Israeli forces demolish houses in southern Lebanon Israeli forces are continuing to demolish residential houses and infrastructure in Bani Haiyyan, a municipality in the Marjayoun district in southern Lebanon, according to the National News Agency. Meanwhile, Israeli jets have bombed areas in Marjayoun, as well as areas around the city of Tyre.
Return of US diplomats to Middle East seen as reducing risk of return to war Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 08/26/2026 - 20:58 The Trump administration faced growing uncertainty about staffing embassies and consulates The US embassy headquarters in Riyadh is pictured on March 3, 2026, after it was hit by drone strikes earlier. Iran hit back at industrial and diplomatic targets across the Middle East on March 3, with Washington warning its citizens to evacuate the entire region. AFP Off The Trump administration is beginning to send US diplomats back to embassies and consulates in the Middle East that were downsized or evacuated amid the war on Iran , according to media reports.
Qatar’s PM to visit Tehran to discuss de-escalation Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani will visit Tehran on Thursday where he will meet a number of Iranian officials to discuss ways to de-escalate tensions, foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said on Wednesday on X. HE Sheikh @MBA_AlThani_ , will arrive in Tehran tomorrow, where he will meet with a number of Iranian officials to discuss ways to de-escalate tensions & create the conditions conducive to dialogue. The visit comes in line with the State of Qatar’s firm position that the… — د.
Iran says nuclear sites remain unsafe for IAEA inspections Iran remains in a wartime situation and has not secured its nuclear sites for inspections, nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami told state media on Wednesday. Eslami said the International Atomic Energy Agency could not request access until it established an inspection protocol. He added that US President Donald Trump’s threats to bomb an alleged secret Iranian nuclear site showed that international organisations served as “pawns” of the United States and Israel.
Iran says US sanctions will achieve nothing Iran's president insisted on Wednesday that the United States would achieve nothing with its new sanctions campaign after Washington laid out plans to collapse the country's economy. Almost six months into their war, the two sides are locked in a stalemate, with Iran keeping the key Strait of Hormuz shut and Washington persisting with a naval counter-blockade of Iran. "America will not achieve anything with economic pressure at this stage, just as it was unable to achieve anything in the war," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday, according to the country's ISNA news agency.
US designates Palestine Action activist group 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' The Trump administration has designated the UK activist group Palestine Action a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), as part of its efforts to go after what it described as "violent far-left terror networks". Wednesday's decision comes a year after the United Kingdom banned the group for damaging materials at weapons factories run by Elbit Systems. Elbit is a key provider of weapons to the Israeli military, which has for nearly three years carried out what the United Nations and Holocaust scholars have called a genocide in the Gaza Strip.
US designates Palestine Action activist group 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 08/26/2026 - 17:15 US crackdown follows the UK's proscription against Palestine Action one year ago Protesters, with their faces covered for fear of retaliation, participate in the 'Break the Siege on Gaza' protest outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, on 9 August 2025 (Mandel Ngan/AFP) Off The Trump administration has designated the UK activist group Palestine Action a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), as part of its efforts to go after what it described as "violent far-left terror networks". Wednesday's decision comes a year after the United Kingdom banned the group for damaging materials at weapons factories run by Elbit Systems. Elbit is a key provider of weapons to the Israeli military, which has for nearly three years carried out what the United Nations and Holocaust scholars have called a genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Hegseth says military action still possible in US-Israel war on Iran US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says military options have not been ruled out in the US-Israeli war on Iran. Hegseth’s statement comes after Washington imposed “unprecedented” sanctions on Iran this week. In an interview on US cable channel Newsmax, Hegseth said “economic pressure we know hurts them the most right now, but by no means are we foreclosing using kinetic strikes anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz”.
UN special rapporteur condemns US' Palestine Action designation Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, has condemned US sanctions on the Palestine Action group. In a post on X, Albanese said the designation of the group as a terrorist organisation targets “those daring to hold a state accused of [international] crimes accountable”. “Clear goal: targeting a few to silence the many,” Albanese said.
UAE president's letter to elderly Saudi king seen as jab at Crown Prince Submitted by Sean Mathews on Wed, 08/26/2026 - 14:18 Handwritten letter viewed as attempt to bypass powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (R) meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Qasr al-Rawdha in Abu Dhabi on 1 December 2024 (AFP) Off UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed's direct outreach to Saudi Arabia's elderly King Salman has been viewed by US and Arab diplomats as an effort to bypass the kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Several Saudi and Emirati news outlets reported on Monday that the leader of the UAE sent a handwritten letter to Saudi Arabia's 90-year-old King Salman. Saudi news sites reported that the letter addressed the status of ties between the two Gulf neighbours, while the UAE's official news agency, WAM, said the letter was a personal invitation to Abu Dhabi to attend a UN-sponsored water conference in December.
Israeli court acquits Jewish settler who kicked Catholic nun in the head An Israeli court has acquitted Yona Schreiber, a Jewish settler from the occupied West Bank settlement of Peduel, over a violent assault on a French Catholic nun near Jerusalem’s Old City earlier this year. The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court acquitted Schreiber on Wednesday on the grounds of "mental illness". Following the ruling, Schreiber’s lawyer, Idan Gamliel, described the attack as an “unfortunate incident” and said the defence took “note” of the nun’s “difficult feelings” over the assault.
Iranian warship confronts vessel attempting Hormuz transit A large Iranian warship has confronted an Indian ship attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz's southern route, Iran’s Fars news agency reported. “A few moments ago, an Indian oil tanker named ‘HAANA’ attempted to pass through the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, known as the Oman corridor, but was deterred after receiving a warning,” the report said. “No traffic has been observed on the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours,” it said.
At least five killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza in past 24 hours Israel has killed at least five people in Gaza in new strikes over the last 24 hours, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza. Two others have also succumbed to injuries sustained in previous Israeli attacks, the ministry added. At least 1,303 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the “ceasefire” began in October 2025, reaching a total of 73,438 Palestinians killed since the start of the genocide in October 2023.
Iran’s nuclear chief says attacked nuclear sites not secure for IAEA inspection Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said on Wednesday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would not be able to inspect the country's nuclear sites that have suffered attacks in recent months until it develops a specific inspection protocol for such sites and their security is ensured, adding that Iran is still in a wartime situation, in comments carried by Iran’s IRNA news agency. Eslami said that Trump's threats to bomb the alleged secret Iranian nuclear site show the IAEA are pawns of the US and Israel, and accused the countries of pressuring the IAEA for an inspection.
US designates Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation The US has imposed sanctions on the direct action group Palestine Action, designating it a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, according to a notice posted on a Treasury Department website. According to the Telegraph, US officials say that the group's promotion of "acts of terrorism" on social media encourages others to adopt direct action tactics overseas, including in the US. This marks the first known case of a British left-wing group being subjected to US counter-terrorism sanctions.
New agreement sees dissolution of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces Submitted by Alex MacDonald on Wed, 08/26/2026 - 14:32 Kurdish-language rights and integration of women's units into security forces reportedly among terms of deal Kurdish fighters from the Qamishli Brigade, part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), participate in a military parade in Qamishli on 21 August (AFP/Delil Souleiman) Off The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have announced their dissolution in Syria as part of an agreement with the interim government. The SDF, formed out of a number of Kurdish and Arab organisations in 2015 to fight the Islamic State group, announced the move on Tuesday in a televised statement. Following a meeting with interim President Ahmed al-Sharra, SDF commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi said the organisation had completed its mission and would integrate with the national military forces.
UK minister condemns 'outrageous' Israeli seizure of Unrwa training centre Stephen Doughty, British minister of state for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan, has issued a statement condemning the Israeli seizure of Unrwa's Qalandiya Training Centre in occupied East Jerusalem as "outrageous". “This UN facility has offered generations of Palestinian refugees education & opportunity,” Doughty said in a post on X. The minister urged that “Israel must comply with its obligations and respect inviolability of UN premises.
Trump says he is 'not in a hurry' to revive talks with Tehran US President Donald Trump has said he is "not in a hurry" to resume talks with Tehran. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Trump said he has "no time schedule" when it comes to closing a deal with Iran. He further commented that economic sanctions against the country are proving as effective as military strikes, and that Iran's "economy is falling apart".
Israeli court acquits Jewish settler who kicked Catholic nun in the head Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Wed, 08/26/2026 - 14:41 The ruling comes amid growing attacks by extremist settlers against Christians in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank The 48-year-old nun was attacked on 28 April 2026 in occupied East Jerusalem, leaving her face bruised (Handout via Israeli police) Off An Israeli court has acquitted Yona Schreiber, a Jewish settler from the occupied West Bank settlement of Peduel, over a violent assault on a French Catholic nun near Jerusalem’s Old City earlier this year. The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court acquitted Schreiber on Wednesday on the grounds of "mental illness". Following the ruling, Schreiber’s lawyer, Idan Gamliel, described the attack as an “unfortunate incident” and said the defence took “note” of the nun’s “difficult feelings” over the assault.
Hundreds of academics and lawyers urge Burnham to lift Palestine Action ban Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 08/26/2026 - 13:51 Letter also urges British prime minister to end UK's military cooperation with Israel Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaks during the Coalition of the Willing meeting, in Kyiv on 24 August 2026 (AFP) Off More than 250 academics and lawyers have written to British Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to end military cooperation with Israel and de-proscribe direct action group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. The letter, dated 25 August and seen by Middle East Eye, was signed by prominent figures including barrister Michael Mansfield, Oxford historian Avi Shlaim, Defend Our Juries co-founder Tim Crosland and Exeter University academic Laleh Khalili. "Despite Israel’s ongoing perpetration of flagrant war crimes, the UK government continues to provide it with military, economic and diplomatic support," the letter reads.
