Trending Middle East
Episodes
Mosul heritage sites restored, and Afghanistan earthquake
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mosul landmarks destroyed by ISIS are coming back to life. Rescue missions are under way in Afghanistan after an earthquake devastated parts of the co...
Hamas leader dead, and Syrian forces attack Alawite hub
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mohammed Sinwar, the presumed leader of Hamas in Gaza, is dead. Syrian security forces have killed several gunmen in the coastal Alawite heartland. Su...
Israel's conflicting orders in Gaza, and European sanctions on Iran
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel's displacement orders in Gaza trigger alarm and confusion. Three European countries have launched the process to reinstate UN sanctions on Iran...
Iraq pulls PMF bill, and Barrack cuts short Lebanon trip
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iraq has revoked a controversial draft law favouring the Popular Mobilisation Forces. US envoy Tom Barrack cuts his Lebanon trip short. Palestinian le...
Ex-Israeli PM wants to 'topple' Netanyahu, and Riad Salameh to be released from prison
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel's former prime minister Ehud Olmert says he is on a mission to help topple Benjamin Netanyahu. The US is offering new incentives for Lebanon. R...
Israel's conditional Lebanon withdrawal, and new tensions with Houthis
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel announced it would begin to withdraw from Lebanon only after the Lebanese army starts to disarm Hezbollah. Tensions rise again between Israel a...
Syrian elections partly postponed, and clashes in Iran
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Syria's upcoming parliamentary election will not include Sweida, Hasakah or Raqqa. The Norwegian Refugee Council has called for investment into Syria....
Israel strikes Gaza city, and Syria's new election law
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel has begun its operation to take over Gaza city ahead of a full ground offensive. Syria’s President approved a temporary electoral law. The Sy...
Hamas's amendment to truce deal and Iran says it is 'stronger' than before Israel war
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hamas seeks withdrawal by Israeli troops in Gaza. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it is stronger than before the war with Israel start...
Israel firm on ceasefire conditions, and US pushes Israel on Lebanon
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel has demanded the release of all hostages in any Gaza deal. The US has called on Israel to comply with Lebanese government actions. Archaeologis...
Hamas agrees to Gaza truce, and US calls on Israel to honour Lebanon ceasefire
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US has called on Israel to honour its ceasefire with Lebanon. New details emerge on Jordan's new conscription programme. Negotiations on the Gaza ...
Last push to pause Gaza war, and Al Shara meets Syrian Christian leader
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mediators are making one last push to pause the fighting in Gaza. Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara has met one of the country’s senior Christian lead...
Trump and Putin to hold talks in Alaska, and attacks on aid in Syria
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
US President Donald Trump is to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin today in Alaska. Aid efforts in the southern Syrian province of Sweida are under...
Iran's tense meeting with Beirut, and Syria blames Israel for instability
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lebanon rejects foreign interference, its President tells Iran. Syria and Turkey's foreign ministers accuse Israel of undermining Damascus's rule. Civ...
Ceasefire talks in Cairo, and US makes offer to Syria
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Hamas delegation attended ceasefire talks in Cairo. The US is offering incentives to Syria's government to curtail conflict with minorities. Libyan ...
Condemnation of Israel's killing of Gaza journalists, and Syrian 'field execution'
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The international community condemns Israel's killing of a group of journalists, including Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al Sharif, in Gaza. Footage o...
Iraq dismisses PMF commanders, and on-board a Jordanian aid drop to Gaza
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iraq has dismissed two senior commanders of the paramilitary Popular Mobilisation Forces over a deadly attack on a government building last month. The...
Israel weighs reoccupying Gaza, and Lebanon votes to disarm Hezbollah
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel weighs occupying Gaza. Lebanon votes to disarm Hezbollah. Egypt's Rafah border crossing has been revived. This episode features Thomas Helm, Je...
Lebanon fears Israeli incursion, and behind Syria's operation in Sweida
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lebanese security officials fear Israel may attempt to infiltrate its eastern region. Syrian leadership questioned the July operation in Sweida. At le...
New details on Gaza aid site deaths and Lebanon's government fails to vote on Hezbollah
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New details reveal how Gazans are lured to their deaths in aid queues. Lebanon's government failed to vote on a motion to disarm Hezbollah. Israel is ...
Gaza starvation and Saudi student killed in UK
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Five more people have died from hunger in Gaza. Hamas says it's open to negotiating a ceasefire deal that would end the war. A man has been charged wi...
Condemnation of Ben-Gvir at Al Aqsa Mosque and five years since the Beirut Blast
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is drawing backlash after praying at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. Today marks five years ...
US sanctions PA, and new Syria-Russia relations
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US has imposed sanctions on officials of the Palestinian Authority and members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. A senior Syrian official ...
Israeli settlement plan threatens Palestinian statehood, and Lebanon inches towards disarming Hezbollah
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New settlements in East Jerusalem could further threaten prospects of a Palestinian state. Lebanon is on the cusp of a move to disarm Hezbollah. At le...
UK could recognise Palestinian state and Gaza's mothers dying in childbirth
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The UK is close to recognising a Palestinian state. Gaza's mothers are dying in childbirth at an accelerated rate. Lebanon has sentenced a man to deat...
Siege on Sweida, and anger after clashes in Iraq
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Food and medicine levels are critically low in Sweida, Syria. Deadly clashes in Iraq have fuelled anger across the country. Wildfires rage in Turkey, ...
Dropping aid into Gaza and the fate of a ceasefire
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel has begun allowing aid to be dropped into Gaza by parachute. In Israel, far-right figures are objecting to permitting aid into Gaza. Syria, Fra...
Israeli MPs approve motion to annex occupied West Bank, and blazes in Turkey
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel’s government has called for the annexation of the occupied West Bank. Blazes continue to burn across Turkey. An explosion rocks Syria's Idlib...
Syria investigates Sweida violence, and Huckabee in Ramallah
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Syria is investigating violence that erupted in Sweida this month. US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. ...
Starvation in Gaza and Israeli army attacks Syria
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Starvation is on the rise in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army launched a drone strike against pro-government troops in southern Syria on Tuesday, sour...
Sweida evacuations and Turkey to cancel Iraqi Kurdistan oil deal
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Syrian government has evacuated Bedouin families from Sweida. Turkey is ending an oil export agreement with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Israel i...
Israel's new ground offensive and Hamas's ceasefire ultimatum
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel has launched a new ground operation in Gaza. Hamas has given an ultimatum for ceasefire talks. Iran has agreed to hold nuclear talks with Europ...
Deadly fire in Iraq and Lebanon pursues Syria extradition deal
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A fatal fire in Iraq is once again raising questions about accountability. Lebanon is seeking a treaty to extradite Syrian convicts. Analysts comment ...
Ceasefire in Syria, and Trump in 'no rush' to talk to Iran
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Syrian government and Druze leaders reached a ceasefire agreement. US President Donald Trump says he’s in “no rush” to talk to Iran. Israel ...
France threatens sanctions on Iran, and Lebanon gets a response on Hezbollah
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
France is threatening Iran with UN sanctions if a deal is not reached on its nuclear program. Lebanese officials have received a response to their pro...
Israel strikes Syria amid Sweida clashes and Palestinian diplomat calls for Gaza action
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel has launched strikes on tanks in southern Syria. The Palestinian ambassador to the EU has urged the bloc to take action as the Gaza war rages. ...
Funeral for Palestinian-American killed in West Bank, and Syria's fires
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Funerals were held for two Palestinians, one a US citizen, killed in the West Bank, over the weekend. Syrian authorities have closed a border crossing...
OPEC's new forecast and Syria-SDF tensions
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Opec raised its forecast for world oil and energy demand. The Syrian government has accused the SDF of delays in implementing an integration deal. Sau...
Israel's AI targeting system and Hezbollah's disarming conditions
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many in Gaza believe there is an unseen, pervasive AI presence that is watching, listening and waiting for those on its target list to show their face...
Gaza 'concentration camps' and Red Sea attacks
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Forced displacement of Palestinians is back in the spotlight. The Houthi rebels in Yemen have stepped up their attacks on commercial vessels in the Re...
US 'satisfied' with Lebanese response to Hezbollah disarmament proposal, and Israel-Houthi crossfire
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
US special envoy Thomas Barrack said he was satisfied with Lebanon’s response to a US call for Hezbollah to disarm. Yemen's Houthi rebels said they ...
Gaza ceasefire negotiations and Hezbollah faces pressure
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Parties are back at the negotiating table for a potential ceasefire in Gaza. Hezbollah is reviewing a US proposal urging the group to disarm within a ...
Damascus hunts down Assad loyalists, and US contractors admit to live fire at aid sites
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Authorities in Damascus are capturing high-profile figures from Syria’s former Assad regime. US contractors guarding aid distribution sites in Gaza ...
Iran suspends co-operation with UN nuclear watchdog, and Israel close to finalising ceasefire
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has approved a law suspending co-operation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog. US President Donald Trump said Israel ...
Disappearances of Alawite women, and a 'terrorist cell' in Beirut
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Criminal gangs are thought to be behind the disappearance of a growing number of Alawite women in Syria. Members of what has been described as a terro...
Lebanon pressured to disarm Hezbollah, and crackdowns in West Bank
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lebanon is facing pressure from the US to disarm Hezbollah as soon as possible. Israel’s security service has clamped down on what it says is a netw...
Israel strikes Lebanon and Trump says Gaza ceasefire close
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israeli strikes killed several people in southern Lebanon. US President Donald Trump said a Gaza ceasefire could be close. The UAE welcomed the signin...
Iran's conditions for US talks, and nuclear damage
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iran has made its conditions for a return to nuclear talks clear. Conflicting reports blur the scope of damage to Iran’s nuclear assets. The World B...
US and Iran to hold talks and Israeli troops killed in Gaza
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A new militant group claims responsibility for a Damascus church attack. US President Donald Trump says Iran and the US will talk next week. Seven Isr...
Iran and Israel's tense ceasefire and aid site violence in Gaza
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran proved fragile just minutes after it took effect. Violence continues to plague aid distribution in Gaza....
Iran attacks US airbase in Qatar, and church bombing in Syria
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iran launched missiles at the Al Udeid airbase in Qatar. An attack on a church in Syria has left the Christian community reeling. Egypt is facing uniq...
IAEA holds emergency meeting and Gulf countries monitor radiation
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The UN’s nuclear watchdog will today hold an emergency meeting after the US launched strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran. Gulf countries and Iraq...
Iran's Araghchi heads to Geneva, and Israel's secretive nuclear programme
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iran's Foreign Minister has confirmed he will travel to Geneva today. What we know about Israel's nuclear weapons programme. An Assad-era military fig...
Iran 'won't surrender', and ruins of Hezbollah strongholds
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iran says it won’t surrender to US threats. The National tours Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon. Algerian gang leaders are convicted over smuggli...
Middle East calls for de-escalation and G7 summit wraps
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Neighbours of Iran and Israel are denouncing the conflict. The G7 summit closes out. The UAE Coast Guard evacuates crew after a tanker collision in th...
Death tolls climb in Israel and Iran, and Palestinian bank waiver risks
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Death tolls in both Iran and Israel continue to climb. Israel’s move to cancel a waiver that allows Israeli banks to transact with their Palestinian...
Israel and Iran escalate, and oil prices up
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Conflict between Iran and Israel is escalating. Oil prices spiked and stocks fell in reaction to developments in the Middle East. Activists trying to ...
Threats and tension after Iran found in breach of nuclear obligations
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tension is escalating in the Middle East after the UN’s nuclear watchdog found Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations. Hundreds were ki...
Israel cancels Palestinian bank waiver, and Syrian swimwear directives
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israeli and Palestinian banks are no longer able to work together. A new Syrian dress code is drawing mixed reactions. The US and China say they have ...
UK sanctions Israeli cabinet members and Zohran Mamdani's race for New York
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The UK sanctioned two senior members of the Israeli Cabinet. Iran says it could strike back in the event of an Israeli attack. A candidate for New Yor...
Iran's 'undeclared' nuclear sites and Israel-backed groups in Gaza
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The UN’s nuclear watchdog has accused Iran of concealing three nuclear sites in the early 2000s. There’s new fighting in Gaza, now between Hamas a...
Gaza aid points to reopen, and Israeli draft dispute threatens to collapse government
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Aid distribution points run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation are set to reopen today following a temporary closure. There’s a new rift in Israel ...
Syria builds national army and Hajj begins today
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There has been more deadly violence near an aid distribution site in Gaza. Syria has recruited half of its planned national army. The Hajj pilgrimage ...
Hamas ready to negotiate and Iran, Egypt talk nuclear
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hamas says it’s ready to begin indirect talks on “points of contention” in a US ceasefire proposal. Iran and Egypt are in talks in Cairo. Emirat...
Gaza aid site shooting and Iran-US nuclear talks
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Aid handouts in Gaza are under new scrutiny after a deadly shooting. The US has sent Iran a proposal for a nuclear deal. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are of...
Israel approves more settlements and Saudi Arabia tightens Hajj security
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel has approved 22 more settlements in the occupied West Bank. Authorities in Saudi Arabia are making arrests for abetting unauthorised pilgrimage...
Israel strikes Yemen, and Piers Morgan on Gaza
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel launched strikes on Yemen on Wednesday, a day after Houthi militants fired several missiles towards it. Pro-government militias have killed six...
Controversial aid group begins deliveries in Gaza and ceasefire talks falter
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The US-Israeli Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said it started distributing aid. Iraq's Oil Ministry is suing the semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Negotia...
Syria plans to reshape economy, and Jerusalem Day sparks Israeli violence
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Syria is about to overhaul its financial system. Palestinian residents, activists and journalists were the targets of attacks by extremist Israelis in...
South Lebanon votes and UNRWA calls for aid deliveries
26 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Voters in southern Lebanon cast their ballots on Saturday in municipal elections. UNRWA said that at least 500-600 aid lorries are needed every day in...
Erdogan has 'no interest' in re-election, and doctor describes dire straits for Gaza's children
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday he has no interest in being re-elected. A doctor describes the horrendous state of children in...
Iran in indirect contact with Syria and Israeli protesters block Gaza aid
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iran says it has opened “indirect” communications with the new regime in Syria. Israeli protesters are attempting to block aid deliveries to Gaza ...
UK sanctions West Bank settlers, and EU lifts sanctions on Syria
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The UK announced sanctions against prominent settlers in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday. The European Union announced on Tuesday it would begin lif...
Limited aid entering Gaza, and Syria cracks down on ISIS
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Aid is once again entering Gaza but with Israeli-imposed limitations. Syrian security troops have begun operations to “eradicate” ISIS from urban ...
Gaza ceasefire talks and Libya in turmoil
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Gaza ceasefire talks are continuing in Qatar. The Prime Minister of Libya's UN-backed government has told armed groups to "stand with the state”. Ar...
Trump wraps Gulf trip in UAE and Turkey holds uncertain Ukraine talks
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump is wrapping his visit in the UAE today; he arrived in Abu Dhabi yesterday, becoming the second serving US president to visit the country....
Boeing closes deal with Qatar and Trump sets off for UAE
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Qatar and Boeing on Wednesday struck a deal for what US President Donald Trump called the largest order of jets in the history of the planemaker. GCC ...
Trump to lift Syria sanctions and Saudi Arabia invests billions in US
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
US President Donald Trump rounded out his first day in Saudi Arabia with a strong commitment to Saudi-US relations as the Gulf country has committed t...
Trump arrives in Riyadh and US and China lower tariffs
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
US President Donald Trump's trip to the Gulf kicks off with his arrival in Saudi Arabia today. The US and China have agreed to lower tariffs for 90 da...
Trump heads to the Gulf and flights resume in South Asia
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Editor's note: This text has been updated to reflect US President Donald Trump's schedule; he is expected to arrive in Riyadh on 13 May. US Presiden...
Israel storms UNRWA schools and Emirates posts record revenues
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israeli forces stormed and shut down schools in occupied East Jerusalem run by the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees. Pakistan says its forces ki...
India-Pakistan escalation and what's next in the US-Houthi ceasefire
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tension between India and Pakistan is escalating. The US is potentially shifting its attention away from the Houthis in Yemen. A Lebanese border regio...
Aid groups boycott Israeli expansion in Gaza, and Shara to meet Macron
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
International NGOs are boycotting an expanded Israeli offensive in Gaza. Syrian leader Ahmad Al Shara is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron ...
Israel and Houthis exchange threats, and ICJ drops Sudan-UAE case
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel and the Houthis are exchanging threats in an apparent escalation. The International Court of Justice has moved to reject Sudan’s case against...
Israel vows retaliation for Houthi strike and an attack in Sudan
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Israeli military said it was investigating after a missile launched from Yemen on Sunday landed near Israel’s main airport. Sudan's paramilitary...
UAE and Lebanon talk travel, and fires ravage Israel
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The UAE and Lebanon are working on lifting travel restrictions, which include a UAE-imposed ban on Emiratis travelling to Lebanon, following a meeting...
Israel strikes Syria and 100 days since Jenin operation
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Israel is on the offensive in a move it claims it made on behalf of the Druze in Syria. The UAE says it has thwarted a plot to smuggle weapons and mil...
An attack against Syria's Druze and a UN report on Sudan's war
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tension flared in Damascus after the latest in a string of attacks on minority groups. The UN accused both Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rap...
ICJ hears Gaza aid case and Israel launches strikes on Lebanon again
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The International Court of Justice is hearing a case against Israel this week. Israel's military struck Beirut’s southern suburbs at the weekend. Sy...
Trump wants free pass through Suez Canal and PLO appoints deputy president
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trump: free passage through the Suez Canal for American ships. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed a close aide as the first Deputy Pres...
Years-long Gaza ceasefire is on the table, and Lebanon drops banking secrecy
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hamas and Israeli negotiators are engaged in what have been called “serious” talks in Cairo on a potential ceasefire in Gaza. Tension is flaring b...
Jordan bans Muslim Brotherhood and earthquake shakes Istanbul
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jordanian authorities have banned the Muslim Brotherhood a week after members of the group were accused of being involved in an armed plot against the...
Lebanon seeks damages and Israel kills Islamic Group leader
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
foreign courts in relation to the country’s largest financial scandal. The Israeli military launched a drone strike on Lebanon, a rare attack outsid...
Pope Francis dies and US strikes on Yemen intensify
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pope Francis has died at his residence in the Vatican. US air strikes on Sanaa killed at least 12 people and wounded 30 overnight into Monday. Adnoc h...
Iran-US talks hailed for progress, and opposition to Syria's Al Shara in Iraq
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Talks between Iran and the US on Tehran's nuclear programme are gaining momentum. Iraqi politicians are trying to keep Syrian president Ahmed Al Sha...
Iraq's path to recovery and high-tech medicine in the UAE
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iraq is finally crossing the bridge from violence to influence, the country’s top UN official has said. EU officials are working to combat rising an...
Framework for Iran nuclear talks and France-Algeria tensions
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Talks between the US and Iran this week will create a framework to discuss Tehran's nuclear programme. Tensions between Algeria and France have flar...
Jordan foils 'plot' against kingdom and Israeli medics refuse to serve
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jordan said on Tuesday it thwarted plots that threatened its national security, detaining 16 people on charges that included manufacturing and impor...
Lebanon under US pressure and EU boosts aid to Palestine
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lebanese sources have told The National the government is under pressure from the US and other foreign officials to replace Hezbollah-linked securit...
Iran and US plan further talks, and Al Shara visits UAE
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iran and the US are set to hold a second round of nuclear deal talks next week. Syria's President Ahmad Al Shara visited the UAE on Sunday. Lebanon ...