of "total victory" in the conflict.
Two US Navy Seals declared dead after a failed raid on Iranian weapons bound for Houthi rebels in Yemen, as the Middle East faces an "apocalyptic" humanitarian crisis with ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. Ron DeSantis drops out of the Republican presidential race, and a landslide in Yunnan province, China buries over 45 people. Additionally, UN staff in Iraq are allegedly demanding bribes, the UK presents evidence of North Korean arms shipments to Russia, and asbestos-related deaths in the US are linked to a controversial bankruptcy maneuver by a Koch Industries-owned company. Director Abel Ferrara discusses his journey to sobriety, and the concept of "meong," a Korean term for staring into stillness, gains attention.