Iran warns ‘forceful response’ to ships failing to comply with approved Hormuz routes Iran’s joint military command has warned ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz to use its approved routes or face a “forceful response”. “Any failure to comply, deviation from the designated route, or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces”, it said in a statement carried by Iranian state TV on Thursday.
Campaigners and scholars demand answers from British Museum following disclosures Campaigners and scholars say that recent revelations that the British Museum made false claims about its removal of "Palestine" from its displays raise serious questions regarding the integrity and transparency of its policy and practice. A Middle East Eye investigation published on Wednesday revealed that the museum’s decision to remove the terms “Palestine”, “Palestinian” and “Israelite occupation” from its displays came in direct response to months of lobbying in 2024. While the museum previously claimed that the changes were motivated by “audience testing”, the disclosures to MEE show that no such testing took place, and that amendments were made following a series of private and public complaints by pro-Israel activists.
Trump says ICC has no jurisdiction over Americans The US Department of Justice said in a statement on Thursday that it sent a letter to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to tell them that the United States would not cooperate with any ICC investigations and that the court has no jurisdiction over Americans. This comes after three ICC judges launched a lawsuit against Trump over the US State Department sanctioned members involved in prosecuting Israeli nationals for war crimes in Palestine.
Exclusive: ICC bureau changes rules to lower threshold for Khan's removal Submitted by Sondos Asem on Tue, 06/30/2026 - 12:39 ICC decision to abandon its own procedures paper would deny its 125 member states an opportunity to determine whether prosecutor committed misconduct ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan speaking at the 23rd session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, at the World Forum Convention Center in The Hague (ICC file photo) Off The executive body of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has changed the voting process on the potential removal of Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from a two-stage vote to a single vote in an apparent break with its own rules, Middle East Eye can reveal. Under the new process, which was approved by a majority of the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) at a meeting on Monday, member states will be asked to vote just once on a single motion approving both the bureau's finding of serious misconduct against Khan and the prosecutor's dismissal, according to multiple diplomatic sources. Previously, the procedure was expected to consist of a two-stage vote in which members would first vote on whether misconduct had occurred and its gravity, with a second vote on removal triggered only if they found "serious misconduct.
Air raid sirens sound in northern Israel The Israeli army has reported in a post on X that “alerts have been activated in the Avashdim and Yir-on areas” of northern Israel. It added that the details are under review.
Over 20 million expected in Tehran for Ali Khamenei's funeral More than 20 million people are reportedly expected to travel to Iran’s capital for the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khameinei, who was assassinated by the US and Israel on 28 February, according to Iranian state TV. This would more than double Tehran’s population of roughly 10 million.
Six Kurdish fighters killed in clashes with Iran, says opposition group A Kurdish opposition group said on Thursday that six of its fighters were killed in fighting with Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps in western Iran near the border with Iraq. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) said in a statement on X that the fighting took place on Wednesday night near the village of Qazqapan, three kilometres from the Iranian city of Pirashahr. The group, which is based in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, has been designated a terrorist organisation and accused of serving western and Israeli interests by Tehran.
Israeli drone strike targets hospital in southern Lebanon An Israeli drone strike targeted the Ghandour Hospital in the southern Lebanese town of Nabitiyeh, according to Lebanon’s state news agency on Thursday. There have been no immediate reports of casualties. At least 4,297 people have been killed and another 12,196 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since 2 March, the country's health ministry reported on Wednesday.
OIC condemns Israeli bill restricting Muslim call to prayer The general secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday condemned the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary approval of a bill to restrict the Muslim call to prayer. Under the proposal, mosques would be prohibited from installing or operating loudspeaker systems without a permit granted by Israeli authorities. The OIC described the proposed legislation as a discriminatory and racist measure that constitutes a flagrant violation of freedom of religion and worship guaranteed under international law.
Reuters: several European countries join Canada as founding members of global defence bank Canada’s lead negotiator told Reuters on Thursday that Canada is set to co-announce the creation of a global defence bank with ten European countries at the Nato summit next week. The countries will join as founding members of a defence, security and resilience bank, according to the source.
Seven Palestinians wounded in Israeli drone strike on central Gaza An Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza has injured seven Palestinians on Thursday, Wafa news reports. All of those wounded, including one Palestinian who sustained critical injuries, were transferred to Al-Awda Medical Complex in Nuseirat for treatment.
Bomb blast at Damascus cafe kills six, authorities say A bomb blast at a cafe in Damascus on Thursday killed six people and wounded 22, according to Syrian authorities, making it the deadliest bombing since a suicide attack on a church last year. The blast happened near the capital's Palace of Justice, a key government building, but was not immediately claimed by any group.
Iran accuses US of ‘performative posturing’ in security talks The Iranian Foreign Minister Esmaeil Baghaei criticised the US-led security meeting hosted in Bahrain, saying the US demonstrates “complete contempt for genuine peace and security in West Asia. “Such gatherings are nothing more than performative posturing, aimed at concealing America’s destabilising policies and lawless behaviour in the region,” Baghaei added in a statement to X. His comments came in response to a post from US Central Command (Centcom) about meeting with 12 Middle Eastern countries to discuss regional cooperation and maritime security.
Israeli bill to restrict call to prayer passes preliminary parliament reading Submitted by Lubna Masarwa on Thu, 07/02/2026 - 14:13 Palestinians condemn the proposed legislation as an attack on religious freedom and a step towards tighter state control over mosques A view of the Bosnian Mosque in Caesarea, Israel (IMAGO/Christian Offenberg via Reuters) Off An Israeli bill to restrict the adhan, the Muslim call to prayer, passed a preliminary reading in parliament on Wednesday. Palestinians condemned the legislation as a "declaration of religious war" and an attack on freedom of worship. The bill passed by 50 votes to 36 and must now be referred to a Knesset committee before returning for its first reading.
Starmer is leaving Burnham with a massive bill for defence. But why the war fever? Submitted by Joe Gill on Thu, 07/02/2026 - 10:28 There is a concerted campaign to prepare the public for war with Russia.
How Iran won the World Cup (or didn't lose it anyway) Iran was knocked out of the World Cup on Saturday, yet the government’s now calling it a victory. Whether or not it’s the moral victory they say it is, a tidal wave of international support points to a plausible PR victory. Iran’s football fate was sealed by two last-minute plot twists, earning them the BBC title of "Unluckiest team in World Cup history".
Birmingham University weakens restrictions on investing in arms companies Submitted by Imran Mulla on Thu, 07/02/2026 - 12:28 Birmingham is the first British university to weaken rather than strengthen restrictions on arms investments amid Gaza genocide The University of Birmingham photographed in September 2018 (Wikimedia Commons) Off The University of Birmingham has significantly weakend its restrictions on investing in weapons companies, Middle East Eye has learnt. The British university has replaced a policy committing to "minimise" investments in arms, tobacco and alcohol companies with weaker "investment principles" that require the consideration of "financially material" environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. This makes Birmingham the first British university to weaken rather than strengthen restrictions on arms investments amid Israel's genocide in Gaza.
A local’s guide to Ankara ahead of the Nato summit Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Thu, 07/02/2026 - 11:02 Often overshadowed by Istanbul, Turkey’s capital offers a wide variety of delicious food, lively venues and sightseeing opportunities A view of Ankara's well-known Atakule from the gardens of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in June 2025 (MEE/Ragip Soylu) Off The Turkish capital of Ankara doesn’t have a great reputation, even inside the country. Many Istanbulians look down on this so-called “grey, soulless desert” in the middle of Anatolia. Yet the city, famous internationally mostly for hosting Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s mausoleum, is about to host a Nato summit on 7-8 July.
'His death has killed a part of me': The Ethiopians awaiting execution in Saudi Arabia Submitted by MEE correspondent on Thu, 07/02/2026 - 12:49 Ethiopians on death row in Saudi Arabia's Khamis Mushait detention centre speak to MEE about their plight Letekristos Gebretsadkan mourns the death of her son Tsigabu, who was executed in Saudi Arabia, in Tigray, Ethiopia (MEE) Off In Saudi Arabia ’s Khamis Mushait detention facility, hundreds of Ethiopian prisoners are held on death row in harrowing conditions, waiting in fear of their eventual execution. On 21 April, the shouts of the guards echoed through the overcrowded prison in Aseer province as they came to read out the names of those scheduled to be executed. Three Ethiopians were taken away to their fate.
Israeli press alarmed as criticism of Israel becomes winning recipe in US politics Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Thu, 07/02/2026 - 12:37 Primary defeats for pro-Israel Democrats have deepened fears about the state's declining popularity in the US Congressional candidate Brad Lander (left) with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after declaring victory in Brooklyn on 23 June 2026 (AFP/Spencer Platt) Off A string of primary victories by left-wing Democratic candidates has triggered alarm across Israeli media and pro-Israel circles, with commentators warning that support for Israel no longer guarantees "political success". The victory of democratic socialist Melat Kiros over 15-term pro-Israel US Representative Diana DeGette in Colorado’s primary election on Tuesday added to a series of wins by candidates who have challenged Israel’s influence over US politics, opposed the genocide in Gaza and described Israel as an apartheid state. Kiros's win followed wins by three Democratic Socialist candidates backed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, as well as another in a Philadelphia congressional primary and one in the Democratic primary for mayor of Washington DC.
