ynetnews - Mideast News (2024)

‘More than a million’ children indoctrinated in Houthi summer camps

Fear and coercion drive hundreds of thousands of children annually to the Houthi camps, where they are exposed to extremist propaganda and military recruitment

Turkish police detain father of Israel Border Policewoman over pro-Israel tweet

Following a tweet hailing those who protect Israel which included the photo of the officer, three family members who reside in Turkey, including her father, were detained in police stations across Istanbul; This incident could lead to law in Turkey torevoke the citizenship of Turkish Jews holding dual citizenship

Lebanese youth turn to terrorism as economy collapses

country grappling with its worst economic crisis in 150 years: one in three citizens lives below the poverty line, despite aid from the U.S. and Europe; Hezbollah offers high salaries for new recruits

Lebanon backtracks on ICC jurisdiction to probe alleged war crimes

Lebanon accuses Israel of repeatedly violating international law since October, allegedly claiming Israel killed 80 civilians; but concerned that probe would 'open the door for the court to investigate whatever it wanted across different files'

Iran further increases enriched uranium stockpile nearing military grade

Report says Iran has 142.1 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possible — if the material is enriched further, to 90%

Iran unscathed after attacking Israel, acting president says

Mohammad Mokhber makes first speech to parliament since the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a chopper crash is considered a close confidant of Ayatollah Khamenei

Iran buries late president, foreign minister and others killed in helicopter crash

Guard of honor stands at attention as plane carrying Raisi's coffin arrives in his hometown of Mashhad; services fail to drawn same crowds as for Revolutionary Guard genral Qassem Soleimani in 2020

Memorial for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi muted amid public discontent

With the Iranian public largely unhappy regarding the regime's numerous crackdowns on personal liberty, memorial held for president killed in a helicopter crash was short on emotion; However, several thousands did march the streets of Tabriz wearing black

Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad has leukemia, presidency says

Presidential palace says Asma to undergo special treatment protocol that would require isolation and prevent her appearance in public engagements

Iran loses key power player after foreign minister killed in helicopter crash

Vocal Israel critic Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, boasting robust ties with its regional adversaries, lobbied extensively against Jewish state since war, accusing it of 'war crimes' and issuing threats

The Butcher of Tehran: the rise and fall of Ebrahim Raisi

Iran president, considered likely successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, 85, is a hard-line cleric-turned-political leader notorious for executing thousands of regime opponents and brutally crushing protests

Iran: Lives of president, foreign minister at risk following helicopter crash

President traveling withForeign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Iran's East Azerbaijan province some 600 kilometers (375 miles) northwest of Tehran; Fars news agency calls on Iranians to pray for them

‘Iran staging itself to reach nuclear goal in 1 or 2 weeks,’ experts say

Tehran set to produce weapons-grade uranium, going against UN nuclear watchdog's restriction on the country, international experts warn

Hamas planned to operate Turkey base to harm Israelis, report says

UK-based The Times claims IDF located secret document in Hamas official's home detailing the terror group's plans to establish a base in the area

Iranian lawmaker claims Iran possesses nuclear weapons

Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani justifies Tehran's purported possession of nuclear arms by arguing that it enhances deterrence capabilities, particularly in face of perceived threats from US and Israel

Saudi authorities forbid speaking out against normalization with Israel

Saudi testimonies say over 400 have already been jailed for publicly opposing normalization with Israel; Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman favors these relations while concurrently calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and endorsing the Palestinian Authority as the Palestinian people's rightful leadership

Iran's hijab crackdown 'sign of regime's weakness,' party representative says

Passed last month after a lengthy delay following the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ protests, a new law in Iran increases punishments for women who don’t wear the hijab

Houthis could sever global Internet lines by targeting submarine cables, expert says

Tensions rise in the Red Sea as Houthis escalate military operations and hint at potential cyberwarfare disrupting global internet connectivity for 2 billion people in Europe and Asia

Hamas officials say they will move to Jordan if removed from Qatar

Jordanian security officials estimate Iran behind push for Hamas to return to the kingdom; Jordanian officials insist terror group won't be accepted back

Iranian rapper sentenced to death over popular protest songs

Rapper Toomaj Salehi songs supported months of protests in Iran in 2022, and he has 20 days to appeal the ruling

Iran cuts Syria presence after strikes blamed on Israel, war monitor says

Syrian opposition group says as many as 3,000 Iranian military personnel present in Syria, supported by tens of thousands of Iran-trained fighters from Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and others

Rockets fired from Iraq towards U.S. military base in Syria

Strike is first since February when Iran-backed groups stopped attacking US troops; comes days after major explosion in military base housing pro-Iran militia members; U.S. and Israel deny responsibility

Russia to supply Iran with fighter jets, report

According to Iranian media, Russian planes to be delivered in coming week in response to what Moscow describes as "recent tensions"

Hamas' Haniyeh, Erdogan meet in Istanbul to discuss relocation to Turkey

Terror group's politburo head and Turkish President discuss the war in Gaza amid Hamas' plans to shift headquarters from Doha to Istanbul

'Death to Israel' in Turkish parliament during Erdogan speech

Turkish president accuses Israel of attempting to orchestrate repeated coups in Turkey, says he is to host Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh whom he calls 'leader of the Palestinian struggle'

Lebanon: Hezbollah money changer assassinated by Mossad

Nearly a week following the discovery of Mohammed Surour's body, who was on the American blacklist and accused of funneling money from Iran to Hamas, the Lebanese Interior Minister blames Mossad for the act

Iranians anxious as Israel weighs strike response

Iran's leaders warned that they would respond to any Israeli retaliation by escalating further, potentially triggering yet more attacks

Day after assault, Iranian missile fragments found scattered all over Middle East

Social media users across multiple countries have posted images of rocket debris, alleging fragments from Iranian missiles that landed in their regions

Writing was on the wall: Details emerge after assassination of IRGC senior member Mahdawi

As per a report from a channel opposing the Iranian regime, Hassan Mahdawi, the commander of the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, disclosed his plans to travel to Damascus in two different meetings the day before he was killed; The report also suggested that Mahdawi, who was battling severe heart disease, showed a disregard for his personal security

Are Iranian drones turning the tide of Sudan's civil war?

Sudanese government forces begin using more precise drones to push back RSF fighters; western diplomat says Iran to have a staging post on the Red Sea and on the African side

Assassination or botched robbery? Circ*mstances unclear on killing of Hezbollah critic

Lebanese army disclosed the killing of Pascal Sleiman, an activist opposed to Hezbollah, sparking uproar; Many pointed fingers at the Shiite organization for his death, but the army reported a Syrian gang was responsible for his murder during an attempted car theft; Nasrallah is denying all involvement

Iranians burn Israeli flags during 'Quds Day' parade: 'Israel cannot dodge repercussions of its actions'

The 'Jerusalem Day' march in Tehran, along with similar events in various other cities, saw tens of thousands of people set fire to the flags of Israel and the United States; This mass display of rage comes in the wake of the still simmering anger over the assassination of Hassan Mahdawi in Damascus

Israeli negotiators strike out in Doha following Hamas refusal of U.S-proposed compromise

Following Hamas' rejection of the proposed compromise, Israel decided to withdraw its main delegation while leaving some key representatives in place; Currently, mediators are looking into untapped pressure points that could be used against Hamas, and the US is anticipated to propose an alternative in the near future

13 killed in strikes on pro-Iranian militia targets in eastern Syria, report says

Opposition war monitor reports 'senior figure' killed in strike several hours after Iranian cargo plane landed at Deir ez-Zor airport, carrying Revolutionary Guard personnel and logistical equipment

Israeli jets strike terror infrastructure deep in eastern Lebanon, Hezbollah fires at Golan Heights

IDF struck Hezbollah weapons workshop in Baalbek in eastern Lebanon; Shortly afterward, group launches barrage of 50 rockets toward the Golan, mostly landing in open areas and no casualties reported

Egypt pins hopes on new tourist city project to climb out of financial crisis

Egyptian government announces new deal to construct a tourist city with investment by the UAE, which the government hopes will attract millions of new visitors

From outsider to national hero: Jordan's Queen Rania rides new wave of popularity with Israel critique

Queen Rania's sharp criticism of Israel in international media and on social media has revamped her image in the kingdom; previously seen as pretentious and self-serving, her popularity has now surged; years of disdain have shifted, with less concern over her Palestinian heritage

Hezbollah tells Iran it would fight alone in any war with Israel

Lebanese sources say Nasrallah met with Iranian Quds force commander Esmail Qaani in February where he called clashes against Israel 'our fight'

Hezbollah remains undeterred despite endless skirmishes with IDF

Hezbollah persists in its fight against Israel despite the consequences, including the establishment of terrorist infrastructure in residential properties, devastation of agricultural land, displacing 100,000 people, and losing at least 241 lives; The past 5 months of conflict have not only caused widespread destruction but also significantly harmed Hezbollah's personal assets

Qatar poised to expel Hamas from Doha amid stalled deal negotiations

The Wall Street Journal based their report on sources from both Hamas and Egypt, suggesting the stance of the leader of the organization in the Gaza Strip, who insists on ending the war, is at odds with the views of other high-ranking members of the movement

Duality of Qatar: unmasking its fundamentalist nature to reveal a terrorist identity

New report details how Al Jazeera's Arabic channel has served as regime's public relations arm to spread its ideology

Iran responsible for ‘physical violence’ that killed Mahsa Amini in 2022, UN probe finds

Report also found Tehran employed 'unnecessary and disproportionate use of lethal force' to put down protests that erupted following Amini’s death, Iranian security forces sexually assaulted detainees

Executions in Iran soar to near-decade high

Human rights groups say number of executions in Iran spiked by 43% in 2023, accusing mullah regime of using capital punishment to instill fear in its citizens

Ship hit by Houthis last month sinks in Red Sea, first vessel lost in conflict

Rubymar, loaded with 41,000 tons of fertilizer, struck by Houthi missiles, leading to abandonment and sinking in Yemen; US warns of 29 km pollution trail, raising alarms over potential major environmental catastrophe

Rising voter disenchantment shakes Iranian election confidence

Economic woes, regime protests, increasingly suspicious youth and support for Russia's war in Ukraine prompt many Iranians to boycott Friday's parliamentary vote; with predicted 30% turnout, Khamenei labels voting 'national duty'

Iran unveils new air defense weaponry amid regional tensions

Iranian Defense Minister reveals two vehicle-mounted systems claiming new anti-missile array could intercept up to six rockets simultaneously

Hezbollah says Israel 'will pay' after Lebanon strikes kill civilians

Terrorist group vows vengeance after Israeli strike on Hezbollah commander exacts heavy civilian toll; Lebanon plans to lodge complaint with UN Security Council against Israel

Ismail Haniyeh's son, Hamas spokesperson spotted at AFC Asian Cup

Throughout the championship, VIPs from around the world, including from Arab states and those linked to Hamas, were seen in stadiums in Qatar enjoying themselves while the war in Gaza continues

Yemen's Houthis target cargo ship bound for Iran, shipping analysts say

Regional security official says attack on corn shipment from Brazil appeared designed to 'show Iran does not control the Houthis and they act independently', Houthis informed Tehran in advance

Iranians call death to U.S., Israel on Islamic Revolution anniversary

Marking 45 years since Ayatollah regime took over Iran, thousands march nationwide while weapons displayed in capital, including ballistic missiles

Lebanese Amal movement opposed to Israel but otherwise independent

The Shi'ite political faction serves as a "primary defensive shield" against Israel, with its members stationed along the border, and recent reports indicate five of them were killed in Israeli strikes in the past few days; Unlike Hezbollah, they claim no subservience to Iran

U.S. strikes at least 85 targets in Syria, Iraq

Attacks are first in a multi-tiered response by Biden administration to the deadly strike by Iran-backed militants on U.S. troops; more U.S. military operations expected in the coming days

U.S. strikes pro-Iran militia in Syria as retaliation for the killing of troops begins

Some eight militia bases hit according to reports; After three service members killed in strike on the Tower 22 base in Jordan on Sunday, administration says response to include targeting Iran assets in Syria, Iraq but not in Iran

Iranian report: IRGC commander killed in 'Israeli strike' in Damascus

Opposition sources opposed to the Assad regime have claimed that the headquarters of Iranian forces in the Sayyidah Zaynab area was targeted in an attack, as Iran claim Israel launched the aerial assault, killing an IRGC commander in the process

Turkish intelligence arrests several with 'ties to Mossad'

Turkish authorities have arrested seven individuals suspected of selling information to the Israeli intelligence organization, Mossad, just weeks after a previous arrest operation, according to the Turkish news agency Anadolu

Lebanon faces severe storm, Litani River overflows

Lebanon reports heavy rains caused soil runoff from the adjacent agricultural areas to the Litani, leading to the collapse of the walls surrounding the river and flooding nearby roads

Iran's Guards pull officers from Syria after Israeli strikes - sources

Security official briefed by Tehran - says senior Iranian commanders left Syria along with dozens of mid-ranking officers, describing it as a downsizing of the presence while those left are staying out of sight

Vital communication lines at risk from Houthis, report

Countries relying on this critical infrastructure warned to be concerned, as the potential attack on the undersea cables could jeopardize worldwide communication networks and economic stability

Qatar hopes US retaliation will not undercut Israel-Hamas hostage talks

Speaking in Washington, Qatari prime minister says U.S. action would definitely have an impact on regional security but hopes 'things get contained'

Iran executes 4 men convicted of Mossad ties

Men put to death, convicted of targeting a factory involved in missile and defense equipment in the city of Isfahan and suspected of being planted by Mossad