Middle East Geopolitical Reporting for 2026-07-17
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 9 news sites and located 58 current articles out of 436 reviewed.
Today's featured articles are:
Middle East Monitor, JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World, Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera, Haaretz latest headlines, AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East, Presstv, IRNA English.
US launches 5th consecutive night of strikes against Iran: Central Command
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday that American forces launched a new wave of strikes against Iran for the fifth consecutive night, Anadolu reports. “At 2 p.m. ET today, U.S. forces began conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran for the fifth consecutive night to further degrade Iranian military capabilities,” it said. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said earl...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Is the region paying a heavy price for Trump’s personal interests?
President Donald Trump’s administration has been accused of waging war against Iran on Israel’s behalf. Israel had made no secret of its determination to draw the United States into such a confrontation, having failed to persuade previous US administrations to do so. Since then, countries across the region have borne the consequences of the war’s repercussions and of Trump’s decisions relating to ...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Children, schools, hospitals not safe from US war machine: Iranian official
Tehran, IRNA — Recalling the US’s deadly crime in the March 15 attack on “Minab School”, the spokesperson for Iran’s Guardian Council stated that last night’s attack near a children’s hospital in Ahvaz reveals that “children, schools, and hospitals are not safe from the American war machine.”
IRNA English
Jul 16, 2026 - en.irna.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
US urges citizens in Iraq to remain alert after drone attack in Erbil
The US Embassy in Baghdad urged American citizens in Iraq on Thursday to maintain heightened readiness following a drone attack in the northern city of Erbil a day earlier. In a security alert, the mission advised Americans in Iraq to monitor local media and follow instructions issued by local authorities, warning that travel disruptions and airspace closures could occur with little notice. The em...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
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
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Houthis threaten to attack oil facilities in Saudi Arabia amid Yemen tensions
The Houthi group threatened Thursday to strike oil and vital facilities in Saudi Arabia if Riyadh joins attacks on Yemen, Anadolu reports. “All Saudi oil facilities and vital installations will be targets for our missiles and drones if Riyadh gets involved” in striking Yemen, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech carried by the group’s Al-Masirah television. “The real equa...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Netanyahu seeks extended security protection for his family beyond potential end of premiership
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to extend the security protection provided to his family beyond his time in office, according to a report published by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. The newspaper reported that Netanyahu’s associates have been urging Israeli security and intelligence bodies to support a proposal that would allow the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Netanyahu's delusional Iran campaign damaged Israel as deeply as October 7
Haaretz latest headlines
Jul 16, 2026 - haaretz.com
When does observation become a humiliating spectacle?
Last week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OCHA) led a virtual visit to Al Mawasi, Khan Younis, in Gaza for diplomats from twelve countries. Israel’s restrictions on entering Gaza has made it difficult for in person visits; hence the virtual tour so that diplomats could view how forcibly displaced Palestinians are living as a result...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iran slams US, Israel, Argentina for voting against UN anti-terror measures
Tehran, IRNA – Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has criticized the United States, the Israeli regime and Argentina for opposing key United Nations anti-terrorism resolutions.
IRNA English
Jul 16, 2026 - en.irna.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Iran criticises Oman over announcement of southern shipping corridor in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has criticised Oman following Muscat’s announcement of a southern navigation corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, accusing it of failing to coordinate with Tehran on arrangements for maritime transit. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said at a press conference that Tehran had sought to establish, in coordination with Oman, a mechanism to ensure the safe passage of ships...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Trump’s board made Gaza the most dangerous place on earth to be a child
Mohamed al-Wahidi, 57 years old, a husband, father and grandfather, spent his days doing what aid workers do in a place with almost nothing left: clearing rubble, reopening roads, repairing a leaking pipe, filling a community water tank, or building tents for families with nowhere else to go. In his spare time, he carried out a “perilous project” setting up screens and generators across Gaza so pe...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Report: Iran tells Yemen's Houthis to prepare to close Red Sea oil route if U.S. strikes power grid
Sources say the group has deployed missiles and drones near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening to disrupt the Middle East's two main energy export routes as U.S.-Iran fighting escalates
Haaretz latest headlines
Jul 16, 2026 - haaretz.com
Iran condemns US strike near children’s cancer hospital as ‘barbaric attack’
Iran on Thursday condemned a US strike near a children’s cancer hospital in the southwestern city of Ahvaz as a “barbaric attack,” saying it forced the emergency evacuation of 211 pediatric cancer patients, Anadolu reports. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Shahid Baqaei Hospital, a specialized center for children with cancer, was evacuated Wednesday night after a US strike hit a n...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Hezbollah vows to keep weapons until Israeli occupation ends
Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem has vowed the group will not disarm while Israeli occupation persists, denouncing Lebanon’s cabinet decision on its weapons as a US-driven move that risks sparking civil strife.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Israel agrees to withdraw military from two Lebanon pilot zones, U.S. official says
U.S. official says sides will move to technical talks after Rome meeting, with Israel and Lebanon seeking to implement June framework deal. Israeli envoy Yechiel Leiter said withdrawal would depend on whether Hezbollah is removed from the area and Lebanese forces can take control
Haaretz latest headlines
Jul 15, 2026 - haaretz.com
US approves potential $1.96 billion sale of precision-guided weapons to Saudi Arabia
The US State Department has approved a potential sale of precision-guided rocket systems and related equipment to Saudi Arabia, with an estimated value of $1.96 billion. In a statement, the department said it had approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia of advanced weapon systems and associated equipment, with a total estimated cost of $1.96 billion. It said Saudi Arabia had reque...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
How Imam Khamenei’s historic funeral demolished American, Israeli, Pahlavi, MKO narratives
Imam Khamenei’s historic funeral in Iran and Iraq, with over 40 million participants, decisively refuted US-Israeli propaganda and monarchist-MKO pretensions, proving the Islamic Republic’s enduring popular legitimacy and revolutionary resilience against imperialist sabotage.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Right to defend: Lebanon rises against US-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah
Massive protests erupt across Lebanon as citizens reject a US-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah, warning it would expose the country—especially its southern border—to increased Israeli aggression and undermine national security.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Analysis-Pakistan worries about being drawn into US-Iran conflict after Houthis attack Saudi Arabia
By Rick Noack, Mubasher Bukhari and Asif ShahzadISLAMABAD, July 16 (Reuters) - Attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis this week have frustrated Pakistan and threaten to draw Islamabad into the conflict, complicating any future role it may have as a mediator between the United States and Iran.
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
Jul 16, 2026 - al-monitor.com
‘Seismic shift’: More than 100 House Democrats vote to cut Israel military aid
In what is being viewed as a “seismic shift,” more than 100 Democrats in the US House of Representatives voted yesterday to end $3.3 billion in annual military assistance to Israel. The vote marks a dramatic break with decades of bipartisan support for the occupation state and signals that unconditional backing for Israel is becoming an electoral liability. The amendment, introduced by Republican ...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Houthi leader threatens Saudi oil facilities if Riyadh escalates in Yemen
July 16 (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Thursday that all Saudi oil and other vital facilities would be targets for the group's missiles and drones if Riyadh escalated its involvement in the conflict.The warning came after the Houthis fired missiles at Saudi Arabia, accusing the kingdom of bombing an airport under their control on Monday, marking a rupture in a four...
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
Jul 16, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with William (Bill) Putnam & Mark Pfeifle: Military Confrontation in the Strait and Tension at NATO
WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Gideon Levy: A War Council, Elections Fever, or Mending Relations?
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Pakistan hosts OIC women summit amid fallout from US-Israeli wars in West Asia
Pakistan hosts an OIC ministerial on women’s affairs to address how the Gaza genocide and the US–Israeli war on Iran affect women and children.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
As US ties fray, top Oman official visits China: What to know
For Oman, recalibrating its ties with Washington after the Iran war means diversifying its partnerships — leaning more on European allies like France and deepening its relationship with China.
AL-MONITOR: The Pulse of The Middle East
Jul 16, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Israel isn't attacking Iran, but it's deeply involved in this war
The U.S. doesn't want Israel directly involved in the current round against Iran, but still depends on its intelligence and operational capabilities
Haaretz latest headlines
Jul 16, 2026 - haaretz.com
Navigating through genocide without sight: Story of a blind Palestinian from Gaza
For Haneen Sabbah, war stole something more—the last light she could still see.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Trump expected to expand Iran military campaign as Tehran warns of broader retaliation
Sources cautioned that it remains unclear when the next phase of the operation will begin or what level of increased military activity Trump will ultimately authorize.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Jul 16, 2026 - jpost.com
The not-so-secret Israeli strategy: This is the real Gaza plan
Here is the bottom line: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of leaving Gaza, either before Israel’s general elections—likely to be held in October—or after. Conceding an inch from the roughly 70 percent of the territory his army currently occupies in Gaza will be considered a weakness by the majority of Israeli voters and would result in an open revolt within his extremist ...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 15, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
UN chief ‘deeply alarmed’ by Israel granting city status to illegal settlement in occupied West Bank
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply alarmed” by Israel’s decision to upgrade the illegal settlement of Givat Ze’ev to a city, his spokesperson said Thursday. “The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed that the Israeli authorities have granted the status of a city to Givat Ze’ev, an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, that is just northwest of Jerusalem,” spokesperson Stephane ...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Deepening German economic crisis hits VW
The German economy is in deep recession due to EU sanctions against Russia, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the US-Israeli aggression against Iran.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Netanyahu cancels planned Washington trip next week
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled his planned trip to Washington next week, his office said Thursday. In a statement, the office said the funeral of US Sen. Lindsey Graham “appears to have been postponed until the end of the month.” “As a result, the prime minister will not travel to the United States next week,” it added. Israeli public broadcaster KAN, reported Wednesday tha...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
U.S. strikes around Tehran for first time since Trump declared end of cease-fire
President Donald Trump is considering expanding military operations in Iran following briefings from top aides, U.S. officials reportedly said, as American forces launched two waves of attacks on Iran's coastal defenses and missile sites
Haaretz latest headlines
Jul 16, 2026 - haaretz.com
Impact footage captures Iranian strikes on US assets in Persian Gulf
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and national army have announced a series of missile and drone strikes against US military positions across Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, describing the attacks as retaliation for American strikes on Iranian territory.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Sitting ducks: Why the US security umbrella no longer protects the Gulf?
In Kuwait alone—less than 150 kilometres across the Gulf from Iran—the United States maintains a major military hub of approximately 13,500 personnel spread across installations such as Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base. To its south, Saudi Arabia hosts roughly 2,700 U.S. troops, centered at Prince Sultan Air Base in Al Kharj. Elsewhere in the Gulf, every state hosts either a US military pres...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israel approves $334M for roads linking illegal settlements in occupied West Bank
Israel’s government has approved more than 1 billion shekels ($334 million) to build and upgrade roads connecting illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli media. Israel’s Channel 7 reported Thursday that the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the funding to finance new roads and upgrade existing infrastructure linking dozens of illegal settlemen...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iran ‘very much continues to talk’ to US: White House
Iran continues to communicate with the US and has expressed interest in reaching a nuclear agreement despite recent US military strikes, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday, Anadolu reports. Asked whether negotiations with Tehran were at a standstill or had effectively ended, Leavitt said President Donald Trump had told her that diplomatic contacts remain active. “Well, I...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli rights group demands independent medical examination of detained Gaza hospital director
An Israeli human rights organization called on Thursday for an independent medical examination of detained Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya after an assault on him by Israeli prison guards. In a statement, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) said Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, told his lawyer Nasser Odeh that he had again been beaten by prison guards, inju...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli soldier sentenced to five years in prison for spying for Iran
The soldier sent videos of missile interceptions and impacts in exchange for payment during the 2025 war with Iran. He later cut off contact and reported it to his higher-ups. He was convicted after pleading guilty to contact with a foreign agent and handing over information that could be useful to the enemy
Haaretz latest headlines
Jul 15, 2026 - haaretz.com
U.S. launches new strikes on Iran as Tehran threatens more shipping disruption
The U.S. military announced a new wave of strikes after it said it hit dozens of military sites along Iran's coastline overnight ■ In response, Iran said it attacked U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan ■ Trump warned the United States would 'knock out' all of Iran's power plants and bridges next week, 'unless they get to the table and negotiate'
Haaretz latest headlines
Jul 15, 2026 - haaretz.com
Al-Houthi: Iran's victory over US, Israel is Islamic Ummah's victory
Yemen's Ansarullah leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi says Iran's victory in confronting the US-Israeli terrorist war represents a victory for the entire Islamic nation.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Iran condemns intensfied Israeli aggression against Palestine
Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s foreign ministry has deplored the escalation of military attacks and terrorist operations by Israel against Palestinians in both Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
IRNA English
Jul 15, 2026 - en.irna.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Israeli security assessment: Hamas retains most of its military strength despite war
The armed wing of Hamas still has around 25,000 fighters despite more than two years of war in the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli security assessments reported by Israel’s public broadcaster Kan on Wednesday. The report said the Israeli security establishment estimates that about 2,500 of those fighters belong to Hamas’s elite, Nukhba, unit. Before the war began, Hamas’s armed wing was estimated...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Saudi strike on Sana'a airport driven by US-Israeli pressure: Analyst
Firas al-Najim believes the Saudis were pressured into attacking Yemen’s Sana’a airport by the Zionist-American coalition.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Syria foils attempt to smuggle weapons, missiles to Hezbollah
Syrian authorities thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large shipment of advanced weapons across the country’s border with Iraq that was destined for the Lebanese group Hezbollah, the Interior Ministry said Thursday, Anadolu reports. The ministry said specialized units intercepted the shipment before it entered Syrian territory after detecting a suspicious vehicle parked near the border. A search of ...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
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
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Israeli soldier sentenced to five years in prison for sharing videos with alleged Iranian agent
The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that one of its soldiers has been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of sending videos to an individual Israeli authorities identified as an Iranian agent. According to the Israeli military, the soldier transmitted two videos in June 2025, during the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, showing missile interceptions. The military...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iran reports new US strikes amid escalation
Iranian media reported new US airstrikes on Thursday evening amid rising escalation between Tehran and Washington. Mehr News Agency, citing Iranian officials, said US projectiles struck locations near Qeshm Island, off the Strait of Hormuz, at around 6:10 pm local time (1440GMT). The state broadcaster IRIB said the strike targeted the village of Masan on the island. US missiles also hit sites near...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Israeli settlement expansion plot 'dangerous and criminal' step toward annexation: Hamas
he Palestinian resistance movement says the Israeli regime's latest settlement plan is aimed at consolidating control over the occupied West Bank.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Death of a warmonger: Lindsey Graham, hawkish US senator who plotted Iran’s fall, meets his end
Senator Lindsey Graham's death marks the passing of a hawkish voice who spent decades advocating military confrontation with Iran, arming anti-government rioters, and maintaining exceptionally close ties with the Israeli regime, yet his uncompromising legacy ultimately failed to produce the outcomes he sought.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
The fight for Hormuz shows how far U.S.-Iran war strayed from its original goals
The struggle over the strait has replaced the original rationale for the war – the end Iran's nuclear program, as well as the military threat it poses, via the ridiculous attempts to try to topple the Ayatollah regime
Haaretz latest headlines
Jul 16, 2026 - haaretz.com
John L Esposito, leading scholar of Islam and outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights, dies aged 86
John L Esposito, one of the West’s most influential scholars of Islam and the Middle East and a longstanding supporter of Palestinian, has died aged 86. The Georgetown University professor was widely known for confronting Islamophobia and rejecting portrayals of Muslims as an inherent political or security threat. In the final years of his life, he also spoke forcefully about Israel’s genocide in ...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Jordanian senate committee condemns raid on Dar al-Aytam School, calls for international accountability
The Palestine Committee of the Jordanian Senate has condemned a visit by Israeli Knesset member Zvi Sukkot to the Dar al-Aytam Islamic Secondary School in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, calling for international accountability over the incident. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the committee said Sukkot entered the school, damaged school property, removed a sign displaying a map of hi...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
West Bank: Israeli settler hits Palestinian child with car while playing in Hebron
A six-year-old Palestinian boy was injured on Wednesday after being hit by a car driven by an Israeli settler in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, according to his father. Mukhlis Ammar Al Slaimeh, the father of six-year-old Mukhlis Al Slaimeh, said the settler deliberately drove into his son while he was playing with other children near the Israeli military Checkpoint 160 before fleeing the ...
Middle East Monitor
Jul 16, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
EU backs ICC, rejects Trump's campaign to dismantle war crimes court
EU has pushed back against a widespread campaign by Trump’s administration to dismantle The Hague based international criminal court.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Iran no longer a 'very strong, powerful terrorist state' after Operation Epic Fury, Leavitt says
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that Iran's leadership is still in contact with the US and is interested in making a deal.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Jul 16, 2026 - jpost.com
Iran’s Armed Forces strike US targets with missiles, drones amid warning of expanding retaliation
Iran's Armed Forces announce new rounds of retaliatory operations against US military targets in the region featuring missile and drone strikes.
Presstv
Jul 16, 2026 - presstv.ir
(Archive.today -- Archive.org)
Israeli attacks kill at least five Palestinians in Gaza despite ‘ceasefire’
Attacks continue in violation of the October agreement with more than 1,100 Palestinians killed since then.