Syria, Russia say over 100 missiles fired, many intercepted
The US and its allies fired more than 100 cruise missiles at Syria, a significant number of which were intercepted by Syrian air defenses, Russia and Syria said Saturday.
Israel
Palestinian Authority FM says Arab states will block Israel Security Council bid
A campaign by Arab states to block Israel’s bid for a Security Council seat has gained support weeks ahead of a scheduled UN vote, the Palestinian Authority foreign minister said Thursday.
Palestinians prepare to burn Israeli flags on third weekend of protests
The hashtags #RaisingFlag, referring to the Palestinian flag, and #BurningFlag, referring to the Israeli flag, have been prevalent in recent days among Palestinians on social media as they prepare for protests Friday near the Gaza border fence. Mass burning of Israeli flags is planned for Friday as the “Great March of Return” enters its third weekend.
Iran official threatens to destroy Israel if it continues ‘childish game’
Iran will destroy Israel if it doesn’t stop its ‘childish game,’ a senior military leader in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened Thursday.
Inspectors head to site of suspected gas attack in Syria
A team of inspectors from the international chemical weapons watchdog was on its way to Syria on Thursday to begin an investigation into a suspected chemical weapons attack near the capital that has brought the war-torn country to the brink of a wider conflict, amid Western threats of retaliation and Russian warnings of the potential for ‘a dangerous escalation.’
US said planning to hit 8 sites in Syria after confirming chemical attack
The White House is considering eight potential Syrian targets in retaliation for a chemical weapons assault, a US official told CNBC Thursday.
UN chief says Security Council must prevent Syria ‘spiraling out of control’
The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday voiced concern to the Security Council’s five permanent members over the ‘impasse’ on Syria, stressing ‘the need to avoid the situation spiraling out of control.’
Abbas says Palestinians won’t accept any American peace plan
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday said the Palestinians will not accept any US plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Possible US strike on Syria looms large as allies weigh military action
A possibility of US-led strike on Syria appeared to gain traction Wednesday with President Donald Trump warning that ‘missiles will be coming’ in response to an alleged chemical attack in Syria, and the White House confirming that ‘a number of options’ were being discussed.
Israel solemnly remembers 6 million victims on Holocaust Remembrance Day
Israel will come to a standstill at 10 a.m. Thursday as sirens will wail throughout the country in memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War II. The sirens will be followed by ceremonies marking Holocaust Remembrance Day in schools, public institutions and army bases. Later in the day the traditional ‘March of the Living’ will be held in Poland.
IDF probes video of troops cheering as sniper shoots Palestinian near Gaza fence
The Israeli military said it was investigating a video that surfaced on Monday that appears to show IDF sharpshooters cheering as one of them shoots and fells a Palestinian who approached the Gaza security fence.
Moscow calls in Israeli ambassador after alleged attack in Syria
A day after Russia accused Israel of attacking the T4 airbase in Syria, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov summoned Israel’s Ambassador to Russia Gary Koren to the Foreign Minister to discuss the matter, TASS reported on Tuesday.
Israeli Airstrikes Target Iran’s Presence, Drones in Syria
In recent months, Israel-Iran tensions have evolved from covert and proxy battles to direct confrontations. Early Monday, Israel targeted the Syrian regime’s T-4 military air base in Homs, killing at least seven Iranian personnel. One of the fatalities was a colonel with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC), responsible for overseeing Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit. The IRGC ordered Iranian state-affiliated media outlets to retract articles describing the incident.
After gas attack, US, UK, France weigh strike on Syria by end of week
Trump administration officials have consulted with global allies on a possible joint military response to Syria’s alleged poison gas attack, as US President Donald Trump canceled a foreign trip in order to manage a crisis that is testing his vow to stand up to Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Trump cancels South America trip in sign Syria military strike imminent
President Trump canceled plans Tuesday for his first trip to South America, in another sign that he is preparing to order an imminent military strike against Syria over its deadly chemical weapons attack against civilians in a rebel-held suburb of Damascus.
Abbas sets conditions for hearing out Trump’s anticipated peace plan
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday the Ramallah-based Palestinian leadership will only engage with the Trump administration’s anticipated peace plan if it backs a two-state solution and recognizes east Jerusalem as the capital of ‘the State of Palestine.’
PA lifts ‘disguise’ on ‘martyr’ payments, defying Taylor Force Act
After three years of disguising its payments to families of martyrs and imprisoned terrorists, the Palestinian Authority has lifted its veil on those payments in a ‘blatant act of defiance’ against the United States, a new report says.
Reports: Israel warned U.S. of Syria strike, Kremlin says left in the dark
Israel gave the United States advance warning of its early Monday morning strike on a military base in Syria, according to initial reports, while the Kremlin charged that it failed to inform Russia.
Why Hamas Needs Israel’s Conflict With Gaza to Explode Again
For days, agitated Israeli officials warned of an imminent ‘ecological disaster’ in anticipation of Friday’s massive protest at the border with the Gaza Strip, where Hamas, the ruling Palestinian Islamist militia, readied tens of thousands of tires to be set on fire.
US blocks Arab-led UN call for independent probe of Gaza protests
The United States for a second week in a row blocked a UN Security Council statement supporting the right of Palestinians to ‘demonstrate peacefully’ and endorsing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for an independent investigation into deadly protests in Gaza.