Middle East & North Africa
Israel Assassinates Hezbollah Leader, Iran Responds — Conflict Spreads
Tensions have skyrocketed after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last week. Hezbollah and its allies vow retaliation, raising fears of a wider conflict as sides exchange strikes, threatening regional stability.
Israeli Bulldozers Silently Tear Through the West Bank
Over the past two weeks, bulldozers have been tearing through Tulkarm and Jenin, two cities in the occupied West Bank. This has been silently ongoing, with media coverage being overshadowed by Israel’s clashes with Hezbollah and Hamas.
Houthi Strikes on Israel: Iran's Role in Regional Escalation
Iran is claimed to be negotiating with Russia to supply Yemen’s Houthi rebels with anti-ship missiles, enabling continued attacks on Red Sea shipping and Israel, escalating tensions in the region.
Pager explosions reign in "new era" for Israel’s war against Hezbollah
Pagers exploded simultaneously throughout Lebanon last week on September 17th in a shocking and coordinated attack on the Lebanese group Hezbollah. Though Israel has yet to claim responsibility for the attacks, the country’s involvement has been confirmed by multiple intelligence officials within Israel, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who proclaimed that Israel is “at the beginning of a new era in this war.”
US-Egypt Relations Strengthen During Uncertain Times
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, held a joint press availability with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Sept. 18, 2024, in Cairo, Egypt to announce the new US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue program. This was Blinken’s 10th visit to the Middle East since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, but unlike other trips to the region, he did not make a stop in Israel. Instead, the main purpose of the visit was to strengthen the long-standing relationship between the US and Egypt.
Pro-Palestine Protests Test Jordan’s Shaky Relationship with Israel
Protests in Jordan against the Israeli war on Gaza have escalated in recent weeks, particularly around the Israeli embassy in the Middle Eastern country’s capital of Amman. Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists have been arrested, despite the largely peaceful nature of the ongoing demonstrations.
Iran Vows Revenge Against Israel After Embassy strike, Regional Tensions Reach Catastrophic Levels
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran promised revenge against Israel on Tuesday after an apparent Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in the Syrian capital of Damascus. The attack killed 13 people, including General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a top commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Hamas-Israel War: Risks of Escalation and Impact on Lebanon
The initial attack launched on Israel on Oct. 7 has affected citizens greatly, involving the deaths of Palestinians and Israelis as well as the brutalization of the environment in both countries. Further escalation is a cause for concern for associations such as the UN and the international community.
US Airstrikes Target Iranian-Backed Groups in Syria
On Nov. 12, the United States carried out two airstrikes in Syria, targeting a training facility near the city of Albu Kamal and a safe house near the city of Mayadeen. The US military said that the strikes were in retaliation for a series of over 50 rocket and drone attacks that left at least 56 US personnel with a “combination of traumatic brain injury and minor injuries.”
Pro-Palestinian Protesters Clash with Police Outside US Military Base in Turkey
On Nov. 5, 2023, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Incirlik Air Base in the Adana province of southern Turkey to express disapproval of Israeli attacks harming Gazan civilians and US support for Israel.
Death of Migrant Worker Vergie Tamfungan Raised UAE Labor Law Concerns
The United Arab Emirates government has launched an investigation in response to a report by the Guardian on the suspicious death of Filipina migrant worker Vergie Tamfungan’s death.
Egypt’s Diplomatic Role in Addressing the Israel-Hamas Conflict
As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, the spotlight has shifted towards Egypt, a country historically significant to the Gaza Strip. While Egypt has had a tumultuous relationship with both Israel and Hamas, it is a key player in addressing the ongoing conflict.
Sakharov Human Rights Prize Awarded to Jina Mahsa Amini
The European Parliament posthumously presented the Sakharov Human Rights Prize for Freedom of Thought to Jina Mahsa Amini. Her death stirred Iran into a new attempt at protesting the current repressive theocracy that enforced hijab wearing, among other restrictions for women.
International Court Addresses Syrian Torture Case
The International Court of Justice has addressed the 12-year legacy of torture and false imprisonment of the Syrian Assad Administration for the first time on Oct 11, 2023. The case, brought forward by Canada and the Netherlands, accused Assad of violating the UN’s Convention against Torture (CAT), which Syria has opted in to.
ISIS Leader Taken Down in US Air Strike
A United States helicopter raid eliminated senior ISIS leader Abd-al-Hadi Mahmud al-Haji Ali in northeast Syria.
Egypt Caught in the Crossfire Amid Sudan Military Outbreak
As decades-old tensions erupted in Sudan over the weekend, several Egyptian officers became caught in the crossfire as Sudan’s rivaling military factions fight for military control, decimating local communities and sparking international outrage.
Saudi Arabia Leads Landmark Diplomatic Efforts Between Syria, Iran, and Arab States
Saudi Arabia has pushed forward several diplomatic initiatives in recent weeks, signaling a wider effort to bring stability to the region and restore cooperation between various Arab states.
United States Sends Armed Submarine to the Middle East as Tensions with Tehran Escalate
The United States Navy announced that it has deployed a guided missile submarine, the USS Florida, to the Red Sea.
Lebanon's Attempt to Change Time Zones Causes Chaos
Last week, Lebanon experienced life in two time zones – not for geographic reasons (Russia, after all, has 11), but political ones.
Israel Repeals Disengagement Law from West Bank Passed Nearly 20 Years Ago
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, voted last week in favor of repealing the disengagement law that was passed in 2005 that resulted in the evacuation of settlements in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.