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Damascus blasts test Macron's Syria outreach
4 days ago•Source: France 24
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17.57 min•5 days ago
Strategic triad of Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan reshapes Middle East policy, unsettling Israel
A Jerusalem Post analysis argues that Turkey, Qatar, and Pakistan are forming a Sunni-majority strategic bloc that is increasingly shaping U.S. policy in the Middle East, potentially at odds with Israel. Turkey backs a new Syrian army trained since 2025 to about 200,000 troops, maintains Hamas operations in Istanbul, and leverages close ties with Qatar; Pakistan provides arms and aligns on regional issues, while seeking to pivot Western partnerships toward this axis. The triad is portrayed as a potential mediator in regional conflicts and a multiplier of influence over U.S. policymakers, signaling a broader shift in the balance of power that could complicate Western strategy and Israel’s security calculations.
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West Yemen frontline heats up as Houthis press attack, stoking regional escalation fears
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Damascus cafe blast tests Syria's security amid post-transition trials
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CPJ to audit Gaza journalist death toll after militants’ obituaries surface
The Committee to Protect Journalists is conducting a full review of its Gaza journalist casualty database after Hamas and PIJ published obituaries naming individuals as combatants who CPJ had previously listed as journalists. CPJ has already removed eight names for being Hamas/PIJ members and twelve for other reasons, bringing its Gaza/Israeli detention center tally to 209 journalist casualties since Oct 7, 2023. The review, expected to conclude in July, reflects CPJ’s rule to exclude those who engaged in combat and notes that on-the-ground verification has been hampered by Gaza access restrictions. The episode coincides with a Meir Amit Center study asserting about 60% of those killed identified as journalists in Gaza had terrorist affiliations, fueling debate over journalist civilian status and the use of press insignia.
US-Backed Israel-Lebanon Peace Framework Outlines Path to Diplomatic Ties
The US released the full text of a trilateral framework with Israel and Lebanon aimed at ending decades of conflict, establishing diplomatic ties, and laying groundwork for a comprehensive peace agreement. It envisions the Lebanese Armed Forces gradually taking security control in pilot zones as the IDF redeploys, under a Security Annex with verification and a Military Coordination Group, plus US-led international reconstruction aid and safeguards to prevent funding non-state armed groups. Working groups will draft the full peace and security agreement and both governments commit to good-faith engagement until a lasting peace is achieved.
US-backed framework sparks renewed clashes as Israel expands footprint in southern Lebanon
Israel carried out air strikes in southern Lebanon, killing at least one person, as Hezbollah rejected a US-brokered four-point peace framework that would transfer exclusive security control of vacated areas to the Lebanese army while allowing Israel to maintain an expanded security zone; Netanyahu called the agreement historic, Israel says it will extend its stay, and Hezbollah vows continued resistance amid ongoing cross-border violence.
End of an Eight-Decade War? Israel and Lebanon vow to formally end state of war
A Jerusalem Post analysis notes that Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since 1948, with armistice agreements ending active fighting but not delivering peace. A trilateral framework signed by Israel, Lebanon, and the United States pledges to conclusively end the conflict and address its root causes, a historic shift that depends on Hezbollah’s disarmament, Lebanese forces’ control of the south, and challenging political-security commitments. Past attempts, such as the 1983 May 17 Agreement, collapsed, so skepticism remains, but the framing marks a possible turning point after eight decades of hostility.
Tensions flare as US-Iran clash widens from Hormuz to Lebanon
Live updates show escalating tensions in the Middle East as the US and Iran exchange strikes after a drone attack on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz; President Trump warns the US may be forced to 'complete the job' and Iran retaliates with drone and missile attacks on US sites in Kuwait and Bahrain. In the wider fallout, Israel conducts strikes in southern Lebanon amid a US-brokered deal to disarm Hezbollah, while Jordan and the UAE condemn Iran's attacks and Iran's foreign minister calls for a Gulf security framework, warning that challenges to Hormuz will heighten tensions.
Leaked draft puts blanket immunity and property rights at center of Trump’s Gaza Board
A leaked four-page draft of the UN‑sanctioned Gaza Board of Peace proposes total legal immunity for all members and authority to occupy Gaza public property without compensation, with Trump as chair able to waive immunities. Legal experts warn this could create a lawless, self‑policing regime with little external oversight, while the BoP disputes the report and pledges to uphold applicable law.
Iranian FM Heads to Iraq as Green Zone Raid Rumors Rise
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travels to Iraq to reaffirm Tehran's partnership and discuss bilateral and regional developments, as Baghdad rumors of a Green Zone raid surface and US pressure to curb Iranian-backed militias intensifies.
Iran condemns U.S. strikes as MoU breach on day 120 of Iran-US clashes
On day 120 of the Iran–US conflict, Tehran condemned U.S. strikes as a blatant violation of the UN Charter and the Memorandum of Understanding, while the IRGC said it retaliated by targeting U.S. deployment sites; the U.S. CENTCOM said it struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites, with no confirmed U.S. targets hit, as tensions persist ahead of further talks.
IRGC threat to Israel over Lebanon, Iran targets NATO bases in Europe
Iranian IRGC Quds Force chief Esmail Qaani warns Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, while Iran’s deputy foreign minister accuses Italy and Romania of hosting US bases used for attacks on Iran, fueling NATO-related tensions.
Hezbollah demands a fixed timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Israel must fully withdraw from Lebanese territory on a set timeline, promising cooperation with the Lebanese Army and denouncing interference in Lebanon’s affairs, as Washington-brokered talks about a pilot withdrawal and broader ceasefire continue amid notes of Iran-US discussions and ongoing regional tensions.