Israeli forces killed at least 15 Palestinians in overnight airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, hitting a residential building in Gaza City, a school sheltering displaced families in Deir al-Balah, and agricultural land in Khan Younis, according to medical sources cited by Al Jazeera. The escalation came as Egyptian and Qatari mediators prepared to resume cease-fire talks in Cairo, with Hamas signaling openness to a new framework →
Hezbollah fired multiple rockets and missiles at Israeli military positions in the occupied Shebaa Farms early Wednesday, retaliating for an Israeli airstrike that hit a Hezbollah weapons depot near the Syria-Lebanon border, killing two fighters, according to a statement reported by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. The exchange marks a significant escalation after weeks of relative calm along the Blue Line →
Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three wounded in a shooting attack on a military checkpoint south of Jenin in the occupied West Bank early Wednesday, prompting a large-scale Israeli raid into the Jenin refugee camp, according to Israeli military statements cited by Ynet. Palestinian medical sources reported that Israeli forces shot dead at least two Palestinians, including a 17-year-old, during the ensuing raid →
The Israeli military ordered the immediate evacuation of the al-Tuffah and al-Shati neighborhoods in northern Gaza City early Wednesday, warning of an impending "dangerous combat operation," according to Wafa News Agency. Witnesses reported thousands of families fleeing on foot toward central Gaza as the UN warned the evacuation zone houses approximately 30,000 people, most already displaced multiple times →
Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthi) leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi announced a 48-hour ultimatum Tuesday evening, threatening to resume targeting Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden if the Israeli-imposed blockade on Gaza humanitarian aid is not lifted, as reported by Al-Masirah. International maritime security sources confirmed heightened alert levels among commercial shipping in the southern Red Sea →
A new UN report from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights accuses Israel of committing acts that amount to genocide under international law by systematically destroying Gaza's healthcare system, documenting the targeting of hospitals, killing of over 1,000 medical workers, and denial of medical supplies, as summarized by Al Jazeera English. The report is set to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this Thursday →
Iran's top military spokesman General Ali Reza Tangsiri warned Tuesday that any Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would trigger a "devastating response" targeting "all Israeli infrastructure," as the US military began joint naval drills with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, Press TV reported →
Hamas signaled flexibility on cease-fire terms ahead of a delegation heading to Cairo for talks, with a senior official telling Middle East Eye the movement is prepared to show flexibility on the timing of an Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor and prisoner releases, but reiterated no deal is possible without a guaranteed end to the war →
The US and Iran are nearing a preliminary deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Tehran committing to dispose of its highly enriched uranium, according to a US official cited by The New York Times and reported by Middle East Monitor. The proposed deal does not address Iran's missile stockpile or include a moratorium on uranium enrichment →
Iran shot down an Israeli surveillance drone over the country's southern Hormozgan province, with the wreckage of a destroyed Orbiter drone found in coordination with Iranian naval forces, Mehr news agency reported. Israel has yet to comment on the report →
Israeli strikes killed at least 17 people in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Saturday, according to a report by RT Arabic, as the Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed attacks on the towns of Seir al-Gharbiyeh, Bazouriyeh, Arabsalim, and Toura →
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged in closed conversations that he faces difficulty influencing US President Donald Trump on the Iran file, according to Hebrew-language Channel 13 cited by Al Quds Al Arabi, amid progress in US-Iran negotiations →
Eighteen countries, including Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Palestine, condemned the breakaway Somaliland region's move to open a so-called embassy in occupied Jerusalem, calling it a "flagrant violation" of international law, according to a joint statement reported by Anadolu Agency →
Oil prices fell more than 4% amid mixed signals on a potential US-Iran peace deal, with Brent crude dropping to $98.90 per barrel, as reported by Al Quds Al Arabi, as uncertainty continued over whether the Strait of Hormuz blockade would be lifted →
Cease-fire talks resume amid simultaneous escalation on multiple fronts. As Egyptian and Qatari mediators prepare to host Hamas in Cairo for renewed negotiations, Israel has intensified its military operations across Gaza — ordering new evacuations in the north and killing 15 Palestinians in overnight strikes. This pattern of negotiating under fire has become a hallmark of Israel's strategy throughout the war, undermining any pretense of good-faith diplomacy.
The Lebanon front is rapidly re-escalating after a period of relative calm. Hezbollah's missile barrage on Israeli positions in the Shebaa Farms, in retaliation for an Israeli strike on a weapons depot near the Syria-Lebanon border, signals the fragility of the so-called ceasefire. With Israel continuing daily strikes on southern Lebanon — killing at least 17 on Saturday alone — the risk of a broader confrontation is growing.
The Houthi threat to resume Red Sea attacks reintroduces a critical pressure point. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi's 48-hour ultimatum links the fate of Red Sea shipping directly to the Gaza aid blockade, re-establishing the maritime front as a leverage mechanism. This development threatens to unravel the relative calm in the southern Red Sea and could reignite a campaign that had previously disrupted global supply chains.
The US-Iran deal is taking shape, with or without Israeli consent. Reports of a preliminary agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Iranian uranium disposal — but excluding Iran's missile program — represent a significant diplomatic development that sidelines Israel's maximalist position. Netanyahu's reported admission of difficulty influencing Trump, combined with Israeli warnings of a "strategic catastrophe," suggests Israel is being marginalized in the very negotiations that affect its security most directly.
The UN genocide report on Gaza's healthcare system adds to the mounting legal pressure. The OHCHR's documentation of systematic attacks on hospitals, the killing of over 1,000 medical workers, and the use of starvation as a weapon provides the most comprehensive international legal accounting yet. While Israel has rejected the findings, the report's presentation to the UN Human Rights Council this week could further isolate Israel diplomatically and strengthen the case at the International Court of Justice.
Israeli domestic politics are in flux as the far-right overreaches. The reported push by Netanyahu's circle to ban the "Arab List" from upcoming elections, combined with the backlash against Itamar Ben-Gvir over the flotilla abuse video, reveals growing internal tensions within the Israeli political system. Ben-Gvir's offense was not his cruelty but his exposure of Israel's actions to the world — a distinction that highlights the deepening extremism of Israeli politics.
At least 15 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip overnight Tuesday, according to medical sources quoted by Al Jazeera. The strikes hit multiple civilian targets: a residential building in Gaza City, a school sheltering displaced families in Deir al-Balah, and agricultural land in Khan Younis. The escalation came as Egyptian and Qatari mediators prepared to resume cease-fire talks in Cairo, with Hamas officials signaling openness to a new framework but insisting on a full Israeli withdrawal. Israel's military claimed the strikes targeted "operational command centers," without providing evidence.
"The strikes hit a residential building in Gaza City, a school sheltering displaced families in Deir al-Balah, and agricultural land in Khan Younis," according to medical sources quoted by Al Jazeera.
The Israeli military dropped leaflets and sent text messages early Wednesday ordering the immediate evacuation of residents from the al-Tuffah and al-Shati neighborhoods in northern Gaza City, warning of an impending "dangerous combat operation," according to Wafa News Agency. Witnesses told the Palestinian news agency that thousands of families began fleeing on foot toward central Gaza, many carrying their belongings. The Israeli army later said the evacuation order was part of "operational preparations" against a "reassembled Hamas battalion" in the area.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that the evacuation zone covers an area housing approximately 30,000 people, most already displaced multiple times since October 2023. This marks yet another forced displacement of civilians who had previously been driven from other parts of Gaza, deepening what humanitarian organizations have described as a cycle of endless displacement.
A senior Hamas official told Middle East Eye on Tuesday that the movement is prepared to show "flexibility" on key sticking points in the stalled cease-fire negotiations, including the timing of an Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor and the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released. The delegation heading to Cairo is reportedly carrying a revised proposal that separates these issues from the permanent cease-fire phase, allowing for a phased de-escalation.
However, the official reiterated that no deal is possible without a guaranteed end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal, directly contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated vow to continue operations until "total victory." Egyptian intelligence sources confirmed the talks are set to begin Thursday morning. The revised approach suggests Hamas is attempting to create a diplomatic off-ramp while maintaining its core red lines, even as Israel continues its military operations.
A new report from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) , obtained and summarized by Al Jazeera English, accuses Israel of committing acts that amount to genocide under international law by systematically destroying Gaza's healthcare system. The report documents the targeting of hospitals, the killing of over 1,000 medical workers, the denial of medical supplies, and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
The report is set to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this Thursday. Israel rejected the report as "biased and antisemitic," with its foreign ministry claiming it was based on "unverified Palestinian sources." The report adds to the growing body of international legal documentation being compiled for potential proceedings at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Five Palestinians, including three members of the same family, were killed and five others injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip on Sunday, medical sources told Anadolu Agency. One Palestinian was killed by Israeli gunfire in the center of Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. A couple and their child were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting their home in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. In a separate incident, a child died from injuries sustained in a previous Israeli strike.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, published a message from their late chief of staff Izz al-Din al-Haddad, according to Al Jazeera Arabic. In the message, al-Haddad expressed sorrow over what he described as "the abandonment of the arenas for Gaza" and affirmed the continuation of resistance despite sacrifices. The release of the message appears aimed at reinforcing morale among supporters and signaling ideological continuity after the loss of senior commanders.
Representatives from three non-governmental organizations, alongside an American surgeon who recently returned from the Gaza Strip, held a press conference at the United Nations, by invitation of the UN-accredited journalists' syndicate, according to Al Quds Al Arabi. The briefing, held on the sidelines of a UN Security Council session discussing a report on the implementation of Resolution 2803 (2025) , which adopted the Board of Peace plan, emphasized that conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Lebanon's Hezbollah fired multiple rockets and missiles at Israeli military positions in the occupied Shebaa Farms early Wednesday, the group said in a statement reported by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. The attack was in response to an Israeli airstrike late Tuesday that hit a Hezbollah weapons depot near the Syria-Lebanon border, killing two fighters. Israeli media reported no casualties on the Israeli side, while the Israeli military said it struck the launcher used in the attack.
The exchange marks a significant escalation after weeks of relative calm along the Blue Line, raising fears of a broader confrontation. Reporting in Arabic, RT Arabic reported that Hezbollah published a summary of 28 military operations it conducted against Israel on Sunday alone, employing various types of weapons.
Seventeen people were killed and more than 30 wounded in a wave of intense Israeli airstrikes targeting southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa on Saturday, according to a report by RT Arabic. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed 11 people were killed and nine injured in an Israeli strike on the town of Seir al-Gharbiyeh in Nabatieh province, as reported by Middle East Monitor.
Additional strikes hit Bazouriyeh in the Tyre district, killing one person and injuring two others, while an Israeli drone strike killed a young man in Arabsalim. A house was also struck in the town of Toura, killing a woman and injuring others. These attacks represent what Al Jazeera English described as expanding Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon despite a supposed ceasefire.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others wounded in a shooting attack on a military checkpoint south of Jenin in the occupied West Bank early Wednesday, according to the Israeli military, as cited by Ynet. The attackers fled the scene, prompting the Israeli army to launch a large-scale raid into the Jenin refugee camp, deploying dozens of vehicles and D-9 bulldozers.
Palestinian medical sources reported that at least two Palestinians, including a 17-year-old, were shot dead by Israeli forces during the ensuing raid, and that a residential building was demolished. The incident marks the deadliest single attack on Israeli forces in the West Bank in months, amid a sharp increase in Israeli military raids and settler violence across the territory. The raid into Jenin, which has seen repeated large-scale Israeli incursions throughout the war, is likely to further inflame conditions in the northern West Bank.
Iran's top military spokesman, General Ali Reza Tangsiri, issued a stark warning Tuesday that any Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would trigger a "devastating response" targeting "all Israeli infrastructure," Press TV reported. The statement came as the US military began joint naval drills with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, involving aircraft carriers and submarine exercises. Iranian state media described the drills as a "provocative show of force."
The general's remarks are seen as a direct message to both Israel and the US, amid rising speculation that Israel may attempt a strike on Iranian nuclear sites given the deadlock in nuclear talks. The warning comes as reports indicate the US and Iran are nearing a preliminary deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a development that Israel has reportedly opposed.
Iranian air defenses shot down an Israeli surveillance drone over the country's southern Hormozgan province, Iran's semi-official news agency Mehr reported on Sunday, as relayed by Middle East Monitor. The wreckage of a destroyed Orbiter drone was found in coordination with Iranian naval forces. Israel has yet to comment on the report.
The incident underscores the ongoing covert confrontation between the two countries, even as diplomatic negotiations between the US and Iran progress. The downing of the drone in Hormozgan province — the same province that oversees the Strait of Hormuz — carries strategic significance given the centrality of the waterway to current negotiations.
The US and Iran have agreed in principle to a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, in exchange for Tehran's commitment to dispose of its highly enriched uranium, a US official said, according to a report by The New York Times on Sunday, as cited by Middle East Monitor. The official said the agreement has not yet been signed and remains subject to final approval by US President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, a process that could take several days.
The proposed deal does not address Iran's missile stockpile nor include a moratorium on uranium enrichment, the official said. Under the draft memorandum of understanding, Iran would clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz and allow ships to pass without tolls, while Washington would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and issue limited sanctions waivers permitting Tehran to sell oil, according to Middle East Monitor.
A potential memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US includes an end of the war on all fronts, Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday, as cited by Middle East Monitor. This would include Israel's attacks in Lebanon, and Washington would commit to waiving sanctions on Iran's oil during negotiations. Iran emphasized the enforcement of its sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz and insisted on at least a partial release of its frozen assets abroad.
The Tasnim report also indicated that if the agreement is reached, the Strait of Hormuz would not fully return to its pre-war status; instead, the number of ships allowed to pass would be restored to pre-war levels within 30 days. This suggests Iran intends to retain some leverage even after a deal.
Oil prices fell more than 4% amid continued differences between the US and Iran over a peace agreement, with Brent crude dropping $4.64 — or 4.48% — to $98.90 per barrel, according to Al Quds Al Arabi. The decline came as early indicators of a potential agreement emerged, but uncertainty remained high. Al Jazeera English reported that Japan's stock market surged to a record high on hopes for an end to the US-Israeli war on Iran, highlighting the global economic stakes of the conflict.
The foreign ministers of Turkiye and 17 other countries strongly condemned the "illegal and unacceptable" move by the breakaway Somaliland region to open a so-called embassy in occupied Jerusalem, according to a joint statement reported by Anadolu Agency. The statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Algeria, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
The ministers said the move constituted a "flagrant violation" of international law and relevant international resolutions, and represented a direct infringement on the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem. The condemnation reflects continued broad international opposition to normalization with Israel without progress on Palestinian statehood.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged in closed conversations that he faces difficulty influencing US President Donald Trump on the Iran file, according to Hebrew-language Channel 13 cited by Al Quds Al Arabi. The report came amid progress in US-Iran negotiations, with an Israeli analyst quoted by RT Arabic warning that the emerging understandings between Washington and Tehran could push Israel into "the worst strategic situation in its history."
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif welcomed President Trump's "extraordinary efforts" to pursue peace, following a call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, the UAE, Jordan, and Pakistan, Anadolu Agency reported. Sharif said the discussion provided a useful opportunity to exchange views on how to move the process forward and expressed hope that Pakistan could host the next round of talks, underscoring Pakistan's expanding mediation role.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed progress toward a possible agreement between the US and Iran, stressing the need for a deal that would reduce tensions and prevent further escalation, Anadolu Agency reported. She reiterated that Iran "must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon" and called on Tehran to end actions she described as "destabilizing in the region."
Reporting in Arabic, Al Jazeera Arabic revealed that associates of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are seeking to ban the "Arab List" and classify its parent movement as a terrorist organization, preventing it from participating in the upcoming elections. The move has drawn accusations from the opposition that Netanyahu is engaging in "political hypocrisy" out of fear of defeat.
The leader of Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthi movement), Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, announced in a televised address Tuesday evening that the group will resume its campaign targeting Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden if the Israeli-imposed blockade on Gaza humanitarian aid is not lifted within 48 hours, as reported by Al-Masirah. He said the previous truce in Red Sea hostilities had been conditional on aid access, which he claims has been "systematically violated."
Al-Houthi warned that any renewed attacks will be "more precise and severe" than the previous campaign, which began in late 2023 and severely disrupted global shipping. International maritime security sources confirmed heightened alert levels among commercial shipping in the southern Red Sea. The British maritime agency (UKMTO) separately reported receiving reports of "suspicious activity" within the Gulf of Aden, including vessels being approached by skiffs carrying ladders and weapons, according to Anadolu Agency.
Syria held legislative elections in Hasakah and the town of Kobane — areas formerly under Kurdish control — for the first time in over a decade, Al Jazeera English reported. The elections represent a significant step in the Syrian government's efforts to reassert control over territories that had been administered by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since the onset of the civil war.
Saudi Arabia announced its full readiness to receive pilgrims for the current Hajj season, with all organizational, service, and health plans completed at the holy sites to ensure the safety and smooth movement of pilgrims, according to Al Jazeera Arabic. The kingdom is also continuing its third and largest expansion of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, costing $53 billion, to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims.
Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, during which both sides affirmed their support for Pakistan's mediation between Washington and Tehran, Al Jazeera Arabic reported. The development highlights the expanding diplomatic ecosystem around the US-Iran negotiations, with multiple regional powers coordinating their positions.
Japan's stock market surged to a record high on hopes for an end to the US-Israeli war on Iran, Al Jazeera English reported. The rally reflects broader global market optimism that a resolution to the conflict would stabilize energy markets and reduce geopolitical risk, even as oil prices remained volatile amid deal uncertainty.
The state of California declared an emergency in Orange County over the risk of a chemical leak at an aerospace facility, where an overheating tank containing methyl methacrylate threatened to release toxic gases, Anadolu Agency reported. Governor Gavin Newsom warned that some residents were still refusing to leave the evacuation zone despite the danger.