Seven months after deadly clashes between Syria's Druze minority and government‑backed forces, the spiritual leader of Druze in neighbouring Israel said members of the community across the border remained in peril. "They're still besieged -- completely encircled. They aren't
At a military base in northeast Syria, Roksan Mohammed recalled joining the battle against Islamic State group jihadists. Now her all-woman fighting unit is at risk after a deal with Damascus ended the Kurds' de facto autonomy. "We made many sacrifices," said Mohammed,
By Timothy Gardner and Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has told Congress he is pursuing a civil nuclear pact with Saudi Arabia that does not include non-proliferation safeguards the U.S. has long said would ensure the kingdom does not
By Bo Erickson, Trevor Hunnicutt and Gram Slattery WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - World leaders who accepted the invitation of President Donald Trump to join his new peace board were greeted in Washington on Thursday with a mix of fanfare and personal flattery. While the U.S.
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Iran told U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday that Tehran will consider bases, facilities and assets of the "hostile force" in the region as legitimate targets if it faces military aggression. U.S. President Donald Trump's rhetoric
By Rami Ayyub JERUSALEM, Feb 19 (Reuters) - More than 75,000 Palestinians were killed in the first 15 months of Israel's military assault in Gaza, a figure far higher than the 49,000 deaths local health officials announced at the time, says a new study by The Lancet Global
FIFA will spearhead a $75 million fund to rebuild soccer facilities in Gaza that were destroyed by the war between Israel and Hamas, President Donald Trump and the sport's governing body said Thursday. Trump made the announcement in Washington at the first meeting of his "Board
U.S. preparations for a broad military attack on Iran grow, and Israel is acting not like a secondary player, but rather an active partner in decision-making, thanks to Netanyahu's insistence on placing Israel at the forefront of a possible confrontation
The president added later that the United States is 'going to make a deal or get a deal one way or the other,' adding, '15 days. Pretty much maximum.' Later on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is considering a limited preliminary strike on Iran to pressure
By Tarek Amara TUNIS, Feb 19 (Reuters) - A Tunisian court on Thursday sentenced lawmaker Ahmed Saidani to eight months in prison over social media posts mocking President Kais Saied, a ruling that opponents say signals an intensifying crackdown on critics. Once a supporter of
The Trump administration is pressing Baghdad on Iranian influence and the nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, with Iraq's top diplomat claiming the US stipulations include a "hint" toward potential sanctions.
The Board of Peace is touting new aid and military commitments, but will they make a difference if Hamas still holds the guns in Gaza?
Feb 19 (Reuters) - Belarus, a close ally of Russia rarely invited to international gatherings, said on Thursday it had intended to attend the inaugural meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace in Washington but failed to receive the necessary visas. Belarus has
Feb 19 (Reuters) - Several foreign dignitaries attending the first meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace for Gaza made offers of aid on Thursday. These include: UNITED STATES: pledges to make a contribution of $10 billion to the border peace, said President
In Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians say the festive spirit of Ramadan has become another casualty of the conflict: 'We wish Ramadan could be like before. We used to welcome it with happiness. Today, we welcome it with tears'
A familiar scene returned to Khartoum as men gathered in the streets of the war-scarred Sudanese capital to break their fast on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It was here that fighting first erupted in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid
Trump announced that the countries have contributed $7 billion to the reconstruction of Gaza, adding that the United States will contribute another $10 billion. The president commended Indonesia, Morocco, Albania, Kosovo, and Kazakhstan for agreeing to deploy troops
Oil prices rose to multi-month highs while global stocks mostly retreated as markets weighed sharpening rhetoric from President Donald Trump on Iran suggesting a military strike was more likely. Brent oil futures finished up nearly two percent at $71.66 a barrel after earlier
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Five countries have committed troops for an international security force for Gaza, the commander of the force said on Thursday during a meeting of President Donald Trump's newly created Board of Peace. "The first five countries have committed
Pentagon assembles its largest Middle East strike force since 2003, adding F-35s, F-22s, tankers, electronic-warfare and command planes plus a second carrier.
Lebanon once again finds itself preparing for Hezbollah’s involvement in a looming US-Iranian military confrontation.
There are increasing indications a US military strike could be on the horizon as momentum toward a new Iran nuclear deal stalls.
A UN fact-finding mission says the scale and coordination of atrocities in Darfur mark a shift in its assessment of the paramilitary group’s campaign.
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The United States will give the United Nations money to strengthen it and help make it viable, President Donald Trump told the opening meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday. The U.S. is the biggest contributor to the U.N. budget, but under the
The Trump administration is moving forward with constructing a significant military base in southern Gaza as part of the peacekeeping efforts in President Trump's plan for the region, The Guardian reports
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that various U.S. allies have contributed over $7 billion to relief efforts in Gaza. Speaking to the initial meeting of the Board of Peace, which Trump created, the U.S. president said that it looks
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States had to make a meaningful deal with Iran, citing good talks with the Middle Eastern country. "Good talks are being had. It's proven to be, over the years, not easy to make a meaningful
PARIS, Feb 19 (Reuters) - France said on Thursday it was surprised that the European Commission had sent a commissioner to the Board of Peace in Washington saying it did not have the mandate to represent member states, its foreign ministry spokesperson said. Pascal Confavreux
As the board meets for the first time, questions hang over Gaza’s ceasefire, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Arrivals at Tehran's airport this week mainly indicated Iranian and Middle Eastern airlines were flying to the Persian country amid heightened tensions with Washington.
By Pesha Magid and Nidal al-Mughrabi JERUSALEM/CAIRO, Feb 19 (Reuters) - A U.S.-backed Palestinian committee established to take over the civil administration of Gaza opened applications for a police force for the strip on Thursday, ahead of the inaugural meeting of President
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday Iran must make a "meaningful deal" in its negotiations with Washington in the next 10 days or else "bad things happen", as he deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware in the region. "It's proven to be over the years
Iran's atomic energy chief on Thursday said "no country can deprive Iran of the right" to nuclear enrichment, following fresh US warnings that there were "many reasons" to strike the Islamic republic. The two foes recently resumed indirect talks, after US President Donald Trump
Ankara is engaging Libyan authorities in challenging the Greece-Chevron deal, a Turkish official said.
The head of Doctors Without Borders in the Palestinian territories told AFP the charity would continue working in Gaza for as long as possible, following an Israeli decision to end its activities there. In early February, Israel announced it was terminating all the activities
DUBAI, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Russia warned against an "unprecedented escalation of tension" around Iran on Thursday and urged restraint amid a U.S. military build-up in the region that a senior American official said should be complete by mid-March. U.S. threats to bomb Iran, with
The UN Human Rights Office, which investigated events in Gaza and the West Bank from November 2024 to the end of October 2025, concludes that intensified violence and forcible transfers by Israel appear aimed at a 'permanent demographic shift'
Israel's increased attacks and forcible transfers of Palestinians "raise concerns over ethnic cleansing" in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, the United Nations said Thursday. The cumulative impact of Israel's military conduct during the war in Gaza and blockade of the territory,
The U.S. is approaching the precipice of war without articulating even the vaguest vision for what follows and with few forces, domestic or international, able or willing to challenge Trump or his administration. Netanyahu, with his first gamble against Iran having paid off
A military assessment presented to Netanyahu in late January is said to show Hamas is taking over Gaza's government ministries. Hamas says the appointments are temporary and blames Israel for blocking the Palestinian technocratic committee from entering the Strip
MOSCOW, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday that it was seeing an unprecedented escalation of tension around Iran as the United States moved military assets into the Middle East, and the Kremlin urged both Tehran and "other parties" to exercise prudence and restraint.
By Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Israeli forces, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups have both committed serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza and carried out atrocity crimes, a U.N. report published on Thursday said. Intensified
The Massachusetts Democrat's comment is the latest instance of a growing trend among Democrats – tying the so-called 'Epstein class' to issues of the day, whether relating to specific policy concerns like Iran or more big-picture trends
BAGHDAD, Feb 19 (Reuters) - A Turkish parliamentary commission's approval of a report setting out a roadmap for legal reforms alongside the disbandment of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group is an important step and the beginning of a fundamental change in Turkish
A British couple detained in Iran since January 2025 have been sentenced to 10 years in jail for espionage, their family announced on Thursday, triggering condemnation from the UK government. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both in their 50s, were arrested while travelling through
According to reports, President Donald Trump has been informed that the U.S. military is prepared to launch a strike on Iran by the end of the coming weekend. The Kremlin urged 'restraint' amid an 'unprecedented escalation' and Poland called on nationals to evacuate Iran
LONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - British foreign minister Yvette Cooper on Thursday condemned as "totally unjustifiable" the 10-year sentence given to a British couple in Iran for spying, saying the government would continue to press for their release. Craig and Lindsay Foreman had
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell CAIRO/JERUSALEM, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Hamas is cementing its hold over Gaza by placing loyalists in key government roles, collecting taxes and paying salaries, according to an Israeli military assessment seen by Reuters and sources in the
SYDNEY, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Australian police said on Thursday they had launched an investigation after a threatening letter was sent to the country’s largest mosque, the third such incident in the lead-up to the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The letter sent to Lakemba Mosque