Middle East Geopolitical Reporting for 2026-03-18
We've collected the top geopolitical conflict articles from the Middle East and brought them all here. If you're tired of only having access to MSM versions of the story, you've found the right place. We’ll include all of the outlets we know of.
IRGC launches hypersonic missiles, drones against US, Israeli targets
Iran launches new wave of retaliatory attacks, targeting Israeli command centers.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Continuous war on media in occupied West Bank
Israel designates and bans several Palestinian digital media platforms under its so-called anti-terrorism law, alleging ties to Hamas.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Iran launches Sejjil missile in retaliatory strikes for first time since war began
Iranian armed forces launched the 54th wave of their “True Promise 4” operations against Israeli and American targets, firing an array of advanced missiles, including the Sejjil missile for the first time since the imposed war began late in February.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
US suffered over 3,200 casualties, staggering equipment losses in first week of war: Source
A senior Iranian intelligence official, speaking to a Press TV correspondent, has revealed detailed estimates of damage inflicted on the US military in the region during the first seven days of the ongoing war.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
True Promise 4: Iran and resistance axis ops. against US-Israeli assets on Mar. 17
Iranian armed forces and resistance groups across the region continued their retaliatory military operations against the US and the Israeli regime on Tuesday, March 17.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Top US 'counterterrorism' official resigns, says 'cannot in good conscience' back war on Iran
The director of the US National Center for Counterterrorism (NCC) resigns over Israeli-US aggression against Iran.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
True Promise 4: Iran and resistance axis ops. against US-Israeli assets on Mar. 16
Iranian armed forces and resistance groups across the region continued their retaliatory military operations against the US and the Israeli regime on Monday, March 16.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Pope condemns those who invoke God to justify war amid US-Israeli war on Iran
Pope Leo XIV has issued a condemnation of those who invoke religion to justify warfare, in remarks widely interpreted as a critique of Donald Trump’s peace-through-strength policy and the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran that has killed thousands of civilians.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Israel running critically low on interceptors: US officials
The Israeli regime informed the US this week that it is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors as their air defenses get squeezed by barrages of retaliatory strikes from Iran.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Iran faces off with E3 over snapback sanctions as Russia and China back Tehran
Europe’s bid to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran has ignited a fierce backlash, with Iran denouncing the move as “illegal” and vowing firm retaliation.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Silenced in France: The unjust detention of a pro-Palestine Iranian activist
Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian academic who lived in France for eight years, has been unjustly detained for condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza on social media.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
IRGC is part of Iran’s national army: Pundit
Iranian academician states that Europe is not genuinely committed to labeling the IRGC as a “terrorist organization” and is facing significant pressure from the Israeli regime.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Washington seeking regime change in Venezuela: Analyst
Podcaster and Journalist Esha Krishnaswamy believes the U-S military buildup in the Caribbean region is aimed at regime change in Venezuela.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Iran declares support centers for USS Gerald R. Ford legitimate targets
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has issued a warning that all logistical and service centers supporting the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Sea are now considered legitimate targets for Iranian armed forces, as the warship takes refuge at Saudi Arabia's Jeddah port.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
US-made copy of Shahed drone used to stage false-flag attacks on region: Iran Armed Forces
The spokesman explained that after suffering military setbacks on the battlefield and failing to build political coalitions against Iran, the enemy has resorted to deception.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Trump’s military gamble against Iran backfires spectacularly with no exit strategy
US-Israeli war on Iran, based on lies, has backfired spectacularly as Iranian retaliatory operations have decimated enemy bases, proving that Iran has the capability to fight back with full strength
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
Most missiles used in war are a decade old; US does not dare enter Persian Gulf: IRGC spokesman
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has revealed that the majority of missiles so far launched against American and Israeli targets during Operation True Promise 4 have been manufactured approximately ten years ago.
Presstv
Mar 18, 2026 - presstv.ir
US warship heads to Middle East as Iran war escalates
A US Navy warship, believed to be carrying thousands of Marines and sailors, is nearing the Strait of Malacca en route to the Middle East, maritime tracking data showed Tuesday, amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks, Anadolu reports. US officials told CNN that the warship is being deployed to the region, but did not specify its exact destination or mission. Regio...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Mali, Senegal and Nigeria defence spenders in sub-Saharan Africa
Nigeria, Senegal, and Mali have emerged as the primary drivers of a 13 per cent increase in sub-Saharan African arms imports, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research […]
Military Africa
Mar 17, 2026 - military.africa
Jordan’s king arrives in Doha, meets Qatar’s emir amid regional escalation
Jordan’s King Abdullah II arrived in Doha on a visit to Qatar on Tuesday, as regional escalation continues to rage amid the ongoing US-Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Tehran, Anadolu reports. A royal court statement said Abdullah was received by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, without giving further details. The US and Israel have continued a joint offensive on Ira...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Saudi Arabia says ballistic missile, 24 drones intercepted amid escalation
Saudi Arabia said Tuesday evening that air defenses had intercepted a ballistic missile and 24 drones targeting its territory amid escalating tensions across the region, Anadolu reports. A Defense Ministry statement said a ballistic missile fired toward the central province of Al-Kharj was shot down. The ministry added that air defenses had intercepted and destroyed 24 drones in the Eastern Provin...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Bedouin communities – Dispossession and entrapment
As the war in Gaza continues to devastate Palestinian life, and the ongoing confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States deepens regional instability, another quieter tragedy unfolds on the margins of the conflict. The Bedouins – long-standing desert communities whose lives have been intertwined with the fragile ecosystems of the Middle East – find themselves caught in the crosscurr...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Blocking fertilisers: The Hormuz Strait and agricultural shock
The closure of virtually all commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz occasioned by the Iran War is not merely a matter of oil and gas, the usual prized duo that feature in the nervous chatter of global markets. There are other less conspicuous products that have also been snared in the process. Consider fertilisers, with a supply shock that may well push prices beyond the 2022 peak follo...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israel shocked by Hezbollah capabilities amid fears of prolonged war
Signs of growing shock within Israeli political and military circles are emerging over Hezbollah’s military capabilities, with officials acknowledging that previous intelligence assessments may have significantly underestimated the group’s strength. The reassessment follows Hezbollah’s forceful entry into the confrontation alongside the ongoing regional war involving Iran, prompting concerns in Is...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
UN rights office slams Israeli threats to inflict Gaza-level destruction on Lebanon
The UN human rights office on Tuesday slammed Israeli rhetoric suggesting Lebanon could face destruction similar to Gaza as “wholly unacceptable,” Anadolu reports. “Statements by Israeli officials threatening to impose the same level of destruction on Lebanon as inflicted in Gaza are wholly unacceptable,” spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters in Geneva. “Such rhetoric, coupled with the Is...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli army claims Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani killed near Tehran
The Israeli military said Tuesday that it had killed Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in an airstrike near Tehran, Anadolu reports. A military statement claimed that Larijani was “eliminated” in a “precise strike,” describing him as “the de facto leader” of the Iranian regime. There was no immediate response from Iran to the Israeli claim. Israeli Defense Ministe...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Russia protests Israeli strike near Bushehr nuclear plant
Russia has lodged an official protest with Israel following an airstrike near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, warning of potential risks to Russian personnel working at the facility. According to political sources cited by the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Moscow sent a formal protest via its embassy in Israel after a strike targeted an area close to the residences of Russian experts involved in o...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Drones intercepted near US embassy in Baghdad as explosions strike Erbil
Air defence systems intercepted drones near the US embassy in central Baghdad early on Tuesday, according to widely shared footage. Initial reports indicate heightened security measures and heavy aircraft activity over the area. The group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it had launched drones towards US bases, vowing to continue its attacks. Media outlets also quoted Iran’s Isla...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Pezeshkian sets terms for ceasefire talks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said there was no point in talking about stopping attacks unless there were guarantees that Iran would not face further aggression. In a post on platform X, Pezeshkian referred to a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron about what he described as US and Israeli aggression against Iran. He said “I emphasized that Iran did not begin this atrocious war,”...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
IDF: Hezbollah planning larger overnight attack with heavy rocket barrage
The IDF took the unusual measure of pre-warning the home front after the incident last Wednesday, in which the military had prior intelligence of such an attack, but did not issue an early warning.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
Russia is reportedly expanding military cooperation with Iran
Sources tell The Wall Street Journal that Russian satellite imagery and drone guidance have enabled Iran to carry out more precise strikes on radar and missile systems in the Gulf, while analysts note the support mirrors intelligence Western nations have shared with Ukraine
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
Germany dismisses regime change in Iran as unrealistic, warns of chaos risks
Germany’s foreign minister on Tuesday rejected the idea of pursuing regime change in Iran and warned that any resulting chaos would harm the region and Europe, Anadolu reports. “A controlled regime change is, I would say, a hypothetical idea which is not realistic,” Johann Wadephul told the Europe 2026 conference, emphasizing that all past regime change efforts have failed. “If you look at what ha...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Making humanitarian aid work for everyone but the recipients
The EU yesterday confirmed €458 million in humanitarian aid for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt. Palestine will receive €124 million to cover the needs of 3.3 million people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. In a war-torn Middle East, the European Union is stepping up while others step back,” the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib stated. N...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Selective law and convenient outrage
On 11 March 2026 two statements emerged from the international system that together reveal more about contemporary diplomacy than any solemn lecture on international law. First, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution condemning Iran for missile and drone attacks across the Gulf and for actions affecting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. On that same day, several Muslim-majority...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
US-Israeli actions ‘have no basis under international law,’ says Scottish leader
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney on Tuesday criticized the actions of the US and Israel in Iran, saying they “have no basis under international law,” Anadolu reports. “So let me be clear, the unjustifiable actions of the US and Israel have no basis under international law. They must stop for the sake of innocent children in Iran, for the sake of peace,” he said in a post on the US social med...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
UN report says Israeli settlements driving displacement, violence in West Bank
Israeli settlement expansion and rising violence have driven the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. According to a new report covering the 12-month period ending Oct. 31, 2025, more than 36,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced amid intensified settlement activity and...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
The original sin: How Churchill’s oil and Khomeini’s vision fuelled decades of Middle East turmoil
The war in Iran did not begin with a missile strike or a declaration. It began in the sweltering August of 1953, in the offices of a CIA operative named Kermit Roosevelt Jr., grandson of a president, architect of a coup d’état. It began when American and British intelligence agencies decided that democracy was too dangerous — that a people’s right to their own oil, their own sovereignty, their own...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
USS Gerald R. Ford: the world's biggest aircraft carrier
The USS Gerald R. Ford -- the world's largest aircraft carrier -- is playing a key role in the US-Israeli war against Iran, but has suffered problems during its extended deployment.The carrier has now been at sea for almost nine months and will reportedly soon set sail for the island of Crete for repairs after a blaze broke out aboard the ship last week.Below are some key facts about the aircraft ...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 17, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Iran war is not delaying US weapons shipments to Taiwan, officials say
By Patricia Zengerle and Michael MartinaWASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - The war on Iran has not delayed shipments of weapons to Taiwan or changed U.S. policy toward the island, officials from President Donald Trump's administration told members of Congress on Tuesday, despite the demands of the intense air campaign."Have we delayed moving things to Taiwan? We haven't," Stanley Brown, principal de...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 17, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Rocket and drone attacks resume on US embassy and diplomatic facility in Baghdad, sources say
BAGHDAD, March 17 (Reuters) - Rocket and drone attacks on the U.S. embassy and a diplomatic facility in Iraq resumed on Tuesday after a series of earlier strikes the same day, security sources said.Rockets and an explosive drone targeted the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, triggering sirens and an explosion was heard near the compound, security sources said.At least three explosive drones also targeted ...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 17, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Iran vets friendly ships for Hormuz passage: trackers
Iran is selecting ships from friendly countries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade waterway cut off by the Middle East war, data trackers indicated Tuesday.Tehran's forces have closed off the waterway, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes in peacetime, with deadly hits reported on vessels since the war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 17, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Starmer, Zelenskyy urge ‘focus’ on Ukraine as Iran war diverts attention
As leaders of Ukraine and UK meet, Turkiye's top diplomat reiterates his country's offer to host Russia-Ukraine talks.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Mar 17, 2026 - aljazeera.com
Drones expand the deadly front lines of Sudan’s devastating war
The United Nations is warning that escalating drone warfare in Sudan has killed more than 200 people in over a week.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Mar 17, 2026 - aljazeera.com
What the Iran war looks like from the occupied West Bank
Iran missile shrapnel falls on West Bank Palestinians as settler attacks, Israeli raids and restrictions continue.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Mar 17, 2026 - aljazeera.com
Reports of large US invasion to get Iran 60% nuke uranium likely overblown - exclusive
It is still possible that the US could use ground forces in some fashion. Further, the IDF has declined to provide confidence that the threat will be dealt with before the end of the war.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
IDF kills Iran's Ali Larijani, Basij commander in largest targeted strikes since Khamenei
Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani and deputy also killed in IDF strikes, officials say 'majority of the Basij leadership was eliminated overnight' • Netanyahu: Larijani was 'boss' of regime
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
How the IDF assassinated Iran’s ‘de-facto leader’ Ali Larijani
Iran's top security official was constantly moving to different secret locations throughout the last two weeks, sources said, taking precautions to avoid being located by Israel.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
WATCH: IDF 91st Division chief addresses soldiers as limited ground ops. against Hezbollah begin
The military also published photographs of weapons and terror paraphernalia belonging to Hezbollah terror operatives seized by the 91st Division across southern Lebanon.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
How China could shorten Iran's path to military recovery after the war
Since the outbreak of war, Beijing has been mostly talk and little walk. But the day after, when Tehran seeks China's help rebuilding militarily in return for oil, could offset what the U.S. and Israel have achieved
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
ADL chief lashes out at Tucker Carlson and Maryland senator in 'State of Hate' address
During his annual address, CEO Jonathan Greenblatt called out Chris Van Hollen, the Senate's most prominent critic of Israel, and condemned politicians and pundits from across the political spectrum that have accused Israel of dragging the U.S. into war with Iran
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
Lebanon’s death toll in Israeli attacks since March 2 surpasses 900: Health Ministry
More than 900 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon since March 2, according to the country’s Health Ministry on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Citing the ministry, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that the total number of fatalities between March 2 and March 17 reached 912, while 2,221 people were injured. On Tuesday morning, the Israeli army announced that the 36th Di...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
The explosion inside Trump’s war machine: Joe Kent resigns
Joe Kent’s resignation is not an anomaly but an alarm: elite dissent is surfacing early because this war is built on deception. Joe Kent’s resignation is shocking, but not for the obvious reason. It is not shocking simply because it comes from within the Trump administration. Any administration of that size, stretching across thousands of officials, operatives and career personnel, will contain pe...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
US counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to Iran war
The director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, Joseph Kent, resigned Tuesday, citing his opposition to the ongoing US war in Iran, Anadolu reports. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote in a letter shared on the US social media platform X. He argued that Iran posed no imminent threat to the US and claimed the conflict was initiated under external press...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
British Airways extends flight cuts to Middle East over airspace instability
British Airways said it is extending temporary reductions to its flight schedule in the Middle East due to the ongoing “uncertainty” and unstable airspace in the region, Anadolu reports. “Due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability, and to provide more clarity to our customers, we’ve extended the temporary reduction in our flying schedule in the r...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Egypt permanently designates senior Muslim Brotherhood figures as terrorists
Egypt has formally designated several senior figures from the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorists on a “permanent and definitive” basis, following final court rulings, authorities announced. The Office for Regulating Terrorist Entities and Terrorists said the decision applies to Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, Mahmoud Ezzat Ibrahim and Moaz Mansour El-Sharkawy, among others, in line with Egypt’s Terrorist...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Tehran warns US against attacks on Kharg Island oil facilities
Tehran has warned the United States that it will respond if there are any new attacks on its oil facilities on Kharg Island, Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Abu al-Fazl Shekarchi told Tasnim News Agency on Monday. Shekarchi said Iran would destroy all oil and gas facilities of any country involved in such attacks. On Saturday, US forces struck around 90 Iranian military targets on the island, a key...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Fatwa urges Eid prayers near Al-Aqsa Mosque amid ongoing closure
Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque and former Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, has issued a fatwa (religious ruling) calling on Muslims to perform Eid prayers at the nearest point to Al-Aqsa Mosque, which has been closed for more than two weeks. Palestinian platforms reported that the ruling urges all Muslims to head towards Al-Aqsa Mosque and pray as close to i...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Ireland rules out joining mission to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said on Monday that Ireland would not take part in a mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz following a US call to deploy naval forces in the area, Anadolu reports. Martin ruled out Irish involvement in any EU mission to reopen the strategic oil route ahead of his visit to the White House on Tuesday. “We don’t have that offensive military capacity in any shape o...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli forces attack worshippers, arrest several youths in Jerusalem
Israeli forces on Monday evening attacked worshippers performing the Isha and Taraweeh prayers near Bab al-Sahira in occupied East Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Governorate said forces fired stun grenades at the worshippers and arrested a number of young men. In a related development, Israeli authorities threatened to close a restaurant in the Khan al-Zeit market in Jerusalem and prevented its owner fr...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 17, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Ali Larijani, Iran's ultimate backroom powerbroker, dies at 67
March 17 (Reuters) - Veteran Iranian politician Ali Larijani was one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic Republic, an architect of its security policy, and a close adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei until the supreme leader's death in an airstrike last month.He has been killed at the age of 67, Iranian media said on Tuesday. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said earlier on Tuesday that...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 17, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Exclusive-Early indications show Israel tank fire hit UN Lebanon base, source says
By John IrishPARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - Initial findings by an internal U.N. inquiry suggest Israeli tank fire hit a U.N. position in southern Lebanon on March 6, wounding Ghanaian peacekeepers, according to a Western military source, underscoring the growing risks as Israeli operations expand.The U.N. peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities al...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 17, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Iranian rescue workers struggle under relentless bombardment
By Maggie MichaelTEHRAN, March 17 (Reuters) - As U.S. and Israeli air strikes pound Tehran, Iranian rescue workers are braving the risk of secondary attacks and say they are suffering trauma from the horror of pulling dead children from the rubble. The rescue teams are responding to a daily barrage of strikes across the city, and one worker told Reuters that on each of the 10 days he had been wor...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 17, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Trump blasts 'foolish' NATO on Iran, says US needs no help
US President Donald Trump lashed out Tuesday at "foolish" NATO over Iran, saying the United States needs no help after allies rebuffed his calls to join efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.Trump said most US allies had rejected his push to escort ships through the crucial waterway, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying his country would "never" do so until the situation was calmer."I thi...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 17, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Israel has ‘won’ war with Iran, foreign minister says, but goals remain unmet
By Alexander CornwellJERUSALEM, March 17 (Reuters) - Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Tuesday the country had effectively won its war with Iran, but gave no indication of when the conflict might end, saying only that the campaign would continue until its objectives were achieved.Speaking at a news conference, Saar said Israel was seeking to remove "existential threats", but did not say...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 17, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Israeli attacks on Lebanon may amount to war crimes, UN rights office says
'Deliberately attacking civilians, civilian objects amounts to war crime,' UN says after resurgence in Israeli strikes.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Mar 17, 2026 - aljazeera.com
Trump's operation in Strait of Hormuz could extend war with Iran by months, sources tell Post
Issues in the Strait of Hormuz "could extend the war by as much as two months,” one source familiar with the discussions said.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
Sirens sound across Israel after IDF prepares to fend off large-scale overnight attack from Lebanon
Cluster munitions from Iran targeted central Israel on Tuesday afternoon, causing shrapnel to fall on the train station in Holon and other locations throughout central Israel.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
US encourages Syrian action against Hezbollah, Damascus is hesitant, sources say
Despite historic enmity towards Hezbollah and Tehran, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has moved cautiously since US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran began on February 28.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
Despite pushing uprising, Israeli officials believe Iranian protesters will be slaughtered - report
Israeli officials believe that protesters who returned to the streets in large numbers would “will get slaughtered” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other security forces.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
US intelligence says Iranian regime change unlikely, IRGC maintains power - report
Two anonymous sources told the Post that current US intelligence assessments predict that the regime will remain intact following Operation Epic Fury, and may even become emboldened.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
Knesset approves updated war budget in first reading, adding billions of NIS to defense
The updated budget, which passed in the plenum by a margin of 53–45, must still pass its final votes before the end of March.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
UN says more than 36,000 Palestinians displaced by Israeli settlement drive
Israel's permanent mission in Geneva, where the UN office is based, said it was working on a response to the report.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
Israel has ‘won’ war with Iran, foreign minister says, but goals remain unmet
Speaking at a news conference, Saar said Israel was seeking to remove "existential threats," but did not say how the government would determine when those goals had been met.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
German antisemitism commissioner quits far‑left party over anti-Israel resolution
Andreas Büttner also said he’s had enough of what he has described as harassment from within his party, Die Linke, the successor to the Socialist Unity Party of Germany.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
Israeli international NGOs use disaster response skills to help missile-hit communities in Israel
These humanitarian organizations, having operated primarily in international crisis zones, are now applying their expertise to support communities affected by missile attacks across Israel.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 17, 2026 - jpost.com
'We weren't consulted': Qatar warns Gulf will face Iran's retaliation if U.S. ends war
Qatari official says region will 'live with the consequences' of a war it didn't choose. He urges stronger deterrence, closer cooperation with Europe and warns that unchecked Israeli and Iranian "hegemony" risks repeated regional wars
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
First senior Trump official resigns over Iran war he says was driven by Israeli pressure
Joe Kent, a top official overseeing U.S. counterterrorism efforts with far-right ties, announced his immediate resignation. 'It is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,' he wrote
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
Iran's new supreme leader rejects de-escalation proposals conveyed by intermediaries, Iran official says
In his first foreign policy session in office, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei presented an extremely stern stance against 'reducing tensions' in the conflict: not 'until the United States and Israel are brought to their knees'
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
This magazine is unapologetically Palestinian – and entirely in Hebrew
Featuring writing from across Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, the online magazine Sabra hopes to fight the widespread dehumanization of Palestinians in Hebrew. Meanwhile, Israel's public broadcaster indulges wartime nostalgia, and an exhibition from a famous sculptor awaits a cease-fire
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
Ultra-Orthodox group breaks into West Bank Tomb, removed by IDF hours later
Pilgrimages to the site believed to be Joseph's Tomb are held periodically and require coordination with Israeli security forces; the army said it evacuated the group and handed them over to police for questioning after clashes with local Palestinians
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
Netanyahu isn't dead. But even his 'proof of life' video is being derided as AI
Netanyahu with six fingers, a brimming cappuccino that won't spill: Conspiracy theories have exploded over social media, in English and Arabic, contending that Israel's prime minister was killed in an Iranian missile strike and that AI-generated videos have taken his place
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
A war will only backfire: Israel's once-in-a-generation opportunity in Lebanon
After the past year, Lebanon has shaken off Syria's grip and its leaders now oppose Hezbollah. With a partner finally emerging in Beirut, will Jerusalem work with it and help strengthen its institutions, or opt for yet another all-out war?
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
Hezbollah fires dozens of rockets at northern Israel; IDF strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
High-ranking Israeli police officer entered West Bank village with IDF troops to seize ancient stone
Meir Rotter, head of the police's ultra-Orthodox community department, confiscated a carved lintel from a home in Kafr Dhaba without Civil Administration archaeologists present and in an area under Palestinian Authority control; police say the incident will be investigated
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 17, 2026 - haaretz.com
No time for losers: Why the war meant to save Israel may destroy it
When Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu launched their military aggression against Iran on 28th February, they appeared convinced that the war would be swift. Netanyahu reportedly assured Washington that the campaign would deliver a decisive strategic victory—one capable of reordering the Middle East and restoring Israel’s battered deterrence. Whether Netanyahu himself believed that promise is an...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
IDF officials say Lebanon ground operation focused on border defense, not halting Hezbollah rocket fire
Army officials said there is no intention to establish a permanent security zone, with the ground operation meant to push Hezbollah fighters away from the border and prevent incursions into Israeli communities
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 16, 2026 - haaretz.com
Exercise Justified Accord 2026, the largest multinational excercise in East Africa ends
The U.S. Africa Command, known as AFRICOM, launched its premier annual multinational exercise, Justified Accord 2026, on March 8, 2026. This year, the operation spans Djibouti, Kenya, and Tanzania, drawing […]