Middle East Geopolitical Reporting for 2026-05-21
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. For this post, we looked at 8 news sites and located 79 current articles out of 361 reviewed.
Today's featured articles are:
Middle East Monitor, AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East, JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World, Presstv, Mehr News Agency, IRNA English, Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera, Haaretz latest headlines.
US imposes sanctions on aid flotilla activists, some based in Europe
The United States on Tuesday placed several individuals linked to the Global Sumud Flotilla on its sanctions blacklist. The flotilla aims to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians, with some of the targeted individuals based in Europe. In a statement, the US State Department said “Today’s designations target three categories of Hamas enablers: organizers of a Hamas...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
UAE says drones targeting Barakah nuclear plant were launched from Iraqi territory
The UAE Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that the drones involved in the recent attack targeting the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant were launched from Iraq. According to the ministry, the incident likely involved armed groups operating from Iraqi territory, amid accusations that Iranian-backed militias have repeatedly carried out drone attacks against Gulf states since the outbreak of the US-...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Board of Peace report accuses Hamas of blocking Gaza progress
Hamas is "the principal obstacle" to moving to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, the Board of Peace initiative created by US President Donald Trump said in its first report to the UN Security Council.In its findings, the group, established by Trump in January to oversee the end of fighting in Gaza and its reconstruction following the deadly Israel-Hamas war, criticized repeated ceasefire vio...
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
May 20, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Hamas rejects Peace Council report on Gaza ceasefire implementation
Hamas rejected a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council by the so-called “Peace Council” concerning implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, accusing the report of distorting facts and adopting Israeli conditions. In a statement, Hamas said the report absolves Israel of responsibility for daily violations of the ceasefire while placing blame on Hamas for delays...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Several soldiers wounded by explosive drones during operations in southern Lebanon
The IDF announced that the 401st Brigade Commander, Col. Meir Biderman, was severely injured and will be temporarily replaced while he undergoes treatment for his injuries.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
Israel says Gaza aid flotilla attempt over; 430 activists transferred to its territory
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said late on Tuesday that the latest international flotilla heading to Gaza to deliver aid “has come to an end”, and that 430 activists aboard its ships were being transferred to Israel. The ministry said on X: “Another PR flotilla,” describing it as a publicity campaign, “has come to an end. All 430 activists have been transferred to Israeli vessels and are making their ...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iranian source claims Israel carried out drone attack on UAE
An informed military source told Tasnim News Agency that the recent drone attack targeting the United Arab Emirates was carried out by Israel rather than Iran. According to the source, Israel is allegedly attempting to provoke the UAE into taking a more hostile regional stance against Iran and other countries in the Islamic world. The source claimed that while Iran has acknowledged carrying out so...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
US probe into strike on Iran girls' school near conclusion, US admiral says
By Phil Stewart and Patricia ZengerleWASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - A U.S. military investigation into a strike at a girls' school in Iran has been "complex" given that it was located on an active Iranian cruise missile base but the probe is approaching its conclusion, a U.S. military commander said on Tuesday.Reuters first reported that an initial, internal U.S. military investigation showed U.S....
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
May 20, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Israel, US early war goals sought to reinstate Iran's Ahmadinejad as leader, NYT reports
An associate of Ahmadinejad told the NYT that the Americans viewed Mr. Ahmadinejad as someone who could lead Iran and manage “Iran’s political, social, and military situation.”
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
Putin, Xi jointly condemn US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran
The Russian and Chinese presidents have condemned the recent US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.
Presstv
May 20, 2026 - presstv.ir
Italians strike to denounce military spending, Israel’s Gaza genocide
People in Italy stage a nationwide general strike to condemn the country’s increased military spending and Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.
Presstv
May 20, 2026 - presstv.ir
Xi, Putin denounce US-Israeli attack on Iran
TEHRAN, May 20 (MNA) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have strongly condemned the US and Israeli attack against Iran.
Mehr News Agency
May 20, 2026 - en.mehrnews.com
Poland demands ‘justice’ for its citizens after Israeli treatment of Gaza flotilla members, calls for consequences
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Wednesday demanded “justice” for Polish citizens after footage was circulated by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showing Israel’s treatment of activists detained after attempting to reach the Gaza Strip by sea, Anadolu reports. “You may not treat Polish citizens who have committed no crime in this way,” Sikorski said in a post on the ...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
UN chief strongly condemns Israel’s decision to set up army base on UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem
UN chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday strongly condemned Israel’s decision to establish military facilities at a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) compound in occupied East Jerusalem, calling it “wholly unacceptable,” Anadolu reports. “The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli authorities’ decision to establish military facilities at the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound in Ea...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Debunking The Founding Myths of Israel | Palestine This Week with Mouin Rabbani
In this week’s episode, we take on some of the most persistent myths used to justify Zionism, erase Palestinian dispossession and rewrite the history of the Nakba. We begin with the claim that Arab conquest expelled Jews over the centuries, before examining how this distorted reading of history is used to present Zionism as a “return of Jews to their ancestral homeland” rather than a colonial proj...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israel’s High Court gives aid groups 30 days to submit employee lists or cease operations
Israel’s High Court has rejected a petition filed by international aid organizations operating in Palestine and gave them one month to submit employee lists to the government or cease operations, according to an Israeli government statement on Wednesday, Anadolu reports. The government said the petition was filed by AIDA, an umbrella group representing 19 international nongovernmental relief organ...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Sheikh Ekrima Sabri denies “terrorism” charges in Israeli court
Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, head of the Higher Islamic Council and preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, said his defence team had presented a “logical argument” during the latest court session examining the indictment against him, stressing that the speech cited in the case was “legitimate religious speech protected by law”. Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Sabri said the defence had relied on “a successf...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli occupiers establish new illegal settlement outpost in West Bank’s Hebron
Israeli occupiers began establishing an illegal settlement outpost in a village in the Masafer Yatta region of Hebron governorate in the southern occupied West Bank under the protection of the army, a Palestinian official said Wednesday. Khalil Hathaleen, head of the Umm al-Khair village council, told Anadolu that occupiers had “started building a new settlement neighborhood in the middle of the v...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
South Korea president urges review of ICC warrant for Netanyahu: Report
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday that Seoul should consider the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while strongly condemning the Israeli military’s seizure of a Gaza-bound aid vessel carrying South Korean activists, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Lee questioned the legal basis for intercepting the Global...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Indonesia must respond more forcefully to Israel’s detention of its journalists at sea
Indonesia has condemned Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Officials have demanded access to detained Indonesians and called for their release. That response is necessary. But it is not remotely sufficient for the gravity of what has happened. Nine Indonesians — including journalists from major national media outlets — were detained after Israeli forces intercepted civilian vessel...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Smotrich announces retaliatory measures against Palestinian Authority after ICC developments
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a series of measures targeting the Palestinian Authority after revealing that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court had allegedly submitted a request for a secret international arrest warrant against him. During a press conference on Tuesday, Smotrich described the move as a “declaration of war” and linked it to what he characterised...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Government Media Office warns of sharp decline in aid entering Gaza
The Government Media Office in Gaza warned on Tuesday of what it described as a dangerous decline in humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip due to the siege and restrictions imposed by Israel. Office director Ismail al-Thawabta said that since the ceasefire agreement came into force, only 48,636 aid trucks had entered Gaza out of the 131,400 trucks that were expected under the agreement, represe...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Germany will deploy Patriot air defence system to southeast Turkey, Ankara says
ANKARA, May 20 (Reuters) - Turkey said on Wednesday that Germany would send it a Patriot missile defence system for a six-month deployment from June to replace a system deployed as part of NATO measures in southeast Turkey to bolster air defences amid the war in Iran.In March, Ankara said a U.S. Patriot system was deployed to southeast Turkey, near a NATO radar base, in the face of missile threats...
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
May 20, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Gazans barred from Hajj, animal sacrifice as major Muslim festival nears
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Haseeb AlwazeerGAZA/CAIRO, May 20 (Reuters) - In a tent in southern Gaza, Najia Abu Lehia mourns not only her husband but also their failure to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, together before he died a year ago because of war and border closures.Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, is Islam’s holiest city, and the Hajj is one of its Five Pillars, a mandatory duty for Muslims who...
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
May 20, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Israel takes step toward snap election as Knesset votes to dissolve
JERUSALEM, May 20 (Reuters) - Israel moved closer on Wednesday to a snap election after lawmakers gave an initial nod to dissolve parliament, with opinion polls showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would lose the first national vote since the 2023 Hamas attacks.Lawmakers voted almost unanimously for an early ballot in a preliminary reading of a bill to disband the 120-seat Knesset. If it rece...
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
May 20, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Jews are 'universal enemy,' San Diego shooters wrote in neo-Nazi antisemitic manifesto
The rambling manifesto repeatedly espouses antisemitic views, especially those that derive from white replacement theory, also known as the Great Replacement theory.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
US, Iran making progress in talks, though military option remains on the table, sources tell 'Post'
Israeli officials stressed that despite ongoing diplomatic contacts, the military option “remains on the table” for US President Trump.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
Russia slams UN duplicity on Iran, says US, Israel responsible for UAE attack
Russia says US-Israeli military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, including repeated attacks on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, have brought the entire Middle East to the brink of a nuclear and radiological catastrophe.
Presstv
May 20, 2026 - presstv.ir
Yemen vows to stand with Hamas 'until victory' after assassination of Qassam commander
Yemen’s military leadership has firmly reaffirmed its solidarity with Hamas and the Palestinian people.
Presstv
May 20, 2026 - presstv.ir
Israel blocks aid because it fears exposure of its crimes
TEHRAN, May 20 (MNA) – Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi condemned recent moves by Israel and the United States to block humanitarian aid destined for Gaza, calling the actions a violation of international law.
Mehr News Agency
May 20, 2026 - en.mehrnews.com
Gaza death toll rises as Israel kills 1, wounds 16 Wednesday
TEHRAN, May 20 (MNA) – Gaza death toll rose to 72,773 after the Zionist regime of Israel kileld one more Palestinian and wounded 16 others in the strip despite the ceasefire on Wednesday, the enclave's health ministry said.
Mehr News Agency
May 20, 2026 - en.mehrnews.com
IRGC warns war will expand beyond region if Iran hit again
TEHRAN, May 20 (MNA) – Iran's IRGC warned Wednesday that any renewed US-Israeli aggression on the country will trigger a war extending far beyond the Middle East, with strikes in places adversaries do not expect.
Mehr News Agency
May 20, 2026 - en.mehrnews.com
Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin meet in Beijing
TEHRAN, May 20 (MNA) – A meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin has started in Beijing, Chinese state media report.
Mehr News Agency
May 20, 2026 - en.mehrnews.com
Israeli, US actions against aid flotilla meant to cover up Gaza crimes: Iran deputy FM
Tehran, IRNA – Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi says Israeli attacks on Gaza-bound aid ships and international activists are because of the regime's fear that the crimes it committed against Palestinians will be exposed.
IRNA English
May 20, 2026 - en.irna.ir
Araghchi warns foes of ‘many more surprises’ if war resumed
Tehran, IRNA – Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that any return to war with Iran would bring “many more surprises,” saying the Iranian Armed Forces had gained new experience and capabilities during the latest US-Israel aggression.
IRNA English
May 20, 2026 - en.irna.ir
Italy summons Israeli ambassador after Ben-Gvir filmed taunting Gaza flotilla detainees
Italy has summoned Israel’s ambassador and demanded an apology after far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was filmed mocking detained Gaza flotilla activists, including Italian citizens, who had been handcuffed, blindfolded and forced to kneel. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani issued a joint statement condemning the images as “unacce...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
CAAP slams Israel participation in inter-American forum
The Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine (CAAP) has today condemned plans to allow an Israeli delegation to attend an Inter-American Development Bank investment forum in Barbados from 26th May to 28th. A statement from the organisation said: “CAAP registers its utter abhorrence and disapproval of persons from the Zionist State of Israel being given permission to enter Barbados, to participat...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Pro-Palestinian activists hold protest at Belgian university rectorate, demand full Israeli academic boycott
Pro-Palestinian activists staged a protest at Ghent University’s (UGent) rectorate building in Belgium on Wednesday, calling for a full academic boycott of Israel, Belga News Agency reported. The activists said the university’s recent decision to phase out five research collaborations with Israeli partners was insufficient and called for all ties to be severed. “Not just 5, cut all ties,” read one...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Trump, Netanyahu hold ‘lengthy, dramatic’ call as decision on Iran nears: Israeli media
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a “lengthy and dramatic” phone call overnight, their second contact in just a few days, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Wednesday. No details were provided about the content of the discussions, but the channel characterized the talks as “lengthy and dramatic.” The broadcaster said the call came as the two leaders appeared...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Jewish groups launch new diaspora movement rejecting Israel’s ethno-nationalism
A new coalition of Jewish organisations has launched under the banner of the Jewish Diaspora Movement (JDM), seeking to advance a vision of Jewish life rooted outside the framework of Israeli state power and in explicit rejection of ethno-nationalism. The movement, launched on 18 May, brings together dozens of synagogues, prayer communities, cultural organisations and activist groups, mostly in No...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Palestinian ministry condemns illumination of Ibrahimi Mosque in Israeli flag colors
The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs on Wednesday condemned the illumination of the walls of the Ibrahimi Mosque with the Israeli flag colors and Hebrew phrases, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry called it “a blatant assault” on the sanctity of the mosque located in the West Bank city of Hebron. The mosque is “a purely Islamic endowment in which non-Muslims have no r...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
The Gulf Cooperation Council is shooting itself in the foot
The most accurate portrayal of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is perhaps the 2017 Kuwait summit, which was held at the height of the Saudi-UAE-Bahraini blockade of Qatar and was attended by none of the quarrelling states’ leaders — except for Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad. Kuwait’s late Emir, Sabah Al-Ahmad, found himself effectively addressing a single guest at what was supposed to be a ‘Gulf...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iran warns renewed attack by US and Israel could expand conflict beyond region
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned on Wednesday that any renewed attack by the US and Israel could trigger a broader conflict extending beyond the region. In a statement carried by Tasnim news agency, the IRGC said the US and Israel had failed to learn from what it described as repeated strategic defeats against Iran. The force claimed that despite attacks carried out using “the full ...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Global Sumud Flotilla activists begin hunger strike to protest their abduction by Israel
At least 87 activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla began a hunger strike on Tuesday in protest against what they described as their abduction by Israel and in solidarity with more than 9,500 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. In a post on X, the flotilla said that, for the second time in three weeks, the Israeli army — which it said claims to be “the most moral army” — had abducted the...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
US claims bombed Iranian girls’ school was inside active missile site
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), told Congress on Tuesday that the US military’s investigation into the bombing of a girls’ school in Iran was “complex” because the school was located inside an active Iranian cruise missile launch site. In March, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the forces behind the deadly att...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli forces burn several homes in Jenin refugee camp
Israeli forces on Tuesday evening burned several homes in the Jenin refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank. Local sources said Israeli forces set fire to a house in the Tal’at al-Ghabr area and another belonging to the Al-Rashid family. The sources said the Israeli army had been using the homes as military barracks for more than a year and a half. The sources added that Israeli forces als...
Middle East Monitor
May 20, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israel's treatment of Gaza flotilla members is 'abominable', Canada PM Carney says
OTTAWA, May 20 (Reuters) - Israel's treatment of detained Gaza flotilla activists is "abominable," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday, using unusually harsh language to condemn a close ally.Ottawa earlier said it would summon the Israeli ambassador to protest after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shared a video in which he taunted the activists, who were forced to kneel...
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
May 20, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Israeli police force Gaza flotilla activists to kneel with hands bound, video shows
By Emily RoseJERUSALEM, May 20 (Reuters) - Israeli police on Wednesday forced activists who were aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla to kneel on the ground in rows with their hands tied behind their backs while a minister looked on, drawing criticism from foreign leaders and even from inside Israel's own government.The activists were detained after their flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces in ...
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
May 20, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Israeli minister sparks outcry over video of bound flotilla activists
Israel's far-right national security minister posted a video on Wednesday showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground, sparking international condemnation.The video, shared on X by firebrand minister Itamar Ben Gvir, was published after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla's vessels at sea and began detaining hundreds of forei...
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
May 20, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Russia ‘dangerously’ intercepts British spy plane over Black Sea: Ministry
The incident came last month when unarmed Rivet Joint plane was securing NATO's eastern flank in international airspace.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
May 20, 2026 - aljazeera.com
The battle of perception: From Israel’s Fauda to Hezbollah’s FPV footage
New approaches to war propaganda are reshaping the conflict between Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
May 20, 2026 - aljazeera.com
Why is Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace facing a funding shortfall?
Experts say lack of a political horizon and Israeli land grabs are deterring donors from funding Gaza's reconstruction.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
May 20, 2026 - aljazeera.com
‘Multipolar world’: What Xi and Putin announced after Beijing summit
The Russian and Chinese leaders agreed on bilateral cooperation during Putin's visit to China.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
May 20, 2026 - aljazeera.com
High Court gives Gaza NGOs 30 days to submit employee lists, backs Israel registration rule
The petition followed the NGOs' refusal of Israel’s request that organizations provide lists of their local employees, as required under Israel’s NGO registration and security screening procedure.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
Trump says Netanyahu 'will do whatever I want him to do,' amid concerns of Iran war restarting
A source with knowledge of the matter later told the 'Post' that there has been progress in talks with the Iranians regarding groundwork for negotiations.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
Czech FM vows to block EU sanctions against Israel after meeting with FM Sa'ar
“The Czech Republic will stand by Israel from this moment on, we will not allow any more trade sanctions, even if we have to block it as a single country,” Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka stated.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
Bennett warns Netanyahu over draft evasion, IDF manpower issues during Knesset visit
Former PM Naftali Bennett sharply criticized Netanyahu over the IDF manpower crisis, draft evasion, and the outgoing government’s controversial draft bill.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
Judicial ombudsman: Supreme Court justices erred by issuing protest rulings on Shabbat
The judicial ombudsman upheld complaints against Supreme Court justices over issuing substantive rulings on Shabbat, saying their conduct harmed public trust and case management.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
Flotilla activists detained at Ashdod Port after Israeli Navy intercepts Gaza-bound vessels
“All 430 activists have been transferred to Israeli vessels and are making their way to Israel, where they will be able to meet with their consular representatives,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
Barney Frank’s final warning on Israel: cut aid to Netanyahu if he ignores Palestinian suffering
Late Congressman Barney Frank urged Democrats to leverage Netanyahu, warning that US support for Israel should depend on the Israeli PM relieving Palestinian suffering.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 20, 2026 - jpost.com
IDF was caught off guard by Trump statement that he was 'hour away' from attacking Iran
Sources in the defense establishment said that it is possible that Washington informed Israel's political leadership in advance about its intention to attack on Tuesday, but this information was not concretely passed on to the military
Haaretz latest headlines
May 20, 2026 - haaretz.com
Ex-Pentagon chief says he rejected Netanyahu’s Iran war scheme in 2009
Former Pentagon chief says he rejected an assessment by Netanyahu suggesting that Iran’s ruling establishment would rapidly collapse if subjected to military aggression.
Presstv
May 20, 2026 - presstv.ir
May 17: Iran vows legal action over US-Israeli aggression, says US walking into 'strategic trap'
Iranian officials vowed political and legal measures in response to the US-Israeli war of aggression, warning that Washington is walking into a strategic trap.
Presstv
May 20, 2026 - presstv.ir
Israeli army runs out of money in wake of war on Iran: Report
The Israeli army has already spent its 2026 budget due to the regime’s military aggressions across the region, according to a report.
Presstv
May 20, 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
May 20, 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
May 20, 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
May 20, 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
May 20, 2026 - presstv.ir
ICC seeks arrest warrant for Israeli minister Smotrich over forced displacement, genocidal remarks
The ICC has requested an arrest warrant for Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich for forceful displacement of Palestinians.
Presstv
May 20, 2026 - presstv.ir
Global Sumud Flotilla says Israeli army vessels attacking Gaza aid fleet 2nd time
The Global Sumud Flotilla said Tuesday that Israeli military vessels were continuing to attack and board its humanitarian aid fleet in international waters as the convoy headed toward the Gaza Strip, Anadolu Agency reports. “Interception continues. IOF (Israeli army) military vessels are currently illegally boarding our fleet,” the flotilla said in a statement. “We are on high alert as we continue...
Middle East Monitor
May 19, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israel has lost its morality, Tucker Carlson says in first interview with Israeli media
Carlson pointed at the civilian casualties Israel has inflicted during recent wars against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran as examples of its lost moral compass.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
May 19, 2026 - jpost.com
Israeli military reservist killed in clash with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, IDF says
Major (res.) Itamar Sapir was killed by Hezbollah fire while clearing buildings in a southern Lebanese village. He is survived by his wife, Roni, and their son, Maayan, aged one and a half • Sapir is the 21st IDF soldier to be killed in the current war with Hezbollah
Haaretz latest headlines
May 19, 2026 - haaretz.com
Iran tells WHO assembly: Attacks on schools, hospitals are war crimes
Tehran, IRNA - Iran’s health minister told the World Health Assembly that his country came under “unprovoked attack” by the United States and the Israeli regime, targeting civilians, children, and health infrastructure, and called on the global body to condemn such assaults as war crimes.
IRNA English
May 19, 2026 - en.irna.ir
US lawmakers press CENTCOM chief on deadly Iran school strike
The top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee pressed the CENTCOM chief on Tuesday for answers about a strike that killed more than 150 girls at an Iranian school on Feb. 28, Anadolu reports. During a US House committee hearing on US posture in the “Greater Middle East and Africa” Rep. Adam Smith urged Adm. Brad Cooper to acknowledge US responsibility for the strike on the school, which I...
Middle East Monitor
May 19, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Trump says he was hour from resuming Iran strikes before postponing offensive Monday
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would have resumed strikes on Iran within an hour had he not postponed them earlier in the week at the request of regional allies, as Tehran revealed details of a new proposal to end the war launched by Washington and Israel in February, Anadolu reports. “They knew that we were very close. I would say that I was an hour away from making the decision t...
Middle East Monitor
May 19, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
US says 88 commercial vessels redirected from transiting Strait of Hormuz
The US said Tuesday that it has so far redirected 88 commercial vessels and disabled four others to enforce President Donald Trump’s blockade on ships traveling to and from Iranian ports via the Strait of Hormuz. “CENTCOM forces have redirected 88 commercial vessels, and disabled 4 to ensure total compliance,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on US social media platform X. Regional tensions have ...
Middle East Monitor
May 19, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli army records sharp rise in sexual assault complaints in 2025: Report
The Israeli army received 2,420 complaints related to sexual assaults and harassment within its ranks during 2025, marking a significant increase from the previous year, according to data presented to the Knesset on Tuesday. Israel’s Channel 12 said the figures were presented during a meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which discussed the military’s handling of sexual ...
Middle East Monitor
May 19, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Hezbollah drone wounds two in Israel as IDF strikes leave five dead in Lebanon
Israeli fire has killed 3,042 people since March, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, wounding 9,301 others. The IDF also ordered the evacuation of 12 villages in Lebanon across several districts, including the Bekaa Valley
Haaretz latest headlines
May 19, 2026 - haaretz.com
Right-wing TV host violates IDF censorship on Iran strike plans on air, prompting backlash
Lawmakers and opposition figures said right-wing TV host Shimon Riklin's comments on air about possible strikes in Iran could have caused damage to Israel's national security and its relationship with the United States, saying the leak must have come from a government source