Middle East Geopolitical Reporting for 2026-03-31
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.
Iranian Army drones hit Israeli electronic warfare, radar systems in Haifa
Iran’s Army says it has targeted strategic centers in Israel’s Haifa port and Ben Gurion Air Base with drones, as an unprovoked war of aggression by the United States and Israeli regime against the Islamic Republic enters its fifth week.
Presstv
Mar 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
Yemen officially joins fight against US, Israel by firing missiles at occupied territories
The Yemeni Armed Forces says it has officially joined the war against the US-Israeli front in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Resistance Front in Lebanon, Iraq, and Palestine.
Presstv
Mar 31, 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 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
IRGC hits US-Israeli pilot hideouts, drone hangers in 87th wave of reprisal attacks
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps says it has hit American-Israeli command centers, drone hangers and pilot hideouts in new missile strikes.
Presstv
Mar 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
Iran Army drones strike US radar stations, site for troops deployment in UAE
Iran’s Army says it targeted the US radar stations and a site for the deployment of American military forces in the UAE.
Presstv
Mar 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
Ayatollah Khamenei hails ‘explicit’ stance of Iraqi top clerics, nation on Iran war
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei appreciates Iraqi religious authority and nation’s explicit stance on the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic.
Presstv
Mar 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
Iran will determine end of war imposed by US, Israel: Military
The spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of Iran says Tehran is the party which will determine the end of the ongoing war of aggression against the Islamic Republic.
Presstv
Mar 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
In Numbers: The civilian toll of US-Israeli aggression against Iran after 29 days
As the US-Israeli military aggression against Iran entered its 29th day, Iranian officials released updated casualty figures and damage inflicted on civilian infrastructure.
Presstv
Mar 31, 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 31, 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 31, 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 31, 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 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
Over 500 US troops targeted in Dubai strikes; heavy casualties expected: Iran military
The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters says over 500 US troops were targeted in the Iranian Armed Forces’ latest operations.
Presstv
Mar 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
IRGC strikes US-Israeli industrial sites in retaliation for infrastructure attacks
The IRGC announces a large-scale missile and drone operation targeting heavy industries belonging to the American-Israeli enemy in occupied territories and other locations in the region.
Presstv
Mar 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
True Promise 4: Iran and resistance axis ops. against US-Israeli assets on Mar. 28
Iranian armed forces and resistance groups across the region continued their retaliatory military operations against the US and the Israeli regime on Saturday, March 28.
Presstv
Mar 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
IRGC targets US-linked aluminum industries in coordinated missile-drone strike
The IRGC announces targeting two industries connected to US military and aerospace sectors in a combined missile and drone operation.
Presstv
Mar 31, 2026 - presstv.ir
US lawmaker calls Israel’s death penalty bill ‘next step in the genocide’
US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib condemned an Israeli bill that would mandate the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, calling it “the next step in the genocide of Palestinians” and an act of apartheid, Anadolu reports. “Mass execution by hanging, solely on racial lines” constitutes apartheid Tlaib said on the US social media platform X, adding that Palestinians are “already systematically tortu...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Turkiye’s foreign minister discusses regional situation with UN chief
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed the situation in the Middle East and efforts to end the ongoing Iran war, Turkish diplomatic sources said Monday, Anadolu Agency reports. Fidan and Guterres talked over the phone, according to sources. The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched an air offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing mo...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli forces demolish two Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem
Israeli forces demolished two Palestinian homes in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, Anadolu Agency reports. Troops, accompanied by bulldozers, raided the Al-Bustan area and Ain Street in Silwan, demolishing the houses and surrounding walls. Israel closed Al-Aqsa after the start of its war with Iran on Feb. 28, citing security concerns, while Iran has launched retaliatory missile...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Stock market winners and losers one month into US-Israel war on Iran
The US-Israel strikes against Iran have triggered a series of retaliations and military escalation in the Middle East that have sent shockwaves through global financial markets.The conflict, now more than a month old, has disrupted trade and energy markets, with stocks around the globe facing diverging effects based on how exposed they are -- or how much they benefit from -- the chaos.Here are som...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Israeli fire kills six in Gaza and the West Bank, over 10 in Lebanon, medics say
Three people were killed and two others were wounded when an Israeli plane fired a missile at a group of Palestinians in Gaza City, medics said. In the West Bank, health officials said the IDF fatally shot a 22-year-old man near Hebron
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
Iranian, French foreign ministers discuss regional escalation after US-Israeli war
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot discussed the ongoing escalation in the Middle East region on Monday and their security and economic repercussions in a phone call, Anadolu reports. Araghchi said Iran would continue what he described as “defensive operations” against the US and Israel, including targeting their military bases and facilities in the...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Protest held in Gaza to mark 50th anniversary of Palestinian Land Day
A protest was held in front of the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC) building in the Gaza Strip to mark the 50th anniversary of Palestinian Land Day on Monday, Anadolu reports. Organized by the National and Islamic Forces Monitoring Committee and the Prisoners Committee in Palestine, the demonstration protested Israel’s proposed “death penalty law” for Palestinian prisoners and the attempts...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Poll: 66% of Israelis fear army collapse, 43% hit economically
A public opinion poll in Israel on Sunday found that 66 percent of Israelis are worried about a possible “collapse of the army”, following warnings by the Chief of Staff about multiple fronts and ongoing challenges. According to the survey, published by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, Kan 11, remarks by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir have raised concerns among most respondents, as fighting...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Russian oil tanker nears Cuba despite US sanctions as Trump says he sees “no problem”
A Russian oil tanker is expected to arrive in Cuba on Tuesday despite US sanctions, in a move seen as a challenge to the long-standing American embargo on the island, which is facing a severe energy shortage, according to shipping data. The US President, Donald Trump, said on Sunday he saw “no problem” with the tanker’s passage. The vessel, Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying around 730,000 barrels of crud...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Hamas says blocking Palm Sunday Mass in Jerusalem is a “dangerous precedent”
Hamas has said that Israeli authorities’ prevention of Palestinian Christians from holding a Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied Jerusalem is a “dangerous precedent” and the first such incident in centuries. In a statement issued on Sunday, and reported by Quds Press the group said the move reflects what it described as the practical implementation of policies aimed at...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli nuclear city emerges as focal point in escalating Iran–Israel confrontation
The city of Dimona has moved to the center of the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel, following reports of an Iranian strike targeting its vicinity on 21st March. Located deep in the Negev desert, Dimona is widely regarded as one of the most sensitive nodes in Israeli strategic infrastructure, largely due to its association with the country’s nuclear programme. Established in 1955, t...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Ukraine's Zelenskiy says Middle East visit a success, announces accords
March 30 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pronounced his tour of Middle Eastern countries a success on Monday and said a number of security cooperation accords had been clinched or were under discussion.Zelenskiy embarked on a tour of the region to offer Ukrainian expertise on how to counter attacks from drones fired by Iran in its conflict with the United States and Israel, whi...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
90% destroyed: How Israel improved its interception of drones from Lebanon
The IDF won't reveal what makes it successful in downing most drones, both to withhold information from Hezbollah and because the fighting is likely to expand and change the statistics
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
Iran’s president says decision to end war ‘must guarantee people’s security, interests’
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that any decision to end the war with the US and Israel must “guarantee the security and interests of the Iranian people,” Anadolu reports. “The resistance shown by the army, along with the national unity shown by the Iranian people during the war, are among the most important factors that helped the country overcome the current critical circumstances...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli Knesset passes law mandating death penalty for Palestinian prisoners
Israel’s Knesset (parliament) on Monday passed a controversial law allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, Anadolu reports. The bill was approved in second and third readings by 62 votes against 48, and one abstention, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in support of the law. READ: US lawmaker calls Israel’s death penalty bill ‘...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
No one but you can stop war in Middle East, al-Sisi tells Trump
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday appealed to his American counterpart, Donald Trump, to “end the war in the region” as the Israeli-American offensive on Iran entered its second month, Anadolu reports. Al-Sisi made the remarks during his speech at the ninth edition of the Egypt International Energy Conference and Exhibition (EGYPS 2026) in Cairo, held from March 30 until April 1 am...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israel’s chief of staff warns of army ‘collapse’, sparks political storm over troop shortages
A warning by Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir about a potential army “collapse” due to troop shortages has triggered a wave of political reactions in Israel, with opposition figures backing the assessment and allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu questioning its motives, Anadolu reports. Israel’s military is currently engaged in conflicts in Iran and Lebanon while continuing strikes in Gaza...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Syria eyes reconstruction push, economic reset after war
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Monday that his country is moving toward a new economic program and a reconstruction phase, stressing the importance of benefiting from the expertise of the Syrian diaspora in Germany, Anadolu reports. His remarks came in an interview with the state-run Syrian news channel on the sidelines of his visit to Germany, where he arrived on Sunday evening as part ...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
US could meet Iran war objectives in weeks, says Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that Washington is close to achieving its objectives in Iran “in a matter of weeks,” adding that President Donald Trump has “a number of options available” to prevent Iran from controlling the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. During an interview with ABC News, Rubio said that the US is focused on the “destruction” of Iran’s air force, navy, and facto...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Dimona’s shadow: How Israel’s nuclear monopoly warps Middle East security
The skies over Tehran and Natanz may still carry the lingering haze of joint U.S.-Israeli operations. Yet the world, filtered through the dominant voice of Western media, continues to be fed a singular narrative: the latent danger of Iran’s uranium enrichment, perpetually described as being “one step away” from a nuclear warhead. Amid the noise of economic sanctions, United Nations Security Counci...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli strikes in Gaza kill two, destroy buildings in Yellow Line area
Two Palestinians were killed and a third injured early on Monday in an Israeli air strike on the Zeitoun neighbourhood, south of Gaza City. According to the Anadolu Agency, the strike targeted civilians near the Asqoula junction in the neighbourhood. Witnesses told the agency that the Israeli army carried out controlled demolitions of buildings and facilities in areas under its control east of the...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Gaza Christians celebrate Palm Sunday for first time since war
Christians in the Gaza Strip marked Palm Sunday yesterday for the first time since the Israeli war began on 7th October 2023, now in its second year. In a spiritual and celebratory atmosphere, dozens gathered at the Holy Family Church, part of the Latin Patriarchate, in Gaza City’s Old Town. They took part in Palm Sunday prayers led by Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest in Gaza, an Anadol...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Former Israeli PM warns of army strain and leadership failures
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has delivered sharp criticism of the government’s handling of the ongoing war, describing it as based on a “grand illusion” and warning that Hezbollah cannot be eliminated militarily. In remarks reported by Israeli Channel 13, Barak said the management of the war from the outset was fundamentally flawed, adding that expectations of a decisive military outco...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli media: Mount Herzl military cemetery nearing capacity
Israeli media have reported that the military cemetery on Mount Herzl is nearing full capacity for the burial of Israeli occupation soldiers, amid a sharp rise in casualties since 7th October 2023. According to data presented by the “Matva” unit of the Israeli Ministry of Defence to a local planning and building appeals committee in Jerusalem, the cemetery has exhausted all available graves design...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israel passes law making death penalty default sentence for Palestinians convicted of lethal attacks
JERUSALEM, March 30 (Reuters) - Israel's parliament passed a law on Monday making the death penalty a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military court of deadly attacks, seeing through a main pledge by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies. (Reporting by Maayan LubellEditing by Alexandra Hudson)
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Fearing economic collapse after war, Iran cracks down on dissent
March 30 (Reuters) - A month into its war with the United States and Israel, Iran is trying to forestall any spark of domestic unrest with arrests, executions and massive street deployments by security forces and supporters, recruiting even children to staff checkpoints. While there has been little sign so far of people defying draconian warnings not to protest, officials fear that damage to an al...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Iran war is dimming outlook for many economies, IMF says
By Andrea ShalalWASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - The war in the Middle East has caused serious disruption to the economies of frontline countries, and is dimming the outlook for many economies that had just started to recover from previous crises, the International Monetary Fund warned on Monday.In a blog published by the global lender's top economists, the IMF said the war launched by U.S. and Is...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Defense sources: Ending IDF war on Iran waits for Trump decision on Hormuz, nuke issue
Defense sources were not convinced that Iran would accept a deal to end the war in the coming week, and if they don't, Trump would decide how to address the crisis in the Strait.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Iran long-range strikes expose gaps in Europe’s air defense, expert tells 'Post' - interview
Iran fired two long-range ballistic missiles at the Diego Garcia joint UK-US army base 4000 km away, potentially putting most European countries within its strike radius.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Haifa refinery hit in latest Iranian missile barrage, Bazan group confirms
In earlier barrages, missile shrapnel struck the facility, causing localized damage and temporary power disruptions, though no casualties were reported.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
IDF suspending Netzah Yehuda reservists, not just company involved, following CNN team debacle
The IDF says it opposes the battalion's full disbandment, which is considered one of the flagship projects for integrating haredim into the military.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
White House ballroom project to include 'massive' military complex
On Sunday, Trump showed reporters aboard Air Force One a large rendering of the new building, which will replace the East Wing.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Iran is echoing Nazi Germany, Berlin is echoing Chamberlain
Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons to destroy Israel mirrors Nazi Germany's goals. Why then did German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier claim the war against Tehran violates international law?
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
Fake news! Don't buy the Israeli right's sudden concern for settler violence
There's been a highly unusual flood of condemnations of settler violence against Palestinians, from rabbis to pundits to politicians. But don't confuse their statements with real cracks in Israel's iron wall of support for settlements, expulsion and annexation
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
Netanyahu's Likud files police complaint against journalist critical of PM
Channel 12's Guy Peleg has had a target on his back since he aired footage of IDF reservists abusing a Palestinian at Sde Teiman prison during the Israel-Gaza war, and has since suffered harassment and a ministerial 'boycott' of his channel
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
The efforts to end the war in Iran are forging a new regional alliance
In a conference to 'de-escalate' the Iran war, four regional powers are building a new military-strategic partnership for mutual defense. Israel has long dreamed of such an 'Arab NATO,' but most of these countries believe Israel initiated a war that has brought destruction to their doorstep
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
US raises concerns with Israel over restrictions at Jerusalem holy sites during Holy Week
The United States has raised concerns with Israel over restrictions on access to holy sites in Jerusalem during the Christian Holy Week, the White House said on Monday, Anadolu reports. “I did speak with Secretary Rubio this morning, and we did express our concerns with Israel with respect to these holy sites being shut down,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “We want w...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
US deploys special operations forces to Middle East amid Iran war: Report
Hundreds of US special operations personnel, including Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, reached the Middle East as Washington increased its military capabilities, the New York Times reported, citing two US military officials, Anadolu reports. The commandos have not yet been assigned specific missions but could be deployed across several potential fronts, the report said, identifying the Strait of Horm...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
New poll reveals majority of American Jews oppose US war on Iran
A majority of American Jews disapprove of the US war against Iran, according to a new Mellman Group survey released Monday, Anadolu reports. The poll, conducted online between March 13 and March 23 among 800 registered American Jewish voters nationwide, found that 55% disapprove of the US strikes on Iran, compared to 32% who approve. It also revealed that nearly 49% of the participants strongly di...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Trump threatens to destroy Iran energy sites, desalination plants if talks fail
US President Donald Trump on Monday said negotiations with Iran to end joint US-Israeli strikes were progressing, but warned that the country’s crucial energy infrastructure would be destroyed if talks do not soon bear fruit, Anadolu reports. “If for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately ‘Open for Business,’ we will conclud...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iran war cause challenges for air cargo sector, int’l aviation body warns
The ongoing war in Iran and related tensions in the Middle East region continue to cause challenges for the air cargo sector, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned on Monday, Anadolu reports. “Sharply rising fuel costs, fuel scarcity in parts of the world, and the severe disruption to key cargo hubs in the Gulf are major shifts,” Willie Walsh, the director general of the associ...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Palestinian man killed by Israeli army fire in Tulkarm, injuries reported in West Bank
A young Palestinian man was killed by Israeli army fire at the Anab checkpoint east of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarm, the Palestinian Civil Affairs Authority said Monday, Anadolu reports. The authority said it informed the Palestinian Health Ministry of the death of Abdulrahman Hamza Abdulrahman Abu Al-Rub, 31, from the town of Jalbun in Jenin, after he was killed by Israeli forces on Mon...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Young artists of Gaza tell their story
Photos: Palestinians commemorate the 50th anniversary of Land Day
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
The Iran War: A Great Carbon Emitter
Truth may well be the first casualty of war, but death, injury and environmental degradation are bound to be keeping up in the hit lists. Attacks on gas fields, oil refineries and petrochemical plants will always leave an impression once the conflict concludes. In the case of carbon emissions, the most challenging obstacle in collective efforts to stay the rise of the earth’s temperatures, the I...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
France, Germany, Italy and UK condemn Israel’s proposed death penalty law targeting Palestinians
In a joint statement on Sunday, Berlin, Paris, Rome and London expressed “deep concern” over a proposed law that would allow the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of carrying out attacks that result in the deaths of Israelis. The statement said: “We, the Foreign Ministers of Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, express our deep concern about a bill that would significantly expand ...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Red Ribbon Campaign issue call to action against Israel’s planned executions
The Red Ribbon Campaign has today issued an urgent statement calling on the free people of the world to join their planned activities on 16, 17, and 18 April 2026 against Isreal’s plans to execute scores of Palestinian detainees. The statement said, “We will turn every square, every street, and every digital platform into a space demanding their right to live.” It continued: “In the darkness of pr...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Jerusalem Governorate warns of settler plans for animal sacrifices at Al-Aqsa Mosque
The Jerusalem Governorate has warned of attempts by settlers to bring animal sacrifices into Al-Aqsa Mosque, describing the move as a dangerous escalation aimed at imposing new religious rituals within the mosque compound. In a statement issued Sunday evening, the Governorate said these attempts coincide with the continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli occupation authorities for the 30th co...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 30, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
After pope's remark, White House defends praying for US troops
The White House on Monday defended praying for US troops engaged in the Iran war after Pope Leo XIV warned that God rejects the prayers "of those who wage war.""I don't think there is anything wrong with our military leaders or with the president calling on the American people to pray for our servicemembers and those who are serving our country overseas," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told repo...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Two more UN peacekeepers killed in south Lebanon
The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said two of its personnel were killed Monday in the second deadly incident in 24 hours in the country's south, where Israel and Hezbollah are fighting.The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed "when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle". Two other peacekeepers were wounded, one of them ...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
UN peacekeeper killed in Lebanon as Israeli strikes pummel south
BEIRUT, March 30 (Reuters) - A United Nations peacekeeper was killed in southern Lebanon overnight, prompting condemnations on Monday after a bloody weekend in which Lebanese journalists and medics were killed in Israeli strikes.The peacekeeper from Indonesia was the first from the U.N.'s peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, to be killed in the new war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbo...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Thousands of US Army paratroopers arrive in Middle East as buildup intensifies
By Idrees Ali and Phil StewartWASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - Thousands of soldiers from the U.S. Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division have started arriving in the Middle East, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, as President Donald Trump weighs his next steps in the war against Iran.Reuters first reported on March 18 that Trump's administration was considering deploying thousands of additi...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
What could Trump achieve by threatening Iran's Kharg Island?
A scrubby island in the Gulf that is roughly one third the size of Manhattan, Kharg Island is the nerve centre of the Iranian oil industry -- and at the heart of US President Donald Trump's latest efforts to pressure Tehran.On Monday Trump vowed that a failure by Iran to agree a deal to end the war could see the United States "completely obliterating" the export hub. A day earlier, he had said the...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Mar 30, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Fire contained after missile attack on oil refinery in Israel’s Haifa
Attack marks second time Oil Refineries facility in northern Israel targeted during US-Israeli war on Iran.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Mar 30, 2026 - aljazeera.com
Knesset approves death penalty for terrorists bill, Netanyahu in favor
The Knesset plenum passed a bill that would legislate the death penalty for terrorists in Israel after final readings on Monday evening.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Why most Jewish Israelis back the death penalty for terrorists - analysis
Israeli voters can seemingly contradictorily support the death penalty for terrorists and still doubt that it would deter terrorism.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Petition targets newly passed death penalty law, calling it discriminatory, unconstitutional
Rights group asks justices to freeze law immediately; additional petitions are expected.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
The architect of Iran’s military survival remains defiant
Ahmad Vahidi, a known quantity for Israel and the West, became the face of a regime that prefers total confrontation over any semblance of pragmatism.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Both Hezbollah and Iran weighed preemptive strikes on Israel, defense sources say
Defense sources noted that the IDF and American attacks on Iran threw off Hezbollah's calculations, disrupting their plan for a preemptive strike.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Israel to keep effective control of southern Lebanon, attacks on Hezbollah to continue post-war
Defense sources said the IDF will use various sensors, surveillance, aerial power, artillery, and tanks mixed in with ground troops in various parts of southern Lebanon to keep Hezbollah out.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
IDF announces death of Sgt. Liran Ben Zion, 19, killed in southern Lebanon
Ben Zion’s family has been informed of his death.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Canadian progressive party picks Jewish anti-Zionist politician as its leader
Avi Lewis was elected to lead the New Democrats on Sunday, saying he hopes to rebuild a party that suffered its worst losses in history during the 2025 federal election.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Most American Jews disapprove of US military action against Iran, new poll shows
The poll found that 55% of American Jews oppose US military action against Iran, compared to just 32% who support it, with a quarter of respondents "torn."
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Mar 30, 2026 - jpost.com
Israel's war with Iran is the first Polymarket war
Everyone thinks it's just a small, one-time bet, and no harm will come of it. They say to themselves: After all these years I've contributed to the Air Force and the country, I deserve to cash in. And then it turns out that the whole squadron is on Polymarket, and the army is becoming a hotbed of corruption and decay
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
At least three additional Israel Air Force members have been questioned on suspicion of prediction betting on the Iran war
Several senior members of a fighter jet squadron provided testimony in the case, involving alleged betting on the Polymarket betting platform; the lead investigator in the case accused the air force of having 'a faulty organizational culture regarding classified information'
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
Over 600 Israeli academics sign petition urging action against anti-Palestinian settler violence
The petition urges Israel and international community to take immediate action against settler violence against Palestinians. 'Our government has not only failed to protect Palestinians, but has enabled those responsible for violence' said one organizer. Similar letters are in the works from other groups, including doctors, teachers and social workers
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
Israeli soldier killed by Hezbollah anti-tank fire in southern Lebanon
Ben Zion is the sixth Israeli soldier killed in southern Lebanon since the conflict reignited after the November 2024 cease-fire collapsed, following a series of anti-tank and rocket attacks that have wounded others and prompted IDF strikes in the region
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
Trump weighing ground operation to seize Iranian uranium, officials tell WSJ
The U.S. president is conditioning the end of the war on Iran giving up its uranium, and is considering seizing it by force, WSJ cited officials as saying. Such an operation would rank among the most challenging operations Trump has ordered, former U.S. military officials said
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
As a believing and observant Jew, I am ashamed of settler violence against Palestinians
The residents of the West Bank, and especially the Israeli authorities, are capable of taking much more decisive action to significantly reduce this disastrous activity
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
Who are Israel's cops protecting?
The police are exploiting the war for selective political and religious repression. A government that specializes in starting wars but not in ending them does not want to hear or allow the public to hear messages about 'justice and security for the peoples of the region'
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 30, 2026 - haaretz.com
Mladenov’s Gaza disarmament plan blackmails the victim, relieves the aggressor
When the United Nations Security Council convened on March 24 to discuss Gaza’s future, the world witnessed something grotesque: a plan dressed in diplomatic language that effectively punishes the victims of genocide while covering its perpetrators. Presented by Nickolay Mladenov, the Trump-appointed envoy of the so-called “Board of Peace,” the proposal demands the complete disarmament of Hamas an...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 29, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
'Whistles of fighter jets and missiles overhead': Keith and Aviva Siegel recount Hamas captivity from their Israeli shelter
After two years of pain and uncertainty, returned hostages Aviva and Keith Siegel are learning to live again in the midst of another war and using their voices to help those suffering across the world
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 29, 2026 - haaretz.com
From Hormuz to households: How geopolitics is repricing Indonesia’s cooking oil
The escalating military confrontation in the Middle East, pitting the United States and Israel against Iran, has become a transmission belt, channeling external shocks directly into Indonesia’s domestic economy. Nowhere is this more evident than in the price of cooking oil, one of the country’s most politically sensitive commodities. The potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which rou...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 29, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Netanyahu orders expansion of Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he has ordered the military to expand the occupation in southern Lebanon, vowing to continue attacks until Israel achieves its objectives, Anadolu reports. Israel is “determined to fundamentally change the situation in the north,” Netanyahu said in a video statement released on the US social media platform X. He said military operations in Leba...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 29, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Japanese atomic bomb survivors send letters to US, Israel urging peace amid Iran war
Japanese atomic bomb survivors have sent letters to the embassies of the US and Israel, condemning their attacks on Iran, Anadolu reports. However, the Israeli Embassy in Tokyo refused to accept the letter co-signed by four atomic bomb survivor groups, according to Japanese daily The Mainichi. Shigemitsu Tanaka, the 85-year-old head of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council, said: “The documen...
Middle East Monitor
Mar 29, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Video of Israeli soldier holding turtle triggers outrage in Lebanon
Social media users have accused the anti-Hezbollah MTV Lebanon channel of everything from clickbait to treason for promoting a video of an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon. 'The first Arab channel… promoting the Israeli occupation army,' one critic wrote
Haaretz latest headlines
Mar 29, 2026 - haaretz.com
Key Iranian official Ghalibaf: U.S. negotiating publicly while secretly planning ground invasion
The parliament speaker said Iran's military is waiting for U.S. ground forces to enter so it can 'set them ablaze' and 'punish' U.S. allies in the region. Earlier on Sunday, The Washington Post reported that the U.S. Defense Department is preparing for ground operations in Iran that could last weeks